The Purim Story

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Homeschool Coffee Break helps fuel this blog. 

(This article has been updated for 2024, and I'm sharing it the day before Purim. Purim 2024 begins at sundown on Saturday, March 23rd, and continues through Sunday night, March 24th. The original article was posted on February 25, 2021, and I have left my references to 2021 dates alone rather than rewrite too much.)

I'm pretty late to today's party, but did want to acknowledge the celebration of Purim today! 

If you're not Jewish (I'm not), you may be wondering what this holiday is all about, and you might also be wondering why it might matter to anyone who isn't Jewish. Like me. Well, for me, I'm interested in all kinds of cultural celebrations just because I'm interested in history and other cultures. But I find Jewish holidays especially intriguing because the most important ones are commanded by God, and tell us a lot about God and his relationship to his people. Purim is a celebration that isn't commanded by God, but the story of its origin is in the Bible, and it's also a story of God saving his people. 

 Purim is celebrated every year on the 14th of the Jewish month of Adar. In 2021 that's February 25th. The celebration begins at sundown on Thursday (today), and ends on Friday evening. It's a holiday that dates back to the ancient Persian empire and commemorates the Jewish people being saved from the evil plan of a Persian prime minister to wipe them out. The name comes from the Persian word for "lots" as in casting lots or throwing dice. So what happened? You can read the whole story in the Old Testament book of Esther, but here's my short summary:

The Jewish people were subjects of the Persian Empire during the 4th century BC. During the reign of King Ahasuerus, he deposed his queen and searched for a new queen among his subjects. A Jewish girl named Esther was chosen. She was cousin to Mordecai, a Jewish leader and an advisor to the king, but her Jewish heritage was kept a secret. The Persian prime minister Haman devises a plot to get revenge on his rival Mordecai by killing all the Jews and tricks the king into signing this into law. (This is the part where they cast lots - the purim - to determine the date for this genocide.) Mordecai alerts Esther and challenges her to go to the king. After a period of fasting, Esther risks her life to go to the king and is able to expose Haman's plot and thus save her people.

So on the day that the tables were turned and Haman and his family were executed instead, Jewish people celebrate to remember this event and how they were saved.

On the day before Purim, it's customary to fast because Esther and the Jews fasted before she went to the king. Once the celebration begins, though, it's fun and joyous! Purim celebrations include reading the story from the Megillah (the Hebrew scroll), giving gifts to the poor, feasting and sending gifts of food. Often children dress up in costumes - and sometimes adults do too! During the reading of the story, listeners will boo, stomp their feet, or use noisemakers when the name of Haman is mentioned. He's the bad guy, and his name is to be wiped out. 

Sometimes people wonder why the book of Esther is included in the Bible, since it doesn't mention God by name. I think that the "coincidences" surrounding Mordecai's favor with the king, Haman's plan and the timing of it, and Esther's position in the royal household all point to God's hand at work. Mordecai and Esther are observant Jews - they fast and pray and call upon all the Jews to do the same, and God works on their behalf. I believe the bold and unusual plan Esther used to appeal to the king was put on her heart by God as she fasted and prayed. 

You see, even though she was a royal wife and the queen, she was not supposed to go to the king. She had to wait for him to summon her, which he hadn't done for quite some time. If she went to him, and he wasn't interested, she could be put to death. She actually reminded Mordecai of this fact, and his response to her is one of my favorite lines: "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4.14)

She responds: "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish." (Esther 4:16)

What courage! After this persistent calling on God through fasting, she is ready to go to the king. Here's where her plan is crazy brilliant and unexpected. She could be killed just for walking in uninvited, but when the king receives her warmly and says he'll give her anything at all she asks for, she says she just wants to invite him and Haman to dinner. What?! Then at the banquet, the king repeats his generous offer - he is persistent in wanting to honor her! - and she says that they are invited to dinner again the next day. Before that second dinner, Haman winds up having to honor Mordecai at the king's command, and he loathes it. In his fury, he has a gallows made ready thinking he'll get his revenge on Mordecai very soon. But then at the second banquet, Esther makes her request - she asks for her life and the lives of her people, and she reveals that Haman is the villain plotting against the Jews.

The persistence of Esther and Mordecai pays off when God intervenes and turns the tables so that the Jews are allowed to defend themselves and get revenge on their enemies. Despite Haman's persistent hatred, his plans are foiled and he gets what he deserves.

God has always kept his promises. He will always save his people, and he will always be in control. That's one of the lessons to learn from Esther - be persistent in faith and obedience to God.

*********************

For more about Purim and the book of Esther, see these valuable resources:

Chabad.org - Purim

Jews for Jesus - Esther, Purim, and Why it All (Still) Matters

Jews for Jesus - A Clue in the Book of Esther

Jews for Jesus - Esther is the Real Hero of Purim

Proverbial Homemaker - Celebrate the Feast of Purim this Year

*********************

There are a lot of foods associated with Purim celebrations, but the best known is the cookie called Hamentaschen. These are three-cornered pastries or cookies with a sweet filling. They are often given as gifts. Here's one of the recipes I've used before:

Hamentaschen (adapted from America the Beautiful)

2 2/3 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup cold butter

2/3 cup sugar

1 egg plus 1 egg white

cherry, strawberry or apricot preserves

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.  Cut butter into small pieces and blend into flour mixture using a pastry blender.  Mix egg, egg white and sugar together, then blend into flour mixture.  Mix to a stiff dough.  Divide into two discs, wrap each in plastic and chill for about 30 minutes.  Roll out to 1/8-inch thickness.  (The original recipe suggested doing this between two sheets of waxed paper.  I used a floured pastry board, but did find that a sheet of waxed paper on top kept the dough from sticking to the rolling pin without incorporating more flour into the dough.)  Using a biscuit cutter or cookie cutter, cut dough out into circles about 2-1/2 to 3 inches in diameter.  Spoon about a quarter-sized drop of preserves onto each circle.  Fold the edges in to form a triangle, overlapping the corners and pinching them a little.  Bake about 1 inch apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet in a 350* oven, for about 15 minutes.  The preserves will start to bubble and the cookies will be a light golden brown when done.  Cool on a wire rack before serving.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

 

This is from my article: Hamentaschen

*********************

The original post was part of the Write 28 Days Blogging Challenge hosted by Anita Ojeda. All my posts for the challenge are listed here: Write 28 Days Blogging Challenge - Disappointed

 Don't miss a coffee break! Subscribe to Homeschool Coffee Break by Email! 

 ©2006-2024 Homeschool Coffee Break. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://kympossibleblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

A Groundhog Day Look at Light and Shadow

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Homeschool Coffee Break helps fuel this blog. 

Happy Groundhog Day! 

I don't think most people go around wishing each other a Happy Groundhog Day, and I've never seen a greeting card for this day. It's not a statutory holiday or a religious day, and other than checking whether Punxsutawney Phil (or your local rodent celebrity) is predicting an early or late spring, there's nothing special to do to celebrate. Right? Where did this strange little tradition of Groundhog Day come from anyway?

Although Groundhog Day has been shown on calendars for as far back as I can remember, and has been a part of folklore for centuries, it's probably fair to say general recognition of the date increased greatly thanks to the 1993 movie Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray. The movie drew attention to Gobbler's Knob, Pennsylvania, and the Groundhog Day ceremony there, but that wasn't an invention of the filmmakers. Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney is a real place, and Punxsutawney Phil has been the weather forecaster there since 1887. That's when a local newspaper gave the nickname Punxsutawney Groundhog Club to a group who had made a tradition of hunting groundhogs on February 2nd each year. February 2nd is Candlemas (more about that in a moment), and the tradition of watching for groundhogs or other hibernating animals on this date goes back centuries in Europe. Germans who came to American in the 1800s brought this tradition with them, and since groundhogs were common, that's the animal that earned the distinction.

Did you miss Punxsutawney Phil's prediction this morning? You can see it here: GoErie - Groundhog Day 2023

What's special about February 2nd?

The beginning of February is about the halfway mark between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. In an agrarian culture, it's really helpful to know when to expect the weather to warm up enough to start planting, and having enough sunlight to clearly see a shadow is a reminder of brighter and warmer days to come. But a clear and cloudless sky during winter usually means it's cold because the clouds aren't insulating and holding the warmth near the earth. Thus the weather superstition. Some ancient cultures had a mid-season celebration around the beginning of February, and this was a time to start planting crops.

But why February 2nd, in particular? It is forty days after the date for Christmas, when Christians recognize the birth of Christ. According to the Mosaic Law, a woman was to offer a purification sacrifice forty days after giving birth, and the Gospel of Luke records that Mary and Joseph obeyed this law and brought the baby Jesus to the temple to be dedicated to the Lord. So February 2nd became recognized as the Feast of the Presentation. As Europe was becoming Christianized, it was a handy thing when pre-Christian religious festivals or cultural traditions (such as looking for animals coming out of hibernation as an indicator of the weather) could be replaced or marked by a Christian festival, and that's exactly what happened in this case. The Feast of the Presentation, or Candlemas, as it became known, was also the day to check whether the hedgehogs or badgers were coming out of their winter dens.

What is Candlemas?

The Feast of the Presentation is the feast day marking Mary's ritual purification and the dedication of Jesus at the temple. You can read about in the Bible, in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 2. The feast day was recognized as far back as the fourth century. The name Candlemas (Candle Mass) came later on, from the ceremony of blessing the candles on this day. The candles to be used in the church were blessed, and the people were invited to bring their own candles to be blessed for use in prayer at home. A candlelight procession is part of this celebration.

In many Catholic and Christian communities today, Candlemas represents a day of "purification, renewal, and hope." And all those candles are a fitting reminder that Jesus is the light of the world and God's light given to all nations.

"For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelations to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel." ~Luke 2:30-32 

Moreover, it is a much-needed reminder during the remaining dark, long days of winter that, no matter how grave things may be, "the light sines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" (John 1:5).  ~Carolyn Pirtle¹

We celebrate Christmas and Christ's coming with so much joy and lots of candles and twinkling lights, but a bit over a month later, when all those decorations have been put away and it's still cold winter, it's probably a good time to be reminded of the light!

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." ~John 8:12

Candlemas Traditions

I found that one country, Liechtenstein, recognizes Candlemas as a national holiday! Traditionally, all the candles in the house should be lit, and, by the way, the nativity scenes from Christmas shouldn't be put away until Candlemas.

In Germany, where the Groundhog Day association originated, Candlemas was also associated with payment deadlines, the end of the "servant's year", and the beginning of the "farmer's year". 

In France and Belgium, it may be called "Le Chandeleur" and it's traditional to eat crepes. Apparently this goes back to an early pope that ordered pancakes be distributed to pilgrims, and the shape and color are supposed to remind people of the sun. 

(Now, if it were up to me, I'd have pancakes for dinner. But I didn't think my husband would be excited about that, so instead we will try this recipe for Savory Crepes tonight.) 

In Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries, it's celebrated as Candelaria. One custom is that the person who found the bean inside the Kings Cake on Epiphany is supposed to bring food to the feast on Candelaria. The family meal features tamales, so often the person who found the bean is responsible to make the tamales. 

Did you check your local groundhog forecast today? Whether we see signs of spring or a longer winter today, take heart in the knowledge that Jesus is still the Light of the World, and that to be in HIS shadow is to be kept safe.

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

~Psalm 91:1~

This post will be linked at Encouraging Hearts and Home.

Sources for this article include: www.OfficeHolidays.com, History.com, McGrath Blog, GrowChristians.org

¹ Pirtle, Carolyn. "What is Candlemas and how to observe it"; McGrath Institute for Church Life. University of Notre Dame. Jan. 30, 2019

 Don't miss a coffee break! Subscribe to Homeschool Coffee Break by email 

 ©2006-2023 Homeschool Coffee Break. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://kympossibleblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

I Spy #100

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from HS Coffee Break helps fuel this blog.

Each week Lysha at A Camera and a Cookbook shares a set of prompts for photos. On Saturday she invites participants to share their photos in the I Spy 2022 linkup. Guess Monday is becoming my new day to share my photos. Enjoy!

 

- Colorful - my Floridian French Toast at brunch yesterday was a colorful presentation.

- Backyard (quarterly) - I don't really have a backyard any more, but I guess this is close. This is the walk that goes around our neighborhood. Rather a low quality photo, now that I see it on a bigger screen!

 

 - Far - I had a tough time coming up with something for this prompt, so this is the best I could do. Our townhome is far from being completely organized and decorated, but this is how far we got as of the weekend. It still feels too far away from home.

 - Jewelry - my necklaces and beads are all in a jumble after I tossed them in a bag for the move. I'll have to untangle them all soon.

- Choose Anything (same vantage point, monthly) - not quite the same vantage point, because I took this photo from the opposite side of the church as we drove away on Sunday.

      

    

iSpy 2022 is hosted by Lysha at A Camera and a Cookbook. The idea is to challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone and do something different with your photos. Anyone can participate by taking five new photos during the week that fit the prompts. Link up during the week and have fun! 

 Don't miss a coffee break! Subscribe to HS Coffee Break by email 

 ©2006-2022 HS Coffee Break. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://kympossibleblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

 

I Spy #96

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from HS Coffee Break helps fuel this blog.

Each week Lysha at A Camera and a Cookbook shares a set of prompts for photos. On Saturday she invites participants to share their photos in the I Spy 2022 linkup. I'm going to say up front that I took a "close enough" approach to photos this week. We've been busy trying to figure out a move and I've been mostly focused on that, so maybe next week's photos will be more of the same. At any rate, enjoy this week's photos!

 

- Leaf Love - 

- On Your Plate (quarterly) - it's leftovers night! Leftover pizza from lunch, and leftover sesame beef (my favorite Asian dish) from a couple nights ago.

   

 - Monochromatic - a pair of jeans and a couple of tops hanging on the back of my closet door, all in black and grey.

 - No Humans Allowed - I didn't know what to do for this prompt, but I had this photo of the horse at my friend's place, and she looks a little like she's warning humans off (although she's actually friendly).

- Choose Anything (same vantage point, monthly) - The lighting somehow makes this month's shot look almost vintage.

      

    

iSpy 2022 is hosted by Lysha at A Camera and a Cookbook. The idea is to challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone and do something different with your photos. Anyone can participate by taking five new photos during the week that fit the prompts. Link up during the week and have fun! 

 Don't miss a coffee break! Subscribe to HS Coffee Break by email 

 ©2006-2022 HS Coffee Break. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://kympossibleblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.