Snip-WHClogo-journal-blue02

(C) Copyright 2008 by Washington Hebrew Congregation. All rights reserved.

Washington Hebrew Congregation

Directions

Directions

RS-Purim9Blend great festive mood and good company of friends and family thoroughly. Add the humor, good food and drinks. To this mixture add carnival costumes, face painting session or at least some elements of Purim dressing up and let it stay for some time to develop a taste and flavor. Sprinkle with Purim songs, cheering and booing and enjoy the experience!

P.S. Here are some curious facts about Purim that you might not have known before!

  • The Book of Esther is the only book in the Bible which does not mention God's name. RS-Purim10
  • The Book of Esther is unique in that it contains words which appear nowhere else in the Bible. These include:
    Tebet: the tenth Hebrew month
    Kasher: fit
    Patshegen: a copy of the (written) text
    Ahashdarpenim: Persian word for the King's officers
    Pur: Persian word meaning "lot"
    Karpas: Persian word for "cotton”
  • All the letters of the Hebrew alphabet are found in the Book of Esther, ch. 3, v. 13.
  • The Hebrew word Mishteh, meaning banquet, occurs 20 times in the Book of Esther (which is equal to the total of ALL the other times it is found in the rest of the Bible).
  • The longest verse in the Bible appears in the Book of Esther. It has 43 words in Hebrew (and approximately 90 words in English). It appears in ch. 8, v. 9.
  • The Talmud instructs that on Purim one should drink until he knows not the difference between "Blessed be Mordecai" and "Cursed be Haman." Interestingly, the numerical value of the Hebrew letters in each of the phrases “baruch Mordechai” and “arur Aman” amounts in each case to a total of 502.
  • In Missouri and Louisiana there are towns called Esther.
  • In the city of Tel Aviv, Israel, there is a street called Queen Esther Street.

* (some of our Purim information here was developed by Robin Treistman and Stephen Cotsen)