Okay, so I’m a day late and a dollar short. (The "dollar" was donated on Purim itself to
Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger, for matanot la-evyonim, gifts to the poor.) Anyway, here’s some interesting reading for, er, well, next Purim. I printed some of this for our good friend from synagogue—we managed to clear away just enough of Hubster, CPA’s tax-returns-in-progress to invite her to our very first Seudat Purim ever (talk about “better late than never,” I’m 57 and my husband is 64)!
Let’s begin with a little “Purim Torah,” a delightful parody by Skippy, also known as
Tzipster91, (posted on her proud mom
tuesdaywishes' blog) concerning ArtScroll’s newest publication, “
Mesechet Exercisim.”
From one extreme to the other, here’s an absolutely serious reconsideration of the Purim story from
Lerner’s Jewish Bible Blog, “
No Happy Ending for Esther (On Purim's tragic heroine)."
In the middle,
DovBear presents his usual fresh look at tradition in the following posts, past and present:
Monday, March 13, 2006
"The Fast of Esther: Pop Purim Quiz—Why do we fast today?"
(Don't forget to follow the "costumes" link to a Purim post of his from last year.)
"Purim Reading"
(A link to "A.P. Kores's" 2005 series on the Book of Esther—this "Purim Torah" (i.e., parody) is long, but well worth the read.)
Thursday, March 09, 2006
"Why do we rattle noisemakers at the mention of Haman's name?"
"The original Purim Parody"
Here's one from
Bloghead's Miriam from last year:
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Purim Sameach
(A lament concerning the vilification of Vashti.)
Check out this "Purim Torah" from
Sheyna Galyan:
In honor of Purim, a delightful parody of Megillat Esther (the Scroll [Book] of Esther) and the reasons why, and ways in which, we celebrate Purim. t
This not exactly "Purim Torah," but go see funny post with
Cro Magnon Man in Purim costume. For Purim,
Cro Magnon Medicine Man decide take literally old saying, "Talk softly and carry a big stick." This not his usual shtick. Usually, either he talk softly and carry a patient's file or he sing loudly and carry a big bass. :)
If you have any other recommendations for good posts concerning Purim, please chime in—I'm sure I missed some.
Update: Check out
Ezzie's Blog Roundup, Pre-Purim: Things To Keep In Mind and
Ezzie's Blog Roundup: PURIM!!!!! How silly of me, not to have thought of checking
Ezzie's blog—he's one of the J-blogosphere's "round-up" specialists. I would say I was too drunk to think of it, but getting drunk on Purim is one tradition that I refuse to follow. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go stock up on Kedem grape juice for the Four Cups—I've never been able to understand how a person can even stay awake at a Seder, let alone learn anything serious, while plastered out of his/her mind. Discussing the exodus from Egypt and asking questions are at the very heart of the Seder, as the haggadah states, "V'chol ha-marbe l'sapeir biy'tziat mitzrayim, harei zeh m'shubach, the more one tells of [discusses] the exodus from Egypt, the more that one is praiseworthy." If you end up "ad lo yada" (so drunk that you can't tell the difference between the hero and the villain) at a Seder, you end up being "sh'eino yodeia li-sh'ol" (one who doesn't know [how and/or enough] to ask [a question]), and, therefore, you miss the point of attending a Seder.
Update #2
My job is of the "feast or famine" type—either I have so much work that I e-mail my last document at 8:19 PM, or I sit around all day reading other people's blog's between answering the boss's phone calls. Today, I got a lot of reading done. I went through my entire blogroll looking for more Purim posts. Here's what I found (in alphabetical order by blog name):
First up is
DovBear. His Wednesday, March 15, 2006 post, Magilla Meme, is his response to the Renegade Rebbetzin's "new and exciting meme:
Things I think about during magilla reading (besides Russel Crowe)." (Not to worry--we'll get to Ren Reb's. Don't forget to follow the links in the comments--there are more goodies to be found. ) While you're there, have a look at his "Post Purim Worries," "Re: Mishloach Manot--Are you a lunatic, or a lazy bones?," and "DovBear FlashBack--Here's a blast from the past
in honor of Shushan Purim! (of which he says we should ignore the fact that the counter says there are no comments--not true!). These posts are also dated March 15. Too wiped to put them in order.
I lost track, and I'm too tired to go back and check, but I think I found this post via one of the links in the comments to DovBear's post described above.
Charley Hall's Sunday, March 12, 2006 post, "
A lesson from the Megillah," a bit of Purim Torah, most definitely comes from left field, being both unexpected, and . . . well, read it and see for yourselves. It's a real treat.
Next up is
Elie, who posted both the serious "But Not Including" (a plea to avoid Purim drunkenness) and the parody "Transliteration Made Easy" on Monday, March 13, 2006. Check out both.
Eliyahu posted "
Purim Torah" [a serious post despite the title], by Rabbi Avraham Arieh & Rachel Trugman (?). I don't agree with all of it, but give it a look.
Orthomom really went all out with Purim posts. In addition to the "
Purim Politics" post (to which
Ezzie linked in his
Ezzie's Blog Roundup: PURIM!!!!! [see first update]), a screed against "the endless battle of one-upmanship," she also wrote another Sunday, March 12, 2006 Purim post, "
Purim Perils," protesting against the drinking and smoking allowed by boy's yeshivot on Purim. A couple of days later, on March 14, she continued her protest in "
More on Purim and Underage Drinking," then, in "
A Few Purim Points, put in a good word for separate Megillah readings for women that allowed women to leave their screaming toddlers at home with their husbands, who'd already heard the main reading.
The comments (both the guests' and
Mark's/PT's, are the best part of "
Your Virtual Shaloch Manos." :) Enjoy! And while you're there, don't forget to check out the PT posts recommended in
Ezzie's Blog Roundup: PURIM!!!!! I confess to being particularly partial to the "
Cro Magnon Purim Special," since I had so much fun goofing off in the comments.
As promised, we now take you to visit the
Renegade Rebbetzin, to whose Thursday, March 09, 2006 post, "
Things I always think about during Megillah reading, the seudah, and on Purim in general,"
DovBear referred, as mentioned previously. Then there's her Monday, March 13, 2006 post, "
Au freilichin Purim!! (in which I wax poetic in an attempt to make myself feel better about fasting)" and her Tuesday, March 14, 2006 "
Mmmmmm......" Purim recap.
Back at
Ezzie's SerandEz, Ezzie asks for
Matanos L'Evyonim, the gifts for the poor that are mandated on Purim, for a family of ten children (one a baby), who lost their mother in an auto accident last June. He also asks, "How was your Purim?" in his "
Purim Recap," so go on over and comment, if you're so inclined. Then, tagged with RenReb's meme by DovBear and Romach, he recounts "
Megillah Thoughts (Mine)." Whoa--he's tagged four other bloggers! Let's see what happens.
Must . . . sleep. Here are the last two. I'll try to add more details tomorrow night, when I'm more awake (as if!).
Treppenwitz writes about "
Unsuspected Holiness," telling us, as he watches non-Orthodox university students help youngsters from troubled homes whom they'd "adopted" celebrate Purim, "I am constantly being surprised by a Jewishness here in Israel... even among the ostensibly non-observant (perhaps especially among this segment of the population)..." Definitely recommended reading.
And, last but far from least, here's the Velveteen Rabbi's "
Purim homily," reminding us that holiness can be found even where Hashem's name is not mentioned, whether that's in Megillat Esther or in the patient who just wants a listening ear, rather than a prayer, from a chaplain.
Update #3
Oops! Forgot to mention
Elie's Tuesday, March 14, 2006 parody in the Jeff Foxworthy manner, "You Might Be Yeshivish," definitely good for a grin. :)
Do check out
DovBear again to see his three post-Purim posts, one on all the mishloach manot loading down his table, one on Matanot La-Evyonim (gifts to the poor, a Purim requirement), and, from Robbie (but with no hyperlink--DB is being bad), more on Purim costumes.
There are some Purim "goodies" over at Elf's
Apikorsus Online. Recommended reading: her Monday, March 13, 2006' post, "More Charedi Book Banning," a wicked parody, and her Wednesday, March 15, 2006 "Post-Purim Fun" (if you want to read the whole parody from which she quotes, just follow the link).
On Wednesday, March 08, 2006,
Mrs. Balabusta chimed in,
"
Shaloch Manos...or"(2 prepared foods) x (6 kids) x their/your (50 closest friends)?"
Do the math -
no credit if you don't show your work.":)
Happy reading, everyone. :)