Project Genesis: Purim

During the period of time between the destruction of the First Temple and the building of the Second Temple, the Jews came very close to being anihilated because of the evil scheming of Haman with the King of Persia, Achashverosh.

Because of the clandestine intervention of Hashem, using Queen Esther and her uncle Mordechai as His messengers, the Jews were spared, and instead the nation of Israel was able to avenge themselves against their enemies. In order to commemorate these miraculous turn of events, we celebrate Purim on the 14th of Adar (and in walled cities such as Jerusalem, on the 15th of Adar) with feasts, sending gifts of food to our friends and the needy, and with the reading of the Megilla, the story of Purim.

The Fast of Esther is held on the day before Purim. We fast the whole day in order to commemorate the fast that Esther fasted before she went before the King Achashverosh to plead for mercy for the Jews. On this day we remember the dire situation that the Jews were faced with in those days and many times throughout history.

View the Jewish calendar for this year: 5770

Divrei Torah On Purim

Other Classes About Purim from Torah.org

The Laws of Purim, Rabbi Ari Lobel - 5764
Commanding Emotions, Rabbi Pinchas Winston - 5769
Did Esther Succeed, Rabbi Label Lam - 5769
The Wanderer, Shlomo Katz - 5769
Behind the Purim Mask, Rabbi Naftali Reich - 5768
His Worst Nightmare Realized, Rabbi Label Lam - 5768
His Worst Nightmare Realized, Rabbi Label Lam - 5768
Joy That Lasts, Shlomo Katz - 5768
Parashas Zochor: Doomsday Amalek, Rabbi Osher Chaim Levene - 5768
The Game is Over, Rabbi Label Lam - 5768
Triple Purim?, - 5768
When Things Look Bleak, Rabbi Label Lam - 5768
Await the Dawn, Rabbi Label Lam - 5767
Fear of What?, Rabbi Label Lam - 5766
Of Mice Traps and Men, Rabbi Label Lam - 5766
You Can Do It!, Rabbi Aron Tendler - 5766
A Major Player, Rabbi Label Lam - 5765
In Command of Redemption, Rabbi Pinchas Winston - 5765
Light and Joy, Shlomo Katz - 5765
Divine Distinction, Rabbi Aron Tendler - 5764
Megillah - Don't Look Back, Rabbi Eliyahu Hoffmann - 5764
Our Whole Selves, Rabbi Yaakov Menken - 5764
Remember What?, Rabbi Pinchas Winston - 5764
The Amalek Within Us, Shlomo Katz - 5764
We Don’t Know!, Rabbi Label Lam - 5764
Remembering Amalek, Rabbi Yaakov Menken - 5762
Feeling Inspired, Shlomo Katz - 5761
Going Up?, Rabbi Pinchas Winston - 5761
Searching for Haman, Rabbi Eliyahu Hoffmann - 5761
The Heart of Gold - Perceiving Amalek, Rabbi Berel Wein - 5761
Haman's Offer of Silver Shekels, Rabbi Yissocher Frand - 5760
In Defense of Haman, Rabbi Dovid Green - 5760
Sacrifice by Learning Torah, Rabbi Yaakov Menken - 5760
A Jew and Proud of It!, Rabbi Eliyahu Hoffmann - 5759
Sanctifying Through The Physical, Rabbi Yissocher Frand - 5759
Celebrate With Your Whole Self, Rabbi Yaakov Menken - 5758
Perspectives on Trouble, Rabbi Dovid Green - 5758
The Elements of Purim, Rabbi Yaakov Menken - 5758
Troubles Aren't Just a Good Reason to Pray, Rabbi Dovid Green - 5758
Greatest Accolade Given To Mordechai, Rabbi Yissocher Frand - 5757
Hear Conditioning, Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky - 5757
Just a Coincidence?, Rabbi Dovid Green - 5757
Complete Dedication, Rabbi Yosey Goldstein - 5756
Purim & Pisces: Not your Average Fish Story, Jon Erlbaum -

For any comments, questions or topic requests, please contact Rabbi Yehudah Prero.

ARTICLES ON CHAYEI SARAH:

View Complete List

Found Greatness
Rabbi Label Lam - 5769

Life After Death
Rabbi Pinchas Winston - 5766

The Rising Waters of Menchlichkeit
Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky - 5757