Purim

Embark on a journey of Jewish learning and discovery, exploring the depth of our Purim resources, where tagged items including audio, programs, and podcast episodes await your exploration.

Purim: For the People

Rabbi Jay Kelman

What should one do when the needs of the Jewish people conflict with the needs of Judaism? When the only way to keep our people Jewishly involved is to bend (or perhaps break) the norms of a traditional way of life? The Jewish people have been…
Article

Shushan Purim: From Purim to Pesach

Rabbi Jay Kelman

“When Adar enters, we increase our joy” (Taanit 29a). Presumably, the increased joy is due to the upcoming Purim festivities, the most joyous of Jewish holidays. Yet somewhat surprisingly, Rashi explains that our increased joy is due not only to…
Article

Purim: One Is More Than Many

Rabbi Jay Kelman

"It was contemptible in his eyes to harm Mordechai alone; for they identified for him the people of Mordechai; Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Achashverosh, the people of Mordechai" (Esther 3:6).…
Article

Adar Sheni: Two Redemptions

Rabbi Jay Kelman

Imagine if every few years the Gregorian calendar had two Decembers. When would people shop? We of course are faced with a similar dilemma seven out of every nineteen years, as our calendar has two Adars. While we celebrate Purim in Adar II,…
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Shushan Purim: One People, Two Holidays

Rabbi Jay Kelman

“Kol Yisrael Areivim zeh lazeh”, all Jews are guarantors for one another. While we may not always live up to this ideal, the non-Jewish world understands this principle all too well, attributing the actions of one Jew to all Jews. If…
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Parshat Zachor: Defeating Amalek

Rabbi Jay Kelman

“Remember what Amalek did to you on the way when you left Egypt” (Devarim 25:17). Amalek is the embodiment of evil in this world, the inventor of terrorism, attacking the weak and defenseless from behind—for no reason other than pure hatred. The…
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אסתר צריכה עזרא, ועזרא צריך אסתר Esther tzricha Ezra v'Ezra tzarich Esther (The People and the Book 2013)

Rabbi Bar-on Dasberg

Class

Purim Torah: The Use of Humour in Tanach (The People and the Book 2013)

Rabbi David Silber

Class

Exile and Redemption in the Book of Esther and the Festival of Purim (The People and the Book 2013)

Dr. Ruth Walfish, Rabbi Dr. Avraham Walfish

Class

Megillat Esther: Identifying the Author, Identifying the Audience (The People and the Book 2013)

Rabbi Menachem Leibtag

Class