What is Purim?
Purim is the joyful holiday that celebrates the rescue of the Jews of the ancient Persian Empire from a plot to destroy them — the story told in the Megillah, the biblical Book of Esther. Observed on the fourteenth of Adar, it's marked by reading the Megillah, festive meals, costumes, gifts of food, and charity to the poor. It's the most playful day on the Jewish calendar, with a serious undercurrent about hidden providence and the courage of Esther and Mordechai.
What are the customs (and mitzvot) of Purim?
Purim has four traditional mitzvot:
- Reading the Megillah (Book of Esther), twice — at night and again in the day.
- Mishloach manot — sending gifts of food to friends.
- Matanot la'evyonim — giving charity to the poor.
- A festive meal (seudah), with joy and celebration. Costumes and noisemakers (drowning out the villain Haman's name) make it especially festive.
What's the story behind Purim?
In the Book of Esther, the Jewish queen Esther and her cousin Mordechai foil the genocidal plot of Haman, adviser to the Persian king. Strikingly, God's name never appears in the Megillah — a central theme is hidden providence: redemption woven quietly through ordinary events. (Want to learn the text itself? See how to start learning.)
In short: Purim celebrates the Jews' rescue in ancient Persia (the Book of Esther) with Megillah reading, gifts, charity, and a festive, costumed celebration.
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