A blues version of the following Talmudic text (Megillah 7b): אמר רבא מיחייב איניש לבסומי בפוריא עד דלא ידע בין ארור המן לברוך מרדכי רבה ורבי זירא עבדו סעודת פורי׳ בהדי הדדי איבסום קם רבה שחטי׳ לרבי זירא למחר בעא רחמי ואחייה לשנה אמ׳ ליה ניתי מר ונעביד סעודת פורים בהדי הדדי אמ׳ ליה לא [...]
The Mukata has posted the translation of an article that was published last year in Makor Rishon on the origins of Purim. The article gives an overview of some theories about the origins of Purim, the canonization of Megillah Esther, and the Dead Sea Scrolls.
See Mitchell First’s post at the Seforim blog on “The Origin of Ta’anit Esther.”
I saw the following advertisement on a website. I wasn’t sure if this was anti-humra medicine, or anti-hametz (hamira) medicine. Although it is a long way until Purim, I wonder what some side effects might be.
Dr. Thamar E. Gindin has posted Hebrew summaries of a series of lectures that she gave on the historicity of the Scroll of Esther. The summaries can be found here. Also see this post (Hebrew) on the burial places of Esther and Mordechai by Orli Rahimian.
Since the coverage of the visit to Dubai by certain foreigners is sometimes bordering on the comical, and the apparent quick exit to Iran by some of the above mentioned foreign nationals, a little Purim levity is called for. On a serious note, I’ll be glad to have the Mossad borrow my name to kill [...]
This Shabbat is Parashat Zachor, the maftir that grammarians and Torah readers love to ponder upon. For a discussion of the issues related to this Torah reading and the mistaken custom of some synagogues, see here and here. In today’s installment of his program, באופן מילולי, (“Literally Speaking”) Dr. Avshalom Koor discussed a few things-Parashat [...]
There has been lots of discussion about Rav Ovadiah’s statement regarding women reading Megillat Esther for men. See my previous post here, this post at Hirhurim, and this post at My Obiter Dicta. I just had a chance to look over the relevant sections in Hazon Ovadiah on Purim (Thanks go out to my friend [...]
Rav Ovadiah Yosef drops another one of his bombshells and this time it isn’t some ridiculous comment about Arabs or secular Jews, but rather that women can read Megillat Esther for men. Read about it here, here, and here. (hat tip) It will be interesting to see how different communities within orthodoxy react. See some [...]
My father reminded me that there is another very good illustrated book, J.T. Waldman’s Megillat Esther. See here for some sample illustrations.
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