DELICIOUS HASBARA
Jews around the world celebrate Purim next week, a holiday that commemorates their salvation from a genocide plot in the ancient Persian Empire, as told in the Book of Esther. The story follows Queen Esther, who hid her Jewish identity from King Ahasuerus, and her cousin Mordecai, who refused to bow to the vizier Haman. Enraged, Haman cast lots, called pur, to choose a date to massacre the Jews. Esther risked her life to reveal her heritage to the King and expose Haman’s scheme. This led to Haman’s execution and allowed the Jews to defend themselves, turning a day of predicted slaughter into one of triumph and joy.
As kids, we believed this Hasbara dogshit. It was just another story drummed into us to cement our perpetual victimhood, our lifelong sense of Jewish supremacy and our self-identifying as the ‘chosen people’. And we loved the festival for its delicious hamantash and the chance to annoy the fuck out of everyone with the grager.
Today, the holiday is celebrated with a carnival-like atmosphere. Traditions include reading the Megillah aloud while booing Haman’s name, dressing in costumes, and performing humorous plays. Observants are commanded to give charity to the poor, exchange gifts of food with neighbours, and enjoy a festive meal where wine and merriment are highly encouraged. The holiday celebrates themes of Jewish survival and "hidden miracles," as the story famously never mentions God’s name directly, though divine providence is seen throughout the narrative.
Modern scholars view the Book of Esther as a historical novella rather than a literal report. There are no contemporary Persian or Greek records of Esther or Mordecai. The story contains many exaggerated elements and scripted dialogue. Persian kings generally did not marry outside of seven specific noble families, making Esther’s rise unlikely.
To ensure I’m able to keep sharing my thoughts as clearly as possible despite my gradual cognitive decline, I’ve started relying on Grammarly to polish sentence structure, improve clarity and conciseness (helping rein in my tendency to ramble a bit), suggest words when they slip my mind, and ensure each post stays true to my own natural tone and voice. I write it, Grammarly fixes it. Respect for the reader.
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