The New York herald., 1876-03-10
Origin of the Festival and the
Events 1t Commentaries.
ITS RELIGIOUS AND SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE,
How 1t Will Be Observed in
This City.
Amelioration Of the Old Police
Severity.

To-day Purm, the merriest festival OF the Jewish
year. is celebrated. The feast OF Purim dates from
about the year $40 b. c. and commentaries the hang
ing Of arch rascal well the escape of the Jews
In Persia from determination. The word 'purim" is
supposed to be the Persc for 'lot" not in The real
estate OF the term but as connected with the
throwing Of dice. Those unfamiliar with the Book OF
Esther may be reminded that about the period above
mentioned, one Haman the prime favorIte OF the
King OF Persia conceived the friendly idea OF exter-
mnating the Jews who had chosen in Persia
instead Of joining their exilcd countrymen their
lurn to Judea at the end OF the captivity. Haman
ing uncertain to the day upon which would be
good TO execute his design had lots every day
twelve months in order to discover auspcious day
or the carrying out OF this project; hence derived
,hc of the feast, Purm. The lot fell upon
The thirteenth day of Adar, the sixth month OF the
cvl the twelnh the ecclesiastical year of the
Jews. There much dispute TO the King whose
Prime Minister had the boldness to submit such prof.
ect To him. but Il is generally conceded TO have been
Artaxerxes Ill Tho story although 1000 years old,
is. even to-day, not uninstructIve, as showing the
quasi-lmmutability of Eastern institutions The
boundicss credit of the royal favorite the sgne ring
whose impression upon an oncai document carried
lie death, the prodgious sum OF l0.000 talents
offered the monarch the price OF his
the wholesale buchery, the hanging OF tho wretch
Haman upon the gallows which he had prepared for
hordecai ali very Oriental in their dramatic di-
mensons, and would read quite naturally to-day Of the
pctentate who but year ago easted the OF
The sght-seers of London and Paris with his
priceless jewels and signed away all the great
Internal and financial franchises OF his Kingdom to
Baron Reuter- The episode itself has been immortal
izcd in the verse Of Racine. The Jews, not unnatu-
rally celebrated their escape from this great danger
and to-day the Hebrews OF this city Will commemorate
it, common their religionists throu ghout the
world The chief ceremonies observed upon this
sion are the following The Book OF Esther, written
a separate parchment, called the Megliah Esther
read from beginning TO end IN the synagogues. Even
the reading OF the law gives place 10 IL IL may be
read IN any language understood by the reader As
often Mordecai's occurs, the whole congrega-
ton exclaim blessed be MordecaL" On the mention
OF Humans name, they say "May his name perish.
1t is usual Tor the children TO hiss spring rates strike
the walls with hammers and make all sorts OF noises
The latter observances have as might be expected,
ialen INTO disise IN many synagogues. The
remainder of the day is spent in festvity in commcm-
Grafton of Esthcr's feast, upon which occasion
the Jews send presents each other the men TO the
men, the women TO The women. Aims also be-
slowed upon the poor, GentIes not being excluded.
Plays and masquerades follow. 1t even consid-
cred breach Of the law of Moses for men and women
TO assume the garb of the other sex The Tamud
even prcscrbes CrracI MegL, vii y that a man
should drink until he cannot distinguish between the
words "Cursed be Haman" and BLESSED be Morde-
eai.' The latter provision Is, however,
sdcred binding and, the modern Jews belong
chiefly the respectable classes of society
and are remarkably abstemous, II unlikely that
The Gonties will be edited by any such evidence
OF oblvous enthusiasm. Purlm is the last festival
of the Jewish ecclesiastical year, being succeeded i'm
mediately by the Passover, The festivities con
neotion with the feast OF Purim viii be brought a
close 10y the hdute roiee of the Hebrew in New
York by grand reception at Deimonco's, to be held
on Tuesday evening, March H. Those who know the
manner IN which such affairs are managed by our
Hebrew fellow citizens need not be informed OF the
wealth. taste and 5rlliaucy which will characterize the
occasion.
IL is understood that the police will not interfere
with any masquerade parties and the pleasant Gus
tom Of the Hebrews Is 10 each other their homes
IN masks the pleasure of the festival viii be greatly
Enhanced Maskcrs usually 20 from house to house
and make merry over the many mystidcatons that
naturally ensue.