The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-03-11
FESTIVAL OF PURIN.
An Appropriate Celebration in
This City.
THE DEL,yERAnce FROM HANNAH
Dedication NJ the Holy scroll by the
Orthodox Congregation How the
Law Is Observed.

Yesterday the Jews Of this city. In COM
mon with their fellows tina world oyer.
ceishrafed the festival called Purfm. OF
TIE feast OF the casting Of lots. The fes-
ttFal Is hased On fhe account gfven Ia the
book of Esther. and commentaries the
saving ~ the Jews frona the order OF de-
ssruction issued ny AhasBezus. king Of
Persia. to his prime minister Ham3a-
The story is tod La the.bo OF Esther
no. the niece OF Mors1ecsl pleaded for the
Jews after THE discovery OF the plot
against the kings life and how Hamar1
was hanged on the galloss he himself
had built
The history OF the festival was related
yesterday afternoon at the meeting Of the
Montefiors society. where Otto s. Grun-
baum read an essay Oh the holiday. saw
Ing the story Of it's origin. The festival.
r. said. Was called the Feast OK Lots.
probably Ia irony by Haman. because he
had cast lots to see on what day the de-
structton of the Jews should take place.
The custom was. On the 18th and 18th or
Asiar. corresponding TO the last of Feb
ruary ard the beginning OF March. to
celebrate the festival. On the night OF
the 18th the AsEiiiah, or the book OF
Esther. Is read. and when the name of
Haman IL mentioned all call out ''Nav his
name be cursed" and Ia some countries
tsfr ~ttsast sgsS MAKE n kFSat nSisE WITH
nsailess and other instruments ca which
they have written the name Haman.
which they strive TO ohllferafs. Whenever
the reader comes 20 the names of Ea-
mans ten sons he calls them OF all Ii
single breath as one, 10 show that all
were executed az the same time. There
Is also practice OF making siits prin-
cipaiiy foods. but this has not become
common I'm America.
IN his essay Mr.. GrunDaum said at
would seem that the Jews were temrted
to associate the Christians with the Per-
SLAMS and Ainaiekites in the curses Of TIE
synagogue Hence probably arose the
popularity of the feast Of Furim IN those
ages In which the feeling c. enfntty was
so strongly manifested between Jews and
Christians. Several Jewish pr verbs are
preserved which striklnaiy snow the way
In which Purfm WAS regarded. such az
The temple may fail. bat Per;m never
sThs prophets may fail. but not Megil-
lab This affection for the book ard the
festival connected with IL Is the more ie-
naarkable because the events on which
they are founded affected only an cxiied
portion OF the Hebrew race. and because
there was so much In ~ I'm 10 shock the
principles and preiudices OF the Jewish
mind"
The orthodox congregation began the
celebration OF the feast last Thursday
evening In the HinckIey block. when the
book OF Esther was read by Rabbi I'll.
Genss. The services were continued yes
ferday at I o'clock p. m. when the rabbi
conducted the dedication OF the new holy
SCROLL comprising the FIVE books of the
penteteuch written In Hebrew. In his
address he pointed out the necessity OF
following the law. and of transmitting 10
the children love and veneration for
"a -
following the teachings of the modern
Jewish pulpit. which referred the respon-
stbilitias OF man almost entirely TO his
own conscience. saying Ii was very well
for the Individual. but if the practice
should become general the law OF Moses
would soon be a dead letter. The object.
he said. of observing so strictly the let
ter of the law was 10 transmit 1t TO pos
terity.
The rabbits address was delivered I'm
Hebrew. after which an address In En-
giish was given by Abe Spring for the
benefit of portion OF the congregation
who could net understand the mother
tongue. Mr.. Spring feelingly referred to
the observance OF Purim a year ago when
ested spectator. Addresses were also
made by Morris NJ. Frederick and NJ.
Grunhaum
In connection with the celebration re-
freshments were served. and In the even
ing a social dance was given. The most
interesting feature was the auctioning of
the letters of the holy scroll. The rah-
binicai law provides that every man shall
write the entire penteteGch. but as this
would be an imp0ssibility In many cases
means of fulfilling the law has been
found by the sale of the letters. The
custom IL for the auctioneer to call out
the letter. and the congregation TO bid
upon IL. each member usually choosing
the initial OF his own name. The bids run
mp TO s. s. and 81. and the money OBJ
tanned Is put into a fund for the eiuca-
ton OF the youth. In this way the law
Is fulfilled. and good sum is realized for
a charitable purpose.
After dedication, the holy scroll Is pre-
served IN an elaborate easement made
especially for that purpose. The pente-
touch has not been reproduced In mod
srn type for the use of the rabbi or con-
gregAiion. and the law IS ascertained from
thu holy scroll itself