One of the nicest traditions on Purim is 'matanot laeveyonim', the giving of gifts to the poor. There are three major mitzvots to fulfill during Purim: Listen, Give, Send and Eat.
Listen
We listen to the Megillah Reading to relive the miraculous events
of Purim by reading the Scroll of Esther.
Give
Gifts to the Needy: Concern for the needy is a year round
responsibility for the Jew but especially on Purim, it is a special mitzvah to remember
the poor. Give charity to needy individuals on March 21st. The mitzvah is best fulfilled
by giving directly to the needy. If you cannot think of poor people, you can put coins in
charity boxes. Small children should also fulfill this mitzvah.
Send
On Purim we emphasize the importance of Jewish unity and friendship
by sending gifts of food to friends. Send a gift with at least two kinds of ready-to-eat
foods such as pastry, grape juice bottle, or nuts to your friend(s) on that day. It is
proper that men send to men and women to women. Sending these gifts should be done through
a third party. Children, who can send their own gifts of food, would also make great
messengers.
Eat
During Purim, we eat hamanstaschen, a pastry that represents
the three-comered hat that Haman wore. Poppy seeds appear in many foods during Purim. The
German word mohn sounds like ha-mon so poppy seeds are cooked and eaten making Haman
helpless.
Art and Crafts
Purim Story Puppets Supplies:
Stuff a cotton ball inside the tip of each fingers of the glove. Tie a piece of yarn under each cotton ball to hold it in place to form a head. Cut a one inch circle of pink felt for Queen Esther. Glue the circle on the pinky finger of the glove. Cut a crown from yellow felt and glue it on her head. Decorate the crown with metallic trim. Draw on a face with the markets. Glue pieces of brown yarn on each side of the head for hair. To make King Ahasuerus, cut a one inch circle from beige felt and glue it on the next finger for the face. Cut a crown from yellow felt and decorate it with metallic trim. Glue the crown to the top of the head. Draw a face with markers, and glue on hair and a beard cut from brown yarn. To make Mordechai, cut a one inch circle from the beige felt and glue to the next finger. Draw a face with markers. Glue on brown yarn hair and beard. To make the evil Haman, cut a one inch circle from beige felt and glue it on the last finger. Cut a triangle hat from black felt and glue it to the top of the head. Draw a face with markers. Cut hair and a small beard from brown yard and glue it in place. |
