A Purim Story You Probably Do Not Know

Jewish history has several Purims. The most famous (and, perhaps, the least true) is the Purim we will celebrate this Saturday night and Sunday. And then there is the Purim of Frankfort-on-Main, celebrating the deliverance (by the mayor, his troops and the emperor, no less) from mob violence and the ransacking of the ghetto.

And there are others. One of these is rarely mentioned. It took place not long before the time of the Hanukkah story and involves an amazing miracle. Yet rabbis do not talk about it and we do not commemorate it. Why?

First, the story of this Purim as told by Stephen Gabriel Rosenberg in yesterday's Jerusalem Post:

…THE THEME of Purim, the threat of annihilation and ultimate salvation, has played itself out over and over again in Jewish history. In happened, for instance, in Ptolemaic Egypt, according to the Third Book of Maccabees, when Ptolemy IV Philopator turned against the Jews.

After his stunning victory over the forces of Antiochus III at Rafiah in 217 BCE, he visited Jerusalem in triumph and requested to enter the Temple and the Holy of Holies as a mark of gratitude.

To his astonishment, Ptolemy was refused by the priests. Such an insult was not to be borne and Ptolemy took his revenge on the Jews of Alexandria by concentrating them all in the Hippodrome and forcing them to stay there until he had mustered his army and their elephants to trample them to death.

Came the auspicious day and the troops plied their elephants with drink to egg them on to charge into the crowd of defenseless Jews - men, women and children.

As the order to advance was given, the drunken elephants hesitated, turned and stampeded over their tormentors, crushing the Egyptian army underfoot and leaving the Jews standing in wonder.…

Yes, that's right. A lifesaving miracle happened to a huge number of Jews and the story is directly linked to the Temple. Why don't we celebrate this? Let me posit three reasons:

1. The miracle happened to Hellenized Jews.
2. It happened before there were rabbis (a.k.a, Perushim, Pharisees).
3. The Temple Priests were Sadducees. The rabbis, if they existed then, which I doubt, did not want to honor a miracle related to the hated Sadducees.

A great miracle happened to a huge number Jews and few of us have ever heard of it. It is not, to my knowledge, at least, mentioned in the Talmud or the Mishna or in any normative rabbinic source (although I may be wrong about this). That speaks volumes about the existence (or lack there of) of rabbis and the rabbinic movement 200 years before the common era.

Comments

[Chai]

Its funny how skeptical and dismissive you are towards the tanach and rabbinic texts, but the moment the book of maccabees says something, its the word of G-d and need not be questioned. Did you ever think that maybe the book of maccabees was exaggerating what took place, or made it up all together?

[Shmarya]

Saying that the author(s) of the Book of Maccabees made up the story doesn't solve the problem completely because the book was in common circulation and there is no conteporaneous rabbinic argument (at least that I'm familiar with) challenging the story.

[Chai]

"That speaks volumes about the existence (or lack there of) of rabbis and the rabbinic movement 200 years before the common era."
How does it speak volumes? It means that if this miracle did happen, the rabbis, for what ever reason, chose not to celebrate it. I think that if a group of reconstructionist jews were to be saved from a dangerous calamity, it would be a similar response from the rabbis. They would be glad that Jews didn't die, but they would not want to legitimize in any way the form of Judaism practiced by these secular jews. Keep in mind that around this period the temple of onias was constructed in Egypt, which according to many rabbis, was completely forbidden, and from what I remember, may have involved avoda zara. Given the facts, you can't blame the rabbis for not turning this event into a holiday.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Shmarya, I share your skepticism about the rabbis. The victors write history, and for whatever reason the rabbanites were victorious. (Triumphalists will cite this as proof of divine approval. That may be, but we do not truly know His will, other than as revealed in tanach). I wish to preserve the best of rabbinic tradition, so as not to throw out the baby with the bathwater. However, I am interested in recovering alternative traditions such as the Saducees (who I suspect had a bad press) and the Greek speaking Jews (who feared God and observed mitzvot, but in the Greek cultural milieu).

[chief doofis]

The story does not appear in either of the two Books of Maccabees that are part of the Jewish apocrypha, and also appear in the Biblical works of the Catholic and Protestant churches. It appears in the Third Book of Maccabess, which is only in the Orthodox canon.

You certainly cannot condemn Rabbis for not celebrating an event recorded in a book of questionable authorship, date, and accuracy.
What's fair is fair!

[Married in Brooklyn]

There are many cities that celebrate their own Purims due to be saved from one crisis or another. Why would there be a national holiday that happened to just one city? I am sure that there were other miracles that happened that were never written down into the Gemara or other texts. If I recall, normally, our halachic texts focus on stories and events that helped shape the halacha or gives us a better insight into them. You do not know for a fact that it was never written down and people celebrated the fact...we have lost thousands upon thousands of books over the ages.

Purim is about the entire nation of Jews, since the majority of them were living under Persia at the time, being saved.

I love your site and many of your posts, but wondering how you got this out of context so much. One city being saved = Local. Entire nation of Jews = Global.

[Aharon Varady]

Inversion festivals in ancient times were common for calendars celebrating a leap year/month/day, preceding the New Year festival. Inversion festivals celebrate a reversal in the typical cosmic order. A common tradition is the officiation of a fool king who presides over the temporary seizure and mock punishment of the innocent. Participants reflecting their part in the merriment wear masks and costumes indicating that they are only acting in certain roles. In Judaism, Purim preceded the New Year for Kings, Passover, and the Counting of the Omer. In Christianity, borrowing from older non-christian traditions, Mardi Gras precedes Lent and Easter. (Lent is a bit like the mourning period during the Omer count.) I would be very surprised if there was not a inversion festival in the provinces of the ancient Persian Empire, which was later framed in the context of Judaism. All of the participants of the inversion festival are brilliantly presented in the story of Esther: the "fool king" (Ahashverosh), the persecution of the innocent (the Jews), the wearing of masks and concelment of identity (Esther). Of course, the names of our heroes, Esther and Mordekhai (Ishtar and Marduk, ancient mesopotamian deities), are themselves testament to the acculturation that took place during the exile period. This is not a statement as to the historicity of Esther and the story of Purim, but rather another example, as with Hanukkah, how Jewish identity and culture has survived due to reimagining and recontextualizing the popular practices of our neighbors and host cultures.

[Shmarya]

Now that is very perceptive. Could very well be true.

Or maybe Jews invented the inversion festival. What inversion festivals existed in the world prior to purim?

[Dave]

I'd like to comment further on what Yochanan said.
I think we should re-integrate the best of Samaritan, and Karaite tradition into traditional Judaism. We should keep the best of all 3- Rabbinic, Karaite, and Samaritan. Sure, there were fights with them (Smaritans and Karaites) in the past, but they are both Torah-based Jewish/ Israelite religions, and they certainly don't go around saying that a certain dead man is the Mashiach and is
G-d. And the Samaritans and Karaites certainly espouse Jewish family values, unlike Reform and Conservative.
Especially the plight of our Samaritan brethren is very tough. They have learnt the lessons of being too frum (in-breeding) and now they are changing, but they still have a lot of problems.

[Neo-Conservaguy]

Chai wrote, "Did you ever think that maybe the book of maccabees was exaggerating what took place, or made it up all together?"

You mean, like Purim?

Chief Doofis wrote, "You certainly cannot condemn Rabbis for not celebrating an event recorded in a book of questionable authorship, date, and accuracy."

You mean, like Purim?

[YA YA]

The fictional Neo-Somethingorother wrote
"You mean, like Purim?"

Published in
On the Way to the Postmodern: Old Testament Essays 1967-1998, Volume 1
(JSOTSup, 292; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1998), pp. 436-43

Reference must be made to a single undated cuneiform document from the Persian period, found at Borsippa, which refers to a certain Marduka who was a Þnance ofÞcer of some sort in the Persian court at Susa during the reign of Xerxes I. While a connection between such an individual and the Mordecai of the book of Esther is in no sense established, the possibility of such a historical event as is related in Esther cannot be dismissed out of hand./1/

Carey A. Moore, the author of the Anchor Bible commentary on Esther, is a little more positive about the implications of the reference to Marduka. This ofÞcial, who 'served as an accountant on an inspection tour from Susa', could be, he suggests, 'the biblical Mordecai because, in all likelihood, Mordecai was an ofÞcial of the king prior to his being invested in [Est.] 8.2 with the powers previously conferred on Haman'. To Moore, 'at Þrst glance all of this seems rather persuasive, if not conclusive'. While he is indeed careful to point out the uncertainties that surround the identiÞcation of Marduka with Mordecai, he nevertheless concludes that

since the epigraphic evidence concerning Marduka certainly prevents us from categorically ruling out as pure Þction the Mordecai episodes in the Book of Esther, it is safest for us to conclude that the story of Mo[r]decai may very well have to it a kernel of truth./2/

Robert Gordis, rather more boldly, appears to have no reservations whatever about the identiÞcation of Mordecai with Marduka. For him, the attestation of the names Marduka and Mrdk/3. is 'the strongest support thus far for the historical character of the book'./4. He writes:

A Persian text dating from the last years of Darius I or the early years of Xerxes I mentions a government ofÞcial in Susa named Marduka, who served as an inspector on an ofÞcial tour . . . [T]he phrase yø¡b b¡a'ar hammelekh, 'sitting in the king's gate,' which is applied to Mordecai repeatedly in the book, indicates his role as a judge or a minor ofÞcial in the Persian court before his elevation to the viziership.

The conclusion to be drawn is rather obvious:

That there were two ofÞcials with the same name at the same time in the same place is scarcely likely./5/

From Edwin M. Yamauchi we even gain the impression that the identiÞcation of Marduka with Mordecai has now become the consensus scholarly view:

Mardukâ is listed as a sipîr ('an accountant') who makes an inspection tour of Susa during the last years of Darius or early years of Xerxes. It is Ungnad's conviction that 'it is improbable that there were two Mardukas serving as high ofÞcials in Susa.' He therefore concludes that this individual is none other than Esther's uncle. This conclusion has been widely accepted./6/

Siegfried H. Horn concurs:

The result of this disco[c]very has been a more favorable attitude toward the historicity of the book of Esther in recent years, as attested by several Bible dictionaries and commentaries published during the last decade./7/

So secure is the identiÞcation of Mordecai with Marduka in his eyes that he can even invite us to reconstruct the personal history of Mordecai on the basis of what we know about Marduka:

It is quite obvious that Mordecai, before he became gatekeeper of the palace, must already have had a history of civil service in which he had proved himself to be a trusted ofÞcial the trusted councillor of [t]he mighty satrap U¡tannu, whom he accompanied on his ofÞcial journeys./8/

We ourselves are bound to ask, if such far-reaching inferences are going to be drawn, How well-justiÞed is the identiÞcation of Mordecai with this Marduka?

"As the order to advance was given, the drunken elephants hesitated, turned and stampeded over their tormentors, crushing the Egyptian army underfoot and leaving the Jews standing in wonder.

LOL, man Greek Fairy Tales, gotta love em.
War Elephants, who any other time would not need much convincing to go foreward or charge the enemy and break up the ranks, and stomp the soldiers below suddenly need a cerveca or two to persuade them that they should go ahead and do what they were bred or taught to do.

Getting them drunk obviously would have been the stupidest thing they could do as a drunk animal like a drunk person will lose its equilibrium and stagger.

Of course its just ol Scotty using anything he can to attack the Rabbis of those days or today. The impossiblity of the events described notwithstanding.

[Aharon]

In my ancient egyptian history class I learned about an inversion festival that lasted 5 dats long, during the 5 "extra" days at the end of their calendar year. From wikipedia: "The ancient civil Egyptian calendar, known as the Annus Vagus or 'Wandering Year,' had a year that was 365 days long, consisting of 12 months of 30 days each, plus 5 extra days at the end of the year. The months were divided into 3 'weeks' of ten days each." My teacher, Gerald Kadish, explained that since these five days were outside the normal domain of the cosmos, they were basically free-for-all days when all sorts of mayhem and hijinx could ensue. Closer to the time of Purim, was the Lupercalia festival. Again from the wikipedia: "The Lupercalia was a very ancient, possibly pre-Roman pastoral festival, observed on February 15 to avert evil spirits and purify the city, releasing health and fertility." A folklorist I heard once speculated that inversion festivals this time of year are reasonable in the northern hemisphere, when communities struggling to survive the last weeks of the winter needed to come together and share their common store of food. The rich would thus be lowered in status and the poor raised, and everyone would be happy with the spirit of sharing, giving, plenty, and general merriment.

[Yochanan Lavie]

This has been an interesting thread. I feel that Ya Ya, Aharon, and Aharon Vardy can help piece together the puzzle. (I am not an expert, so this is just my hunch).

There was an historical incident in the time of Xerxes, involving Marduka, who may or may not have been Jewish. Over time, the story became confabulated into a myth that is archetypical of many close calls Jews have had with ethnic cleansing over the years. God seems to be absent, yet present behind the scenes. The Marduka myth became conflated with inversion festivals popular in the springtime (the equinoxes being seen as doors between the seasons and therefore spiritual realms).

The Book of Esther feels like a fictional melodrama, but shows intimate familiarity with Persian court customs. So I am inclined to believe that while it is not 100% historically accurate, it contains a kernel of truth. More importantly, it contains the spritual truth about Jewish survival, our loyalty to YHWH despite cultural accomodation, and the hidden nature of God in this post-biblical age.

[Aharon]

oops, I am Aharon Varady

[Aharon Varady]

and I forgot to mention the Hindu holiday of Holi, another ancient holiday still practiced, celebrating the arrival of Spring. From religionfacts.com: "Holi (also called Holaka or Phagwa) is an annual festival celebrated on the day after the full moon in the Hindu month of Phalguna (early March). It celebrates spring, commemorates various events in Hindu mythology and is time of disregarding social norms and indulging in general merrymaking. Holi is probably the least religious of Hindu holidays. During Holi, Hindus attend a public bonfire, spray friends and family with colored powders and water, and generally go a bit wild in the streets... Holi is spread out over two days (it used to be five, and in some places it is longer). The entire holiday is associated with a loosening of social restrictions normally associated with caste, sex, status and age. Holi thus bridges social gaps and brings people together: employees and employers, men and women, rich and poor, young and old. Holi is also characterized by the loosening of social norms governing polite behavior and the resulting general atmosphere of licentious merrymaking and ribald language and behavior." Perhaps Holi, or a variation of it was practiced in that ancient empire that extended "from Hindu to Kush."

[Neo-Conservaguy]

"The Book of Esther feels like a fictional melodrama, but shows intimate familiarity with Persian court customs. So I am inclined to believe that while it is not 100% historically accurate, it contains a kernel of truth. More importantly, it contains the spritual truth about Jewish survival, our loyalty to YHWH despite cultural accomodation, and the hidden nature of God in this post-biblical age."

I agree compeltely. My point was that to claim that the story as given is completely historically accurate based upon the tiny amount of collaborating evidence is silly. Of course the celebration of Purim has value; it simply has to also be understood it's midrash - which, despite what Chabad teaches, is rarely based upon 100% accurate depiction of actual events. Nor that there's anything wrong with that.

[Aharon Varady]

Heh... if you're looking for Midrash, check out Midrash Esther. Now that's Midrash. (Just being picky; Esther is Agaddah.)

[Neo-Conservaguy]

And the difference is... sometimes none.

[Aharon]

Well, in Midrash Esther there is lots more oddball stuff including a written contract from Haman to Mordechai offering himself as a slave, magic and witchcraft, and so much more backstory. Really, you should take a look.

[Yochanan Lavie]

"Well, in Midrash Esther there is lots more oddball stuff including a written contract from Haman to Mordechai offering himself as a slave, magic and witchcraft, and so much more backstory. Really, you should take a look."

Spielberg, are you reading? I see a great fantasy movie in this- Harry Potter move over.

[mordecai]

I am also in support of reinvigorating Karaite tradition. Karaites produced many great scholars the memory of whom are not kept alive as Rabbinites have rejected Karaite thought and are the victors in the struggle for legitimacy. For those of us who reject the notion that the Oral Law really was whispered into the ear of Moses and kept alive through oral transmission until written down there is a large gap in Judaism. It has been my understanding that Karaites were a tolerant lot allowing the individual to delive into the tanach to discover the meaning. This is not to say there did not develop over hundreds of years a Karatic orthodoxy.

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