THE STORY OF PURIM
Persia, 4th century BCE: three years after ascending to the throne, King Ahasuerus held a 180-day long party for his subjects. He then held a smaller, weeklong party for the residents of the capital city. On the 7th day of the party, the king ordered his wife Vashti to appear before the men to show off her beauty; when she refused, he had her executed.
Soon, however, the king became lonely and once again desired a wife. At the behest of his advisors, he held a beauty pageant; the girl that won his favor would become his wife. The leader of the Persian Jewish community at the time was a man named Mordecai, who had an orphaned niece, Esther, who he raised as his daughter. Against her will, Esther was brought into the harem to participate in the contest. Though Esther didn’t want to partake, Ahasuerus fell in love and chose her as his wife.
Meanwhile, the king’s prime minister, Haman, was a virulent antisemite. Soon, the king passed a decree that everyone had to bow down whenever Haman walked in. When Mordecai refused to bow — Jews only bow before God — Haman was furious and vowed to exterminate the Jewish people. He decided that this extermination would take place on the 13th of the Hebrew month of Adar. He brought his plan before the king, who agreed, as he didn’t like the Jews either. Haman the. sent proclamations all across the land, ordering people to rise up and kill the Jews on that day.
When Mordecai learned of the plans, he appealed to Esther, who agreed to talk to the king only after the Jews fasted for three days beforehand. After the fast, Esther asked the king to spare her people. The king agreed, and Haman was hung. Additionally, because royal decrees could not be undone, Ahasuerus passed another decree, permitting Jews to defend themselves. On the 13th of Adar, the Jews rose up and killed their enemies, including Haman’s ten sons. On the 14th of Adar, the Jews rejoiced, celebrating their victory.
IS THIS A TRUE STORY?
The origins of the story of Purim are shrouded in mystery. Jews began observing Purim – suddenly, it appears – in the 2nd century BCE, though the Book of Esther, the last book in the Hebrew Bible to be canonized, is dated to the 5th century BCE. The first extra-Biblical mention of Purim is mentioned in Maccabees II (176-161 BCE), where it is known as “Mordecai Day” and is celebrated on the 14th of the Hebrew month of Adar. Famous Jewish historian Josephus (37-100 CE) wrote that it was “widely celebrated.”
Unlike holidays like Hanukkah, for which there is vast archeological and extra-Biblical historical evidence, the historicity of Purim is hotly debated. Most historians doubt the account, though some note that the story is extremely detailed, including names, objects, and dates of things that are otherwise irrelevant to the story, which suggests that there is some truth to it. Additionally, the description of the Persian court coincides with what we know about Persian courts of the period from other sources.
Some historians argue that the names Esther and Mordecai are similar to the Babylonian gods Marduk and Ishtar, and that the holiday derived from a Babylonian myth.
ENTER: THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC
The ending of the story of Purim is not, by any stretch, a celebration of senseless, wanton violence. Instead, it’s a celebration that Jews escaped their extermination and rose up to defend themselves against those who tried to annihilate us. But the Islamic Republic has never let facts get in the way of its propaganda.
For years, the regime, which on the one hand swears to its Western supporters that it only opposes “Zionism,” not Judaism, has promoted the falsehood that, on Purim, Jews celebrate “the Holocaust of 75,000 Iranians.” For at least 15 years, regime supporters visit the tomb believed to hold the bodies of Mordecai and Esther and attack it with Molotov cocktails.
"One thing is unique, with exclusive use for antisemitism inside Iran: The Purim! Or, as they told us, the Jewish celebration for massacring 75,000 Iranians...'Israel wants to massacre us again, as they did in cold blood during the Purim,' [lecturer Ali Akbar] Rafipour claimed."
Ali Deilami
ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Within Iran, the Islamic Republic has pushed propaganda that Jews celebrate the genocide of 75,000 Iranians during the holiday of Purim since at least 2011. Since then, this libel has spilled out of the borders of Iran and onto social media, where it is promoted for millions and millions of followers.
NOTING THE PATTERN
Whether pertaining to the story of Purim or the contemporary conflict in the region, Islamic Republic propaganda against the Jews – and, by extension, Israel – always falls into the same predictable pattern: any retaliatory or preemptive action the Jews – or Israel – take against their enemies is never a legitimate response to aggression and/or incitement, but rather, unprovoked, decontextualized genocidal violence.
"God willing, the cancer of the usurper Zionist regime will be eradicated at the hands of the Palestinian people and the Resistance forces throughout the region. #AlAqsaStorm"
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on October 7, 2023
"The world is witnessing the Zionist regime’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza."
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 10 days later
THE ANTIZIONIST MISUNDERSTANDING
Note: I actually have a much more extensive post on this coming but I’ve postponed posting it due to recent events.
Turning the other cheek is not a Jewish concept. Judaism values peace, but Jewish texts do not demand non-action in the face of aggression. Self-defense – including preemptive self-defense – is an important principle (and duty) in Judaism.
In inherently denying Jewish nationhood, antizionist Jews view Judaism through the lens of Christian hegemony. In other words, they impose Christian social constructs onto Judaism. They expect Jews to turn the other cheek as Jesus told his followers to turn the other cheek. This is why, out of all Jewish holidays, antizionists express so much discomfort with Purim. And it’s why they are ripe to fall for the Islamic Republic’s antisemitic propaganda.
In a 2016 article, Jewish Voice for Peace, which has collaborated with the Islamic Republic, argued in favor of “restorative justice” for Haman.
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