F7: Purim

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Purim answers

So how does Purim and its customs address all this? First of all there's the contrived story. God is hidden in the unfolding events which seem to be full of irony and coincidence. It is up to us to see through this facade and understand what's really going on. But that's only the beginning. Purim actually teaches us how to handle cynics...

On Purim, we take the joke and turn it back on the cynics. It is as if we are saying: You laugh at us and make jokes about Judaism because you think life isn't really that serious and has no deeper meaning. Well guess what? We know all about that! We realise that things might appear random even when underneath it's all planned out. It's because we are so sure of this that we can laugh too! We aren't afraid of you or your bad luck. So now the joke is on you!

Healing laughter

On Purim we even laugh at ourselves. We know it is hard to live a life of meaning and for one day each year we just let go. We see the funny side of the joke of life. By laughing at ourselves, even Amalek cannot touch us. Cynicism cannot touch a joker. That is why we don't sit back on Purim. We enjoy ourselves! We make that effort to dress up and have fun.

So don't be cynical. Purim is exactly the wrong day to feel like that! Be a clown for one day, look silly, send gifts to your friends and the poor. If you can laugh at Haman, then you can laugh off all the pain that our enemies have caused us. Remember that in our humour is the key to our survival. Purim isn't innocent fun, it's seriously funny! It is our day of jest.

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