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March 13, 2006
Purim Parody Carnival
Happy Purim! Click the pic and enjoy the best of the Jewish Blogosphere...
The official "Jewish day of laughter" is Purim. We get dressed up in funny costumes and act silly -- which is surprising since the Purim story is all about an impending annihilation of the Jewish people!
But then the story turns upside down. The Jews went from being the target of annihilation, to being the heroes and victors. Haman is hung and the Jewish people are rescued. It was a miraculous 180-degree shift in fortune. One who thought he was in danger and suddenly discovers he's safe laughs aloud in relief. One who thought he lived alone in a hostile world and suddenly discovers that God is really there laughs aloud in joy.
Human beings see the world from a finite perspective. Since we're tied to the physical world by our bodies, we're forced to live with the illusion of what we perceive.
Laughter is an opportunity to transcend limitations that blind us to seeing God more clearly. Even when things look bad, even if we're suffering, in some way it has got to be all for the best, because there's a beneficent God behind everything, manipulating events for our good.
And that's the story of the Jewish people.
The Talmud says that in the times of the Messiah, "THEN our mouths will be filled with laughter." Why then and not now? Because today, the world is beset by jealousy, greed, violence, intolerance and fraud. We are suspicious of our neighbors and cynical of our leaders. We are manipulative and seek advantage at the expense of others. Rather than cooperate, we compete.
But in the Messianic era, all that will turn around. As the prophet says: "The lamb will lie down with the lion ... and young children will play at the cobra's nest" (Isaiah 11:6). At that time, when all truth is revealed, "THEN our mouths will be filled with laughter."
If we were truly clear on the idea that the only real power in the world is God, we wouldn't have nearly as much worry and anxiety. With trust in God, we would be fully relaxed. So we need a good laugh in order to loosen up, forget our anxieties -- and break down our walls. Then we can reaffirm our belief that God's world is good, and everything will work out.
An armed Israeli settler disguised as a clown gives a Purim gift to a border policeman, during the Purim parade, in the divided West Bank city of Hebron, in March 2005. (AFP/File/Gali Tibbon)
Posted by LindaSoG at March 13, 2006 01:00 AM
Comments
Purim - An interesting day to explore Jewish blogs
Posted by: Marvin at March 12, 2006 08:03 PM
Purim or New Orleans - seems like the same party sometimes! Either way - I want the settler's hat. ;-) Here's to the best Purim ever!
Posted by: chrys at March 12, 2006 11:57 PM