PURIM. 



9 



Nach Herrn ESachau 273, 24 fF = 



The fasting of Albüri (Pürim), i.e. Casting lots. Its origin is this: Once a man 

 called Haman, a man of no importance, travelled to Tustar in Order to undertake 

 some office. But on the way thither he met with an obstacle which prevented him 

 from reaching the end of his journey , and this happened on the identical day on 

 which the offices (in Tustar) were bestowed. So he missed this opportunity and feil 

 into utter distress. Now, he took his seat near the temples and demanded for every 

 dead body (that was to be buried) 31 dirhams. This went on until the daughter 

 of King Ahashwerosh died. When people camc with her body, he demanded some 

 thing from the bearers , and on Ijeing refused he did not allow them to pass , until 

 they yielded and were Willing to pay him what he asked for. But then he was 

 not content with his first demand : he asked for more and more, and they paid him 

 more and more, tili at last it reached an enormous sum. The king was informed 

 of the matter, and he ordered them to grant him his desire. But after a week he 

 ordered him into his presence, and asked him: »Who invested you with such an of- 

 fice?« But Haman simply answered this: »And who forbade me to doso?« When 

 the king repeated his question , Haman said : » If I am now forbidden to do so , I 

 shall cease and give it up , and I shall give you with the greatest pleasure so and 

 so many ten tliousand of denars«. The king was astonished at the great sum of 

 moiiey which he mentioned, because he with all his supreme power had nothing 

 like it. So he said: »A man who gathered so much money from the rule over the 

 dead, is worthy to be made wazir and councillor«. So he entrusted him with all 

 his affairs, and ordered his subjects to obey him. This Haman was an enemy of 

 the Jews. He asked the Haruspices and Augures which was the most unlucky time 

 for the Jews. They said: »In Adhär their master Müsä died, and the most unlucky 

 time of this month is the 14tli and 15th«. Now Haman wrote to all parts of the 

 empire, ordering people on that day to seize upon the Jews and to kill them. The 

 Jews of the empire j)rostrated tliemselves before him, and appeared before him, Cros- 

 sing their hands upon their breasts, except one man, Mordekhai, the brother of Ester, 

 the king's wife. Haman hated her, and planned her destruction on that day: but 

 the king's wife understood him. Now she received (in her palace) the king and his 

 wazir, entertaiuing them during three days. On the fourtli day she asked the king 

 permission to lay before him her wishes. And then she asked him to spare her life 

 and that of her brother. The king said: »And who dares to attempt anything 

 against you both'?«. She pointed to Haman. Now the Idng rose from Iiis seat in 

 great wrath : Haman dashed towards the queen, prostrating Iiimself before her, and 

 then Idssing her head, but she pushed him back. Now the king got the Impression 

 that he wanted to seduce her: so he turned towards liim and said: »Hast thou in 

 thy impudence come so far as to raise thy desire to her?«. So the king ordered 

 him to be killed, and Ester asked him to have him crucified on the same tree wliich 

 he had prepared for her brother. So the king did, and wrote to all parts of the 

 empire to kill the partisans of Haman. So they Avere killed on the same day on 

 which he liad intended to kill the Jews, i. e. on the 1 4th. Thereforc tliere is great 

 joy over the death of Haman on this day. 



This feast is also called the Feast of Meglllä, and further Uämän-Sür. For on 

 tliis day they make figures which they beat and then burn, imitatiug the buruing of 

 Hämän. The same they practise on the 15th. 



Ich lasse meine Bemerkungen zu diesem Stücke hier folgen. 

 Histor.-pUlolog. Gasse. XXXIIII. 3. B 



