Family Purim
Notes
Transcript
Purim Participation
Purim Participation
Purim is a festival of remembrance and gratitude for the delivering goodness and grace of our God. Four prayers are offered during the reading of the Megillah or Scroll of Esther:
Blessings before Megillah reading:
ברוך אתה יי אלהינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו על מקרא מגלה
Bo-ruch A-toh Ado-noi E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech Ha-olom A-sher Ki-de-sho-nu Be-mitz-vo-sov Ve-tzi-vo-nu Al Mikra Megillah.
Blessed are You, My LORD, our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us regarding the reading of the Megillah.
ברוך אתה יי אלהינו מלך העולם שעשה נסים לאבותינו בימים ההם בזמן הזה
Bo-ruch A-toh Ado-noi E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech Ha-olom She-o-so Ni-sim La-avo-sei-nu Ba-yo-mim Ho-heim Bi-z'man Ha-zeh
Blessed are You, My LORD, our God, King of the universe, Who has wrought miracles for our forefathers, in those days at this season.
ברוך אתה יי אלהינו מלך העולם שהחינו וקימנו והגיענו לזמן הזה
Bo-ruch A-toh Ado-noi E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech Ha-olom She-heche-yo-nu Ve-ki-yi-mo-nu Ve-higi-o-nu Liz-man Ha-zeh.
Blessed are You, My LORD, our God, King of the universe, Who has kept us alive, sustained us and brought us to this season.
Next, four special verses, called “verses of redemption” (pesukei ge’ulah) are [traditionally] said aloud by the congregation and then repeated by the reader. [Esther 2:5, 8:15-16, 10:3] These speak of the captivity of Mordecai and the Jewish people. But also to the rise of Mordecai to second in the King’s command by the grace of our God.
Now there was a Jew in Susa the citadel whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite,
Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal robes of blue and white, with a great golden crown and a robe of fine linen and purple, and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced.
The Jews had light and gladness and joy and honor.
For Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Ahasuerus, and he was great among the Jews and popular with the multitude of his brothers, for he sought the welfare of his people and spoke peace to all his people.
Today I also want to share with you from the Hebrew Names Version:
Esther 4:16
Go, gather together all the Yehudim who are present in Shushan, and fast you for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast in like manner; and so will I go in to the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. (HNV)
The evil Haman plotted to annihilate all the people of God. But Esther, in great fear of and faith in her God risked it all to save her family, her entire people.
Today, Satan, the enemy of God continues to seek to take out God’s people. But we must remember our deliverer and Savior Jesus Christ and His great mercies.
In closing prayer we declare:
Blessed are You, My LORD, our God, King of the Universe, (the God) Who takes up our grievance, judges our claim, avenges our wrong; Who brings just retribution upon all enemies of our soul and exacts vengeance for us from our foes. Blessed are You My LORD, Who exacts vengeance for His people Israel from all their foes, the God Who brings salvation.
