While most of us have wrapped up our Parade Day festivities by now, the arrival of the Jewish holiday of Purim gives us a reason to remain inebriated.
Purim, which begins on Wednesday evening and continues through Thursday, commemorates the story of Queen Esther’s triumph over Haman, who sought to annihilate the Jewish people in ancient Persia.
This holiday, like St. Patrick’s Day and Parade Day, traditionally instructs us to celebrate by drinking excessively. The Talmud actually decrees Jews to overindulge to a point where they cannot tell the difference between the evil Haman and Esther’s uncle, Mordechai, the hero of the story.
But why does alcohol play such a large in these holidays? The answer: tradition.
We base much of our calendars, personalities and lifestyles on things that have been in place far before we were born. Though we mostly see and evaluate the advancements in our society as they are today, each community roots its way of life in cultural and religious history.
It’s fitting that St. Patrick’s Day and Purim, two holidays during which we get hammered, often fall within two weeks of each other. Seems dangerous, but who can complain — I’m too drunk to stand on the soapbox anyway.
There must be something about the month of March that motivates us to drop everything and party. In Binghamton it seems as if the weather determines the communal mood (see this year’s Parade Day).
Many of us want winter to turn into spring at a faster rate, and drinking can make that much easier.
Alcohol can bring us relief, anxiety, confidence and impediment. Its role in our holidays, though, is to provide for us the simplest and best comfort: joy in living life.
Additionally, the two holidays influence the way we dress. Shades of green flooded Downtown Binghamton on Saturday in an ode to Saint Patrick, who brought Christianity to Ireland more than 1,500 years ago. Purim, often dubbed the “Jewish Halloween,” allows Jews to dress up in elaborate costumes in celebration of their survival.
Regardless of religion, most holidays are meant to instill themes and fun into our lives. Why else would we observe them year after year if they didn’t produce new experiences and personal meaning?
If you’re Irish, you celebrate that fact. You celebrate your past by living in the present. You live by your heritage; you honor your identity.
The same goes for Jews on Purim. Time after time, Jews have faced total annihilation, yet they’ve endured and prospered.
Though we like to view these days as excuses to stay drunk from sunrise to sunset, there’s really more to it than that. There’s the celebration of personal identity and the tradition of relishing life.
We drink to remember, not to forget, which is why Jews say, “L’chaim! To life!”