{"id":47802,"date":"2026-11-04T09:40:14","date_gmt":"2026-11-04T09:40:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?p=47802"},"modified":"2026-11-04T09:40:14","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T09:40:14","slug":"article-20219-en","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?p=47802&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"The Fast of Esther and Purim \u2014 prayer, charity and heartfelt intention"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\n.es-site{--ink:#483320;--paper:#fbf8f2;--gold:#a78349;background:var(--paper);color:var(--ink);font:18px\/1.85 Arial,sans-serif;overflow-wrap:break-word}\n.es-site *{box-sizing:border-box}.es-site a{color:#6b5036;text-underline-offset:4px}.es-site h1,.es-site h2,.es-site h3{color:#483320;line-height:1.35;font-weight:600}.es-site h1{font-size:clamp(36px,5vw,64px);margin:12px 0}.es-site h2{font-size:clamp(28px,3vw,40px);margin:0 0 24px}.es-site h3{font-size:23px;margin:0 0 16px}.es-site p{margin:0 0 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href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=1052&#038;lang=en#amulets\">Amulets<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=1052&#038;lang=en#contact\">Contact the office<\/a><\/nav>\n<style>.es-site img{max-width:100%;height:auto}.es-site iframe{max-width:100%}.es-site .es-archive-body{max-width:1100px}.es-site .es-archive-body h1{font-size:clamp(28px,4vw,44px)}.es-site .es-archive-body table{max-width:100%;overflow-wrap:anywhere}<\/style>\n<p><main class=\"es-wrap es-archive-body\"><\/p>\n<h1>The Fast of Esther and Purim \u2014 prayer, charity and heartfelt intention<\/h1>\n<figure><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/article-esther.webp\" alt=\"Scroll and crown \u2014 illustration for an article on the Fast of Esther and Purim\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:8px\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"emanuel-editorial\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<p>Esther\u2019s story teaches about a reality in which deliverance is not apparent at first, and about people\u2019s responsibility to act even amid concealment. Fasting, prayer and communal gathering form the background to the unfolding story of the Megillah. In this remembrance, the Fast of Esther becomes a time to seek mercy, while Purim is a day of joy, giving and human connection.<\/p>\n<h2>Esther and the doe of dawn<\/h2>\n<p>In midrashic tradition Esther is associated with the doe of dawn, so some customarily read Psalm 22 around this day. The custom invites reflection on the passage from distress to hope. There is no need to prescribe a binding number of repetitions when its source is unclear, or to make a personal custom a condition for prayer to be accepted.<\/p>\n<h2>Distinguishing a commandment, a custom and a segula<\/h2>\n<p>Purim\u2019s commandments include reading the Megillah, sending food gifts, giving to the poor and holding the festive meal. Many customs have grown around them: reciting Psalms, lighting a candle or offering personal petitions. Distinguishing these matters is important, so that numerous practices do not displace the day\u2019s central obligations.<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, customs about the color of charity coins or the number of times names are mentioned should not be presented as obligations when their source has not been established. The heart of charity is helping those who need it, with respect and generosity according to one\u2019s means.<\/p>\n<h2>Praying with understanding of the words<\/h2>\n<p>Quiet time can be set aside for Psalms or a personal prayer. It is best to read calmly and understand the subject, rather than measure prayer only by repetitions. Customs concerning biblical reading at night differ between communities and circumstances; someone who prayed at a particular time should not be frightened into thinking that the prayer itself harmed them.<\/p>\n<h2>The joy of the festive meal<\/h2>\n<p>The Purim meal offers an opportunity for gratitude, joy and generosity toward others. Torah teaching and a prayer for blessing can be included without compromising participants\u2019 safety or dignity. Responsibility is essential, particularly avoiding driving after drinking alcohol.<\/p>\n<h2>What can we carry into the rest of the year?<\/h2>\n<p>The message does not end with a single symbolic act. We can choose a practical commitment to kindness, reconciliation or study that carries the light beyond the holiday. Prayer and giving complement one another when they connect a person with the Creator and with other people\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n<p><small>For study: the Book of Esther; tractate Megillah; Yoma 29, Esther and the doe of dawn; Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim, laws of Purim.<\/small><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/main><\/p>\n<footer class=\"es-footer\">\n<p>Rabbi Emanuel Shahar \u00b7 Tiferet Malchut Shlomo<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=20352&#038;lang=en\">About the Rabbi<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=50002&#038;lang=en\">Terms of use<\/a><\/p>\n<nav class=\"es-langs\" aria-label=\"Language\"><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=22&#038;lang=he\" hreflang=\"he\" lang=\"he\">\u05e2\u05d1\u05e8\u05d9\u05ea<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=1052&#038;lang=en\" hreflang=\"en\" lang=\"en\" aria-current=\"page\">English<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=1053&#038;lang=fr\" hreflang=\"fr\" lang=\"fr\">Fran\u00e7ais<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=1054&#038;lang=ar\" hreflang=\"ar\" lang=\"ar\">\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0631\u0628\u064a\u0629<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=20074&#038;lang=es\" hreflang=\"es\" lang=\"es\">Espa\u00f1ol<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=20369&#038;lang=fa\" hreflang=\"fa\" lang=\"fa\">\u0641\u0627\u0631\u0633\u06cc<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=20374&#038;lang=tr\" hreflang=\"tr\" lang=\"tr\">T\u00fcrk\u00e7e<\/a><\/nav>\n<\/footer>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Esther\u2019s story teaches about a reality in which deliverance is not apparent at first, and about people\u2019s responsibility to act even amid concealment. Fasting, prayer and communal gathering form the background to the unfolding story of the Megillah.\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20213,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_canvas","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-47802","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47802","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=47802"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47802\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":50661,"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47802\/revisions\/50661"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/20213"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=47802"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=47802"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=47802"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}