purim
purimצילום: Deposit photos

We live in such a multi-cultural melting pot. There are many times we hear a new phrase that we are not familiar with. Thankfully, most of us have internet access so we normally take a moment and research to discover what the phrase means or represents. Chances are that is exactly how you ended up reading an article about shalach manot.

Purim

Shalach manot, also referred to as mishloach manot, or a Purim basket, are traditional gifts of food given to celebrate Purim. If you are not familiar with Purim it is a traditional Jewish holiday celebrated in late April or early March depending on the year. It is a celebration of Esther revealing her Jewish heritage to her husband the king so that he would stop Hamman from slaughtering the Jewish people.

Purim is by far the most festive holiday celebrated in Jewish culture and honestly maybe in any culture. If you take Halloween, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Mardi Gras and rolled them all into one celebration, it would closely resemble the celebration of Purim. Purim is celebrated as most traditional Jewish holidays are with a feast. The items served at these feasts are always overflowing with symbolism there is normally meaning to everything on the table.

The Purim feast is very similar to the feast that people partake in on thanksgiving. You will normally find a special version of bread known as challah. Challah is eaten at many Jewish holidays this one will be braided very eccentrically and is called keylitsh. It is meant to remind everyone of the rope used to hang Hamman for his crimes against the Jewish people. After the meal, you will likely enjoy a triangular cookie with a savory center known as a hamantasch. This translates to mean “Hamman’s ear”. They eat them to mock Hamman as well.

As part of the celebration of Purim, there will be a service where the story of Esther stopping Hamman’s evil plan will be read. It says in the story that Hamman’s name was stomped out for his sins against the Jewish people. For this reason, every time the name Hamman is read aloud the whole congregation will loudly stomp their feet and use noisemakers. This is a fun tradition for children and adults alike.

Another fun element of Purim is the festivals. Jews of all ages dress in costumes as a nod to the mystical power of God in protecting the Jews from Hamman. This makes the celebration look very similar to Halloween. These festivals are full of customed people enjoying delicious food and partaking in the consumption of alcohol. This holiday encourages people to indulge in everything including beer and wine. This is the part of the holiday that is very reminiscent of Mardi-gras.

Shalaach Manot

Gifts are traditional given during Purim in baskets. They are referred to as shalach manot, mishloach manot, and sometimes just simply a Purim basket. This tradition is very similar to the Easter baskets we prepare for small children They contain ready-to-eat snacks and are sent to ensure that all members of the community have a bountiful amount of food to indulge in during the celebration of Purim.


Know that shalach manot is a gift-giving during Purim, you no doubt want to send your Jewish friends and colleagues a basket to make sure they have all they need to fully indulge in this day of celebration. When your friend receives your Purim basket they will be pleasantly shocked by how cultured and mindful you are to respectfully acknowledge their beliefs and heritage. This will make a lasting impression on them that they will not soon forget.