Purim and Vegetarianism

[Guest guest]

Courtesy of Veggie Jews.

 

Purim and Vegetarianism

 

Richard H. Schwartz

 

There are many connections between vegetarianism and the Jewish

festival of Purim:

 

1) According to the Talmud, Queen Esther, the heroine of the Purim

story, was a vegetarian while she lived in the palace of King

Achashverus. She was thus able to avoid violating the kosher dietary

laws while keeping her Jewish identity secret.

 

2) During Purim it is a mitzvah to give " mat'not evyonim " (added

charity to poor and hungry people). In contrast to these acts of

sharing and compassion, animal-based diets involve the feeding of

over 70 percent of the grain in the United States to animals, while

an estimated 20 million people die of hunger and its effects annually.

 

3) During the afternoon of Purim, Jews have a " seudah " (special

festive meal), when family and friends gather to rejoice in the Purim

spirit. Serving only vegetarian food at this occasion would enable

all who partake to be consistent with Jewish mandates to preserve

health, protect the environment, share with hungry people, conserve

resources, and treat animals with compassion (as well as the

vegetarian practices of Queen Esther).

 

4) Jews make noise with " groggers " and other noisemakers, to drown

out the infamous name of Haman when it appears during the reading of

the Megillah (Book of Esther). Today, vegetarians are " making noise "

in attempting to educate people and drown out the very well-funded

propaganda of the beef and dairy industries.

 

5) On Purim, Jews emphasize unity and friendship by sending gifts of

food ( " shalach manot " ) to friends. Vegetarians act in the spirit of

unity and concern for humanity by having a diet that best shares the

earth's abundant resources.

 

6) Because Purim commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people,

it is the most joyous Jewish holiday. By contrast, animals on factory

farms never have a pleasant day, and millions of people throughout

the world are too involved in trying to obtain their next meal to be

able to experience many joyous moments.

 

7) Mordecai, one of the heroes of the Purim story, was a

nonconformist. As the book of Esther states, " . . . And all of the

king's servants . . . bowed down and prostrated themselves before

Haman . . . But Mordecai would not bow down nor prostrate himself

before him " (Esther 3:2). Today, vegetarians represent non-

conformity. At a time when most people in the wealthier countries

think of animal products as the main part of their meals, when

McDonald's and similar fast food establishments are still popular,

vegetarians are resisting and insisting that there is a better,

healthier, more humane diet.

 

8) Purim commemorates the deliverance of the Jews from the wicked

Haman. Today, vegetarianism can be a step toward deliverance from

modern problems such as hunger, pollution, and resource scarcities.

 

9) Purim commemorates the time when conditions for the Jews changed

from sorrow to gladness and from mourning to festival. Today, a

switch to vegetarianism could result in similar changes for many

people, since plant- based diets would reduce health problems,

pollution, water scarcities, and hunger.

 

10) Jews hear the reading of the Megillah twice during Purim, in

order to reeducate themselves about the terrible threats to the

Jewish people and their deliverance. Jewish vegetarians believe that

if Jews were educated about the horrible realities of factory farming

and the powerful Jewish mandates about taking care of our health,

showing compassion to animals, protecting the environment, conserving

resources, and helping hungry people, they would seriously consider

switching to vegetarian diets.

 

11) Hamantashen, the primary food associated with Purim, is a

vegetarian food.

 

In view of these and other connections, I hope that Jews will enhance

their celebrations of the beautiful and spiritually meaningful

holiday of Purim by making it a time to begin striving even harder to

live up to Judaism's highest moral values and teachings by moving

toward a vegetarian diet.

 

[From the JVNA Online Newsletter, 2/25/07]