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Purim Festival
Kategoria: Purim
One of the Purim Festival customs is sending to each other gifts (miszloach manot). Those gifts need to consist of at least two
portions of some delicacies. The gifts can't require any further preparation from the receiver -
they have to be ready to eat them as they are. Most of the times, the gifts are: cookies, fruits,
grape juice, sweets, soft drinks or alcohol. Traditionally, the gifts are delivered by a messanger.
In the past, gifts like that were delivered on special plates, called purim plates, made of ceramics
or tin. The plates' bottom was most of the times decorated with scenes from the Book of Esther or
with a picture of three fish bounded together as a symbol the constellation of Pisces in the month
of Adar.
On this day one needs to be generous to the poor (cedaka). Fulfilling this micwa (matanot
lewjonim) is revealed in making donations, gifts or founing a meal to at least two people. In
that case the meal is handed over thtough a middleman (szelijacha) in order to remain anonymous. Both of those activities must be done the
same day.
2017-02-27 19:31:48