columnCartoon

‘Megillah in Wine Bottle’

A Purim silkscreen print by Mark Podwal.

"Megillah in Wine Bottle." Silkscreen print by Mark Podwal. Credit: Courtesy of Mark Podwal.
"Megillah in Wine Bottle." Silkscreen print by Mark Podwal. Credit: Courtesy of Mark Podwal.
Mark Podwal. Credit: Wikipedia.
Mark Podwal
Mark Podwal is an artist in New York. He has illustrated many of the books of his friend Elie Wiesel, and his work can be found in major museums, Jewish and non-Jewish, worldwide.
Megillah in Wine Bottle
“Megillah in Wine Bottle.” Silkscreen print by Mark Podwal. Credit: Courtesy of Mark Podwal.

Maimonides teaches that “The reading of Megillat Esther supersedes all other commandments.”

Megillat Esther tells the story of the deliverance of the Jews in ancient Persia from Haman’s plot “to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, in a single day.”

The Talmud says that one is obliged on Purim to drink until he can no longer distinguish between “Cursed is Haman” and “Blessed is Mordechai.”

The Talmud continues relating how Rabbah ben Nachmani and R. Zeira became very drunk on Purim and that the former cut the latter’s throat.

The next day, Rabbah prayed on R. Zeira’s behalf and brought him back to life.

A year later, Rabbah asked, “Would you like to celebrate Purim with me again this year?”

“One cannot count on a miracle every time,” R. Zeira replied.

According to Midrash Mishlei, in the days of the Messiah, when all the holidays and festivals will be forgotten, Purim will still be celebrated.

The opinions and facts presented in this article are those of the author, and neither JNS nor its partners assume any responsibility for them.
You have read 3 articles this month.
Register to receive full access to JNS.

Just before you scroll on...

Israel is at war. JNS is combating the stream of misinformation on Israel with real, honest and factual reporting. In order to deliver this in-depth, unbiased coverage of Israel and the Jewish world, we rely on readers like you. The support you provide allows our journalists to deliver the truth, free from bias and hidden agendas. Can we count on your support? Every contribution, big or small, helps JNS.org remain a trusted source of news you can rely on.

Become a part of our mission by donating today
Topics
Comments
Thank you. You are a loyal JNS Reader.
You have read more than 10 articles this month.
Please register for full access to continue reading and post comments.
Never miss a thing
Get the best stories faster with JNS breaking news updates