Page 23 - Jewish News_March-2020

JEWISH INTEREST March 2020 23A

Aided by solid research, an author bears K’zohar Ha-Ivrit

compassionate witness to unspeakable horror Ra-a-shan – Rattle

By Dr. Rachel Zohar Dulin
his month we are celebrating ash, namely being in a state of tumult.
the joyful holiday of Purim. And to a noisy person, we simply say
TThe celebration is based on the al tir-ash, “stop the noise!”
Book of Esther, known as Megilat Es- Making noise to castigate evil is a April 1 - May 15
ther. Scholars believe that the Megillah universal activity which has very an-
was composed no later than the 4 cen- cient roots, as it was believed to be a
th
tury B.C.E. De- safeguard against evil spirits. Making
spite the fact that noise on New Year’s Eve is but one When School Ends,
some question the manifestation of this belief. Jews in-
historicity of the corporated the custom of noisemaking
story, most schol- into the story of Purim, where Haman Hunger Begins.

ars agree that Per- the anti-Semite was vilified. The noise
sian culture, laws was the expression of the Jewish fanta-
and vocabulary sy of revenge. The tradition was based
attest to the no- on the teaching that Haman was a de- Join the
vella’s historical scendant of Amaleck, the biblical arch-
Dr. Rachel Dulin authenticity. enemy of Israel (Est. 3:1). Based on Campaign Against Summer

The story was written to fit the biblical decree to “blot out the name of Hunger Kickoff
carnival spirit and celebratory mood Amaleck” (Det. 25:19), Jews resorted
adopted by Jews of the Persian era. In to noise making to fulfill the command.

a joyous mood, with costumes, noise Before the use of the ra-a-shan, Walk to End
and fanfare, Jews celebrated then and people used to write the name of Haman
still celebrate today, the overcoming of on the soles of their shoes, and when his
good over evil, as anti-Semitism was name was mentioned they would stamp Summer Hunger
fought in the Persian kingdom. their feet vigorously on the floor. Anoth-

Through the years, a custom devel- er custom was to write Haman’s name
oped to make loud noise by swinging a on two stones or sticks and rub them March 29 at 8 AM
rattle in the air when the name of Ha- against each other to blot his name. JD Hamel Park, Sarasota
man, the king’s advisor, is mentioned In short, a pagan custom, which was
as the Megillah is read. Haman, who meant to frighten the evil spirits from
voiced the anti-Jewish sentiment in the entering the human domain and cause Co-chairs: Tommy Bernstein and Terri Vitale
Megillah, called for the annihilation mischief, has become a tool by which
of the Jews of Persia. A rattle, called Jews express disdain for anti-Semitism
in Yiddish a grager, is known in He- and the wish for its eradication. Register at allfaithsfoodbank.org
brew as ra-a-shan. Ra-a-shan is de- On Purim, during the reading of
rived from the word ra-ash, meaning the Megillah and in the midst of a car-
“noise,” “tumult,” “uproar,” “quake” nival spirit, the ra-a-shan is a reminder
and “storm.” The ra-a-shan is a wood- of the evil around us and the vigilance
en cog attached to a handle with freely we must maintain to conquer it. Hag
rotating wood slats fitting into the teeth. Purim Sa-me-ach.

We should mention that ra-ash is Dr. Rachel Zohar Dulin is a professor
at the center of a few Hebrew idioms. of biblical literature at Spertus Col-
For example, mah ha-ra-ash means lege in Chicago, and a retired adjunct
“what is all the fuss about?” A person professor of Hebrew and Bible at New
in an agitated state is described as nir- College in Sarasota.

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