Page 27 - HaMizrachi #27 Purim USA 2021

immediately weakened. Perhaps these palace, and instead ate only seeds and make Haman-related foods for Purim.
three corners are a reference to our legumes. In commemoration, hamen- Morrocan Jews also have a traditional
Patriarchs. Archeological documen- taschen are filled with poppy seeds. Purim food – a bread called boyosa, also
tarian Simcha Jacobovici claims that known as “Haman’s eyes.” Two hard-
the shape of the hamentaschen is sim- Of course, we all know that Purim is all boiled eggs in their shells are baked
ilar to the shape of the die used in an about revealing what is hidden beneath. into the middle of the dough, giving
The sweet-filled hamentaschen may
ancient Babylonian game, suggesting represent the sweetness hidden beneath the appearance of eyes. Bulgarians
they represent the die that Haman cast traditionally ate a pasta dish on Purim
to determine the date of extermination the surface. called caveos di aman – “Haman’s hair.”
of the Jews. Another traditional Ashkenazi Purim Nanbrangi, poppy seed-coated cookies
food is kreplach, meat-filled dumplings
What about the filling? Although choc- often served in soup. Ashkenazim cus- eaten on Purim in many Persian com-
olate, jam – and in Israel, date spread tomarily ate kreplach on Purim and on munities, are also known as “Haman’s
– are some of the most popular fillings erev Yom Kippur, showing the deep fleas.” Syrians have their own version
today, hamentaschen were originally connection between the two holidays of “Haman’s fleas,” called simsemiyeh,
filled with poppy seeds. The Beit Yosef (Yom Kippur is also known as Yom using sesame instead of poppy. Turkish
wrote that “Some say one should eat haKippurim, which can also be read and Greek Jews had a custom of eating
a food made out of seeds on Purim in as “the day which is like Purim”). The long, thin biscuits known as “Haman’s
memory of the seeds that Daniel and custom of eating kreplach on Purim is fingers.” There may be evidence of other
his friends ate in the house of the king mentioned in the 1400s by the Leket communities eating some of Haman’s
of Babylon.” Yosher and later by the Bach, the Taz, other body parts, but I think we
and the Shelah. have enough baking to do for
The Midrash explains that, just like Purim!
Daniel, Esther refrained from eating the But back to hamentaschen – Ashke-
non-kosher delicacies in the royal nazi Jews are not the only ones to Bon Appetit! 

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