This Shabbat, in addition to reading Parshat Tetzaveh from the book of Exodus, we read from a section of Deuteronomy (25:17-19) in honor of the upcoming holiday of Purim. The Shabbat is called Shabbat Zachor, or the Shabbat of memory, after the first word in the extra or Maftir reading in which we are instructed to; “Zachor/Remember what Amalek did to you on your journey, after you left Egypt.” The larger instruction is to remember Amalek to erase their memory. We read this section of Torah right before Purim because Haman, the villain of the Purim story, is supposed to be a descendant of Amalek.
Purim is the most unusual holiday on the Jewish calendar. It is the only holiday dedicated exclusively to a story we only ever tell on that one day a year. On Purim we not only read the Book of Esther, but we reenact it, imagining as if we are characters inside of it. By telling and retelling the same story every year, we must adapt it each time to the time and place we are living. Esther can go from a sidekick of Mordecai to a feminist icon, Haman from a cartoonish villain, to a biblical version of Hitler.
At Shir Shalom, we have the tradition of acting a staged parody of the story, using a different popular theme to connect it to modern times. This year’s version is a delightful Beach Boys retelling, infused with the music of the classic 1960s Rock and Roll band. Many of our cast has been part of the annual spiel for a decade or more longer than Shir Shalom’s existence. Over that time, so much has changed in the world both culturally and technologically. The earlier versions in the early 2000s relied on home phones and faxes, now smart phones and streaming are embedded into every show. More than that, the cast and crew must navigate what is culturally appropriate, and what type of humor is off limits. This year’s group is particularly interested in gender roles, trying to keep the specific parts as gender less as possible. By retelling the same story year after year, we not only are able to look at the story with new eyes, but at one another as well. I hope you’ll join us on Monday night (3/6) for the fun and festivities. I, for one, am looking forward to it.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Alex