Purim and Pacifism, God and Goodness

Happy Warrior Blog ^ | Rabbi Steinmetz

[BTerclinger]

At the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg in 1946, Julius Streicher was sentenced to death for Crimes against Humanity. The editor of the Nazi newspaper, Der Sturmer, Streicher’s constant incitement against the Jews helped whip Germany into a genocidal frenzy. A Nazi until his last breath, Streicher entered the death chamber in a fury, loudly shouting “Heil Hitler.” According to the Associated Press report, in his final moments “Streicher was swung around to face the witnesses. With burning hatred in his eyes, he looked down at them and shouted: “Purimfest 1946.”

It might seem odd that a Nazi war criminal would mention Purim in his last words, but this was not an isolated outburst. The Nazis were obsessed with Purim. In a speech right after Kristallnacht, Streicher spoke to the crowd about how “in one night, the Jews butchered 75,000 Persians,” and that if the Jews “defeat” Germany, they “will institute a new Purim festival.” On other occasions, Streicher claimed that the Damascus Blood Libel was a “Purimmorde,” in which Jews murdered non-Jews to use their blood on Purim. Hitler, in a 1944 speech, said that if Germany loses the war, the Jews of Europe would make a “second triumphant Purim” to “celebrate the destruction of Europe.” Jewish power looms large in the paranoid mindset of anti-Semitism, and the Purim story of the Jews killing their enemies alarms the enemies of the Jews.

One would expect anti-Semites to hate Purim. The Book of Esther tells how the Jews defended themselves, and refused to oblige anti-Semites by disappearing. But there are idealists who are deeply uncomfortable with Purim as well, and see it as a holiday that romanticizes the killing of 75,000 people.

[BTerclinger]

I received this by email and did not expect to like reading it. IMHO it’s pretty good.

A freliche Purim to all Jewish Freepers.

[BTerclinger]

Purim Ping!

[GOPJ]

Thanks for the ping.

[Beowulf9]

I never heard of Purim. I’m not Jewish and it’s totally unknown to me.

I get they celebrated the freedom from the Persians but what I don’t get is celebrating the death of so many of them. Well, maybe I do, if they were intent on murdering all the Jews. Like the Nazi’s were.

So today I looked on my calendar and saw today is Purim.

[BTerclinger]

its a hell of a story.
The killing of the Persians at the end doesn’t make sense unless you read the whole story (you can read it in English) - its not that long but it is written in an “old style”.

Here’s the full story in English

https://www.chabad.org/holidays/purim/article_cdo/aid/1423/jewish/Chapter-1.htm