This coming week brings in a very interesting time – the feast of Puriym (Purim, in the traditional spelling). While there is plenty of discussion concerning this feast, the fast of Ecter (Esther), and the story of Haman, how much do we really know about Puriym?
Let’s begin with a couple of premises. First, Puriym is not a moediym (appointed time) of YAHUAH as specified within the Torah. The moediym of YAH begin with Shabbath (the weekly Sabbath) and include Pecach (Passover), Matsah (Unleavened Bread), Bikoor (First Fruits), Sheva’oth (Pentecost), Yom Teruah (Trumpets / Rosh Hashanah on the civil calendar), Yom Kippur (Atonement), and Sukka’oth (Tabernacles). These moediym also include that shemitah years or Sabbatical year (every 7th year) and the Jubilee. There are two other feasts, however, that are common within the practice of the faith, namely Chanukah and Puriym.
Chanukah, the feast of Chanoch (Enoch) or dedication, is conspicuously a feast of the house of Benyamin, as the Makabiym were of that tribe. The feast of Puriym, however, is known as a Jewish feast, although both Mordekai and Ecter were both of the house of Benyamin.
What is this Puriym? We begin with the understanding that this is a plural word – ending in the masculine plural iym. Therefore, it is the plural of the wor Pur.
Additions to Ecter (Esther) 14:24-26
Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagiy, the enemy of all the Yahudiym, had de-vised against the Yahudiym to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them; 25 But when Ecter came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Yahudiym, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. 26 Wherefore they called these days Puriym after the name of Pur.
We see that the casting of Pur, is the casting of the lot.
Additions to Ester (Esther) 15:10-13
Therefore has he made two lots, one for the people of ELOHIYM, and another for all the other people. 11 And these two lots came at the hour, and time, and day of judgment, before ELOHIYM among all nations. 12 So ELOHIYM remembered his people, and justified his inheritance. 13 Therefore those days shall be unto them in the month Adar, the fourteenth and fifteenth day of the same month, with an assembly, and joy, and with gladness before ELOHIYM, according to the generations forever among his people.
The name is therefore can be understood as the plural of Pur – Puriym, i.e., two lots. Let’s take a look and see when these two lots appear before in the first witness.
Vayiqra (Leviticus) 16:5-10
And he shall take of the assembly of the children of Yisra’el two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering. 6 And Aharon shall offer את eth-his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house. 7 And he shall take את eth-the two goats, and present them before YAHUAH at the door of the Tabernacle of the assembly. 8 And Aharon shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for YAHUAH, and the other lot for Aza’zel. 9 And Aharon shall bring את eth-the goat upon which YAHUAH’S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. 10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be for Aza’zel, shall be presented alive before YAHUAH, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for Aza’zel into the wilderness.
A lot is cast for Aza’zel. Who is this Aza’zel? A fallen Watcher, according to the cepher of Chanoch (book of Enoch).
Chanoch (Enoch) 8:1-2
Moreover, Aza’zel taught men to make swords, knives, shields, breastplates, the fabrication of mirrors, and the workmanship of bracelets and ornaments, the use of paint, the beautifying of the eyebrows, stones of every valuable and select kind, and all sorts of dyes, so that the world became altered. 2 Impiety increased; fornication multiplied; and they transgressed and corrupted all their ways.
Chanoch (Enoch) 8:5-9
You have seen what Aza’zel has done, how he has taught every species of iniquity upon earth, and has disclosed to the world all the secret things which are done in the heavens. 6 Samyaza also has taught sorcery, to whom you have given authority over those who are associated with him. They have gone together to the daughters of men; have lain with them; have become polluted; 7 And have revealed their sins to them. 8 The women likewise have brought forth giants. 9 Thus has the whole earth been filled with blood and with iniquity.
And again:
Chanoch (Enoch) 10:6-12
Again YAHUAH said to Rapha’el, Bind Aza’zel hand and foot; cast him into darkness; and opening the desert which is in Duda’el, cast him in there. 7 Throw upon him hurled and pointed stones, covering him with darkness; 8 There shall he remain forever; cover his face, that he may not see the light. 9 And in the great day of judgment let him be cast into the fire. 10 Restore the earth, which the angels have corrupted; and announce life to it, that I may revive it. 11 All the sons of men shall not perish in consequence of every secret, by which the Watchers have destroyed, and which they have taught, their offspring. 12 All the earth has been corrupted by the effects of the teaching of Aza’zel. To him therefore ascribe the whole crime.
So, one goat is presented alive before YAH, and then sent out into the wilderness for Aza’zel. We can see the predecessor of Puriym here in this casting of two lots in atonement. These Puriym as witnessed accordingly in the gospels.
Mattithyahu (Matthew) 13:24-30
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The Kingdom of YAHUAH is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27 So the servants of the house of YAHUAH came and said unto him, Sir, did not you sow good seed in your field? from whence then has it tares? 28 He said unto them, An enemy has done this. The servants said unto him, Will you then that we go and gather them up? 29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Again, we see a Puriym – two lots - one lot for the wheat, one lot for the tares, both to be accomplished on the same day. Yet another parable relates this concept of two lots, this time between the sheep on the right, and the goats on the left.
Mattithyahu (Matthew) 25:31-46
When the Son of Adam shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was hungry, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, ADONAI, when did we see you hungry, and feed you? or thirsty, and gave you drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger, and take you in? or naked, and clothe you? 39 Or when did we see you sick, or in prison, and come unto you? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Amein I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, ADONAI, when did we see you hungry, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto you? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Amein I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.