Women’s Megillah Reading, Fake Fur Hats, and Purim Humor
Last night, after a noisy reading in our synagogue (but with only a few caps), I asked my daughter if she wanted to come to the women’s reading of Megillat (Scroll of) Esther this morning. She didn’t say no right away, which is almost a yes for a teen, so we went. I don’t believe I’ve ever been to a women’s reading before.
There were about 25 people there, half of them teenagers. Considering Petach Tikva’s 300 Orthodox synagogues, I would have expected a larger crowd. Possibly there were other women’s readings elsewhere. The three readers, including one teen, had prepared well.
The woman in charge wore a fake fur hat. I remember having one like it about ten years ago, when fur patterns were in style. One evening after I put mine on my little daughter (now the teen) asked me where I was going. “To a party,” I told her. “Oh,” she said. “Do you have to dress up like a puppy?”
This prompted me to give away the hat. I should have saved it for Purim.
Now we’re busy delivering Emunah packages, cooking, and reducing, reusing and recycling the mishloach manot.
Purim humor from around the web:
- Joshua Waxman informs us about the latest tzniut chumra (modesty stringency).
- The Rebbetzin’s Husband is in favor of abolishing the rabbi’s speech.
- The Orthodox Union initiates Ot Yomit.
- Jacob Richman’s Purim Page includes new “gramen” for 2009.
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Baila Said,
March 10, 2009 - 15 Adar 5769 @ 8:06 PM
The reading I went to last night was terribly noisy, I certainly was not “Yotzeh” the mitzvah of megillah. This morning, at the women’s tefillah, (very well attended, by women from many different congregations) you could have heard a pin drop. And the women leining did great. Makes me think about learning to do it for next year.
Purim Sameach!
JoeSettler Said,
March 10, 2009 - 15 Adar 5769 @ 8:10 PM
Liveblogging Purim at the Muqata.
phyllis Said,
March 11, 2009 - 15 Adar 5769 @ 4:14 AM
ooh, a women’s reading that sounds great! hmm….i’ll have to plan for something like that in the future…i’m lol on the puppy line!
Lion of Zion Said,
March 11, 2009 - 15 Adar 5769 @ 5:38 AM
i am amazed in general that so many people don’t take women’s requirement to hear the megillah seriously.
(i’m curious about splitting up the megillah among different readers. i’m going to raise this issue on the yahoo leining group.)
mominisrael Said,
March 11, 2009 - 15 Adar 5769 @ 6:40 AM
Baila, the reading was quiet, but the quality control was poor.
LOZ,
“i am amazed in general that so many people don’t take women’s requirement to hear the megillah seriously.”
what are you responding to?
Abbi Said,
March 11, 2009 - 15 Adar 5769 @ 6:43 AM
Many people in my community take it seriously. Many families try to find two readings at different times so each parent is free to go to the reading alone without having to juggle kids.
We went all together to a reading at night with a women’s and a mixed. I had the baby and my middle one and of course my baby was a star the whole time while my 3.5 year old had more trouble sitting still.
In the morning we all went to a women’s one as per R’ Ovadia’s psak. It was great!
Lion of Zion Said,
March 11, 2009 - 16 Adar 5769 @ 6:57 PM
MII
“what are you responding to?”
baila’s comment that she did not fulfill the mitzvah. (but it wasn’t a personal comment directed to/against baila per se. just an observation about the state of things in general that produces such a situation.)
Lion of Zion Said,
March 11, 2009 - 16 Adar 5769 @ 7:02 PM
“that produces such a situation”
rather that produces such an all-to-common situation
Ilana-Davita Said,
March 11, 2009 - 16 Adar 5769 @ 9:23 PM
How did your daughter like it?
mominisrael Said,
March 12, 2009 - 16 Adar 5769 @ 9:16 AM
Not so much.
RA Said,
March 12, 2009 - 17 Adar 5769 @ 9:04 PM
Our regular shul reading was not too noisy.
In the morning I attended, as I have for several years, a for women by women reading. I took my perpetual motion recently Bat Mitzvah’d daughter with me for the first time and had much nachas as she sat quietly and followed the whole reading. She very much enjoyed listening to the women read.
mominisrael Said,
March 12, 2009 - 17 Adar 5769 @ 9:08 PM
I want to clarify that my daughter was neutral about the reading.
RA: Mazal tov on your daughter’s bat mitzvah! You should continue to have much nachat.