A Purely Persian Purim by Lea-Nora Kordova

Squeaky voices, sounding like a chugging train, rhythmically chant, "Mee-she, mee-she, mee-she, mee-she." Yes, the Hebrew month of Adar has arrived and it's time to consider costumes, bake or buy Purim confections, assemble mishloach manot baskets, and make plans for a festive feast. But not so long ago Jews in Iran (Persia) were making plans for a gravesite visit to the graves of Esther and Mordechai in the city of Hamadan. Hamadan is one of the oldest centers of civilization and it is the oldest city in Iran. The graves of Esther and Mordechai are located in the city center. There is a small Jewish community in Hamadan and their synagogue is also the Shrine of Esther. The only Hebrew inscriptions in all of Iran are located in this small building. The original structure dates back to the 7th Century A.H. [13th Century A.D.]. "The exterior form of this mausoleum, built of brick and stone, resembles Islamic constructions, and the monument consists of an entrance, a vestibule, a sanctuary and a Shah-ni-shin (King's sitting place)." (Farsinet.com/Hamadan) A 1961 earthquake damaged the structure, but under the Shah, Tehran's Jewish Association helped restore it and the wife of the Shah beautified the palace and surrounding area. Golda Rozezadeh, originally from Iran, recalls yearly Purim visits to the gravesite of Esther and Mordechai. People from all over the country would converge on Hamadan. Golda relates, "We would pack food to keep it fresh, and we would break our fast (Ta-anit Esther) there. Afterward there would be a big barbecue. There would be a picnic, parties, music, singing and dancing." They would stay overnight and often for two or three days. Some would vacation there for a week. Rabin Rozezadeh remembers the "tall walls, heavy doors, and rooms like a hotel. The door to the graves was very low. You had to bend over to get in." That heavy door is a six to eight inch piece of solid gray granite. Parvaneh Sarraf, who grew up in Iran and spoke on this subject, remembered visiting Hamadan and said, "The arched entrance is intentionally low, so that no matter who the highest dignitary or a commoner had to bow in order to enter. People prayed, gave charity and lit candles. On Purim, we liked to read their Megillot there. We felt much closer to Purim in Iran. We had real tangible places to visit." Jews visiting the gravesites after the revolution (1979) may have encountered some stone throwing but that did not mar the experience for Joe and his brother Rabin. The Moslems also hold this gravesite in respect and there are Moslems who watched over the site. Plan your Purim parties, design your baskets, construct your costumes, and remember that the phrase "ad lo ya-dah, which means, until you do not know, generally refers to drinking until you do not recognize the difference between the cursed Haman and the blessed Mordechai. But, consider this you don't know Purim until you have experienced the Persian Purim.

Re-Printed from AABJ&D Chronicle - February 2008