Thread by @PorazDan

Tonight #Jews celebrate the jolly holiday of #Purim. Customs include dressing up in costumes, reading the book of Esther, eating traditional foods like Hamantashen and in general - partying and having a good time.
But where did it all come from?

Here’s the story of PURIM 1/9 >>

#Purim commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian empire from a plot “to destroy, kill and annihilate all the #Jews, young and old, infants and women, in a single day,” as told in the book of Esther 2/9 >>

The First Persian Empire existed between 559 BC and 330 BC. It was king Xerxes who ruled the empire for 20 years, between 485 and 465 BC 3/9 >>

Xerxes’s empire extended over 127 lands (including Judea), with millions of subjects from different ethnicities and religions. Among them, many scattered Jews who were exiled from Judea 100 years earlier 4/9 >>

According to the Book of Esther, When King Xerxes had his wife executed for failing to follow his orders, he arranged a beauty pageant to find a new queen. A Jewish girl, Esther, found favor in his eyes and became the new queen. She refused to divulge her nationality 5/9 >>

Meanwhile, Jew-hating Haman was promoted by the king to a key role. Mordechai, leader of the Jews (and Esther’s uncle), refused to bow to Haman. Haman was enraged, and convinced the king to issue a decree ordering the extermination of all Jews of the empire 6/9 >>

Mordechai impelled the Jews, convincing them to repent, fast and pray. Meanwhile, Esther asked the king and Haman to join her for a feast. At the feast, Esther revealed to the king her Jewish identity and begged for him to be merciful and cancel the annihilation decree 7/9 >>

Xerxes, who loved Ester, ordered to have Haman hanged and a new decree was issued, granting the Jews the right to defend themselves against their enemies 8/9 >>

On the 14th of (the Jewish month of) Adar, all the Jews celebrated their salvation.
Since then, every year Jews all around the world celebrate Purim on that day.
9/9.