Purim thoughts and anticipations

[debka_notion]

1. shirei_shibolim, you might enjoy knowing that I got a few compliments on my megillah trope (aka, your megillah trope)this morning- because the etnakhta and sofei-pasuk are actually easy to distinguish from each other. People seemed to find this unusual.

2. Why the heck isn't Vashti held up as a model of good tzniusdike behavior (aren't they always looking for good biblical role models for religious girls?), rather than being cast as a villainess? What would people have wanted Esther to do in the same situation? I keep thinking that someone should dress up for Purim as Vashti by wearing a chador... (Even if I still get a kick out of the idea of her turning green and growing a tail...)

3. Steve brought really exciting hamentashen to minyan this morning for Rosh Hodesh. It was a pleasant surprise, and rather inspiring on my part.

Comments

[tovaks.livejournal.com]

What was so exciting about the hamentashen? Was it special in some way?

[sovevuni.livejournal.com]

Agree about Vashti. I always found it strange that she's so neglected in all Purim festivities.

[agru.livejournal.com]

I ALWAYS dressed up as Vashti. Any woman who had the wherewithal to say "f you" to a husband who wanted her to dance naked is a-ok in my books!

[fleurdelis28.livejournal.com]

Why the heck isn't Vashti held up as a model of good tzniusdike behavior (aren't they always looking for good biblical role models for religious girls?), rather than being cast as a villainess?

Because she wasn't Jewish, and her misfortune benefitted the Jews? (I'm not saying that's a good reason, but it seems to be the usual reason for attributing no good motive ever to a Biblical character, in spite of all support in the text. I suppose the more charitable interpretation would be that people assume that since bad things happened to her, she must have had major faults for which she was being punished.)

[thevortex.livejournal.com]

Note that Vashti is a villainess only to the Persian monarchy. Her story highlights the chauvenism and debauchery related to said monarchy and Persian entertainment, and further elucidates the low position of women in that society. This makes it all the more incredible that Esther (who never danced naked before the king) beat the system and saved the Jews (a "lowly" woman did such a heroic deed).

Huzzah!

The Vortex

[orawnzva.livejournal.com]

In "The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood", every time "the evil Prince John" is mentioned, the merry men shout "boo! hiss!", whether or not they are onstage. I can't help but feel that this is somehow relevant.

I'll be bringing the graphic novel (http://www.megillatesther.com/) to BORG this evening for you and others to peruse. It is very shiny, and very, very twisted — as befits the story, of course.

Also, shameless-but-relevant self-promotion: lyrics (http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/users/01/bnewman/songs/lyrics/Masquerade.txt) and MP3 (http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/users/01/bnewman/songs/music/Masquerade.mp3) of "Masquerade".

[margavriel.livejournal.com]

1. Yes, it is rare to find Estêr trop that clearly distinguishes between ethnahto and silluq (what you call "sôf posuq"). I try to make the latter slightly slower than the former.

2. Because the Megillo comes out of a society which seems to have viewed disobedient wives as being worse than women who are willing to display themselves as sex objects.

3. Homentashen? Feh. Real Jews have slivovitz, or scotch, or vodka, on Rôsh Hôdhesh Adhor.

[nuqotw.livejournal.com]

There's a gemara somewhere that says Vashti wouldn't parade her goods because she grew a tail. That seems to suggest that in her apparently usual luscious state, she had no problem parading about for all the folks from Hodu to Kush.

I may well be quoting the gemara out of context; if I am someone please correct me.

[shirei-shibolim.livejournal.com]

Glad people like the trope, though I can't claim to have made it up or anything. It's rather similar to what Binder recorded in Biblical Chant, including the distinct strong disjunctives.

Were you practicing in front of someone, or just celebrating Purim early?