Purim 2025: Videos, Resources & Guide

What does sending food have to do with the Purim story, and why did Mordechai insist we continue this practice forever?

We call it "Purim" after Haman's lots—the very device he used to determine when to destroy us. But why would we ever want to immortalize a tool of our destruction? Discover how the Hebrew word "pur" carries a double meaning that turns Haman's weapon into Esther's triumph—and why this linguistic twist reveals the true spiritual message of the holiday.

Are you counting down the hours until your fast ends? What if these uncomfortable hours could make your entire Purim experience more meaningful? Discover why Esther's pivotal fast transformed her from passive bystander to national heroine—and how your hunger today can connect you to something much larger than yourself.

When Esther approaches the king to save her people, she deliberately echoes words spoken centuries earlier by Judah to Joseph. Discover how this intentional callback completes an ancient family story, as Benjamin's descendant (Esther) finally repays the debt to Judah's tribe in a moment of perfect historical symmetry.

Why is celebrating Purim important today – or even at all? Sure, Purim is the “holiday that will never be forgotten,” and celebrates the salvation of the Jewish nation, but it is also the rare holiday where God doesn’t take center stage in the story. Is this a clue that Purim celebrates our own contribution, alongside God’s?

Of course, we recognize that Purim celebrates the work of God’s helping hand “in the background.” That certainly seems like an important reason to celebrate Purim for all eternity. But aren’t we partly responsible for our achievements? This Purim video sets out to uncover a meaningful reason as to why we still celebrate Purim today.

The Torah tells us that Sarah died when she was 127. The Torah also tells us that there were 127 provinces in the Persian empire in the days of Achashverosh and Queen Esther. Coincidence? Rabbi Akiva doesn’t think so, and neither does Rabbi Fohrman. Watch this video to find out why.

Rabbi Fohrman explores the connection between the stories of Megillat Esther and Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. Could the very first story in the Torah have any connection to the very last story of the Torah? And if so...what does that mean for the way we understand the holiday of Purim today?

The Book of Esther is filled with many biblical echoes that deepen and enrich our understanding of what really happened in Shushan. Join Rabbi David Fohrman and Rabbanit Shani Taragin as they trace the Book of Esther back to the dedication of the Tabernacle in the Book of Leviticus, and enter Purim with a new perspective.

How do we come to grips with a command to utterly destroy Amalek? How thin is the line between the great heroism of Esther and the great evil of Haman? The two may not be as far apart as they might seem. Check it out – and please feel free to write back with feedback!

The Book of Esther has no Divine instructions, no prophecies, no outright miracles. God doesn’t even get mentioned. We all love hearing how Mordechai and Esther saved their people in a time of crisis – but does this story have any moral message for us? As we’re listening to the Megillah on Purim, what can we learn about coming close to God in our everyday lives?

What are the main themes of Purim that emerge from the Book of Esther? We dive into the glaring questions in Megillat answer and uncover the surprising answers.

Rabbi Fohrman taught this Premium webinar before Purim of 2018. Come watch, and explore the connections between the story of Purim and the story of Rebecca and her sons.

Antisemitism. Where did it all originate and can we trace it through the Tanahk? Rabbi Fohrman argues that it may have begun with the story of Amelek, which is widely known as one of the most mystifying and difficult episodes in the Torah.

We learn in Shemini about the induction of Aaron and his sons into the priesthood. Interestingly, there are bunch of similarities - in language, and in theme - between this story, and the story of Megillat Esther. But what does the induction of priests have to do with Esther?? Join Rabbi Fohrman and Rivky as they examine this puzzle - and never think about the priesthood, or Megillat Esther - the same way again.

Acharei Mot describes the priest’s Yom Kippur service in the Tabernacle, with strangely similar language to Megillat Esther. But what does Yom Kippur—with themes of repentance and closeness to God—have to do with Esther? Rabbi Fohrman and Rivky re-examine these two texts.