The Origin of the Name "Purim"
The holiday of Purim takes place on the 14 and 15 of the month of Adar and is named after the evil Haman cast lots as is mentioned in the Book of Esther. The meaning of the word "פור-pur" is "fate" or "lot". Haman, who was an important minister of King Ahasuerus, cast lots to determine the month and the day in which he will carry out his plan to kill and annihilate all of the Jews in the kingdom of Persia.
The lot fell on the 13 of Adar to carry out his plot to kill all of the Jews. According to the Book of Esther, a miracle occurred on that day and the Jews overcame their enemies. That is why they celebrated the joy of their victory on the next day, the 14 of Adar.
In Susa, the capital, the battle did not end that day, but continued to the next so the Jews there celebrated their victory on the 15 of Adar - known as Susa (Shushan) Purim.
Purim has been forever ruled a day of feasting and joy in memory of the Jews' victory over their enemies (the Book of Esther, chapter 9).
The Root of the Word and its Etymology
The meaning of the word "pur-פור" is actually "lot", a piece of material that was thrown in a box in order to make a decision. The root of the word "פור" is "פ-ר-ר" and it is used as a male noun. The origin of the word is probably from an Acadian word with possible origins from a Sumerian word. In the bible, the word appears in the Book of Esther:
בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן הוּא חֹדֶשׁ נִיסָן בִּשְׁנַת שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה לַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ הִפִּיל פּוּר הוּא הַגּוֹרָל לִפְנֵי הָמָן ( אסתר ג, ז).
In the first month, the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of Achashverosh, they began throwing pur (that is, they cast lots) before Haman every day and every month until the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. (Esther, 3:7).
In modern Hebrew, the word "פור" appears in the phrase "נפל הפור" - "nafal hapur" which translates to "the die was cast". The phrase "the die was cast" is therefore rooted in the real throwing of a rock or pieces of wood which were marked with different symbols.
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