Inside Purim

Jerusalem, Israel (February 2009) — An evil king, an enigmatic queen, and the threat of annihilation. A sleepless night, a metamorphic party, and a complete turnabout. A most familiar chronicle — but what lies within? What are the messages and meanings beneath the seemingly simplistic surface of the breathtaking Purim story?

In Inside Purim: Fascinating and Intriguing Insights on Purim and the Megillah, Rabbi Aryeh Pinchas Strickoff takes the dive into the countless layers of meaning of which Purim and Megillas Esther are composed, with a captivating collection of questions & answers on the Megillah, the Purim story, and the customs of the holiday.

Rabbi Strickoff’s fascination with Purim developed while he was still a yeshivah bachur. As he began to share his wealth of Purim knowledge and vertlach with family, friends, and colleagues, Rabbi Strickoff discovered that his Purim insights had a way of igniting, inspiring, and invigorating his listeners like no other insights could. His off-the-cuff divrei Torah soon evolved into e-mails, articles, and newsletters, and it was then that Rabbi Strickoff decided to share them with the greater public. With the goal of enthusing others to deepen their understanding of Purim, Inside Purim was born.

In this easy-to-read volume, both laymen and scholars alike will find a veritable gold mine of profound, engaging insights that unmask Purim’s depth and beauty. Could Haman himself have been a Jew? Was Esther actually not beautiful? Why is the Megillah named after Esther and not Mordechai? Why do we eat hamantaschen? These questions — and hundreds more — are answered with clarity, wit, and most importantly, an impressive array of Torah sources.

Hamantaschen, groggers, and Queen Esther costumes notwithstanding, we all agree that it’s time to see Purim on a new level. With intriguing, never-before-asked questions and answers, Inside Purim gives us fresh perspectives on a cherished holiday. It’s a fantastic addition to your mishloach manos, a sefer that you will not put down during your Purim seudah, and a classic book that allows us to take Purim’s timeless messages and carry them with us throughout the year.

The format of this book revolves around a series of questions and answers that are listed under five topical sections focusing on the laws of Purim. A special section unique to this volume, “Gevaldig Gematrias and Riveting Rashei Teivos” is supplemented by a subsection about the historical context of Purim and a study explaining the calculation of the prophesized 70 years of Galus Bavel (Babylonian exile). No other English book on Purim covers all these topics within one volume.

In his introduction, the author sets out to explain the purpose for writing the book. I was caught by this statement in particular: “This sefer was conceived with the objective of providing fascinating, inspiring, and geshmake divrei Torah to “drink up” between glasses of wine, for the purpose of enhancing the Purim seudos of Jews the world over.”

Well said and I am certain that this sefer will be read and learned from long before the first l’chayim of Simchas Purim.