Happy Purim!

Mordechai recorded these events and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, urging them to celebrate the fourteenth and fifteenth days of Adar every year as the days when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into celebration.  
  
---from the Book of Esther, 9:20~22

 in Progress:  Shushan Photo Booth!!

 Shushan Photo Booth, Grab a prop and strike a pose.

Idea from Joyfully Jewish blog, link to follow!

I`m so excited about Purim! 

I say `Happy Purim` but I realize not everyone knows about Purim!
Thank you for asking!! I will see if I can tell you a little to start...

Oh, and first to give credit to the Joyfully Jewish blog, whose Post `Purim Photo Booth` inspired me so much, I made a Shushan Photo Booth. Possibly the first in Japan!! Very possibly!!

Before you grab a prop and jump in the booth, to know about Purim, the very first thing is to do a little advance reading in the Book of Esther!  Actually, reading the Book of Esther is one of the things to do during  Purim, but if you are new to Purim, then you would need to read it first so you know what you are in for.

 I will also  copy this description from Jerusalem News Network*  
to share a brief description of `What is Purim?"

It is a celebration of redemption and a time of great merry-making as Jews throughout the world remember the deliverance from the hands of the wicked Haman, who tried to instigate the annihilation of the Jews of Persia. The Biblical Book of Esther, recited on this holiday by Jews throughout the world, tells the story of how the Jewish woman Esther and her uncle Mordecai saved the Persian Jewish community from destruction. Families and neighbors give gifts of sweets to each other, and many dress-up in costumes for festive events.

The date of Purim is the 14th day of the month of Adar on the Hebrew Calendar. 
This year it is March 12, and as all holidays on the Hebrew calendar, begins on the evening so it will be this week from just after Shabbat! Saturday March 11, to the evening on March 12.

The things we are supposed to do are told to us right there in the Book of Esther!

 These were to be days of feasting, celebration and sending presents of food to one another and giving gifts to the poor.  ---From the Book of Esther, 9: 22b

There is lots of hidden intrigue in this story and perhaps that is why we eat things that have filling `hidden` in them like Kreplach and Hamentashen, two traditional foods eaten on Purim.  Can you guess what filling I will put in the Hamentashen?!  See post to follow!

I believe that the hidden surprises in Purim will be revealed to us more and more as we  prepare the feast and party hearty.  There is also a day of fasting the day before Purim which is a good time to join in hearts of prayer for Israel and our nations, and to seek God during this special feast time.

The Book of Esther is the only book in all the Bible where God`s name doesn`t appear at all, and God Himself doesn`t seemingly appear, but of course He is in the foreground orchestrating all the characters, choreographing their moves, and the One who makes all the divine timings and appointments that all so perfectly make the story what it is.

In our lives, too, even when we don`t `see` God of course He is always there and the One who is orchestrating all we do and the timings, appointments, people in our lives, and where we are.  Something to think about too as we read the Book of Esther, where we see that within that,  we have responsiblity and we have to make choices.  Esther chose to not be silent.  She makes a choice, and what she did saves her people.  She annuls the decree that the wicked Haman set out.  I learned during this season that the word Purim which the holiday is named after has two meanings.  One is `lots`.   It also means `annul` in Hebrew. Many places say the holiday is named Purim for Haman`s lots, but actually it is named for the great irony that Haman thought he could control the fate of people through the lots, but his plan was turned around and he is hanged in the end by the gallows he himself made, so after all it is Esther`s `lots` that the Holiday is named for.  

So now that you know a little of Purim, there is still time, don`t delay!! Hamentashen recipe HERE
Kreplach HERE, the Purim Photo Booth and all the specifications on how to make it HERE!!

*

Please also know and remember that To send gifts and contributions is also an important part of the holiday.  HERE is a link where we can send donations to aid Israel, from education to aid to the poor to medical aid and more, there are many needs.

*

Happy Purim!! Boo Haman!  We love you Esther.

Praise God for His Mighty Outstretched Arm that continues to save and protect, comfort and love, bring joy and goodness to all who call upon His name, and that He alone is the One who brings about Righteousness and Judgement.   May we realize through the Feast days like Hannukah and Purim, seemingly `minor` Feasts, how essential it is to grab and grasp the TORAH of ADONAI and keep it in our heats, return to God, and declare His praises from all corners of the Earth!!

May the festival of Purim be known and celebrated throughout Japan in Purims to come!! And throughout the lands! You don`t have to be Jewish to Celebrate Purim, everyone can join in the special feast, and reach out to those who are in need to share food and giving.  As you eat your hamentashen and read the book of Esther, may  God reveal to you something about this holiday and may you know the  joy that comes in celebrating His victories!

Note on Kreplach:  For Purim you can make KREPLACH! Filled with meat or your choice filling, they are a traditional favorite on this holiday. I wanted to make them a little in advance,  so I made them and  froze them .  I had never done `freezing` before, so I was a little nervous to get it right.  Thank you my friend Debbie for telling me the steps on how to freeze kreplach! 

How to freeze kreplach and use for soup:   First make the dough and cook the filling.  Once the filling cools, fill them, shape them, then line them on parchment (cooking paper) on sheets  (for example, aluminum tray, cookie sheet etc) that can go in the freezer.  Put them in the freezer like that, uncooked and  UNCOVERED until they harden.  Once they are frozen, you put them in  ziplock freezer bags.  You can dust with a little flour to prevent them from sticking together.
To cook and use in soup, just take them out of the freezer when you are ready, put them in boiling water or directly into the soup broth, and cook about fifteen minutes.  You can now make a batch to freeze for Sunday!! Enjoy!Blessings and Shalom!

And now, the Feasts!

Shabbat Zachor and the eve before Purim!

These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family and in every province and every city.  These days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor their remembrance perish from their descendants.

---Esther, 9:28

The Shabbat before Purim this past weekend was called Shabbat Zachor, the Sabbath of Remembrance.  On this Shabbat we remember to never forget what Amalek did to the Israelites when they came out of Egypt.  (see Deuteronomy 25:17~19))  Amalek had no fear of God.  Haman from the story of Esther is said to descend from Amalek and thus the connection of this week`s special Shabbat and Purim.

Throughout the Bible we are taught that the Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, the Fear of God is what brings us life and into light*.  Those who have no fear of God but live for men and the glory of self walk in the way of darkness.  In the age we live in now too, many people do not know the fear of God. In the story of Esther, the wicked Haman did not have the fear of God. He believed he himself could control fate and randomly by `lots` destroy a whole people.  Queen Esther, who had not yet revealed to the King that she was Jewish, called all the Jewish people together in a fast and in unity and she was granted the scepter to have an audience with the King.  She prepared two great feasts before revealing her identity as a Jew and putting forth her request for the King to save her people.  In the end, Haman, was hanged on the gallows that he prepared for Mordechai.  Hence we make a feast on this day and celebrate the deliverance of the Jews.

Actually, this year it was an ongoing feast from Shabbat to the night of  Purim to the day of Purim, because Purim began on sundown Saturday just when the Shabbat finished! Hamentashen (triangle-shaped!)  for breakfast and Kreplach (triangle shaped!)  for lunch, and we have to get at least tipsy so we completely forget the name of Haman.

You will start to see triangles by the time the meal is done!!

In the post below I talked about the hamentashen.
So now we can return to the feast!

Purim breakfast table! (photo above), Purim day lunch! (below)

Purim Challah in a twisted rope shape, filled with cherry blossom filling.  Remember that `hamen-tashen` means `weaken Hamen` so as you can see, the Purim feast has a lot to say !!!

Japanese `Onigiri` rice balls also make a good addition to your Purim in Japan menu! They not only are triangle shaped, but they also have `hidden` fillings inside.

The fear of ADONAI prolongs life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.

---Proverbs 10:27

The Purim challah (above middle) is in a circle shape, it is two stands twisted together like a rope that Haman was hung by.  I got the idea from this Purim challah Here.   But I made a variation. In my version, inside is , again, cherry blossoms! To represent the saving and resurrection power of Messiah Yeshua, and the fruit that comes from following the ways of Torah!!!

A Song of Ascents.
Happy is everyone in awe of ADONAI, 
who walks in His ways,
for you will eat the labor of your hands.
You will be blessed 
and it will be good for you.

---Psalm 128:1~2

On Purim we rejoice because although God was `hidden` in the pages of the book, it was a fear of God that kept the Jewish people so strong as they were a people who agreed together to walk in the ways of righteousness and who kept the Law of God. 

May we remember to blot out the memory of Amalek!! One of the meanings for hamentashen
is that `tashen` means to weaken, so the word hamentashen means to weaken Hamen and hence the power of Amalek. 

In Yeshua`s name I declare OUT AMALEK!!

For God, who said "Let light shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Messiah.   ---2 Corinthians 4:6

Blessings and Shavu`a Tov!!
From your Challah and Cherry Blossoms Correspondent,

Shayndel

Now when ADONAI your God grants you rest from all the enemies surrounding you in the land ADONAI your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, you are to blot out the memory of Amalek from under the heavens.  Do not forget!

---Deuteronomy 25:19

Shalom be upon Israel!

---Psalm 128:6b

*There are so many great verses about Fear of the LORD, HERE are some to start!

Note on Purim Giving: It is a mitzvot on Purim to give to those in need ,
may we not forget to give in this season!
Blessings and Shalom!

Kreplach in soup, and Esther-inspired beans stew

food note:  Queen Esther hid her Jewish identity while she lived in the palace, so it is said she kept a vegetarian diet in order to keep kosher.  See recipe for this Persian-inspired bean dish with cinnamon and tomato HERE.  These Kreplach contain meat and sweet potato and onion, but you can also find vegetarian Kreplach recipes for Purim.

Purim Sending and giving -- Mishloach Manot!

 Mordecai recorded these events.  And he sent dispatches to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus, near and far, charging them to observe the fourteenth and fifteenth days of Adar, every year---the same days on which the Jews enjoyed relief from their foes and the same month which had been transformed for them from one of grief and mourning to one of festive joy.  They were to observe them as days of feasting and merry making, and as an occasion for sending gifts to one another and presents to the poor.            --Book of Esther 9:20~22

The month of Adar on the Hebrew calendar is a month of joy, and as the scripture above from the book of Esther states, it is "transformative" joy, as the days of mourning and grief were turned to those of festive joy.

Giving and sending Mishloach Manot--food gifts-- is a wonderful part of Purim.
Just as the scripture says, it is part and parcel of the Purim holiday to "send gifts to one another and presents to the poor."

I have been making Hamantashen and packing them to to send to those who are far and made some to give out to those near!!  Where I live no one in the "province" knows about Purim, so its also a way of sharing about Purim and about the God of Purim!! The God of Israel!!

Sometimes the best way to share about Him is simply to do an act of kindness.   I think that is a lot of what Purim is about!! 

"The Blossoming Challah" seasonal delivery---Hamantashen anywhere in Japan!!

A lot is "hidden" in the holiday of Purim!

Guess who this one is going to?  Hint it's from "Mom" ♡

You can read about the Feast of Purim in the Book of Esther, which is read on the holiday of Purim!!!

This year is the first time I sent Hamantashen, for sending I sent them by "frozen " shipping! Thankful for the TakyuBin Delivery service in Japan!

There is a lot that is "hidden" in Purim, including the fillings in the Hamantashen!!

From Shayndel, to YOU!!!

Cherry Blossoms Hamantashen and Prune Hamantashen are the varieties made here at Challah and Cherry blossoms!!

Cherry Blossoms Hamantashen! Made in Japan!!

Chag Sameach!!

Happy Purim!!

There are still a few days to prepare for Purim, if you would like to try making Hamantashen,
please see this my favorite Hamantashen recipe which is also in the "recipes" sidebar at right,
or click HERE for a tutorial for my
Cherry Blossoms Hamantashen
uniquely from Challah and Cherry Blossoms!! 

Much Love,

♡

Shayndel

The Purim Challah, and now, the Feast!

Mordecai recorded these events and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, urging them to celebrate the fourteenth and fifteenth days of Adar every year as the days when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into celebration.  These were to be days of feasting, celebration and sending presents of food to one another and giving gifts to the poor.        

Esther 9:20~22

 The Feasts of the LORD are called feasts for good reason.
They are to be feasts!! And at the same time, we are not to neglect those who cannot feast or have not enough, and it is also a big part of Purim to give to those who are in need, as well as share gifts of food with one another.

When it is time to move to the feast, we give thanks to the LORD for all He provides, and for bringing us to this day.
And always, always, have you noticed, everything we make on a Shabbat or Feast day is more delicious than on an "ordinary" day on the calendar.  My daughter notices ! Those who join in the feast do too!! Its like God gives us an extra anointing in cooking on those days!!

I love making a special Challah on Purim.
This year I hadn't decided what  the Challah would be, until I began to shape it and roll out the dough.

 I had the Prune and Sakura fillings (see post below) prepared, so in a moment, I saw to make a Sakura and Prune Challah for Purim!!

As described in the post below, the two fillings together have a special significance for me and in our house in Japan.  They express something about my walk with the LORD and hopes for His Salvation for our family.   As my daughter is home and here for Purim, I was also thinking about how in a way she is like the Sakura , or cherry blossom, as she is born and grew up in Japan, and even under the cherry blossoms! And the prune is.... me!

Ok, that may not have come out so pretty!! But what I meant is well, yes, there is something generational there too!! Sakura is new and fresh and young and renewing, and Prune as I have explained below, is something as  Jewish people we seem to like for as far back as I can remember!!  And they are preserved to last a long time!! How is that for a mix!! The new and renewing and the long lasting through the generations!!

We are here because of Esther.  In the sense that, if the Jews in the exile had been wiped out by the wicked plan at that time, we wouldn't be here.  And I think too what about our Messiah Yeshua?  If all the Jews were wiped out?  There is so much to think about in one Challah!!

So here is the challah, a special Purim challah.  When I shaped it I used the Star of David as my inspiration for shape, but as you can see it rose and baked into a shape of its own!! I thought it looked like a crown!! My daughter said to her it looked like a blossom....yes! A cherry blossom.  Oh, that pleased me to hear!!

A few other guests also stopped by for a pre-feast before my daughter came home, dressed as Queen  Esther and Mordecai--- no Purim is complete without them!---  we read the Book of Esther together, using our best character-like voices for all the parts.  I made the additional challah which also contains  sakura and prune for our guests.  As Esther kept vegetarian in the palace, to keep her Jewish identity hidden as she couldn't express being kosher, I didn't want to offend our guests and thus served a vegetarian Esther's bean stew for the pre-feast.  It was followed up when my daughter came home with Kreplach (  non-vegetarian! ) which are another Purim specialty!!

Kreplach in Japanese Dashi and Esther's Persion Bean stew are Purim favorites here! 

Recipe links to follow!

 A Purim table should express joy!
 And speaks of God bringing together all His people into One in our Messiah Yeshua, the Bread of Life and the Saviour of the world!

His name was not mentioned in the book of Esther, but His hand of Deliverance is forever upon His people!!

Shouts of joy and victory
are in the tents of the righteous:
ADONAI's right hand is mighty!   Psalm 118:15

Blessed be His Name!

Purim Sameach!! Happy Purim!

Love,
 ♡
Shayndel

Prune and Cherry Blossom, can you see the hidden fillings revealed!?

PS note to my blog friends!
 Thank you friends for your comments on my Purim posts below!!
So happy to share in the gladness of the holiday with YOU and blessed by your comments!!
I am still in a Purim whirlwind and now going into Shabbat , so will look forward to reply to follow once I settle !!Much love and a blessed weekend ! Filled with joy and God's great peace..
Shabbat Shalom!!!♡

From the Purim Desk 1~~Hamentashen Notes!

Taste and see how good the LORD is.
Blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him. 

--Psalm 34:9

Your decrees are my eternal heritage:
they are my heart`s delight.   --Psalm 119:111

Happy Birthday Esther !

Did you know `Esther`s` name means `hidden`!!

Your choice of Sakura An (Cherry blossoms paste)  or Prune filling!

Cherry Blossoms Hamantashen, since 2017 on Challah and Cherry Blossoms, made in Japan with God`s love

from the Purim Desk of Shayndel!!

These days of Purim shall be observed at their proper time, as Mordecai the Jew--and now Queen Esther--has obligated them to do, and just as they have assumed for themselves and their descendants the obligation of the fasts with their lamentations.  And Esther`s ordinance validating these observances of Purim were recorded in a scroll.-the Book of Esther 9:31 &32

We celebrate Purim on the fourteenth and the fifteenth day of the Hebrew month of Adar.  The day I am writing these notes it is the  11th of Adar.

The same days on which the Jews enjoyed relief from their foes and the same month which had been transformed for them from one of grief and mourning to one of festive joy. --Esther 9:22a

God is said to be hidden in the Purim story and yet, as we read  on Purim in the book of Esther,  we find Him everywhere!   He is not hidden at all!!  His hand is upon everything, He seems so present there in every detail.  So my interpretation of the Hamantashen, with the delicious fillings inside, is that they speak of God and how He is the center of all things!   And the center of course of the center of all the events that are wrapped together in the Purim story.

These photos are from my in-home time of making as I was up to my ears in Hamentashen, and that is where I like to be on Purim!!  This year I also hosted an on-line Hamentashen bake!! We had participants from Malaysia, Australia, Japan, and the U.S. and respectively the fillings included Passion Fruit filling (Malaysia), Poppyseed (Australia) and Sakura (Cherry Blossoms paste!)(Japan).  Taste and see how good the LORD is!!

 Just a funny story for the record is that the night before the Hamantashan bake, I was up late preparing and finally got to sleep hoping that I would be rested for the next day.  In the middle of the night the phone rang.  I couldn`t imagine!  But I did go at pick it up, it must have been 3 or 4 in the morning.  It was a woman from the Challah company in New York from whom I had ordered Hamantashen to send for my Dad!! She asked me to confirm his address as they couldn`t send to a P.O. box.  I almost got angry and wanted to say, don`t you know its the middle of the night in Japan?? But I stopped myself and realized of course she didn`t, and kept a tone of gratitude, how wonderful that she was delivering the Purim treats to my Dad so he could have them in time!!

 When I returned to bed I realized there was the Hand of God, He wanted to show me that as I was so focused on sharing Purim with new friends in the nations here, He wanted me to know that He was also making sure Dad would be getting his!! Then a few days later I got another call from a delivery service checking on my daughters address! Again, it was God`s hand showing me that He was getting the Purim packages delivered to where they needed to go!! 

That is why we love these hamantashen!! They speak of God's delicious-ness, His taste of everything that is good, His being the one who is in the center of our very story, of our very being. The one who everything we do is centered around.  The horn of our Salvation, the God of our Deliverance.  The one who is in the center of our hearts and who fashions our hearts.

So when you taste the treats of Purim this year, taste deeply, taste intimately, taste with all the senses how very, very , very good our God is!!
 

to be continued.... recipe: HERE

 Much Love ♡ Shayndel

 

 

Sharing Purim

I love making these kinds of deliveries!

These days of Purim shall be observed at their proper time, as Mordecai the Jew--and now Queen Esther--has obligated them to do, and just as they have assumed for themselves and their descendants the obligation of the fasts with their lamentations.

And Esther`s ordinance validating these observances of Purim were recorded in a scroll.

--from the Book of Esther 9:31 &32

We celebrate Purim on the fourteenth and the fifteenth day of the Hebrew month of Adar, which this year was this past week.

The same days on which the Jews enjoyed relief from their foes and the same month which had been transformed for them from one of grief and mourning to one of festive joy. --Esther 9:22a

A dear friend recently shared that she would be celebrating her first Purim.   She wrote to ask me to confirm what it is we are supposed to do and if she was missing anything.  I was happy to hear that she would be sharing in the joy of Purim for all God`s people!!  If you are considering celebrating your first Purim, we can see right in the Book of Esther how to do so!

 We are told these things to do at Purim:

They were to observe them as days of feasting and merrymaking, and as an occasion for sending gifts to one another and presents to the poor.   ---Esther 9:22b

In this post I want to share one of them, that is sending gifts!
In Hebrew, it is `Mishloach Manot`!
Since I began celebrating Purim again in my born-again life in Japan, I have enjoyed choosing and sending them to my family in the US by internet, but this year I also wanted to connect with the people in my near community, so this was my first time in my adult life to make Mishloach Manot gifts to `send`.
There are different ways to do it, but the fun thing is, doing it!!
As you know I live in a city and in a state ( Prefecture) where I haven`t yet found even one other person who observes Shabbat or the Feast days of ADONAI, so it has been a challenge, and recently I have been seeking God to help me to find people and ways to share them with.

This time I didn`t have to look far for the way, its right there in His Word!!

The sending of portions, or Mishloach Manot, seemed  perfect  and it is something we are told to do, so I set out to get some supplies and make a few to start!

 I got some cute boxes from the 100 yen shop (thats like the dollar store!).
  I put in some homemade hamantashen.

Next, I had an inspriation because the Book of Esther is read as a `scroll` or `Megillah`, I took some pretty origami paper and made little scrolls with a few scriptures to include in the boxes.  I made an English version, and a Japanese version, depending on who would be the recipient.  It was also good practice to write scriptures in Japanese, as I recently purchased a new Japanese Bible!!

These Misloach-manot.  are unique Japanese Purim Gift boxes, as they include original Cherry Blossom hamantashen.(see post HERE and one to follow!) and some other Japanese touches like the origami paper.  You can make yours unique with what you have special where you are.

I delivered the first to a friend and neighbor just a short bicycle ride away.
I rang her bell, and it was such a nice face to face moment.  That is something wonderful too about this thousands of year old observance.  Of course, we can send through the internet too, but this year it was the face to face that I have been seeking!
 I even received  a food assortment as a gift in return!  Totally unexpected.   It  took me by surprise.

On the second gift box that I delivered I got an even greater surprise.  When I gave it to the person,  this one with a Japanese `scroll`, there just happened to be another person there who knew a little about the Bible, and so we got into a conversation.  I ran and got my Japanese Bible to share about the holiday with them. The person who I gave the box to hadn`t read the Bible before, so  I handed it her to look at, and once it was in her hands....  one thing led to another and in the most natural way,
I was able to leave her with not only the gift box but with the Japanese Bible as well!!

One of the things is that we see in the Purim story is God working behind the scenes in the exact timing of all the meetings and miracles.  In our everyday life we can also see how God is working out all the details and timings, and pouring His Spirit out on people at His timing, and it was clear in that brief moment of giving that he made hearts open to Him.  It was an unexpected and wonderful Purim surprise that the Bible would be a part of my first Mishloach manot!!  Praise God! I give thanks to His Salvation.  Yeshua.  For showing me that Purim is about preserving His word and making Him known in our world!!

Your word is a lamp to my feet, 

a light for my path.  

  

---Psalm 119:105

Blessings and Shalom! Love, Shayndel

This one also included Halvah, from Israel!!

I really need to practice my Japanese writing, but meanwhile this is where I am so I will include it in my Purim package!

Psalm 47:1 and Esther 9:28 are the scriptures I selected in this box

It also was a graduation week in Japan, and this recipient has a son who graduated from High School, same age as my daughter, so the scroll like this has a timely-ness!!  Below, you can see I added a cherry blossom on the box for a finishing touch.  These Misloach-manot.  are unique Japanese Purim Gift boxes, as they include Cherry Blossom hamantashen.

♡

Your decrees are my eternal heritage:
they are my heart`s delight.

--Psalm 119:111