In the extremely harsh polemics that followed the first edition of this book, as soon as its title was not changed - "How I became an anti-Semite", "How to become an anti-Semite", "Why I am an anti-Semite"... The author still insists on his version of the title of this collection of articles. If we see manifestations of Russophobia among the inhabitants of the former Soviet republics, then it makes sense to think about whether this Russophobia is only a misfortune for the "Russian migrants" or at least partly also their fault? Exactly the same question arises in connection with anti-Semitic sentiments, which surround a large part of the history of the Jewish people. Is there not something in the polemical devices adopted by some Jewish preachers and journalists that contributes to the birth of anti-Semitism? The author of this book believes that anti-Semitism is a disease. But to treat a disease, you need to know its origin. After all, sometimes a sick state of the body is just a normal reaction to poisoned food.
And this holiday is really very fun for the winners. This is the only day on which the sober and pedantic Talmud does not even allow, but prescribes, getting drunk: "In the afternoon they eat a festive meal and drink alcoholic beverages, until they cease to distinguish between the words 'cursed Haman' and 'blessed is Mordechai.'"253 This is because "We must drink the wine and lose the ability to separate these two aspects - and feel that the destruction of Haman is the blessing of Mordechai... The miracles of Purim are associated with wine: at the feast of Ahasuerus, Queen Vashti was deposed, and Esther was in her place; the fall of Haman took place during a feast given by Esther."254 "The Talmud relates: Once Rabbi Zeira came to visit the Rav, and they celebrated Purim together. And they got drunk to such an extent that Rava got up and stabbed Rabbi Zeira. Only then did he realize what he had done, he was frightened, sobered up and began to pray to Hashem that Rabbi Zeira would come to life. God showed him mercy and revived Rabbi Zeira. The next year, Rava again invited Rabbi Zeira to visit him to celebrate Purim. But Rabbi Zeira refused and said: "A miracle does not happen every year..."255
The festive meal includes pies with the poetic name "Haman's ears"256. "The most popular dish of Purim is "Haman's ear" (in Yiddish "gomentash") - a triangular bun stuffed with poppy seeds with honey... The Midrash tells us that after his defeat Haman walked "bent over, saddened, with his head covered with shame and his ears incised."
Such a sweet family scene: a parent, no longer distinguishing the name of Haman from the name of Mordecai, says to his son: "My dear, would you like to eat more of the flesh of our enemy?" 258.
And this holiday is considered the greatest. Among the Talmudic sages "there is even an opinion that when all the books of the prophets and hagiographers are forgotten, the book of Esther will not be forgotten after all, and the holiday of Purim will not cease to be observed."
In Judaism, Purim is primarily a children's holiday. "In the evening and in the morning, the scrolls of Esther are read in the synagogues. It is customary to make noise (knock your feet on the floor, fists on the tables, and twist special Purim rattles) at the mention of the name of the villain Haman. Of course, children are especially zealous in fulfilling this custom."260
Now, I hope, it is clearer why Christians are concerned about the fact that the Jews remained "for the second year in the first class," in the class of the Old Testament: in this class they taught rather cruel things. And if the Jews remain with their Old Testament "primer", then we can expect "preventive" outbursts of aggression from them.
This is the monstrosity of this "merry holiday": from generation to generation, it reproduces the model of dealing with those whom the Jews will one day consider their enemy. There is no history, no progress. There is no growth of spiritual consciousness and morality. The Old Testament bloodthirstiness was not transformed. Those norms are still alive. The archetype has not been abolished. It continues to be regarded as a model worthy of reproduction (for the time being ritual and symbolic, and on occasion real).262
This is the most serious line between Judaism and Christianity. For Christians, the Old Testament and its cruelty are a past that no longer needs to and cannot be imitated. For the Jews, their testament did not become "Old", for them it is still a model to follow and a guide to action. A Christian will not accept as normal the command that Moses received before the Exodus, which consisted in robbing the houses of the surrounding Egyptians. But can a Jew say that the event of three thousand years ago has lost its literal normativity for him?
The blood and cruelty of the Old Testament for Christians is nothing more than a pedagogical measure, a temporary necessity that has disappeared forever with the advent of the Gospel. For Judaists, these are not temporary measures, but eternal constants, not pedagogy, but the ontological norm of the existence of the Jewish people. Therefore, Christians do not celebrate Purim – although this holiday is rooted in the history that is sacred to us.
У христиан принято символически, аллегорически толковать войны Ветхого Завета и события вавилонского пленения: «Сатана вовлек меня в плен греха. Что ж, будем драться. У меня есть заговор против него и очень коварный. Я вот пойду в храм к батюшке и исповедуюсь во всех тех грехах, в которые он меня вогнал - вот и будет ему Пурим». В иудаизме же сохраняется вполне буквальное понимание норм и примеров ветхого Завета.
Христиане не отвергают книгу Эсфири. Но мы не считаем, будто то, что было необходимо тогда, стоит повторять сегодня. Мы живем в открытом мире. Мы можем брать нечто из опыта других народов и эпох - из их обрядов, кухни, одежд, песен. Но если мы нечто берем, то лучше присмотреться к этой гуманитарной помощи: а не истек ли срок годности. Срок годности Пурима истек в 30 г. нашей эры - при Распятии Христа. Иудеи же и по сю пору готовы кормить себя этим продуктом.
Я не буду говорить слова осуждения в адрес персонажей Священной Истории. Но мне бы хотелось, чтобы тот погром остался в истории, а не перетаскивался в будущее.
Я не пишу сейчас богословское исследование, не занимаюсь истолкованием и апологией Ветхого Завета.
Замечу лишь, что Высшая, Божественная оценка действий Эсфири и Мардохея отсутствует в Библии. В еврейском тексте книги Эсфирь вообще ни разу не упоминается имя Божие263. Бог не входит с ними в диалог. Слов Свыше в роде «Ты хорошо сделал, Мардохей», нет в книге Есфири. И праздник Пурим устанавливается не по откровению Творца, а по собственной инициативе еврейской диаспоры: «Иудеи, которые в Сузах, сделали его днем пиршества и веселья» (Есф. 9,18). Перед нами – скорее историческое сказание, чем откровение Божие264. Авторы Нового Завета никогда книгу Эсфирь не цитируют.