(Originally published in 2021. A few new riddles for 2022)
- How many hamantashen should one eat on Purim?
- What do COVID 19 and Purim have in common?
- How do you know the people of Shushan were hard of hearing?
- How do you know that Vashti was born of two mothers?
- (From my son Medad as a child): What do Purim and Tu B’Shvat have in common?
- What do you call a sleepy noisemaker on Purim?
- What do Sarah and Queen Esther have in common?
- What important Hebrew word in the Megillah does this represent: 8888888
- What did the Israelites who listened to the Megillah in the desert snack on?
- What does Esther have to do with the holiday of Sukkot?
- What was Mordecai’s family’s favorite dairy dish?
- What did Mordecai say about all the hassle involved in getting the king’s letters sent out a second time?
- How do we know Haman’s father was a roofer by trade?
- What is the name of the parsha that Haman had that we never read in shul?
Answers:
- Lots. (The Hebrew word Purim means “lots,” as in drawing lots).
- For both, you wear masks.
- The first verse of the Megillah says: Vayehi bimei Ahashverosh hu [read “who?” — as if the people couldn’t hear the name] Achashverosh. ויהי בימי אחשורוש הוא אחשורוש
- Esther 1:9: Gam Vashti HaMalkah astah mishteh nashim. Literally: “Queen Vashti also made a banquet for the women.” But could playfully be read as: “Queen Vashti was also made of two women.” גם ושתי המלכה עשתה משתה נשים
- On both “dates” are picked.
- A groggy grogger!
- The number 127. Sarah lived for 127 years. Esther ruled 127 provinces.
- The Hebrew word for “tree”, עץ, etz (eights) — the gallows that Haman prepared for Mordecai and was himself hanged on.
- “Ha -man” — the manna, the desert food.
- Esther’s other name is “Hadassah.” And Hadas is one of the 4 minim that are put together to make the lulav and etrog on Sukkot.
- Quiche. Mordecai ben Yair ben Shimi ben Kish Ish Yemini. (Esther 2:5)
- “What a megillah!”
- Haman ben Hamedata Ha’agagi – gag means “roof”
- Parashat Hakesef (4:6)
Purim Math Puzzlers: What phrase from the megillah does each of these mathematical equations represent?
1. מה זה+
מה זה
2. מי = זה + אי = הוא
3. למלך ≠ להניחם
4. הצר ≠ בנזק המלך
Answers to Math Puzzlers:
- מה זה ועל מה זה
- מי הוא זה ואיזה הוא
- למלך אין שוה להניחם
- אין הצר שוה בנזק המלך