[13] Today, only in Jerusalem Purim is observed on the 15th, and in several other biblical settlements (such as Hebron and Shilo) it is celebrated on both dates because of doubts regarding their status as cities surrounded by a wall since the days of Joshua.

At this feast, Ahasuerus becomes thoroughly drunk, and prompted by his courtiers, orders his wife Vashti to 'display her beauty' before the nobles and populace, while wearing her royal crown.

When Mordecai finds out about the plans, he puts on sackcloth and ashes, a sign of mourning, publicly weeping and lamenting, and many other Jews in Shushan and other parts of Ahasuerus' empire do likewise, with widespread penitence and fasting.

[18] That night, Ahasuerus suffers from insomnia, and when the court's daily records are read to him to help him fall asleep, he learns of the services rendered by Mordecai in the earlier plot against his life.

He follows the Hebrew Book of Esther but shows awareness of some of the additional material found in the Greek version (the Septuagint) in that he too identifies Ahasuerus as Artaxerxes and provides the text of the king's letter.

It also provides other contextual information relating to Jewish and Persian history such as the identification of Darius the Mede as the uncle and father-in-law of Cyrus.

[29] A brief Persian account of events is provided by Islamic historian Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari in his History of the Prophets and Kings (completed 915 CE).

[30] Basing his account on Jewish and Christian sources, al-Tabari provides additional details such as the original Persian form "Asturya" for "Esther".

[33] He refers to a Jewish woman who had married the Persian King Bahman (Artaxerxes II), and delivered her people,[32][34][35] thus corroborating this identification of Ahasuerus.

Originally this regulation was only supposed to be observed on the 14th of Adar; later, however, Rabbi Joshua ben Levi (3rd century CE) prescribed that the Megillah should also be read on the eve of Purim.

When a wicked man stood up against us (... בקום עלינו), a wantonly evil branch of Amalek's offspring ..." and ending with "The rose of Jacob (ששנת יעקב) was cheerful and glad, when they jointly saw Mordechai robed in royal blue.

According to these authorities if women, or men for that matter, cannot attend the services in the synagogue, the Megillah should be read for them in private by any male over the age of thirteen.

In accordance with a passage in the Midrash, where the verse "Thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek"[57] is explained to mean "even from wood and stones."

[60] The food parcels are called mishloach manot ("sending of portions"), and in some circles the custom has evolved into a major gift-giving event.

Several interpretations arose among the late medieval authorities, although in general the classical sources are unanimous in rejecting intoxicated excess; only beginning with the Hasidic masters was drunkenness occasionally endorsed.

[71] The primary reason for masquerading is that it alludes to the hidden aspect of the miracle of Purim, which was "disguised" by natural events but was really the work of the Almighty.

[79] By the 18th century, in some parts of Eastern Europe, the Purim plays had evolved into broad-ranging satires with music and dance for which the story of Esther was little more than a pretext.

Today, Purim spiels can revolve around anything relating to Jews, Judaism, or even community gossip that will bring cheer and comic relief to an audience celebrating the day.

[88] The Sephardic Jewish community in Jerusalem traditionally served Baklavas, Kadayıf, Travadicos, Figuela, Tichpichtil, and Ma'amoul during Purim.

[90] Seeds, nuts, legumes and green vegetables are customarily eaten on Purim, as the Talmud relates that Queen Esther ate only these foodstuffs in the palace of Ahasuerus, since she had no access to kosher food.

[92] Some Sephardic Jews traditionally eat cooked green fava beans in remembrance of Esther, who, in Ahasuerus' palace, could not consume meat and thus had to rely on vegetarian dishes.

[94] Arany galuska, a dessert consisting of fried dough balls and vanilla custard, is traditional for Jews from Hungary and Romania, as well as their descendants.

Later, in deference to Jerusalem, the Sages determined that Purim would be celebrated on Adar 15 in all cities a wall had enclosed at the time of Joshua's conquest of Canaan.

This criterion allowed the city of Jerusalem to retain its importance for Jews, and although Shushan was not walled at the time of Joshua, it was made an exception since the miracle occurred there.

[102] Outside of Jerusalem, Hasidic Jews don their holiday clothing on Shushan Purim, and may attend a tish and even give mishloach manot; however, this is just a custom and not a religious obligation.

[107] Historically, many Jewish communities around the world established local "Purims" to commemorate their deliverance from catastrophe or an antisemitic ruler or edict.

Rabbi Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller (1579–1654) of Kraków, Poland, asked that his family henceforth celebrate a private Purim, marking the end of his many troubles, including having faced trumped-up charges.

In his research, Neugroschel noticed that ten Nazi defendants in the Nuremberg Trials were executed by hanging on 16 October 1946, which was the date of the final judgement day of Judaism, Hoshana Rabbah.

Additionally, Hermann Göring, an eleventh Nazi official sentenced to death, committed suicide, parallel to Haman's daughter in Tractate Megillah.

[132] In 2024, ahead of Purim, Israel's Education Ministry issued a directive to schools and kindergartens about avoiding "panic-inducing costumes" in view of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.