Wednesday Word: Hamantaschen

This is probably not a very familiar word to most of you.  In fact, if you're not Jewish--or don't have close friends who are Jewish--it's likely you've never even heard this word before. 

But it is not just a word: it is a cookie.

Not only that!  But it is a cookie with an interesting history.

(What can I say?  It is a Jewish cookie.)

A long long time ago in the land of Persia there was a king named Xerxes whose chief adviser was a man named Haman.  Now, there were a lot of Jews living in Persia, and Haman hated all of them.  (because one man named Mordecai refused to bow to him, Haman wanted to kill not just Mordecai, but all the Jews as well.  Jeesh.)  So Haman told Xerxes that the Jews in the land were a dangerous people and should all be eradicated.  And because Xerxes had a very large kingdom and had no idea what half the people he ruled were like, he gave Haman permission to do what he wanted.  But Mordecai was the uncle of Xerxes' Queen, Esther, and he told his niece to plead with Xerxes for not just her life, but the lives of all her people.  (this was slightly dangerous, since if she went before the king without him summoning her, he could have her killed.  But he liked her so he didn't kill her) So eventually Esther tells the king about Haman's plot and Xerxes orders Haman to be hung on the gallows Haman had constructed in his backyard in anticipation of hanging Mordecai there.  (Hoisted on his own petard, wot wot.)  And then Xerxes declares that all the Jews in the land are safe and he will not let anyone ever try to commit genocide on them ever again. 

The End.

(for a more complete version, see the book of Esther in the Bible)

Nice story, right?  Of course right.  But this is where the story of the cookie takes an alarming turn.  See, growing up, I was always told that Hamantaschen was a cookie we made for Purim (the celebration of the Jews not all dying in Persia) and that it was made in a triangle because Haman wore a three cornered hat.

Furious internet searching has corroborated this fact.

Hamantaschen!

Which leads me to the strange part of this word: why does Haman get a cookie named after him?

I mean he almost killed thousands and thousands of Jews (possibly more) and we give him a cookie.

Does Hitler get a cookie?  No.

Did Pol Pot get a cookie?  No.

Did Stalin?  No.

But Haman, yes, we give Haman a cookie. 

Perhaps because he didn't succeed in his genocidal plans.  It is sort of a celebrational cookie.  But then why not name it for Esther?  Or Mordecai?  Or even Xerxes (as thick as he was). 

No.  We must name the cookie for the evil Haman so we will never ever forget just how much we hate him.

And every Purim we read the story of Esther and every time Haman's name is said we boo loudly and use noisemakers to drown it out. 

You have to admit, when it comes to 'forgive and forget,' we Jews are champions.

But the cookie is actually quite tasty.  :)