Haaretz:
As Jews, we must infuse all our earthly actions – from eating to sexual relations – with spirituality, not just on Purim, but throughout the year.
The commandment to get intoxicated on Purim and the tradition of fancy dress have led many Jews to treat the holiday as a “Jewish Halloween”, while glossing over its real message and relevance today. Purim, while it appears boorish from the outside, is actually a festival of great philosophical significance.
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Not many know that the holiday of costumes and revelry is one of Judaism’s most holy days.
With the end of the Sabbath, Jews in most places around the world started celebrating Purim, the Feast of Esther.
At its essence, Purim is about how Judaism views spirituality. Unlike many other religions, Judaism believes that true holiness is found by fusing normal earthly acts with holiness. It is not a religion that honors those who remove themselves from everyday life to concentrate on the holy: our rabbis are expected to be married, and we mark holy days with meat and wine rather then deny ourselves of such earthly pleasures.