Hi everyone!

With Purim approaching, you might like to know how the traditional triangular jam-filled cookies originated.

My mother OBM always told me that Haman's hat was triangular. That was the fashion, years ago. Now the saying goes: "If…I'll eat my hat." Meaning that whatever the thing may be, it's so likely to happen that I'm willing to promise to eat my hat in case it doesn't.

Haman wanted to kill all the Jews. He was certain that it was going to happen, and I'm sure he would have said: "I'll eat my hat." in the event that it wouldn't. Since Hashem had other plans, lucky for us, we were saved, and we are the ones who ended up eating his hat. Sweet and crumbly with a variety of fillings!

Another explanation is that following Haman's downfall, King Achashvarosh gave Mordechai and Esther Haman's house and all his possessions. Metaphorically speaking, he emptied Haman's pockets and filled Mordechai's and Esther's. That's why the Yiddish name for these cookies is "Hamantaschen" which mean's Haman's pockets! In this case too, the reason that they are triangular is because of the shape of Haman's hat.

Years later, when we finally returned home to Israel, a new Hebrew name had to be invented. Just like the Hebrew "leviva" took the place of the Yiddish "latke" on Chanuka. For some reason, which perhaps one of the readers can provide, the translator chose to call Hamantaschen "Oznei Haman", which means Haman's ears!

Now if you fill a hat or a pocket with goodies, that works fine. Filled ears are- not exactly to my taste, to put it mildly. But the name stuck, and in Israel we eat Oznei Haman on Purim to this very day.

May we live to see all the modern day Hamans and their followers meet the same fate as he did!

Whether you decide to call them Hamantaschen or Oznei Haman, enjoy your Purim cookies!

Happy Purim to all!