How the Grinch Stole the Megillah
Fri, March 4, 2011
Shabbat before Purim Family Service for First grade based on the Dr. Seuss character on the occasion of his 100th birthday written originally 3/5/94.
(in costume: Grinch hat, shirt, gloves and shoes!)
Every Jew
Down in Jewville
Liked Purim a lot…
But the Grinch
Who lived, just North of Jewville
Did NOT!
The Grinch hated Purim!
The whole Purim shpiel!
Now please don’t ask why. No one quite knows the reason.
It could be that his head wasn’t screwed on quite right.
It could be, perhaps that his shoes were too tight.
But, I think that the most likely reason of all
May have been that his heart was two sizes to small.
But,
Whatever the reason,
His heart or his shoes,
He stood there each Purim, hating the Jews.
Staring down from his cave with a sour Grinch frown
At the warm, happy temples lit up all over town.
For he knew every Jew down in Jewville this night.
Was busy, now, getting his costume just right.
“They’ll be twirling their groggers!” he snarled with a sneer.
“Tomorrow is Purim! It’s practically here!”
Then he growled, with his grinch fingers nervously drumming,
I MUST find a way to keep Purim from coming!
For tomorrow he knew…
All the Jewish girls and boys
Would wake up bright and early for Carnival joys!
And then! Oh, the noise! Oh the noise, noise, noise, noise!
That’s the one thing he hated. He hated the noise!
Then the Jews young and old would read the Megillah
‘Bout Mordecai the bold and Esther’s palace villa.
Then they’d all make noise when the rabbi said “Haman!”
Then eat hamantaschen and get ready for gamin’.
They’d read the Megillah, and they’d sing, sing, sing, sing.
Thought the Grinch to himself, “I must stop this whole thing!”
I’m fed up with Purim, the joy and the fun!
I must take away Purim from everyone!
I know just what to do, the Grinch laughed in his throat.
I’ll steal their megillah – they won’t sing a note.
I’ll ruin their Purim- it serves them all right.
I’ll steal their megillah-before Purim night.
He snuck into the Temple and opened the ark
The Ner Tamid lit his way in the dark.
He stole the megillah as quick as a flash
And then left the sanctuary in a mad dash.
And the Grinch was so pleased, but then heard a sound.
It seems that Rabbi Nyer was walking around.
She caught him, she did, and he started to run
They raced to the door and the rabbi won.
She stopped him and said, “Grinch, what are you doing?”
If you take the Megillah it’s you we’ll be booing!
You think if you steal our Purim scroll
That we’ll stop being happy, is that your goal?
Every Jew here in Jewville, the tall and the small
We’ll sing and we’ll gregger and all have a ball
We’ll nosh hamantaschen and Haman we’ll boo,
‘Cause the gantze megillah, the whole story of Purim
is in the heart of every Jew.
You can steal our Megillah, but not Purim from Jews
And the Grinch seemed surprised by Rabbi Nyer’s news.
And what happened then
Well, in Jewville they say
That the Grinch’s small heart
Grew three sizes that day.
He gave back the Megillah to the rabbi, who smiled
She’d helped to save Purim for every child.
The Grinch realized that Purim with all of its cheer
Makes every Jew happy, year after year.
And when, at the service, the Megillah was read,
The Grinch was not alone in his bed.
Not at home getting water from his well,