ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Barsom

So, imagine you have a bunch of tiny pieces of straw or hair or thread all bundled together with a bigger piece of string. That's kind of what a barsom is.

Barsom is a ritual object in Zoroastrian religion that is made up of a bundle of thin twigs or wires. These twigs or wires are usually from a special plant called the pomegranate tree.

During certain Zoroastrian ceremonies, a priest will hold the barsom and wave it around while saying prayers. This is believed to help purify the space and make it holy.

In some cases, the barsom might also be used as a symbol of community or unity. People might hold onto it together as they pray, forming a kind of human chain.

So, in short, barsom is a bundle of twigs that is used in Zoroastrian rituals to help make the space holy and to bring people together in prayer.
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