Esther is described in th e boo k of esth er as a jewish queen of the persian king ahasuerus. Observant jews begin purim on the th of adar, fasting and commemorating esther s bravery. Esther, the beautiful jewish wife of the persian king ahasuerus xerxes i, and her cousin mordecai persuade the king to retract an order for the general. Esther was the cousin of mordecai, a member of the jewish community in the exilic period who claimed as an ancestor kish, a benjamite who had. Categories commentary, feasts of israel, purim tags book of esther, haman, messiah, miscellaneous, mordecai, purim. Mar 08, 2020 the answer, in part, is that it is this very vulnerability that makes jewish heroism possible, and that is why, on purim, we focus on the woman that gave this biblical book her name. Esther, which is read from the megillah scroll on purim, is one of only two books in the torah song of songs being the other in which god is not mentioned. It stands to reason that people would profess to be jews and that people would speak well of esther, mordecai, and the jewish people. Indeed, the section of the torah devoted to the story of purim is called the book of esther not the book of mordechai or the book of mordechai and esther, or even the book of. In part one of this twopart blog series, we explored not only how purim is a celebration of god, but how the book of esther is commonly portrayed. Mordecai esthers cousin uncovers a plot to kill the king and reports it.
Mar 20, 2019 to mark purim, jews read the entire book of esther in a public congregational setting twice, once on purim night and again on purim day. The story of brave queen esther, her uncle mordecai, king ahasuerus and malicious haman has been written in the book of esther. The jews retold the story of esther at purim each year. The story is told in an easy to understand way for young children to comprehend. They manage everything taking place in everyones lives, and have been given the names mordechai, esther. The events in the book of esther occurred from 483. A man named hegai was put in charge of preparing the women for meeting the king. The purim celebration is based on the biblical book of esther, which recounts the story of queen esther and how she saved the jewish people from annihilation. The agent of that deliverance is esther, one of the. Although we do not know who wrote the book of esther, from internal evidence it is possible to make some inferences about the author. The story of queen esther and mordechai the righteous jewish holiday books for children kindle edition by mazor, sarah, christyani, marscheila. For example, mordecai is the focus of one of the two resolutions of the threat against jews chap. As esther was an orphan, her cousin mordechai brought her up.
Esther succeeds in having haman deposed and hanged, and she positions her cousin mordecai as the new vizier in his place. He warned esther and the two men were caught and killed. But while the characters might resemble a fairy tale, the book of esther depicts actual events that shaped jewish history and instituted the festival of purim. We also discovered how mordecai s raising of hadassah esther molded her into the woman god desired, and how he continued to play a role in her life even after she was taken from him to ultimately become queen. Haman seeks to destroy the jews after his runin with mordecai. There is a heroine, suspense, irony, reversal, and surprising coincidences. Tradition says mordechai wrote the book of esther, but surely he wouldnt have gotten the timing of his own expulsion a century wrong. I grew up hearing the story of purim and its heroes, mordecai and esther. The massacre had been plotted by the kings chief minister, haman, and the date decided by casting lots purim. Esther, purim and why it all still matters jews for jesus. They tend to lose interest in the story after the death of haman. Esther is the seventeenth book of the old testament of the bible, closing the historical books.
The holiday of purim is a celebration and remembrance of the attempted destruction of the jews of shushan, and the remembrance of queen esther and mordecai. Why does mordecai, who is known as the jew, refuse to bow down to haman, putting his people in peril. According to rashi on chapter 9, verse 20 of the book, mordecai was the author. This month, jewish people around the world will celebrate purim, a funfilled holiday based on the book of esther. The basic purim story a brief retelling of the book of esther. However, the talmud in baba batra 15a ascribes the book. The book of esther and the jewish festival purim asian and. Here are some weird things you didnt know about queen esther. These forces are what a person attaining spirituality discovers in connection with the creator. But mordechai feared the day when esther would be called to the palace. The talmud says mordecai prophesied in the second year of darius. Esther this tv movie version of the esther story stars academy award winner f.
The heroes of the story are esther, a beautiful young jewish woman living in persia, and her cousin mordecai, who raised her as if she were his. It is a day to remember gods mighty hand displayed to his people in the days of esther and mordecai a time to commemorate his saving grace and protection. To most parents it would have been a rare honor and a great privilege to have a daughter married to the king. Mordecai and esther send letters throughout the provinces instituting an annual commemoration of the jewish peoples redemption, in a holiday called purim lots. Such readings invite us not only to celebrate the triumphs of mordechai and esther.
The importance of the book for modern historians can be gauged by the fact that, whereas josephus included the esther story in his antiquities of the jews, martin noth in his history 1cf. According to the megillah, esther is the daughter of mordechai s uncle, and thus, esther and mordechai are first cousins. The story follows the real haman and mordecai, who arrive in a shtetl the day before purim and go unrecognized by the jews there. The story of queen esther and mordechai the righteous jewish holiday books. Jan 29, 2019 however, mordecai found out hamans plot, and he tore his clothes and put ashes on his face in grief, as did other jews hed alerted. The story of queen esther and mordechai the righteous jewish holiday books for children kindle edition by sarah mazor, marscheila. King ahasuerus promotes haman, making him more powerful than all the other officials. It was haman who had persuaded the king to order the extermination of every jew in the persian empire, and this royal edict remains in force. The story of queen esther and mordechai the righteous jewish holiday books for children mazor, sarah, christyani, marscheila on.
The book is named for the star of the story, a young jewish girl named hadassah who was taken from her guardian, mordecai, and forced to compete for the affection of the king. After all, on purim we celebrate the story of queen esther and her cousin mordecai, who thwarted a nefarious plot by haman advisor to the persian king ahasuerus to annihilate the israelites. The story of purim is told in the biblical book of esther. Purim the festival of lots jewish historical institute. Now, queen esther, the daughter of abihail, and mordechai the jew wrote down all the acts of power, to confirm the second purim letter. Judaica a magnificent illustrated book of esther for purim jewish holiday printed in israel 1950 decorated with images and illustrations book of esther for the 20 film, see the book of esther film. It is the story of a threat to the jews living under the persian empire which stretched from india to ethiopia and how they are saved by a jewish woman. Mordecai is a kind of godfather whom no one wishes to cross. He began working on haman and mordecai in 1905 and revised it the year of his death. The author is unknown, but some biblical scholars conclude that it was mordecai, himself, who wrote the book of esther. The purim story is a reminder of our essential power for human agency.
In the narrative, ahasuerus seeks a new wife after his queen, vashti, refuses to obey him, and esth er is chosen for her beauty. Book of esther overview insight for living ministries. The joyous holiday of purim celebrates the salvation of the jews from the wicked haman, through the leadership of queen esther and her cousin mordecai. Bible stories for christian young children and toddlers. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the purim story. Mordecai esther s cousin uncovers a plot to kill the king and reports it. It is dated to the fourth century bce and according to the talmud was a redaction by the great assembly of an original text by mordechai. Esther and mordecai both fix purim as an official holiday for the jews with their decree, along with regulating their times of fasting and lamentations. According to the book of esther, this happened on the th of adar and on the 14th day the jews rested and made it a day of feasting and joy esther 9. It commemorates a time when the jewish people living in persia were saved from extermination the story of purim is told in the biblical book of esther. It is he, not esther, whom the book praises in its conclusion.
His greatgrandfather had been carried into exile along with king jeconiah of judah, who had been driven into exile by king nebuchadnezzar of babylon esther 2. For he was in charge of a very charming and good hearted cousin named esther, or hadassah. In book of esther xerxes i, and her cousin mordecai persuade the king to retract an order for the general annihilation of jews throughout the empire. The reason the rest of the bible ignores the people and events of the book of esther is because the book is an account of jews who are preoccupied with the wrong kingdom, a kingdom which is not eternal. Esther was taken to the house of ahasuerus, king of persia, to become part of his harem. Yet we must follow the text to some unfamiliar and even uncomfortable places and not retreat from what it actually says. Our heroine answers the call to save persian jews from annihilation. The authorship of the book of esther is a subject of debate. The book of esther is one of only two books in the bible named for women. Every year around the time of purim, churches and synagogues around the world dive back into the book of esther, where we hear of a courageous young jewish woman in exile saving her people, who were put in danger because of her uncles unbending integrity in the face of pagan tyranny. The book of esther tells the the story of a young jewish woman named hadassah myrtle, but known by the persian name esther star, who becomes queen of the persian. Oh, the god of israel is at work in the book of esther, but neither mordecai, nor esther, nor the jews, nor the persians recognize it. Mordecai informed esther of law and advised her to speak with the king. The book is associated with purim, but elsewhere we also hear of a day of mordecai 2 macc 15.
Mordecai then dreamed his prophetic dream see esther, apocryphal book of, which he told to hathach esther r. Apr 02, 2017 esther s cousin mordecai had taken esther in and raised her as his own after esther s parents had died. A most intriguing theory has been put forward by robert gordis. And although this verse may seem innocuous, the entire book. The book of esther, also known in hebrew as the scroll megillah, is a book. Human characters act out the movements of astronomical bodies as they were or are expected to be at great moments in history like the start and end of world ages. The book of esther is fraught with anxiety as it tells the story of the precarious existence of jews in the diaspora.
It is set during the reign of xerxes i ahasuerus, son of darius, of persia. Esther and mordecai have an inside track to king ahasuerus, and mordecai now occupies the place of power formerly held by haman. The answer, in part, is that it is this very vulnerability that makes jewish heroism possible, and that is why, on purim, we focus on the woman that gave this biblical book her name. Dec 22, 2017 that might be because purim is one of the few occasions for revelry in the jewish calendar year a day of carnivals, feasting and festive commotion. In the story of esther, youll meet a beautiful, young queen who risked her life to serve god and save her people. To mark purim, jews read the entire book of esther in a public congregational setting twice, once on purim night and again on purim day. Understandably, as the heroine of the story, most discussions of the book are meant to inspire people to emulate her. Mordecai s genealogy in the second chapter of the book of esther is given as a descendant of kish of the tribe of benjamin.
One day outside the palace, mordechai happened to hear two men plotting to kill the king. In the books most famous lines, mordecai persuades esther to go to the king unbidden a capital offense and intercede on her peoples behalf. But esthers attack on the vizier has brought about a dramatic shift in power. When mordecai saw haman approaching him with the royal horse and garments, he thought that he was coming to kill him. The public reading is done in hebrew by a designated. The story of esther is the foundation for the festival of purim, the only time of the year when jews are expected to drink to excess. People love a jewish peasant girl rising to the rank of queen and eventually saving her entire people. Esther is described in the book of esther as a jewish queen of the persian king ahasuerus. Purim takes place on the 14th day of adar, the 12th month of the jewish calendar. Now there was in the citadel of susa a jew of the tribe of benjamin, named mordecai son of jair, the son of shimei, the son of kish, who had been carried into exile from jerusalem by nebuchadnezzar king of babylon, among those taken captive with jehoiachin king of judah. The book says that every jew should continue to observe the holiday on and on through history.
This is the most recent movie production of the book of esther. Esther is crowned queen after winning a beauty contest. Kish was also the name of the father of king saul, and the talmud accords mordecai. Chapters 12 israel is in exile, under the reign of king ahasuerus. Since esther was a young maiden at the time of her marriage to king ahasuerus and further since esther and mordecai were cousins this means that even if esther was 2030 years mordecais junior, mordecai could not have been taken captive with jehoiachin. Purim was the persian new year festival, and he saw in esther simply a jewish adaptation of a popular persian novella p. This unlikely contestant for a beauty pageant was crowned queen of persia and renamed esther, meaning star. Queen esther, a hero for our time the new york times. Mordecai and esther s relationship it does indeed mean that they were cousins, but the commentators also note that when the megillah states that mordechai took her to him as a bat daughter it actually means to say bayitas in homemeaning that he married her and they built a home together. The kings chief adviser, haman, is offe nded by esth er s cousin and guardian, morde cai, and gets permission from the king to have all the jews in the kingdom killed. Mordecai promoted 1, 2 esther pleads with the king 36 kings counterdecree 714 relief and rejoicing for the jews 1517 9. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. In a 1981 article titled religion, wisdom and history in the book of esther. Purim and the book of esther the american spectator.
One reply to hidden treasures in the book of esther pingback. He had been faithful in his service to the king, though probably only in a mundane daytoday job. Esther queen of persia, intercessor for the jews before the king, and the one for whom the book of esther is written. Megillat esther the book of esther describes forces that unfold in the person. Hidden treasures in the book of esther the return of. Ostensibly, that should close the matter, but as almost anyone who has visited a school at purim time or has discussed the matter with his children or grandchildren knows, it. This summary of the book of esther provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of esther. Do you know any parents who do not enjoy pictures of their children and delight to show them to their friends. Queen esther animated simple bible stories youtube.
When queen esther learned of her guardians distress, she sent him clothes but he refused them. The story begins when king ahasuerus also spelled achashverosh. The purim story, haman, mordechai, esther, megillat esther. The primary source relating to the origin of purim is the book of esther, which became the last of the 24 books of the hebrew bible to be canonized by the sages of the great assembly.
Mar 15, 2020 there is much more to be discussed from both of these fascinating books, but i can agree with both of these authors. God is not mentioned in the book of esther, but that doesnt mean he isnt there. Esther exposes haman 16a haman hanged on the stake he made 6b10 8. Esther was taken to the house of ahasuerus, king of.
Purim is esthers story, esthers miracle, esthers festival when the observances of purim were institutionalized by the sanhedrin on the first anniversary of the miracle, it was esther s vision that prevailed. Both esther s and mordecai s names, although considered jewish names today, are persian names most likely based on the idols ishtar and marduk. This book tells the story of purim and how queen esther saved the jewish people in persia from being killed by the evil haman, the kings minister. Purim, a jewish holiday whose story is told in the book of esther, is a day of joy and celebration which generally falls between late february and late march in the gregorian calendarthe 14th of adar in the hebraicbiblical calendar. When mordecai learns of the decree esther 4, he leaves the kings court, putting on sackcloth and ashes as a sign of great mourning.
Zionist interpretations of the book of esther open up readings of the book that are easily overlooked in the fun and whimsy of our carnivalesque celebrations of purim. The story of queen esther and mordechai the righteous jewish. Mordecai declares that the victory is remembered every year, and the celebration is called purim because haman cast the pur meaning lot against the jews, yet failed to destroy them. He has been believed by many to have been the author of the book of esther. But contemporary readers who gather on the holiday of purim to read the book of esther aloud, as jews have for 2,000 years, often find it difficult to look upon the account of the jews war against their enemies in this way. The megillat esther book of esther became the last of the 24 books of the tanakh to be canonized by the sages of the great assembly. Opinion queen esther, a hero for our time the new york.
I read the book of esther last week and was struck again by what an amazing book it is. The events in the book take place from 483 bc to 473 bc, during the first half of the reign of king xerxes. That last one is marked by exuberant audience participation, as audiences stomp their feet and boo at each mention of the villain haman, while. The mordecaiestherahasuerus triangle in midrash and exegesis, prooftexts 22, no. The second chapter introduces mordecai with a brief genealogy. The heroes of the story are esther, a beautiful young jewish woman living in persia, and her cousin mordecai, who raised her as if she were his daughter. He had carefully raised esther as his own, and now she sat as queen of persia.
In the possibly jewish story of purim, the characters of mordecai and esther seem clearly derived from marduk. In the case of a leap year, it takes place in the th month, adar ii, while a minor holiday, purim katan. According to the talmud, it was a redaction by the great assembly of an original text by mordecai. Jews today celebrate purim by wearing costumes, having parties and reading of the book of esther. Mordecai refuses to bow before haman a close confidant of. The commemoration is based on the biblical story thats familiar to most churchgoers. He knew that he could not hide her successfully for long, and finally. People masquerade in memory of esther misticanews notizie dalle religioni. The bibles queen esther has had a recent surge in popularity, even outside of purim. Then she sent one of her guards to find out the trouble and mordecai told the guard everything of hamans plot. Deep teachings about the month of adar, mordechai, esther, and the spirit of purim 2020. The animated book of esther purim story the lot michael goldstein. Then mordecai told them the messengers to reply to esther, do not think to yourself that in the kings. Festivities include carnivals, pageants, practical jokes, and dramatic readings of the whole megillah the book of esther.
The animated book of esther purim story the lot youtube. Purim became a big deal says the book itself and it did. I was especially struck by how mordecai was courageous and stood up for his jewish beliefs by refusing to bow before the wicked haman. Triumph of the jews 119 festival of purim established 2032 10. Although it was recorded in the royal book that mordechai the jew had saved the king, the matter was soon forgotten. The book of esther may remind you of a classic, once upon a time childrens story with a wealthy king, his beautiful queen, and an evil villain. If you arent familiar with esther, or its been awhile since youve read or hear the story.