Summer Reading: Esther, Introduction
The book
of Esther is a single story describing a critical event by which the Jews
living in Persia were saved from destruction. Whether or not it actually
happened in history is disputed, and its hyperbolic detail and carnavalesque
style suggest it is a story that holds truth while not needing to be
historically accurate, similar to the teaching myths of Genesis 1-11. As you
read, keep in mind that this is a carefully crafted story of celebration, so
there are elements of exaggeration and overstatement that make it fun to read
but are not to be taken literally. Indeed, there are parts of it that make me
think of the best of Shakespearean comedy, when we as readers know things the
characters do not and can anticipate the mess that is being woven (however,
Esther is quite a bit more gruesome than most classic comedies).
Some
background info that might be helpful:
Purim:
The entire book of Esther is read aloud on the spring feast of Purim in Jewish
tradition. Purim celebrates that the Jews were NOT slaughtered, according to
the story of Esther. The popularity of this holiday probably is the reason it
is part of the canon. The reading is participatory: whenever the name “Haman”
(the bad guy) is read, the listeners make noise to cover the name, by hissing,
jeering, and toy noisemakers. When Esther, the heroine, is named, they shout for
joy. Oftentimes people dress in costumes (similar to Halloween) and there are
parties with rich food and wine. The name Purim, which means “lots”, refers to
the casting of lots (3:7) to determine the date of the slaughter.
Diaspora:
Diaspora refers to Jews living
outside of Palestine. Ever since the Babylonians invaded Jerusalem and
forcefully relocated its inhabitants (587 bce), Jewish people have lived around
the world and practiced their faith in the midst of other cultures, religions,
languages, and peoples. Trusting that the God who created heaven and earth is
not confined to the Temple, or the city of Jerusalem, or even the Promised Land
of Canaan/Palestine/Israel, Jews can still be faithfully Jewish even if they
aren’t in this central place.
Throughout history, Jews have been oppressed and persecuted
for their religion, and we know this anti-Semitism continues today. Esther is a
celebrated story because it’s about Jews living in the Diaspora, in Persia,
under a foreign king, and rising to positions of power and a degree of safety
because of a reversal of fortune. Instead of being slaughtered, they live, and
avenge their enemies. The story ends with the institution of the festival day,
so we don’t know that the people as a whole were any more powerful after the
story, but they do have heroes in Esther and Mordecai who live in the palace.
Esther is
a Persian story more than a Hebrew story. It is set in Persia, the city of
Susa, on the western border of modern Iran, east of the Tigris and Euphrates
rivers and the Persian Gulf. The names1 of even the Jewish
characters in the story reflect the assimilation of the culture: Mordecai,
Esther’s relative and guardian, is reminiscent of Marduk, the Babylonian king
of gods (think Zeus or Jupiter); and Esther sounds like Ishtar, a powerful
Mesopotamian goddess. In 2:7 Esther is called Hadassah, her Jewish name, which
means “myrtle tree”, for she is righteous and sweet.2 The king of Persia in this time period
was Xerxes I, not Ahasuerus, but there is reference for using the alternate
name. However, the behavior of this king was very generous and accepting of the
many foreigners living in his kingdom, so the parallels stop with the name.3
Have fun reading Esther! It is a “novella” of danger and intrigue, and if you read it as “the reason there is something to celebrate on Purim” it makes more sense, despite its ethically troubling ending.
1. Robert
Alter, The Hebrew Bible, vol 3.(NY: W.
W. Norton, 2018), 721.
2. https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1769366/jewish/What-Does-the-Name-Hadassah-Mean.htm
3. Alter, 717.
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