cit.). The Rabbis view this as self-sacrifice on Esthers part, since she was willing to die herself, provided that Haman would also perish; (4) Esther sought to turn Haman into her ally, so that he would not rebel against Ahasuerus the king (and thereby become even more dangerous); (5) Esther wanted to obscure her identity and prevent any suspicion of her being a Jew (since Haman was an antisemite); (6) Esther desired to arouse the Jews to pray and cry out to God, so they would not think that her presence in the royal palace sufficed to neutralize Hamans activity; (7) Esther sought to arouse Gods compassion, to show that the Jews did not oppose Haman, that no one stood in Hamans way, and therefore only He could deliver Israel; (8) Esther hoped that Ahasuerus, who was a capricious king, would change his opinion of Haman (BTMegillahloc. Mordecai is promoted to the second highest ranking position in the empire, and Esther is given control of the household of Haman. Esther invited Ahasuerus and Haman to a feast and the Rabbis ask: why did she invite Haman? Oops! Corrections? Rabbah8:6). not tell how old she was, is certainly not historical and appears Rachel was silent when she saw that Jacob married her sister instead of herself. Esthers story culminates when the beloved queen is faced with the decision to either continue to disguise her Jewish heritage and maintain her safety or jeopardize everything to advocate for her people. Modesty and Sexuality in Halakhic Literature, What Queen Esther can teach us about intermarriage. Mordecai remained a close confidant to Esther and played a pivotal role in helping her save the Jewish people. How old was King Xerxes when he married Esther? - Study.com What is error code E01-5 on Toyota forklift. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'coalitionbrewing_com-leader-2','ezslot_12',154,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-coalitionbrewing_com-leader-2-0');Throughout the course of the story, Esther suffers from a major depressive episode, possibly accompanied by severe anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. But she does not reveal her Jewish heritage to the king and learns of a plan to kill all Jews by the kings advisor, Haman. He was a Jew living in the Persian city of Susa, and he became a prime minister in the Persian court of King Ahasuerus. She was alone, alone with her grief and trauma. She notes that Josephus only knew this queen by her Greek name, Alexandra, while the Rabbis only knew her by her Semitic name. She was in a foreign land without the protection and support of her people. The Book ofEsther (2:7)relates that Esther had two names: He was foster father to Hadassahthat is, Esther. The Rabbis take two interpretive directions as regards these names. As early as 1215, Rabbi Menachem Ha-Hevroni wrote that while visiting the Galilee, he came across the tomb of Queen Esther, "who, during her lifetime, had instructed her son Cyrus to bring her there [for burial]". See also Susan Niditch,A Prelude to Biblical Folklore: Underdogs and Tricksters(Champaign: University of Illinois Press, 2000). Mordecais wife is never directly named, but it is presumed that she was originally from Susa, based on her residence in the city at the time of the story. Please consider supporting TheTorah.com. Esther was the best-looking woman, and Ahasuerus picked her to replace Vashti as Queen. We rely on the support of readers like you. The BT presents this in the opposite way: the king first talked with her by means of an interpreter, but when she told him that she was descended from King Saul, he spoke with her directly, out of respect (Lev. missed each other by at least 50 years. When Esther was taken captive, her emotional world was completely destroyed. 49). Vashti - Wikipedia Rabbah5:3). When she came into the palace, was she left on her own, or was she given whatever she needed to please the king and to become the queen? Mordecai was an important figure in the Book of Esther in the Hebrew Bible. ), or her strength wanedPirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer[ed. The Jewish dietary laws delineating the permissible types of food and methods of their preparation. In a 1957 Christmas Broadcast, the Queen promised the United Kingdom she would give her . Who Was Esther and Why Was She So Important? - Crosswalk.com For an analysis of these sources and their reliability, see Tal Ilan,Integrating Women into Second Temple History(Tbingen: Mohr Siebeck, 1999), esp. The matter became known to Mordecai, who told Queen Esther, and Esther informed the king: Mordecai's attitude wasn't "I'm a Jewish man in exile under a pagan king, so I do not care if he is killed.". A seven-day festival to commemorate the Exodus from Egypt (eight days outside Israel) beginning on the 15. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. How old was The Queen Mother when she died, and when did she pass - MSN Esther understood that this action would require her to commit a grave transgression, and even lose all possibility of returning to her husband Mordecai. even met her a few times when He was a young boy. Esther illuminated Israel like the light of dawn, while this light itself was like darkness for the nations of the world (MidrashTehilim, onPs. After recently suffering with a bad. When Esther sought to deliver up Haman, she revealed her identity as a Jew in the act. Instead, he anticipates Peter's thought in 1 Peter 2:17, before Peter ever wrote it: Fear God. 31 December 1999. The Midrash adds that Esther's father died during her mother's pregnancy, and the latter died during childbirth ( Esth. Their legal marriage age suggests that they prefer young people below 18 (prime of the youth). Queen Esther and Mordecai were given Haman's estate. When she relayed Mordecais information to the king, she attributed it to Mordecai(Esth. Ultimately, the jar became a symbol of Esthers courage and determination. The historical reality of this biblical episode, and whether or not Esther actually existed, has often been questioned. Esther 5:2-3; 7:4-6 Image The Queen dies 'peacefully' aged 96 after 70 years of remarkable The Jews receive permission to defend themselves against their oppressors, and many of the enemies of the Jews are killed. Later pilgrims mentioned the site, and noted that special celebrations were held there on Shushan Purim. Their grandfather was Alexander Jannaeus, the second eldest son of John Hyrcanus. The Scroll of Esther is read on Purim from a parchment scroll. 25:49) because she was the niece of Mordecai and Israel was delivered through her (Esth. Esther took her turn after 12 months of preparation, and she was chosen as queen: "She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. The Bible depicts Esther as an orphan who was raised in the house of her uncle Mordecai ( Esth. The Bible; the Pentateuch; Tanakh (the Pentateuch, Prophets and Hagiographia)Torah scholars. In order to recognize Mordecais efforts, the king made him his minister and gave him a royal robe and princely apparel. Though she may have been elderly at the time of her death, her legacy continues to live on. The Rabbis relate to Esther as the one responsible for the deliverance of Israel and compare her to the moon, which shone for Israel in the darkness of night. Esther told the king that her people were in danger. In contrast, the BT also cites a tradition that Esther had a greenish [sallow] complexion, and therefore was called Hadassah; according to this tradition, Ahasuerus was drawn to her because she was endowed with great charm (BTMegillahloc. Fortunately, the king was able to get to the bottom of the plot and expose the would-be assassins before any harm came to Mordecai or the king. This meant the king was happy to see her and would not put her to death. What episode does Squidward say the F word. Her son Charles, 73, is now king. There is support for this too in the Talmud (Yoma 29a).4) Esther comes from the Median "astra," meaning "myrtle." She trusted in the goodness and power of God, and in the end He delivered her and her people, the Jewish people, from destruction. Sadly, Queen Elizabeth II passed away, aged 96, on September 8, 2022. Esther retorted, "Without Jews, who needs Passover?". Buckingham Palace's website announces the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, 2022. 2:7). Another tradition has Esther reciting this psalm during the three days of fasting that preceded her going to Ahasuerus: My God on the first day, my God on the second day, and why have You abandoned me? on the third. Ecbatana, located in what is now western Iran. What happened to Queen Esther in the Bible? 22:1: For the leader; onayelet ha-shahar[literally, the hind of the dawn], which the Rabbis apply to Esther. In reference to her lineage, the Rabbis state that she continued the way of the members of her tribe: Rachel, Benjamin, and Saul(Gen. Rabbah71:35; see below: Esther Does Not Reveal Her Origins). them clearly. The Jews were in the Babylonian exile. He even granted permission for the Jews to arm themselves with weapons and deliver the kings edicts throughout the kingdom. someone died doesn't mean they didn't exist. No biblical law specifies that only men can reign, although hundreds of years after Shelamzions reign, the rabbis of would interpret Deuteronomy 17:14, which states You will set a king over you as a king, not a queen (Sifre Deuteronomy 157).[3]. What is a reason a mathematical model can fail? Hearing the horror of the planned genocide, the light went on: Esther connected with her inner self and understood why she had been made queen. After she tested positive for . The events of Esther unfold over an eight- to ten-year period. The Jewish festival ofPurimcelebrates this event. cit.). The actual origins of the Purim festival, which was already long established by the 2nd centurybce, remain unknown. Esther and her cousin Mordecai (who had once saved the king's life) later persuaded the king to cancel an order for the extermination of the Jews in his vast realm, which had been plotted by the king's chief minister, Haman. Jewish and Persian In the Book of Esther, Mordecai plays a major role in the events leading up to the deliverance of the Jewish people from their enemies. Did Esther have sex with Xerxes before they were married? Other sources say that the the woman "Esther" in the bible, married. Esther: A Queen Under Control | RayStedman.org They derive this from the various verses that reflect the thought of the characters, or that attest to actions of which a normal person could not be cognizant, such as Haman said to himself(Esth. Ahasueruss intimates attempted sorcery, so that her hands and feet would look like leather hides, but a miracle was performed for her and they began to shine like sapphires (Midrash Tehilim, onPs. Later, when Haman planned to hang Mordecai, the king found out that it was Mordecai who had uncovered a plot to assassinate him, so he reversed the orders, hanged Haman instead and gave Mordecai the harem. Theodor-Albeck], MS. Vatican, para. Help JWA continue to lift up Jewish womens stories, this month and every month, by. cit.). When Esther is chosen as the queen, unknown to her, Mordecai discovers a plan by the kings wicked advisor, Haman, to kill all the Jews. What is the story of Queen Esther? - BibleAsk In contrast with other women, whom Ahasuerus married without recording the nuptials or the date of the marriage, Esthers marriage was documented, and the date of her marriage was recorded (Pesikta de-Rav Kahana,Ha-Hodesh ha-Zeh["This monthEx. Haman, having become incensed thatMordecai, aJew, held him indisdainand refused obeisance, convinced the king that the Jews living under Persian rule were rebellious and should be slaughtered. In common parlance, the braided loaves blessed and eaten on the Sabbath and Festivals.hallah from dough,niddah, and the kindling of the Sabbath candle, even in the palace of Ahasuerus (Midrash Tehilim, onPs. What can we learn from Esther about our personal understanding of our true life's mission? if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'coalitionbrewing_com-leader-3','ezslot_14',155,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-coalitionbrewing_com-leader-3-0');Furthermore, Esthers actions become increasingly irrational and her behavior can be classified as psychotic. Jewish Women's Archive. We may assume, therefore, that she was about 14 years of age when she succeeded to the throne. Esther before she died (I'm guessing she died in 464 BC) and maybe After an exhilarating victory, they declared the following day a holiday and (alluding to the lots Haman had cast) named it Purim, which is Hebrew for lots.. [4] Tal Ilan devotes a chapter to discussing the name Shelamzion inSilencing the Queen, 259ff. Instead, Haman was hanged on the gallows he had built for Mordecai, and the Jews were given permission to destroy their enemies. It is most unlikely that there ever was a Queen Esther, in which Rabbah8:3). On March 30, 2002, the Queen Mother died aged 101 years and 238 days old. The hero of the Book of Esther is a Jewish woman who lived in Susa and became queen when she was chosen to be the wife of King . Esther found favor in the eyes of everyone who gazed upon her; every person thought that she was one of the women of his nation, whom he found comely. Am Yisrael Chai The festival of Purim and the satirical setting of Megillat Esther may cause us to minimize the unusual story it preserves: the story of a young woman succeeding against all odds in foreign territory. The Book of Esther does not say how old Esther was when she was taken to Ahasueruss palace; different midrashic traditions address this question. Esther was a Jewish young woman who was providentially selected to be the queen of Persia. The Talmud reveals that Esther's relationship with Ahasuerus wasn't a romantic one. Esther eventually won the heart of the king and his servants, and she was selected to become the new queen of Persia. The events of Esther took place between 483 and 473 BC, during the first part of King Xerxes's reign when he appointed Esther as his queen. Decades ago, the historian Elias Bickerman drew attention to a marvelous coincidence: a postscript in the Greek translation of Esther tells us that in 78 or 77 BCE, just one year before Queen Shelamzion began to rule by herself, Megillat Esther was translated into Greek and sent to the Jewish communities of ancient Alexandria. Continue Learning about Religious Studies. Notably, Shelamzion maintained peace through defensive measures and diplomatic outreach rather than outright acts of aggression. The recitation of Megillat Esther during the topsy-turvy holiday of Purim can distract us from the serious side of this story and Queen Esthers example. cit.). Horev], chap. As Ahasuerus enjoyed only 14 more years on the throne, we conclude that Esther was but 28 years. With the kings consent, Haman set a date for the execution (the 13th day of the month of Adar) by casting lots and built a gallows specifically for Mordecai. His father was Kish, who descended from the House of Benjamin. She had two grown sons (Aristobulus and Hyrcanus II), but she decided not to step aside for them; perhaps she foresaw that the rivalry between the younger and older son would not end well. In the midrashic exposition, Ahasuerus tries to discover Esthers origins, explaining that this would be beneficial for her relatives, since he would appoint them to important positions (Midrash Panim Aherimloc. According to the Bible, Mordechai was a Jew who lived in the Persian city of Susa, the modern-day city of Shush, Iran. script>. She received her Ph.D. in religion from Princeton University. Esther was a good queen. After more than 70 years on the throne, Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022. Rabbah8:3). She became the new wife of the king when his . The spelling of her name is confirmed by its appearance in the Qumran material; see4QCalendrical Document C(Florentino Garcia Martinez and Elbert J. C. Tigchelaar, eds.,Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition[Brill Academic Publishers, 2000], 694).

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