This means she had been married to the king for approximately 40 years at the time of her death. Jacob had traveled a great distance to find Laban. 2:5as being a Benjaminite, from which the Rabbis assumed that Esther also came from this tribe. The midrash compares Esther to a hind and to the dawn, based onPs. The story of Esther happened after Cyrus, the first Persian King, called for all deported Jews to return to Jerusalem to build the House of God (538 B.C., Ezra 1:2). She is the author of several books, including On My Right Michael, On My Left Gabriel: Angels in Ancient Jewish Culture (University of California Press, 2021). Elizabeth reigned for almost forty-five years and was the last monarch of the Tudor Dynasty, having died childless. 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. Abraham, "fell on his face and laughed" while Sarah, "laughed to herself" and even tried to deny it. 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. The combined symptoms in Esther signify that she was suffering from a serious psychiatric illness, but the precise diagnosis remains unclear. She married her cousin Alexander of Judaea (died 48 BC), who was the son of Aristobulus II. It is known that Esther was the daughter of Abihail, and she had married King Xerxes of Persia around the age of 18. She never forgot her cousin Mordecai and she never forgot that she was one of God's children. Along with Queen Shelamzion Alexandra, Queen Esther shows that skills at the negotiating table should be just as valued as skills in the field of war. Bibles] who ruled Persia from 486 to 465 BC. Hi, I'm Mordecai, Esther's older cousin. Esther stood in the middle of the fourth department; the guards of the first department could no longer touch her, while those of the last department could not yet approach her. However, just because you don't know when All Her . The plea was turned down by her. There is support for this too in the Talmud (Yoma 29a).4) Esther comes from the Median "astra," meaning "myrtle." , Rabbi Nathan states, In its season from Shabbat night to Shabbat night, the way [rains] fell in the days of Queen Shelamzion., Megillat Esther: A Godless and Assimilated Diaspora.. As a result of her mother's death . 2:7states: Mordecai adopted her as his own daughter [literally: took herle-vat], which the midrash understands as: Mordecai took herle-bayit, that is, as a wife (BTMegillahloc. Rabbah6:9). The ancient Jewish historian Josephus provides some details. Her son Charles, the former Prince of Wales, is now King Charles III, as the world grieves his mother, Britain's longest-reigning monarch. Esther, heroine and central figure in the Book of Esther of the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament. Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. Then the queen gave Haman's estate to Mordecai and prayed the king to deliver the nation of the Jews from the fear for their lives, and she showed him what the letter that had been sent throughout the country by Haman, the son of Ammedatha; for, she said, if her country were destroyed and her countrymen were to perish, she could herself bear to . What is a reason a mathematical model can fail? Her name was Shelamzion Alexandra. probably lived at the same time. Other sources say that the the woman "Esther" in the bible, married. Mordecai stopped at the gate because he wanted to tell the king about a plot to kill him. Esther understood that this action would require her to commit a grave transgression, and even lose all possibility of returning to her husband Mordecai. The Jews honored God and knew that one should not bow down to Haman, or any of his gods, for it was a sign of idolatry and would directly break the command of God. 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. Esthers jar was a tangible expression of her emotional devastation, her loss of hope, and her feelings of utter helplessness. [11] Elias J. Bickerman, The Colophon of the Greek Book of Esther,Journal of Biblical Literature63.4 (1944): 339-62. The Talmud reveals that Esther's relationship with Ahasuerus wasn't a romantic one. Also called the "Festival of Mazzot"; the "Festival of Spring"; Pesah.Passover. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Queen Esther and Bella Abzug: Costumes, Leadership, and Identity, The Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women, Copyright 19982023, Jewish Women's Archive. [11] According to the colophon to Greek Esther, a delegation of Jews from Jerusalem went to Egypt with the translation of the story of Megillat Esther and asked the Jews of Alexandria to begin celebrating the festival of Purim. Nonetheless, in the very same document in which the rabbis rule out the possibility of Jewish queens, the rabbis remember Queen Shelamzion Alexandra quite favorably. On returning, he found Haman falling on the couch where Esther was. The king mistook Hamans frantic pleas for mercy as an attack upon the queen. What is the answer punchline algebra 15.1 why dose a chicken coop have only two doors? After she tested positive for . It was Mordecai who helped Esther win the favor of the King, who then chose her to be his queen. 7:6): The adversary and enemy, she first pointed to Ahasuerus, but the king moved her hand in Hamans direction. She was married to King Achashverosh, whom some identify as Artaxerxes (), 1 king of Persia. Thisdevarbuilds on Ilans work: her oeuvre is well known to academics but is not as well known as it could be tothe reading public. 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. 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). Esther was a good queen. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'coalitionbrewing_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_3',146,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-coalitionbrewing_com-medrectangle-3-0'); Queen Esther was a brave and courageous woman who risked her life many times to save the Jewish people. cit.). Lit. The midrash relates that Esther asked theTorahscholars to Write of me for all time. The Rabbis replied that it is forbidden to add to what is written in the Torah, and it is not possible to include another book in Scripture, or to establish a new holiday. Jewish and Persian Esther invited Ahasuerus and Haman to a feast and the Rabbis ask: why did she invite Haman? You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Mordecai had discovered the evil plan of two palace administrators, Bigthan and Teresh, and he wanted to make sure the king was aware of the danger and could take proper precautions to protect himself. Dont miss the latest essays from TheTorah.com. Esther illuminated Israel like the light of dawn, while this light itself was like darkness for the nations of the world (MidrashTehilim, onPs. Theodor-Albeck], MS. Vatican, para. After Esthers coronation, the king continues to gather virgins in his palace, which the Rabbis understand as an activity meant to reveal Esthers identity. This, then, is the meaning of(Esth. [6] Josephus writes: Alongside Queen Alexandra, and gaining power with her, were the Pharisees, an important sector of the Jewish community who were considered more religious than the rest of the nation and stricter in the observance and interpretation of the Laws (trans. Who is Jason crabb mother and where is she? Wake up to the day's most important news. Mordechais loyalty and faithfulness to the King were key elements in the unfolding of the events. Am Yisrael Chai Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). This makes Esther 60 years younger than her cousin Mordecai. The Rabbis accordingly relate her to the MatriarchRachel, the mother of the tribe of Benjamin. cit.). She was expressing her inner strength and her ability to survive and even to thrive in difficult circumstances. In common parlance, the braided loaves blessed and eaten on the Sabbath and Festivals. The murdered queens name does not survive in the historical record. Buckingham Palace's website announces the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, 2022. 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. She was 96 years old. Rabbah1:41; BT Megillah 16a). Esther, on the other hand, was taken every day and, like them, she requested miracles. . The Rabbis then mention an additional argument that is raised by the people, that the writing of the Book of Esther will arouse the enmity of the non-Jewish nations. The. According to one tradition, he could not find a wet nurse and he himself miraculously had milk and nursed her(Gen. Rabbah30:8). 726. Is the singer Avant and R Kelly brothers? 49). 22:5). [8]Once there, she does not plead for help but carefully petitions the king, setting in motion a plan to undermine Haman and save the Jewish people.[9]. He was born in 518BC. He killed Haman in 473BC, when he was 45 ( Esther 3:7 ). What is the reflection of the story of princess urduja? Taken to the palace of King Ahasuerus of Persia, she exposed the plot of the evil Haman, who had convinced the king to allow the annihilation of all the Jews in his extensive empire. The regimen of rituals, songs and textual readings performed in a specific order on the first two nights (in Israel, on the first night) of Passover.SederOlam Rabbah29;Midrash Panim Aherim, version B, para. Esther 7:1-6, 9-10. The Bible depicts Esther as an orphan who was raised in the house of her uncle Mordecai ( Esth. [2] See Ilan,Integrating women, 127, commenting onJewish War1.71 andJewishAntiquities13.302. Ultimately, the jar became a symbol of Esthers courage and determination. 6:6), or the definite statement, that could be known only to God: but they did not lay hands on the spoil (9:10). [5] Ilan discusses variants of the same traditions inSilencing the Queen, 35-42, drawing attention to how later rabbinic sources gradually eliminate Shelamzion from this tradition and replace her with her contemporary Shimon ben Shetach. Rabbah 6:5; BT Megillah 13a). Esthers Origins and Her Adoption by Mordecai, Esther Delivers Up Haman and Reveals Her Identity. He asked what she wanted. Esther eventually won the heart of the king and his servants, and she was selected to become the new queen of Persia. The Babylonian tradition maintains that Esther was Mordecais wife. For the name of Esther, a number of etymologies are possible.1) Esther comes from the Persian "setareh," meaning "star".2) Esther comes from the Aramaic "istahar," meaning "moon." How can we explain Esther's abrupt change in behavior from deep despair to determined action and from passiveness to leadership? In the midrashic expansion, on her way to the king Esther encountered various obstacles and she had to pass through seven departments in the palace. After Esther was crowned queen, Mordecai held an important position at the palace and worked closely with the Queen in all matters. does not give many details of Esther's life, Persian records do. Instead, Haman was hanged, and the Jews were given permission to destroy their enemies. 2:7). Like many Jews today, she had two names, one Hebrew and one Greek. Princess Elizabeth ascended to the throne on February 6, 1952, following the death of her father, King George VI. The Jews were in the Babylonian exile. The Book of Esther does not say how old Esther was when she was taken to Ahasueruss palace; different midrashic traditions address this question. 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. Other problems that also call into question the story's reliability include Mordecai being identified as sent into exile by Nebuchadnezzar - an event that must have place over a century before Xerxes assumed power. Esther: A Queen Under Control. . According to the Babylonian tradition, she saw menstrual blood (BT Megillah15a). The Jews, said Haman, must be eliminated for the good of the kingdom. On March 30, 2002, the Queen Mother died aged 101 years and 238 days old. 10:2). Those were the good old days, the rabbis say, the days of Queen Shelamzion. 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). In one exegetical expansion, the women in the harem would adorn Esther, for they said to themselves: This one will certainly be married to the king, so it is worth our while to honor her (Midrash Panim Aherim, version B, para. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. When the king saw his queen, Xerxes lowered his golden scepter to invite Esther into his presence. Mordecai was elevated to second-in-command in the kingdom. The Scroll of Esther is read on Purim from a parchment scroll.Megillah13a). As a result of her mothers death, Mordecai had to care for Esthers nursing. Fear strikes in the hearts of many, including Mordecai, as he realizes Hadassah will be taken. Another view cites the verse (9:27): the Jews undertook and irrevocably obligated themselveswhat they took upon themselves below was confirmed above (BTMegillahloc. Ilan relies upon Bickermans dating, as does Aaron KollersEsther in Ancient Jewish Thought(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2014). Esther despaired throughout her first six years in the palace. Nevertheless, this must not have an easy decision for her; just one generation before her, the wife of the Hasmonean King John Hyrcanus was starved to death by her son when she tried to remain queen. Launched Shavuot 5773 / 2013 | Copyright Project TABS, All Rights Reserved, script type="text/javascript"> Have an update or correction? Esther was a Jewish young woman who was providentially selected to be the queen of Persia. In Shelamzions period, there were no precedents for powerful queens in Judeanot unless one counts Jezebel, the most notorious queen in Israelite history, or her daughter Athaliah. Prof. Mika Ahuvia is Associate Professor of Jewish Studies at the University of Washington and currently holds the Marsha and Jay Glazer Endowed Chair in Jewish Studies. Mordecai, the leader of the Jewish community in the city of Susa, heard the news of the decree and went to Queen Esther, his cousin, to plead with her to plead to the king on their behalf and to save them from the impending danger. In Megillat Esther, we encounter another heroine who maneuvers royal protocol to save her people. Esther was a teenager in In addition, she serves as an example of how to effectively use your voice and influence to make a difference. Let us know. It is most unlikely that there ever was a Queen Esther, in which Esther 4:11-16. Mordecai was an important figure in the Book of Esther in the Hebrew Bible. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Despite her hiding her identity, Esther still maintained contact with Mordecai. The outraged king ordered that Haman be hanged on the gallows built for Mordecai and that Mordecai be named to fill Hamans position. The Rabbis add that Esther found favor in the eyes of both heaven and humans (Esth.