A brief summary of the Purim story, including 2 short takeaway lessons we can learn from Megilas Esther.
355 BCE - MASS GENOCIDE ON JEWS
THE STATE OF JEWISH LIFE:
The Jews were in a hard place.
- It was the first time in 850 years that the Jews were in exile, after being in Israel.
- Temple was destroyed, after standing for 410 years.
- 1000 years of prophecy came to an end.
Prophet Jeremiah said the exile will only last 70 years.
When Achashverosh saw the Jews weren’t redeemed after 70 years, he held a 6-month feast.
- He invited the Jews
- Wore the High priest's garments and served food out of the Temple goblets.
- This was a disgrace to the Jews.
Achashverosh is drunk and orders Vashti (his queen) to show up at the party dressed immodestly.
- When she refuses, Achashversoh orders her death.
King Achashveirosh then holds a beauty contest to find a new wife. Esther, a beautiful Jewish girl, is chosen to be queen.
- Esther is an orphan, being raised by Mordechai.
During this time, two palace guards (Bigsan and Seresh) plot to assassinate the king.
- Mordechai overhears them outside the palace gates, and gets them eliminated.
- This saves the kings life.
9 years later...
Haman was promoted to become advisor to King Achashveirosh.
- He had power to issue any decree.
- He made everyone in the kingdom bow down to him.
- Everyone bowed down to him, except for Mordechai.
Enraged by Mordechai's refusal to bow down, Haman took his rage out on the entire Jewish people.
- Haman convinced Achashverosh that the entire Jewish nation is a threat.
- Haman legislated a pogrom against the Jewish people.
- He cast a lot and chose a day to wipe out the Jews.
The Jews are in a horrible, terrified state.
- They are scared, they pray, rally the troops, protest.
- How can they defend themselves against a kingdom of 127 nations?
Achashverosh can’t sleep.
- He calls his advisors to read from the Book of Records.
- The book opens to the part where Mordechai saves the king's life.
- At same time, Haman comes in to say he wants to kill Mordechai.
- Achashverosh says: No way! We should do the exact opposite: Take him on a horse dressed in royal robes and parade him through the streets!
Mordechai tells Esther: "Now is your moment. Go save the Jews!"
- Esther was scared to go speak to King Achashveirosh without being specifically called. Anyone who does this is normally put to death.
- Mordechai tells her: "If we are meant to be saved, G-d will save us, a different way... but maybe this is your destiny! Maybe this is why you were chosen to be queen!"
- Mordechai teaches Esther a fundamental lesson in Judaism: Each of us has our own role to play. We are part of a bigger picture, a piece in a puzzle. We each have a story line. Will we rise to the challenge? We each have a toolbox, family, friends, personalities… take those and discover yourself, discover your role, be the heroine in your story. Be the Esther.
Esther makes a big banquet and reveals she’s a Jew and tells the king about Haman's plot.
- The king is shocked. He hangs Haman.
The day of the planned attack (13 Adar), Achashverosh grants the Jews the right to defend themselves.
- The Jews defeat their enemies.
Jeremiah's prophecy comes true.
LESSON 2:
- Where was G-d in this story? How many times was his name mentioned in Megillah? G-d's name is not mentioned in the Megillah at all. It seems to be a series of events that "just happened." Was our salavation all just a coincidence? In Judaism, we don’t believe in coincidences. The Lesson of Purim is: G-d is here even when we don’t see Him. No open miracles happened, but it was G-d who created the series of events that led to our redemption. The holiday is called "Purim" because it refers to the lots ("pur") that Haman cast. Haman thought we had no G-d in our life, bleak time for the Jews, he can wipe them out by a role of the dice… he learned the hard way... don’t mess with the Jews!
Mordechai declares a holiday fostering Jewish unity.
- We come together and hear the Megillah
- We give gifts to friends.
- We give money to poor.
- We celebrate with a lavish feast.