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 the Book of Lamentations Israel bemoan (5:3): We have become orphans, fatherless, and God promises them the redemption of the fatherless and motherless orphan (Lam. As the Queen died on the Isle of Wight, her body was carried on board the HMY Alberta with several yachts taking the mourners and King Edward VII to Gosport in Hampshire and then by train to Victoria station in London. Haman, too, was troubled by the question of Esthers origins. Nehemiah probably knew of Queen Through his actions, along with those of his cousin Esther, the Jews were saved from extermination. She trusted in the goodness and power of God, and in the end He delivered her and her people, the Jewish people, from destruction. The enraged King ordered Haman's hanging, elevated Mordecai to prime minister and gave Jews the right to defend themselves against any enemy. We need to put the Book of Esther into an historical context to better understand Esther's choice. Commenting on Deuteronomy 11:13-14, which describes rain falling in its season as a reward for keeping the commandments, Sifre Deuteronomy writes (42): In other words, Rabbi Nathan observes that in the days of Queen Shelamzion, the people actually obeyed the commandmentsthey were all good for a change!and God rewarded the Israelites with plentiful rain from heaven. missed each other by at least 50 years. The Bible depicts Esther as an orphan who was raised in the house of her uncle Mordecai(Esth. Rabbah15:6). 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]. Ahasuerus first tried to turn his face so that he would not look upon Esther, but the ministering angels forcibly turned his head, until he cried out. Esther is then remembered and celebrated in the annual festival of Purim. How can we explain Esther's abrupt change in behavior from deep despair to determined action and from passiveness to leadership? Vashti (Hebrew: , romanized: Vat; Koin Greek: , romanized: Astn; Modern Persian: , romanized: Vti) was a queen of Persia and the first wife of Persian king Ahasuerus in the Book of Esther, a book included within the Tanakh and the Old Testament which is read on the Jewish holiday of Purim.She was either executed or banished for her . When events took a turn for the worst and Esther learned that Prime Minister Haman planned to kill all Jews in the Persian Empire, on a single day, she decided to act quickly to prevent the genocide. (Viewed on March 4, 2023) . What is the reflection of the story of princess urduja? Esther illuminated Israel like the light of dawn, while this light itself was like darkness for the nations of the world (MidrashTehilim, onPs. It seems unlikely that Esther was ever Queen of Persia, so we can not say at what age Xerxes married her. During this historical period, the first group of Jews who had returned to Judah struggled to revive temple worship by Moses' Law. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 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. There, she was forced to prepare herself for her first night with the King by spending six months doused in oil of myrrh and another six in sweet odors ointments. 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. 22:5). Additionally, he decreed that anyone hostile to the Jews would be punished. All Her . Esther was born about 492BC and was 14 when she became Queen. 100). Additional traditions maintain that not only did Esther become pregnant by Ahasuerus, but she was also the mother of the last Darius (idem) or of Cyrus (Kallah Rabbati2:15). Esther standing in the Inner Court. She was married to King Achashverosh, whom some identify as Artaxerxes (), 1 king of Persia. Alexandra the Maccabee. She notes that Josephus only knew this queen by her Greek name, Alexandra, while the Rabbis only knew her by her Semitic name. Lit. According to the Bible, Mordechai was a Jew who lived in the Persian city of Susa, the modern-day city of Shush, Iran. brought him up to be favorable to the Jews and he later rebuilt the Browse 35 queen esther bible stock illustrations and vector graphics available royalty-free, or start a new search to explore more great stock images and vector art. One of these officials was the biblical Mordecai. 2:7 ). 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. In the midrashic account, Ahasuerus initially ruled the entire world. Esther was the heroine and central figure in the Book of Esther, which is now recognised by Biblical scholars to have been a second-century-BCE Jewish novel. [8] See Helena Zlotnicks discussion of Esther inDinahs Daughters: Gender and Judaism from the Hebrew Bible to Late Antiquity(Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2002), 87. 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. "scroll." She was a beautiful Jewish woman, the wife of the Persian king Ahasuerus (Xerxes I). Abraham, "fell on his face and laughed" while Sarah, "laughed to herself" and even tried to deny it. Seeing the Letter Tet in a Dream: 9th Anniversary, Study the Torah with Academic Scholarship, By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use, Jewish Queens: From the Story of Esther to the History of Shelamzion, https://thetorah.com/article/jewish-queens-from-the-story-of-esther-to-the-history-of-shelamzion. 6:6), or the definite statement, that could be known only to God: but they did not lay hands on the spoil (9:10). The Jews, said Haman, must be eliminated for the good of the kingdom. Esther 4:11-16. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'coalitionbrewing_com-box-4','ezslot_5',147,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-coalitionbrewing_com-box-4-0');In the biblical book of Esther, Queen Esther is a young Jewish woman who becomes queen of the Persian Empire, thanks to the intervention of King Ahasuerus advisor, Mordecai. point. Esther replaced Queen Vashti, who had been sentenced to death because she had refused to display her beauty to the King's feast attendants. The Talmud reveals that Esther's relationship with Ahasuerus wasn't a romantic one. Ultimately, the jar became a symbol of Esthers courage and determination. According to one tradition, he could not find a wet nurse and he himself miraculously had milk and nursed her(Gen. Rabbah30:8). An additional stratagem employed by Esther against Haman was connected with his leading Mordecai on the horse. Have an update or correction? The king held a party in his honor one day. King Ahasuerus, named Darius, who became King Darius II. And You, O Lord, bring success to this, Your poor handmaiden. At the meal she pleaded for the Jews, thus revealing herself as Jewish, and accused thiswickedHaman of plotting the annihilation of her people. Theodor-Albeck], MS. Vatican, para. Plath famously battled depression and other mental illnesses, and the same is true of Esthers condition in the novel. script>. old or so, Estheryuckthat's not what they showed in the The monarch of Persia, King Ahasuerus, was wealthy and powerful. When Mordecai refused to bow down to Haman at the gate, Haman was extremely offended and sought to have Mordecai killed. Esther told the king that her people were in danger. The plea was turned down by her. Queen Esther is the reluctant heroine of the Purim story. 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. cit.). She was compared to the dawn, for just as the dawn breaks at the end of each night, so, too, Esther [i.e., the miraculous delivery of the Jews] came after there had been no miracles [during the period of exile and darkness](BTYoma29a). According to the tradition that she was previously unmarried, she was now married to and lived with a non-Jewish king. There was no King Ahasuerus of Persia, but many Bible commentaries observe that Ahasuerus is likely the Hebraicised version of King Xerxes, the Achaemenid leader who ruled from 486 to 465 BCE.Historians say that Queen Amestris was Xerxes' only known wife and was definitely still queen at the time the biblical account says that Xerxes married Esther, casting doubt on the biblical story. 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. During the . window.location.replace(""); She invited both Haman and Ahasuerus to a private banquet, stirring up jealousy in the King's mind. Esther also spoke of her merit for observing the womens commandments of the taking ofDuring the Temple period, the dough set aside to be given to the priests. Esther was the best-looking woman, and Ahasuerus picked her to replace Vashti as Queen. The Talmud reveals that Esther's relationship with Ahasuerus wasn't a romantic one. This understanding of the Book of Esther is linked to the perception of Esther as a prophet: she is included in the list of seven women prophets(BTMegillah14a; Seder Olam Rabbah21). Her reign is famous as 'The Golden Age', for its . Happy Womens History Month! According to the view that Esther was Hadassahs second name, the Rabbis explain that she was given this name because she concealed (histirah) her origins. It is known that Esther was the daughter of Abihail, and she had married King Xerxes of Persia around the age of 18. One school of thought takes the numerical value ofHadassah= 74 (or 75, including the name itself as a unit) to determine Esthers age(Gen. Rabbah39:13; see below: Esthers Age). "And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all who saw her." (2:15). One advantage to welcoming Shelamzion back into Jewish memory is making space for a role model of diplomacy and peace. She ordered her uncle: "Go, gather together all the Jews and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day." Menstruation; the menstruant woman; ritual status of the menstruant woman. Queen Esther is a biblical figure from the Hebrew Bible who was the Jewish Queen of the Persian King Ahasuerus. Rabbah 6:5; BT Megillah 13a). Queen Elizabeth II died of old age, her death certificate has revealed. According to tradition, the book of Esther was written in the mid-4th century BCE, and was made part of the canon which was sealed a couple of decades after.Esther was queen for about 11 years.The name of Mordecai is the Judaised pronunciation of Marduka, which is attested in the Persepolis Texts as the name of officials in the Persian court during the period of Xerxes I. 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. movie). The Book of Esther was probably written in the 2nd centurybce. The BT lists a number of possible reasons: (1) she wanted Haman to be near her (so that she could say what she wanted about him at the appropriate moment); (2) she wanted to set a trap for him; (3) she planned to act toward Haman in a way that would lead Ahasuerus to suspect that she had engaged in an improper relationship with the former and thus cause the king to kill them both. What episode does Squidward say the F word. What is error code E01-5 on Toyota forklift. When she became orphaned, she was adopted by her cousin Mordecai. older than her (do the math a 37 year old king marrying a 14 year 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. We don't know, though tradition teaches that she lived a long life. [12] Ilan, Esther, Judith and Susanna as Propaganda for Shelamzions Queenship,Integrating Women, 135. The book of Esther (2:7) states that she had both names, Esther and Myrtle (Hadassah in Hebrew). Some may have stumbled upon the street named after her in downtown Jerusalem, but otherwise, she is generally only briefly mentioned, marginalized, and almost written out of the historical record. God used her to deliver His people from a wicked plan of total destruction. Mordecai held a position inside of the king's palace, and he went their every day to perform his duties. 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). i. These actions demonstrated the kings respect and admiration for Esther and earned her the loyalty of her people. Another angel pushed Haman onto Esthers couch (BTMegillahloc. Mordecai remained a close confidant to Esther and played a pivotal role in helping her save the Jewish people. 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. The Midrash adds that Esther's father died during her mother's pregnancy, and the latter died during childbirth ( Esth. Rabbah8:3). TheA type of non-halakhic literary activitiy of the Rabbis for interpreting non-legal material according to special principles of interpretation (hermeneutical rules).Midrash adds that Esthers father died during her mothers pregnancy, and the latter died during childbirth (Esth. For an analysis of these sources and their reliability, see Tal Ilan,Integrating Women into Second Temple History(Tbingen: Mohr Siebeck, 1999), esp. Esthers jar was a tangible expression of her emotional devastation, her loss of hope, and her feelings of utter helplessness. Esther, the orphaned cousin and adopted daughter of Mordecai, won the kings devotion and was chosen to be the new queen; Mordecai had instructed her to not reveal that she was Jewish. Whereas her husband had persecuted the Pharisees, in her reign as solitary queen, Shelamzion was particularly supportive of the Pharisees, promoting their vision of Judaism and perhaps ensuring their popularity for generations to come (Josephus, Jewish War 1:110). He was blinded, but when he looked in her direction his vision was restored and he extended his scepter (Midrash Panim Aherim, version B, para. Designation of the five scrolls of the Bible (Ruth, Song of Songs, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther). The midrash compares Esther to a hind and to the dawn, based onPs. The king did not believe in God but Esther did. The king was humiliated and enraged, and he banished Vashti. He wished Queen Vashti to be brought to the feast so that he may flaunt her wonderful beauty. The story of the underdog, of the weaker winning against the stronger, is the quintessential biblical and Jewish theme, but it is not often that Israel is figuredliterarily or in realityas a woman and still praised as pious, divinely appointed, and beloved.[13]. In the Erez Israel tradition, she miscarried the fetus she bore in her womb (the offspring of Ahasuerus) (Esth. He killed Haman in 473BC, when he was 45 ( Esther 3:7 ). As Ahasuerus enjoyed only 14 more years on the throne, we conclude that Esther was but 28 years. She was 96 years old. Esther was a young Jewish girl taken into the palace of the king of Persia, King Ahasuerus. She and her cousinMordecaipersuaded the king to cancel an order for the extermination of Jews in his realm, plotted by the kings chief minister, Haman. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Esther was a Jewish young woman who was providentially selected to be the queen of Persia. Bibles] who ruled Persia from 486 to 465 BC. 464 BC. When the king saw his queen, Xerxes lowered his golden scepter to invite Esther into his presence. The grave of Mordecai and Esther still stands in Hamadan; and the Jews of Iran, to this day, are referred to as "the children of Esther.". ), or her strength wanedPirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer[ed. The day before, the 96-year-old queen pulled out of a virtual Privy Council meeting after her doctors advised her to rest. After recently suffering with a bad. This makes Esther 60 years younger than her cousin Mordecai. In Esther Chapter 2, royal eunuchs advised Ahasuerus to look for a new queen. With great courage, Esther fasts for three days, arranges a banquet with the king and Haman, then pleads with the king to save the Jews. Esther invited Ahasuerus and Haman to a feast and the Rabbis ask: why did she invite Haman? She understood why she had to suffer through her relationship with this irritable king. We may assume, therefore, that she was about 14 years of age when she succeeded to the throne.