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Nov, 21, 2008

Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz: Money matters?

Caroline B. Glick: Civilization walks the plank

Nov, 20, 2008

Rabbi Avi Shafran: Bronfman's blindness

The Kosher Gourmet By Linda Gassenheimer: Portobellos add a hearty flavor to pasta with pesto

Nov, 19, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir : Spread the wealth? Jewish tradition and income equality

Elliot B. Gertel: 'Mad Men': Tackling prejudices or reinforcing them?

Nov, 18, 2008

Dr. Debby Schwarz Hirschhorn: The End of the Age of Reason

Jonathan Tobin: Does Barack + Bibi = Disaster?

Nov, 17, 2008

Rabbi Yonason Goldson: The End of the Age of Reason

Diana West: Gulling Americans into making terror legit?

Nov, 14, 2008

Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz: The Power of Spiritual Inertia

Caroline B. Glick: The perils ahead

Nov, 13, 2008

Stratfor Intelligence Briefing: How Bush and Obama together could change the Middle East dynamic

The Kosher Gourmet by JeanMarie Brownson: Sweet and savory, crispy and meltingly tender bestilla

Nov, 12, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir : Tyrannical Co-Workers

Michael Doyle: High Court to consider today donated monuments that may have religious messages in public parks

Nov, 11, 2008

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Will Obama stop government officials considering institutionalizing financial jihad?

Jonathan Tobin: They Will Decide Their Own Fate

Nov, 10, 2008

Rabbi Avi Shafran: $8 billion, modern-day Tower of Babel being built?

Barry Rubin: A letter to the president-elect from a Middle East realist

Nov, 7, 2008

Rabbi Francis Nataf: Of Children and Immortality

Caroline B. Glick: Livni's Obama strategy

Nov, 6, 2008

Rabbi Yonason Goldson: How I tricked a classroom of apathetic students into grasping the fallacy of moral relativism

The Kosher Gourmet By Gina Kim: Tips for making the perfect soup --- includes recipes

Nov, 5, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist By Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Destitute Debtors

Bruce Weinstein: 'Religulos': Bad title,even worse movie

Nov, 4, 2008

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Treasury Dept. submits to Shariah law

Frida Ghitis: A surprise for Obama in the Middle East

Nov, 3, 2008

Jonathan Rosenblum: Who says Jews are Smart?

Jonathan Tobin: Was He Wrong About Everything?

Oct. 31, 2008

Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz: Our Immutable Noble Essence

Caroline B. Glick: Running against Bush

Oct. 30, 2008

Jonathan Rosenblum: The End of the Special Relationship?

Steve Lipman: 'Kid Kosher' Gets A Title Shot

Oct. 29, 2008

Binyamin L. Jolkovsky: GET US THE TAPE THE L.A. TIMES REFUSES TO RELEASE, AND WE'LL GIVE YOU CASH!

Dr. Ari Korenblit: Making The Write Choice for President

Oct. 28, 2008

Mona Charen: Denial runs through American Jewry

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Sell-off to capitalism or sell-out to Islam?

Oct. 27, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Are tax deductions for charitable donations moral?

Jonathan Mark: The Mystery Of The Arab-American Vote

Oct. 24, 2008

'Why aren't all religious people vegetarians?': Response by Miriam Kosman

Caroline B. Glick: Testing Obama's mettle

Oct. 23, 2008

Daniel Pipes: Obama Would Fail Security Clearance

The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: A fast chicken dish with an Asian accent

Oct. 20, 2008

Gary Rosenblatt: Still One Torah

Jonathan Tobin: Government 'Gifts' Are Not Free

Oct. 17, 2008

Jonathan Rosenblum: Sukkos and the Great Meltdown

Caroline B. Glick: The disappearance of law

Oct. 16, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Copying DVDs: RIP OR RIPOFF?

Cal Thomas: Blaming the Jews (again)

March 22, 2007

J-Rhythms with Avraham Rosenblum: JWR's cutting-edge music program showcasing performers -- singers, song writers, musicians, and bands -- who learn and live the Torah lifestyle (OUR NEWEST IGODCAST !)

Oct. 29, 2003
Mortimer B. Zuckerman: Graffiti On History's Walls (MUST-READ!)

Jewish World Review March 20, 2008 / 13 Adar II 5768

The Persian Gulp: A Purim Shpiel

By Rabbi Yaacov Polskin


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Queen Vashti — Election '08 — Is there a nexus?

In The Year 368 Before Common Error

http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | The Book of Esther chronicles 9 years of Jewish odyssey in the Persian Empire, decades after the destruction of the first Temple in Jerusalem.

In the year 368 BCE, Ahaseurus or Xerxes ascended the throne in an unusual set of circumstances. He deposed his queen (Vashti) and chose Esther instead, niece of Mordechai, leader of the Jews in exile. At the time of coronation, esther declined to reveal her Judaic origins.

Later Haman, scion of Amalek, became the king's viceroy and conspired to annihilate our people.

Mordechai worked in tandem with the queen to thwart the plot, leading their people in 3 days of repentance, fast and supplication to the One Above.

Esther finally made known her lineage to the king, for Haman wished to harm the crown itself.

In a Divine turnabout, Haman & sons hung from a gallows 50 cubits high, and the Jewish nation was spared.

When speaking of world history, the Book of Esther is chapter and verse. Its message resonates with timelessness world occurrences are not seemingly random events, rather they are part of a master game plan orchestrated by the Divine who watches over His people forever.

Purim is a day of great merriment as we thank the only One Above. -- Enjoy.


Ahasuerus ruled in 127 provinces, from 'Hodu' [Indira Ghandi's India] till 'Kush' -- Ethiopia [Obama-nation]. A commoner, he married royalty -- Vashti, granddaughter of Nevuchadnetzar, king of Babylon.

Three years later, his reign secure, the king made a grand feast in Shushan for all nobles of the provinces, for 180 days.

The Cuban Head of State did not attend; veteran diplomats, the old-timers, couched the fluid situation there as "Castro convertible".

One day the reveling assemblage, laden with wine, erupted in debate - who of the gentler gender are of fairer appearance, those who hail from Media or Persia?

The king offered to break the deadlock of the superdelegates by suggesting that his spouse make an appearance, for she was second to none.

Upon hearing her husband was campaigning on her behalf, the queen was enraged; deep in the Hamadan region there was a nuclear reaction.

Still her policy was, "You should talk to world leaders even if we don't like them"; so she sent a reply with her chambermaid, the squeaker of the house -- Shame on you! His majesty won't have his way 'with words' -- besides, I can always Xerox another Xerxes if I wish.

The king's wrath was kindled and turned to those knowledgeable in law as to what should be done to the queen for not doing his bidding. Memuchan, the minister declared -- Let's get real --Vashti has slighted the peoples of the provinces too. Now all the womenfolk shall gaze upon their husbands with contempt. This is about emotional wholesomeness of the family -- the marital stability of an entire kingdom -- universal health care, in short.

Let there go forth a royal edict that the queen's crown be bestowed upon another who is better suited.

In a desperate bid to make a comeback, Vashti asked, how come the other ministers don't get to vote too. Look, the Royal Scribe retorted, years ago when we deliberated going to war with neighboring Babylon, you said 'aye' then later dismissed the naysayers, saying, "there are no do overs", right?

The king accepted the proposal so a proclamation was sent forth to each province that each man shall reign in all his house -- penned in its mother tongue.

In the Persian Empire the official language was Farsi, but since this decree concerned Vashti the queen, it was crafted in line with her mantra that we are a bi-lingual nation.

The queen's diary notes how she was led down a corridor in the dungeon to a prison cell; with burning tapers that kept it brightly lit. She praised Naptha for the quality of life there. Centuries later some claimed a sighting of the deposed monarch south of the border; other say she joined a celestial choir.

History plays tricks on the grateful dead, but with Purim 5768 right around the corner you tell yourself, 'oy vey, she's back"!!!!

Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in Washington and the media consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.

Rabbi Yaacov Polskin is a lecturer with the Gesher Outreach organization. To comment, please click here.

© 2008, Rabbi Yaacov Polskin