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Jewish World Review March 20, 2008 / 13 Adar II 5768 The Persian Gulp: A Purim Shpiel By Rabbi Yaacov Polskin
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"!!!!
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Rabbi Yaacov Polskin is a lecturer with the Gesher Outreach organization. To comment, please click here.
© 2008, Rabbi Yaacov Polskin
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