Revelry and Duty: Celebrating Purim
By Rabbi Boaz D. Heilman
March 9, 2022
Like some other stories in the Bible, the Scroll of Esther is based on myths and legends from long ago. A relief now found in the British Museum describes how, in the 7th century BCE, the Assyrian King Ashurbanipal waged war on a people called the Elamites. In the course of the campaign, the king laid siege to the Elamite capital of Hamanu and destroyed it, carrying off great spoils. Among these was a statue of the god Marduk, which the Elamites had carried off in a previous battle.
The victory must have been celebrated in great style, while the story was told and retold countless times. About 500 years later it finally assumed the form by which we know it today. Obviously much had changed: the setting was now Persia, ruled by a mythical king known as Ahashuerus. Hamanu was transformed into the evil Haman, while Marduk became the Jew Mordechai. Added now into the mix was Esther (whose name is also derived from a Near-East goddess—Ashtart). The complexity of the story—its genre and form, the number of characters, the political intrigue—are evidence of both the popularity of the story and its many makeovers.
Biblical scholars see motifs that relate the story of Esther to yet another ancient tale: the story of Joseph. Both heroes are described as “of beautiful form and fair to look on” (Gen. 39:6, Esther 1:7, JPS translation); both hide their Jewish identity until pressed to reveal it; both reach positions of power and status in the Gentile world; both take their place in Jewish history as saviors of their people.
Yet there also exists one major difference. In the story of Joseph, God is given credit for events as they unfold. In the Scroll of Esther, God isn’t mentioned even once. From God’s deeds, the emphasis has shifted to the actions of people. It is now Mordechai’s wisdom and, above all, Esther’s bravery and heroism that result in the ultimate victory of the Jews.
The lesson that we can draw from this is relevant to our own day. Though we understand God as the supreme power behind events, it is we, the people, who make history happen. In the book of Exodus, the building of the Tabernacle is presented as paralleling God’s work of Creation. As the Jewish People undertake to participate in this majestic project, they symbolically pledge to continue being God’s partners. The task thus becomes ours to fulfill.
There are many joyous traditions associated with the holiday of Purim—the day on which we are commanded to commemorate Esther’s heroism. Revelry, masks and (of course) a festive meal—and the famous dessert known as hamantaschen. But along with the festivities we are reminded to share our blessings with our neighbors as well as with those who are less fortunate: refugees, the poor and homeless, the innocent victims of brutality and abuse.
The story of Esther reminds us both of our own history and of our ongoing obligations. Sadly, not much has changed since ancient days. But once again we find ourselves in a position where we can do our duty. The war in Ukraine has already caused two million refugees to seek shelter and food. May Queen Esther’s bravery remind us of our responsibilities not only to ourselves and our people, but to everyone who may need our help!
As the famous rabbi Hillel teaches: “If I am not for myself, who will be? But I by myself, what am I? And if not now, when?”
© 2022 by Boaz D. Heilman
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