The Year of Murder (Purim)

It started out covert and hidden. It was not meant to get out to the public, at least not (or I should say most definitely not) in the way it was revealed. But if the trick was to be successful, it needed to be revealed, with lots of PR and a positive spin. And it is here we start the story:

Oh once there was a wicked wicked man,

And Haman was his name, Sir.

He would have murdered all the Jews,

Tho they were not to blame, Sir.

Oh yes, there was a wicked (saying it once is not enough, which is why the song repeats this word. I could say evil or many other things about him) wicked man and his name was Haman. Haman (magnificent) son of Hammedatha (the double) the Agagite (I will topple) came from a wicked ancestry, the line of Amalek. This tribe of people sought to destroy the Hebrew people when they were helpless ex-slaves exiting Egypt. Haman wanted to complete the task.

He called his sons and henchmen in to help him plan how to destroy the Hebrew people. After the plan was developed they cast lots (called the pur - פּוּר) to determine the date they would kill the Jews. The dice selected a date almost a year away to do their deed. It was a year of planning for the murder of God’s people.

And Esther was the lovely queen of King Ahashveyrosh

When Haman said he'd kill us all,

Oh my how he did scare us.

Much can be said about Queen Esther. She was a niece of Mordecai, one of the exiles from Judea to Babylon. Her original name was Hadassah (myrtle tree), but her name was changed to Esther (star) when she entered the beauty pageant bo become queen of Persia.

But Mordechai her cousin bold

Said: "What a dreadful chutzpah

If guns were but invented now,

This Haman I would shoot, Sir."

This is a great verse in the song for it talks about Mordecai’s discovery of Haman’s plot in most graphic terms. Haman is called out for his nerve (chutzpah), not just audacity or effrontery but his chutzpah at even thinking God would not discover the plot and protect the Jewish people. Mordecai was so angry when at Haman’s bold venture he would have shot the villain: if gons had been invented at that time!

*When Esther speaking to the King

Of Haman's plot made mention

"Ha, ha," said he, "Oh, no he won't!

I'll spoil his bad intention."*

When Mordecai told his niece she must go before King Ahashveyros in order to reveal what Haman was up to, she got very nervous. The Jewish people prayed so she would gain courage and go before the King. When Esther approached the monarch, he showed favor. Esther invited her husband and the villain Haman to two banquets. Haman was actually the guest of honor. He bragged to his wife Zeresh (Gold), “I’m the only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet.”

But anger got the best of him. He could not stand Mordecai, and planned to kill him on a scaffolding he built near his home. Esther chapter six contains a strange turn of events when God in jest forces Haman to honor Mordecai.

The guest of honor he shall be,

This clever Mr. Smarty

And high above us he shall swing

At a little hanging party.

The bitter turn of events in chapter six was not the worst thing that could happen to Haman (although he thought so at the time). The worst came in the next chapter, on the very same day, when Haman attended the banquet where he would be honored. And, in a sense, Esther did honor him, by telling King Ahashveyros the truth about his “most trusted adviser.” The King was not pleased and called for Haman’s immediate execution.

Of all his cruel and unkind ways

This little joke did cure him

And don't forget we owe him thanks

For this jolly feast of Purim.

The Jewish people celebrate Purim to remember how God watches out for His people. They throw parties, wear costumes and eat Hamantaschen.

Who was Hadassah?

The heroine of the book of Esther is young lady who had a rough start.  The details of her early years are untold.  We know that before Hadassah was a teenager her parents had died and she was under the care of an uncle named Mordecai. Esther’s given Hebrew name was Hadassah, a name which comes from the sweet smell of the myrtle tree.  This could indicate the sweetness of her demeanour which later gained her favor with Hegai and the King of Persia.  Hardships in life either result in bitterness over the events of life, or a grace which comes by acceptance and overcoming of trials.

Following the disposal of Vashti (which I wrote about yesterday), an opportunity opened which would result in a new status for Hadassah.  When King Ahasuerus found the absence of his queen left him lonely, his advisors (illustrious, star, testimony, jasper, lofty, worthy and dignified) recommended the a beauty contest to find the new queen.  This was acceptable to King Ahasuerus (who blindly accepted anything anyone presented in this story), and young women were gathered from each of the 127 provinces who could please the king and his young advisors with their beauty.

Mordecai, who lived in Susa heard of the contest, and shared this with Hadassah, who was also known as Esther (or star).  Mordecai knew this was his niece’s calling.

Esther was accepted for the contest, and resided in the harem.  Esther won favor with Hagai, the steward of the harem.  He made sure she had the best of beauty treatments, and special foods.  Although it was not revealed that Hadassah was Jewish, these were probably the same foods fed to Daniel (1:8-16)

On the night assigned Esther went in to the King, and found favor with him.  She was chosen to replace Vashti, and served as queen of all Persia.  … continued tomorrow!

Who was Vashti?

Vashti was the queen of Persia, who was a beauty queen, for her name means beautiful.  The king felt she was his companion, and was indeed proud of her. He gave her great freedom, and anything she desired.

The King, named Ahasuerus was successful, vain and rich.  He ruled over Persia at it’s height.  Although he had not conquered all of the lands leading to his empire’s greatness, he still liked to brag about his military victories.  In the third year of his reign he threw a six month long party. Nothing was off limits to his guests during the party.  The king provided food, drinks and anything else desired to all of his invited guests. Through the endurance of the party Ahasuerus became more and more extravagant.

At the end of the first week of the party, on the seventh day, Ahasuerus decided to show off the beauty of his wife.  He sent his seven eunuchs to bring Vashti to the great hall.  At this time the queen, who was hosting her own party and knew the king was in a drunken state refused to come.

Ahasuerus had been stood up.  He was embarrassed.  He did not know what to do.  (I am sure the king never considered how poor his request was in the first place, and certainly he, the most powerful monarch in the world, would not admit to a mistake, even if he had realized the error of the request or his judgment).  He called his advisers (illustrious, star, testimony, jasper, lofty, worthy and dignified) to given him advice on what to do and how to overcome the great embarrassment which came from Vashti's refusal to show off her beauty in the midst of  his party.

The king’s advisers discussed the matter.  To say the king made a mistake was off the table.  To ignore the situation was a bad idea.  To help the king see the situation from Vashti’s point of view would be unacceptable.  The advisers realized the danger which would come if Vashti were ever allowed to share her side of the story.  They must put Vashti away quickly, before here guests get wind of what just happened, and the queen’s reasoning for not appearing as a token at the king’s party.  The advisers must delicately handle the situation and so the king’s political blunder would not be found out.

The advisers talked through their options and decided to advise the king how the issue.  They informed Ahasuerus that the problem went far beyond his personal embarrassment.  They said, “If the women of the kingdom hear about the queen’s behavior, they will think they can do the same.”  They told the king that wives throughout the kingdom will refuse to obey their husband’s orders and treat everything they with contempt.  A resistance movement could start which would result in instability of home, and eventually the destabilize the entire kingdom.  The only hope for Persia is to put Vashti away.  The king must send her to the far reaches of his harem and never see her again.

The king thought (but not very long, for he had a party to attend), and decided the advisors were correct.  He must never see Vashti again.  He must distance her further than the harem, and indeed throw her out of his household, and punish her, so all of the men, and the women of the kingdom would see this example of what would happen when a wife treated her husband with contempt.

There has been much discussion on why Vashti would refuse the King’s orders, after all he was the most powerful monarch in the world at the time.  Her very existence, and all of her prosperity depended on him.  Some say she was vain and wicked.  She decided to make her stand and put the king in the place.  Others note how drunk the king was.  They say that it would be to Vashti’s embarrassment if she did show up.  She did not want to be a token, or a trophy (as the other things the king was showing off).  Some say she is a role model for women everywhere, for women should not be placed in demeaning situations.

Was she wise, naive, or just plain stupid? The question comes, what would you do.  There was not good solution. It was lose-lose for everyone, except for Esther (more on that tomorrow) and the Jews.  And of course, the party went on.  Five months and three weeks later, no one remembered the incident, or Vashti.  They only felt sorry for the King, for he needed a wife.