THE Many ADVENTURES OF ESTHER

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THE Many ADVENTURES OF ESTHER The
story of Purim
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The Story of Purim       The story
of Purim is found in The Megillah, the Scroll on
which the Book of Esther is written. It tells the
story of Queen Esther, King Ahasuerus, Esther's
uncle (or cousin) Mordechai, and the king's chief
advisor Haman       Though Synagogues are
mostly solemn places, it becomes festive as
children dress up as their favorite Purim
characters and rattle graggers (noisemakers) at
every mention of Haman's name.
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The Story of Purim
One day the King of Persia, Ahashverosh, decided
to have a feast. During the feast he called for
his wife, Queen Vashti, because he wanted to show
all the guests how beautiful she was.
Vashti was very insulted and refused to appear.
The king got very angry. He was worried that all
the women in his kingdom would stop obeying their
husbands if they found out that the queen didn't
come when the king called her. He decided to
teach her a lesson and find a new queen.

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The King decided to bring beautiful women from
all over the world and give them beauty
treatments for a year, so he could choose a new
queen. A Jewish man called Mordechai lived in
Shushan. He looked after Esther, his cousin,
because she was an orphan. Esther was chosen to
live in the palace and prepare to be seen by the
king. She didn't tell anyone that she was Jewish.
The king liked Esther best and chose her to be
his queen.
Mordechai spent a lot of time near the palace so
that he could keep in touch with Esther. One day
he overheard two guards plotting to kill the
king. He told Esther, who told the king in
Mordechai's name. The guards were hanged and a
note made in the king's chronicles.
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The King chose Haman       to be his chief
advisor. Everyone had to bow down whenever
Haman passed, but Mordechai, who
was often outside the palace, refused to bow
because Jews bow only before G-D.. This made
Haman very angry and he decided to
kill Mordechai and all the Jews in the kingdom as
a punishment.
He cast lots or PURIM to determine the day of
destruction.
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Haman       went to the King and and
convinced him to go along with his plans. When
Mordechai heard about what had happened, he tore
his clothes, wore sackcloth and ashes, and walked
through the city crying loudly. Mordechai told
Esther about the evil decree and asked Esther to
intercede for the Jews.
Esther sent a message back that the law states
that anyone who goes to the king without being
called must be put to death. Only if the king
points his golden scepter to a person, will he
live. Esther said that she would fast for 3 days
and asked that all the Jews in Shushan should
fast too. "...then I will go to the king, even
though it is against the law, and if I must die,
then I will
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On the third day, Esther put on royal clothes and
stood in the inner courtyard of the palace. The
king was happy to see Esther and pointed the gold
scepter at her. "What is it you wish, Queen
Esther? Even if you want half the kingdom, I will
give it to you." Esther said, "I would like to
invite the king and Haman to a feast."
At the feast, while King Ahash-verosh and Haman
were happily drinking wine, Esther asked
them to come back the next day for yet another
feast.
Haman left in a very good mood - until he
saw Mordechai who wouldn't bow down. He arrived
home very angry. He told his wife and their
friends that all his wealth and power meant
nothing to him as long as he had to look at
Mordechai. They suggested that he build a big
gallows and ask the king to hang Mordechai on it
in the morning. Haman liked the idea,
and built the gallows.
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That night, the king could not sleep, and asked
for his book of chronicles. He read how Mordechai
had saved him from the two guards, and had never
been rewarded. At that moment Haman
arrived to speak with the king about hanging
Mordechai.
"Haman, " said the king. "What should be
done for a man whom the king wants to honor."
"Who would the King want to honor more than me?"
Haman thought. So he said "Bring him the
kings clothes and the king's horse, give him a
crown to wear and lead him through Shushan."
"Hurry," said the king. "You must do exactly
what you just said to Mordechai the Jew." And
that's what Haman did. Afterwards he
went home sad and embarrassed.
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It was the second feast that Queen Esther made
for the king and Haman. "What is your
wish?" asked the king, "you can have half the
kingdom if you want." So Queen Esther told the
king that she and all her people were about to be
killed. "Who dares to do this?" cried the king.
"The evil Haman." said Esther. The king jumped up
in anger and stormed out into the palace garden.
Haman started to beg Queen Esther for his life.
When the king came back, Haman was
kneeling on Esther's bed, which made the king
even more angry.

One of his servants said, "Haman has
prepared gallows to hang Mordechai, who helped
the king. "Hang him on it!" the king said. So
they hanged Haman on the gallows he had
prepared for Mordechai.
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That same day, King Ahashverosh gave Queen Esther
everything that had belonged to Haman. Mordechai
was put in charge of Haman's household. Now
Esther had to plead again with King Ahashverosh,
because the law that the Jews were to be killed
had been sealed with the king's ring and could
not be changed. So a new law was made and sent
to all the countries and provinces. It allowed
the Jews to join together and defend themselves
and take the property of anyone who tried to
attack them.
Mordechai left wearing royal clothes and a big
gold crown. The city of Shushan and Jews
everywhere were joyful and happy. Many people
even pretended that they were Jewish because they
were afraid of the Jews.
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On the 13th of Adar, the day that the enemies of
the Jews had believed they would kill them, the
opposite happened, and the Jews rose up over
their enemies. The Jews gathered in all the
countries of King Ahashverosh, to attack those
who wanted to hurt them. No one stood in their
way because they were afraid. The Jews killed
their enemies but did not take any of their
property.
Queen Esther and Mordechai wrote that the Jews
should remember what happened, and make a
festival for themselves and their children, with
feasts and giving food to each other. Because
Haman had held a pur, a lottery, for when the
Jews would be killed, the festival was called
Purim.