Rembrandt: Haman recognizes his fate. Wikipedia
Purim in March is one of the most memorable stories which might be a myth or might be true. The story of Esther, who risked her life. It may sound a familiar story, and sounds as if it comes from the bible but is actually another book. The bible comes in several versions.
This story is not in the classic English bible. The classic English edition which is much quoted, ifs the King James version. The language is a bit old-fashioned but very correct. (I always say, many are called but few are chosen, to illustrate grammar.
The King James Bible and the Apocrypha
The classic King James bible was used in the school assembly when I was at a girls' grammar school, is the King James version. King James the first of England, and sixth of Scotland, united the kingdoms of England and Scotland after Queen Elizabeth I died childless. (Her cousin Mary, Queen of Scots was executed for plotting to kill and usurp Elizabeth.)
Elizabeth I, you may recall, was the daughter of Henry the eighth, famous for having six wives, two of whom he executed.
King James united Scotland and England. That is the origin of the union Jack flag. It includes or united the red plus sign cross of England, and the blue cross of Scotland.
King James did something else important from the point of view of biblical scholarship. He commissioned a new translation of the bible. (Which had previously been translated from Hebrew to Greek and from Greek to Latin and from Latin to English. With various errors or ambiguities.)
The result of all these shenanigans is that we have several versions of the bible. The Hebrew version, used by Jews. The Catholic version. The King James version. And modern versions.
Now where does Esther come into this. Right from the start there were lots of books of writing collected together to make the bible. Genesis, the origin of the world. Leviticus - laws to follow. The history books. The psalms or songs. The rejected books were called the Apocrypha.
Some versions of the bible include the extra books. Each committee decides what to include. Stories of the nativity, the manger, from the Chrsitian New Testament, and the story of Esther from the Old Testament, are excluded books. But they are such good stories that they are memorable. And children find it easy to dress up or make little figures.
The story of Esther goes like this.
The King Ahazueros, had numerous pretty young wives or concubines. One of his favourites was Esther, who was Jewish, but he did not know or had forgotten.
His chief minister, or vizier, Haman, wanted everybody to bow down to him. A prominent Jew, Esther's guardian, her uncle, refused to bow down because he only bowed down to God in the temple. (Frankly, I feel this was not a sensible move. I am not surprised that the king's chief minister was annoyed.)
Like the Russian king who expelled all the Jews because a Jew had been involved in assassinating his father, and Hitler who attempted to wipe out all the Jews because his mother had a Jewish boyfriend, Haman (and Ahazueros) didn't just kill one rival or enemy, nor even their family, to prevent revenge, but the entire religious group or race.
What was Esther to do? She fasted for three days. Then she went to see the king Ahazueros, who was dining with his minister Haman.
The king saw her and was pleased to see her and beckoned her in. Why have you come to see me? What has made you unhappy. Haman - leave us alone please. (I have condensed the story.)
Esther revealed that her whole family and clan were to be wiped out by the chief minister. One can imagine poor Esther sobbing, and the king sympathising and wanting to console her.
The king Ahasueros, calls his chief adviser, Haman, and asks, 'What should I do to honour a man, and what should I do to his rival?'
Ahasueros, thinking he is the person to be honoured, says the man to be honoured should be paraded, given gold, and his entire family elevated. The rival should be executed (and his entire family wiped out).
And so it was done. Haman was gone. Esther, who could have kept quiet to save herself, and let her family and clan be murdered, had courageously gone to the king, who had power of life and death, to appeal, and saved her people.
The festival tells the story of courageous Esther, the celebrates the joy of everybody being saved. it is a festival of dressing up as the characters and eating symbolic foods. Triangular pastries in some communities are known as Haman's ears. It is the one party of the year for children to dress up, the Jewish equivalent of the Nativity play at Christian schools. With, as at every Jewish festival, and every festival worldwide, Muslim, Hindu, Chinese, lots of good food.
The story of Esther is totally of its time, not politically correct. Firstly, Esther was one of many wives, or concubines. Secondly, the women could not approach the king until they were called, or summoned. On pain of death!
Sounds dire. However, since there were so many of them, rivalling each other, understandably they were not allowed to walk in and out and try to accost the king of the country when he was holding important business meetings. (Or maybe entertaining a rival lady.)
Never mind that. As the saying goes, why let the truth get in the way of a good story. For me as a child, the story was scary. So was Easter, so is the cross, even though the story ends with resurrection. But adults like stories which face up to the fear of death and end with the hero or heroine surviving (or being resurrected).
So there you have it. Now you know the basics of what it is about. You can research the story more, and go out and look for good food nearer the date.
In 2022 Purim starts the evening of March 16th and ends on the evening (sunset or sundown) of March 16 th.
If you are not Jewish and don't have a bible with the story of Esther at the end, and don't live near a Jewish delicatessen or supermarket stocking Jewish or kosher food, how would this affect your life, travelling or travelling around the internet?
The story is set in Persia (Iran) in the city of Shushan. It supposedly happened about 400 years B.C. (BCE). Look in Wikipedia and you find extensive analysis of the origins and various versions of the story, including as far back as Josephus, a Jew who switched sides and wrote for the Romans.
Wikipedia also points you in the direction of various paintings as well as films (movies and TV miniseries).
The Netherlands - Paintings of Esther
You can see paintings by Rembrandt and others featuring the story of Esther in Rembrandt House in Amsterdam. Rembrandt lived alongside the Jewish area of Amsterdam. You might combine a trip to Rembrandt House with viewing Anne Frank's house and the Jewish Museum.
Michelangelo also featured the story of Esther.
Purim Foods
Kreplach
Triangular pasta, often served in chicken soup, containing ground meat, either chicken or beef. Delicious. Available all year to eat in or take away at B & K in Hatch End and Edgware, in London, England.
Hamentachen
Haman cakes or triangular pastries - filled with poppy seeds or dates.
Where to go, what to see, what to do
The Netherlands
Rembrandt House
Painting of Mordecai on horseback
Useful Websites
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purim
About the author of this blog post
BIOGRAPHY
Angela Lansbury B A Hons ACG ALB PM5 EH5 DL5 VC5
The Author of several books including Etiquette For Every Occasion. Wedding Speeches & Toasts. How to be the Best Man. Quick Quotations. Who Said What When. (See Amazon.com Kindle and lulu.com)
Blogs travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com
dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com
Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Club Vice President Public Relations (VPPR), Previous President
Join BHA 1st Wednesday 7pm and 3rd Saturday 2 pm Singapore time
Vice President Public Relations (VP PR) of Tampines Changkat Advanced;
Secretary of weekly online Singapore International Dynamic Toastmasters Speakers’ Club;
Member and past president of Harrovians toastmasters club, UK; Past member of HOD Toastmasters, London. Past member in Singapore of: Toastmasters Club of Singapore (TCS); Tiarel; and Senja Cashew.
More details from Toastmasters International find a club.
Regular attendee at annual Swanwick Writers’ School, England.
Regular attendee at annual Writers’ Holiday, Wales.
Contributor to poetry readings, and after tea courses on: Speaking On Radio To Promote Books; and Plots And Character.
Winner of many club and area speaking contests in the UK and Singapore.
Language advisor to Empire Toastmasters club in Indonesia.
Language and speech workshops in Singapore.
Speaker on radio and TV in England, Scotland, the USA, and Australia.
Compiler of a school course on public speaking for teachers to prepare pupils for school open days with attending ceremonies before government ministers, Singapore.
Former member of Harrow Writers’ Circle, London, and two writing groups in Singapore.
Angela is on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter. She would be delighted to link up with new friends.
Books by Angela Lansbury
How to be the best man. (Ward Lock / Cassell.)
Wedding Speeches and Toasts.(Ward Lock / Cassell.)
Unforgettable British Weekends.
Poetry Workshop Workbook.
The Tailor and the Spy. (Lulu.)
Larry The Talking Labrador. (Lulu.)
Writing Poetry for fun.
Quick Quotations
Who Said What When
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