SERIES O --- RETURN TO THE LAND --- LESSON 21

THE FEAST OF PURIM

From Esther 9-10

The day arrived when Haman’s decree and Mordecai’s decree were to be put into effect. It was the thirteenth day of Adar, the twelfth month, which was the twenty-eighth day of February. The day originally meant to defeat the Jews became instead a day when the Jews were to defeat their enemies. Throughout the kingdom the Jews gathered to defend themselves against anyone who would try to destroy them. But no one tried because the people had come to fear the Jews as a result of the second decree. The princes, governors, and officials and others serving the king even helped the Jews now for they were afraid of Mordecai. He had become an important man in the king’s palace, and his fame had spread throughout the kingdom. On the appointed day the Jews began killing their enemies. In Susa alone they killed five hundred men, including the ten sons of Haman -- Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha. But they did not take any of their possessions. When the king heard how many had been killed in Susa, he said to Queen Esther, [In Susa alone, the Jews have killed five hundred men, including the ten sons of Haman. How many then have they killed throughout the kingdom! Now what do you wish? I will give you whatever you ask. What do you wish after that? I will give that to you also.] Esther answered, [If it pleases you, let the Jews in Susa do tomorrow what they have done today. Also let Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the gallows.] The king gave orders for this to be done, and the decree was issued in Susa; so the bodies of Haman’s ten sons were hanged on the gallows. That day the Jews killed another three hundred men in Susa, but did not take their possessions. The previous day the Jews throughout the kingdom had gathered to defend themselves and bad killed seventy-five thousand of their enemies, but they did not take their possessions. Only in Susa did the Jews kill their enemies on the second day. In all other parts of the kingdom, they rested on that day, making it a day of feasting and celebration. The Jews of Susa killed their enemies on the first and second day both, then celebrated on the third day. The Jews of the villages without walls killed their enemies on the first day only, so they celebrated on the second. They established the custom of celebrating and giving gifts on the second day. Mordecai recorded these events and sent letters to Jews throughout the kingdom, instructing them to celebrate both the first and second day each year, for on those days the Jews had relief from their enemies, a time when sorrow was turned to joy, and mourning to celebration. These were to become days when gifts would be given to one another and to the poor. The Jews made this an annual celebration, as Mordecai had suggested. It would commemorate the day when Haman planned to destroy the Jews of the kingdom, and had cast the Pur, or lots, to determine on what day he should destroy them. But when the plot was made known to the king, he gave an edict to upset the plot and so turned it into a day of destruction for Haman and his sons, who were all hanged on the gallows. Therefore, the days were called Purim, after the word Pur. Because of the message of the decree and because of what had happened to them and what they had seen, the Jews made it a custom for themselves, their descendants, and all associated with them to faithfully celebrate these two days each year. These days were to be remembered and celebrated throughout each generation, in every family, and in every town and province. The days of Purim were never to cease among the Jews throughout all generations. Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote letters confirming this annual Feast of Purim. The letters went to all the Jews throughout the hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of encouragement and the request that these two days be set aside annually for the Feast of Purim. The Jews thus established for themselves and their descendants this feast as a remembrance of the time of fasting and prayer. Esther’s commandment confirmed these instructions concerning Purim and were recorded in a book. King Ahasuerus required tribute from his mainland kingdom and also from the islands of the sea. His mighty acts, as well as those of Mordecai are written in the record books of the kings of Media and Persia. Mordecai was the most powerful man of the land under King Ahasuerus, honoured by his fellow Jews and respected by all others, for he said and did what was best for the entire nation.

COMMENTARY

ORGANIZATION OF THE PERSIAN EMPIRE

Without its clear and well-organized system of communication, the Persian Empire would have been like an enormous {Tower of Babel.} Many languages were spoken throughout the Empire, and official texts were translated into all of them. Foreign visitors there to do business needed interpreters. Subjects originally from other countries needed to understand their neighbours. Craftsmen from every major centre in the ancient world worked under one main supervisor. This well-organized empire operated under the absolute power of the Persian king. Its founder, Cyrus, divided the Empire into separate areas called satrapies (SAY-trap-eeze). These were created along the original boundaries of the area before it had become part of the Empire. Princes and local rulers governed the satrapies. The power of each ruler -- the satrap -- varied from area to area. Some minted their own silver, as the king did. Others commanded armies, repaired roads and collected taxes. The satraps in turn supervised the governors of the provinces, the smaller districts within each satrapy. The Persian army was the chief support and mainstay of the Empire’s power. At first, only Persians themselves were used as soldiers. But as the Empire grew, men from every country within it began to take part. Commanders remained Persian, but the troops were made up of men from many different countries. Each specialized unit of fighters was arranged by nationality. Each soldier was permitted to use his own armour and weapons. Eventually this weakened the army considerably; combinations of camel riders and chariots were not uncommon, and they could not function very well together in battle.