We all know the story of the heroism of Queen Esther; we could recite it as young as 3 years old (except for the parts that Mrs. Perl obviously added.) We cheer for her and boo at Haman, and feel proud as she takes charge and saves the day-right?
Let me begin by talking about Chanukah. People do not immediately associate Jewish heroines with Chanukah, although we know that they exist. Yehudit saved the day by killing Greek general Holofornes. Yael killed Sisra. They both took matters into their own hands and acted, saving the day. Notice anything odd yet? I did. Queen Esther saved the Jews of Persia, but her story is different.
Esther's role changes as the Megillah progresses. At first, she is passive and doesn't take a stand. Mordechai has to tell her what is going on, and then tell her what to do. She is hesitant and doesn't want to take the first step. Slowly but surely, she gains confidence with herself and with her political prowess until she becomes the one giving the orders and making things happen. The heroines of Chanukah were different. They did not have to go on a journey and discover their strengths. Instead, they took immediate action and did what had to be done. Esther's role required more planning, time, and hesitation. She didn't and couldn't just jump in and make things happen, because that's not how the Da'at of the kingdom of Persia worked. In her situation, Esther's abilities and notions were just right. The way the heroines of Chanuka worked was different from the way Esther worked, and we can learn from both to gauge a situation and react appropriately depending on what type of action is deemed necessary.
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