Achashverosh is the biggest control freak I have ever encountered. But for a big control freak, he doesn't know how to make his own important decisions. He constantly asks his advisors for advice about how best to rule the kingdom. He usually listens to their advice and acts upon it. He cannot depend on himself for much. He sent a handful officers to fetch Vashti to show off to all of the diplomats at his party. He was sending his officers in on a mission, a forceful mission. This is an example of when he is acting extremely controlling. When Vashti refused, he was furious. He didn't know how to handle the situation himself, so he asked his wise advisors for help. He listened to his advice and moved on with his life. For a very controlling person, he did not listen to himself and make his own decisions very often. Usually people today who are extremely controlling,, look at their own ideals and want to make everyone do what they want. But instead he basically gets everyone to do what his officers want in his name.
Achashverosh mainly just wants power to his name. He doesn't care about what is best for his districts and the citizens. All he cares about is that everyone knows about his ultimate power. He doesn't want to have to think too hard, so he just lets his advisors decide, and he put the law into place.To show his power he created a feast for all the really important people for 173 days and the last 7 days were for the citizens of שושן. He put many decorations up to show off his wealth. He did not want anyone to rebel against him, and this is how he showed them not to mess with him.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Monday, March 10, 2014
The Real Achashverosh
As children, in elementary school, we are taught that Achashverosh was this great king that ruled over so many lands and had parties all the time. From the way we learned in class, by Perek Alef, we can already see that Achashverosh was not this great guy that we made him out to be in elementary school.
Perek Alef starts off saying that Achashverosh was seen as a great king and he ruled over all these lands and he was living in the capitol of the city. Then it goes on to say that he threw a huge party to show that he is the one who is in control of all of the provinces. He throws a party that is 180 days long to show off his power, wealth, and greatness of kingship.
At the end of the 180 days, the last 7 days, Achashverosh threw another party where he invited every single person in the provinces. Anyone could come in to the gates of the palace. At first, that might sound good, he's being accepting of everyone where everyone could come into the palace to celebrate. Achashverosh wasn't being nice and accepting, he was just throwing the party with everyone so that he could show off his power to everyone in the land.
Queen Vashti was also having a party for the diplomat's wives. On the 7th day, Achashverosh called his advisors to go get his queen so he could show her off. He wanted her to be brought out to the party to show off her beauty since she was beautiful. Vashti refuses to come out and Achashverosh becomes furious.
The king goes to his advisors to get advice on what to do because Vashti didn't come to him. He went to the astrologers because they knew all of the laws. They come to him and he asks what he should do because Vashti didn't listen. Memuchan steps up and says that Vashti didn't just offend him, she offended all the officers of the world. The women are all going to get angry at their husbands now.The kingdom is going to collapse. He says that they should make a decree that can't be nullified.
Memuchan suggests that the king should establish a rule though the whole land stating that all women have to do what their husbands tell them to do. No matter how big or how small, the women have to listen to what their husbands say no exception. The king likes this idea and they send out the decree.
From this Perek we can already see that Achashverosh was not the powerful king that we first learned he was when we were in elementary school. Achashverosh was unable to even control his family life at home and he had to go to his advisors to get help in what to do and how to deal with his wife that didn't answer him. He would always just go to his advisors for help when he needed instead of being the great, powerful king that he was said to be.
Perek Alef starts off saying that Achashverosh was seen as a great king and he ruled over all these lands and he was living in the capitol of the city. Then it goes on to say that he threw a huge party to show that he is the one who is in control of all of the provinces. He throws a party that is 180 days long to show off his power, wealth, and greatness of kingship.
At the end of the 180 days, the last 7 days, Achashverosh threw another party where he invited every single person in the provinces. Anyone could come in to the gates of the palace. At first, that might sound good, he's being accepting of everyone where everyone could come into the palace to celebrate. Achashverosh wasn't being nice and accepting, he was just throwing the party with everyone so that he could show off his power to everyone in the land.
Queen Vashti was also having a party for the diplomat's wives. On the 7th day, Achashverosh called his advisors to go get his queen so he could show her off. He wanted her to be brought out to the party to show off her beauty since she was beautiful. Vashti refuses to come out and Achashverosh becomes furious.
The king goes to his advisors to get advice on what to do because Vashti didn't come to him. He went to the astrologers because they knew all of the laws. They come to him and he asks what he should do because Vashti didn't listen. Memuchan steps up and says that Vashti didn't just offend him, she offended all the officers of the world. The women are all going to get angry at their husbands now.The kingdom is going to collapse. He says that they should make a decree that can't be nullified.
Memuchan suggests that the king should establish a rule though the whole land stating that all women have to do what their husbands tell them to do. No matter how big or how small, the women have to listen to what their husbands say no exception. The king likes this idea and they send out the decree.
From this Perek we can already see that Achashverosh was not the powerful king that we first learned he was when we were in elementary school. Achashverosh was unable to even control his family life at home and he had to go to his advisors to get help in what to do and how to deal with his wife that didn't answer him. He would always just go to his advisors for help when he needed instead of being the great, powerful king that he was said to be.
Esther makes an impact
As we continue to learn and summarize Eicha we learn that Haman wants to kill the Jews. This story reminds of one word that I think plays a key role in the story. this word is "brave". Not only does Mordechai not bow down to Haman while risking his life, but he also tells Esther what the workers of the king have planned. Not only does Mordechai show braveness, but Esther does also. She is able to go to king Ahasveuros and tell him that he can not destroy the people. This story shows that being brave really does pay off.
This story reminds me of the recent Disney movie Brave. In the movie the main character is able to express her self and show who she really is.
This story reminds me of the recent Disney movie Brave. In the movie the main character is able to express her self and show who she really is.
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Today's Exile: Birot Around the World
This week we really started to dive into Megillat Esther. Where does the Megillah take place? In Shushan HaBirah, of course. Why is Shushan called "Birah?" Is it because it was where King Achashverosh's throne stood, or was it because it was the city in exile that was most populated by Jews in galut?
We learn that the only other place the word "Birah" is mentioned in any of our scriptures is in Divrei HaYamim where it refers to Yerushalayim HaBirah. So how can we compare Jerusalem, our beautiful and astonishing capital, to a random city where Jews lived in exile? Before Yerushalayim was destroyed, the city was our most populated city, it was our center, but when we were exiled, the Persian Empire became our home. This can explain why we call Shushan a "Birah" in Megillat Esther. Shushan became the city where all the Jews live while in exile. It brought us together into a community, like Yerushalayim did and still does. It kept the Jews in exile strong, and let them establish their lives for the time being.
Just like Shushan was the "Birah" of the time, we have many "Birot" today around the world. The one most familiar to us, as we are Americans, is New York City. NYC is a hub for Jewish people not only in America, but around the world. Los Angeles also has an enormous Jewish population that allows us to establish our lives for the time being.
Though we are dispersed throughout and across the world, we have these "Birot" that allow us to stay connected to our religion and our people while "chutz l'aretz." What is another "Birah" in the world today?
We learn that the only other place the word "Birah" is mentioned in any of our scriptures is in Divrei HaYamim where it refers to Yerushalayim HaBirah. So how can we compare Jerusalem, our beautiful and astonishing capital, to a random city where Jews lived in exile? Before Yerushalayim was destroyed, the city was our most populated city, it was our center, but when we were exiled, the Persian Empire became our home. This can explain why we call Shushan a "Birah" in Megillat Esther. Shushan became the city where all the Jews live while in exile. It brought us together into a community, like Yerushalayim did and still does. It kept the Jews in exile strong, and let them establish their lives for the time being.
Just like Shushan was the "Birah" of the time, we have many "Birot" today around the world. The one most familiar to us, as we are Americans, is New York City. NYC is a hub for Jewish people not only in America, but around the world. Los Angeles also has an enormous Jewish population that allows us to establish our lives for the time being.
Though we are dispersed throughout and across the world, we have these "Birot" that allow us to stay connected to our religion and our people while "chutz l'aretz." What is another "Birah" in the world today?
Purim In Persia
Lately my dad has been pretty interested in these new articles on Aish. They're all by Rabbi Ken Spiro (I know, he's cheating on Charlie..) and they all have a lot to do with Jewish history. This last weekend, my dad gave me one to read on Purim and it relates so much to what we're talking about in class!
In class, we talked a bit about when the Purim story took place. We said that Chazal says that the Purim story occured after the reign of Coresh (when we were allowed to come back to Israel), but before the reugn of Daryavash (when we completed the building of the second Beit Hamikdash). In secular history, the Purim story took place when Xerxes was king, after the reign of Daryavash (meaning the Beit Hamikdash was already built when the story took place). This Rabbi Spiro gets a little more specific.
First he talks about Coresh's declaration and how the Jews were given permission to return home. Only 42,000 Jews actually go back, though--only 5%. Once those Jews get back to Jerusalem, they start rebuilding the Beit Hamikdash. Then the Sumaritans get in the way, and the Jews are forced to stop building and end up waiting 18 years before they continue the rebuilding process. These 18 years are when the Purim story took place.
The Jews who have stayed in exile have gotten pretty comfortable. During Aicha, we saw that they were miserable. They mourned and wept and they needed to know that they would return one day. Now they are so comfortable in Persian society that they are attending parties where the king is using vessels from the Beit Hamikdash and they have opted to remain in Persia instead of returning to Jerusalem.
Rabbi Sprio then goes on to talk about Haman and the lottery, which we haven't gotten to yet, so I'm warning you now--spoiler alert. So, there's this Haman guy. He's a descendent of Amalek--so hating the Jews is basically in his blood. Apparently, it is also a part of the Amalekite philosophy that everything happens according to chance. This is their way of showing everyone that G-d plays no role in the world. Everything is random. What's interesting is that the entire Purim story proves this to be complete nonsense.
This whole holiday is called Purim-chance in order to teach us that nothing actually happens by chance. From the moment Haman "randomly" chooses the day the Jews will be killed, everything is twisted. Haman expects honors from the king, but instead he is forced to give those honors to Mordechai, his enemy. He gets excited about being invited to Esther's party, only to be accused of killing her people in front of the King. When he tries to beg for mercy, he is caught by Achashveirosh in a position that looks like he is trying to rape her. And then, he is hanged on the gallows he initially build for Mordechai. After all of this, it should be clear when we/the Jews then look back, G-d had a hand in all of it. Even though His name was never mentioned because He was still in a state of Hester Panim, he was still looking out for the Jews and giving us many hidden miracles to ensure that we would survive. This shows us that even without a Beit Hamikdash, and even when G-d is hiding His face, He will never truly stop protecting us. He will always be in control of our destiny. There are no accidents or random occurrences. He always has a plan for us.
In class, we talked a bit about when the Purim story took place. We said that Chazal says that the Purim story occured after the reign of Coresh (when we were allowed to come back to Israel), but before the reugn of Daryavash (when we completed the building of the second Beit Hamikdash). In secular history, the Purim story took place when Xerxes was king, after the reign of Daryavash (meaning the Beit Hamikdash was already built when the story took place). This Rabbi Spiro gets a little more specific.
First he talks about Coresh's declaration and how the Jews were given permission to return home. Only 42,000 Jews actually go back, though--only 5%. Once those Jews get back to Jerusalem, they start rebuilding the Beit Hamikdash. Then the Sumaritans get in the way, and the Jews are forced to stop building and end up waiting 18 years before they continue the rebuilding process. These 18 years are when the Purim story took place.
The Jews who have stayed in exile have gotten pretty comfortable. During Aicha, we saw that they were miserable. They mourned and wept and they needed to know that they would return one day. Now they are so comfortable in Persian society that they are attending parties where the king is using vessels from the Beit Hamikdash and they have opted to remain in Persia instead of returning to Jerusalem.
Rabbi Sprio then goes on to talk about Haman and the lottery, which we haven't gotten to yet, so I'm warning you now--spoiler alert. So, there's this Haman guy. He's a descendent of Amalek--so hating the Jews is basically in his blood. Apparently, it is also a part of the Amalekite philosophy that everything happens according to chance. This is their way of showing everyone that G-d plays no role in the world. Everything is random. What's interesting is that the entire Purim story proves this to be complete nonsense.
This whole holiday is called Purim-chance in order to teach us that nothing actually happens by chance. From the moment Haman "randomly" chooses the day the Jews will be killed, everything is twisted. Haman expects honors from the king, but instead he is forced to give those honors to Mordechai, his enemy. He gets excited about being invited to Esther's party, only to be accused of killing her people in front of the King. When he tries to beg for mercy, he is caught by Achashveirosh in a position that looks like he is trying to rape her. And then, he is hanged on the gallows he initially build for Mordechai. After all of this, it should be clear when we/the Jews then look back, G-d had a hand in all of it. Even though His name was never mentioned because He was still in a state of Hester Panim, he was still looking out for the Jews and giving us many hidden miracles to ensure that we would survive. This shows us that even without a Beit Hamikdash, and even when G-d is hiding His face, He will never truly stop protecting us. He will always be in control of our destiny. There are no accidents or random occurrences. He always has a plan for us.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Since I first heard that we were going to be learning Esther I was very excited. Before we could begin learning it, we talked about what was going on at the time of Esther. In 538 the Persian empire becomes the ruler. Cambyses says that the Jews can come back and rebuild the Beit Hamakdash. Then we had a discussion on who Achoshvarosh was.
There were many fimiliar sounding names that had been translated into Hebrew. It was very interesting to learn about these rulers, but from a different point of view. Considering that I had just done a project on Darius the Great and Xerxex, I found this discussion very interesting.
There were many fimiliar sounding names that had been translated into Hebrew. It was very interesting to learn about these rulers, but from a different point of view. Considering that I had just done a project on Darius the Great and Xerxex, I found this discussion very interesting.
Before we started learning Esther, we had to learn some background information and clear up some questions. To start off, when and where did the story take place? We learned something slightly upsetting. The Jews had been exiled to Persia and were going to be for 70 years. They were told to get comfortable there because they would be there for quite some time. But they got a little bit to comfortable it seems. Then they were told that they could finally return to Yerushalayim when the second Beit Hamakdash was built and Hashem would return to them. If the Jews would return to G-d, G-d would return to them. They would be able to have the strong relationship that they once had, again. But, many of them did not return. Instead of going to Yerushalayim, like the plan was, they stayed and the Purim story took place.
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