|
|
|
* THE DAUGHTER OF ABIHAIL WAS NAMED HADASSAH WHICH MEANS "MYRTLE". * SHE, WITH HER GUARDIAN MORDECAI, LIVED WITHIN THE KINGDOM OF AHASUERUS (XERXES) AND HER DECENDENCY FROM THE JEWISH RACE WAS KEPT SECRET. * SHE HAD BEEN GIVEN THE NAME "ESTHER" (MEANING "STAR") AS ANOTHR MEANS OF HIDING HER ANCESTRY. * MORDECAI WAS MADE HEBREW MINISTER TO THE KING, A POSITION OF GREAT IMPORTANCE. * QUEEN VASHTI REFUSED TO COME BEFORE THE DRUNKEN KING XERXES AND HIS COURT, CAUSING HIM TO DIVORCE AND EXPEL HER FROM THE COURT. XERXES’ PRINCES SUGGESTED A SEARCH THROUGHOUT THE KINGDOM FOR THE LOVLIEST OF YOUNG MAIDENS TO BE MADE QUEEN. * ESTHER WAS CHOSEN AND BECAME QUEEN IN 473 B.C. * HAMAN, THE KING’S PRIME MINISTER, SENT FORTH A DECREE THAT ON A GIVEN DAY ALL JEWS THROUGHOUT THE KINGDOM WOULD BE SLAUGHTERED. * MORDECAI PLEADED WITH ESTHER TO INTERCEDE ON BEHALF OF HER PEOPLE WHICH, AFTER SOME HESITATION, SHE DID. THE KING ACCEPTED ESTHER’S PLEA AND CAUSED THE POWER- HUNGRY HAMAN TO BE HANGED ON THE SAME GALLOWS HE HAD ORDERED BUILT FOR MORDECAI. * THE DATE THE JEWS WERE SAVED FROM EXTINCTION IS CELEBRATED TODAY AS THE FEAST OF PURIM OR THE FEAST OF LOT ON THE 14TH AND 15TH OF ADAR. QUEEN ESTHER IS GREATLY ESTEEMED BY JEWS THE WORLD OVER FOR HER BRAVERY AND SACRIFICE. |
|
Friends are Angels |
