Why Extra Esther?
§ At first reading within Christian circles, Esther is elevated as a hero that intervenes on behalf of the Jewish people.
§ However, in Jewish Tradition, the book of Esther, megillat ‘ester, “the scroll of Esther,” is inextricably bound up with the holiday of Purim.
§ The book provides a rationale for the religious festival as a story of origin.
§ Purim, the only religious festival not found in the Torah, needed a reason and an authorization.
§ The book of Esther is the centerpiece of the observance of Purim; it is traditionally read publicly in the synagogue on Purim eve and the following morning, accompanied by the noisy blotting out of Haman’s name by children and adults, many of them dressed in funny costumes.
§ Purim is a carnivalesque holiday, replete with reenactments of the story, excessive drinking and a general sense of frivolity uncharacteristic of other Jewish festivals.
§ The spirit of this holiday is comically summarized by Mayim Bialik (Amy on the Big Bang Theory)
§ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbKfB5E6sAA
A Search for Questions
§ Why is there no mention of God in the text?
§ Why are there three more chapters?
§ Why name the day after the instrument of choice used by the enemy? (Pur – lot)
§ Why is there a pre-occupation with Mordecai’s actions toward Haman?
§ Why is there a preoccupation with the different feasts?
§ Why does Esther wait to tell the king about Haman’s plan?
The Questions Might Give Reason for the Additions
§ There are six blocks of text, conventionally labeled A through F in all Greek versions of Esther. They are grouped in three pairs:
§ Additions A and F is the dream of Mordecai and its interpretation
§ Additions B and E is the letter Haman sent out against the Jews and the letter of Mordecai allowing Jews to defend themselves
§ Additions C and D contains prayers of Esther and Mordecai and Esther approaching the king.
§ The main reason for these additions might be to give the story of Esther the religious atmosphere that is lacking in the Hebrew text.
The Religious Angle
§ Mordecai is a dreamer placing him along side Joseph and Daniel as recipients of divine revelation (Addition A and F)
§ The dream uses the same imagery of the dragon, fountain, battle and contrast between light and dark in Jeremiah 28.
§ The interpretation in addition F adds a connection to Joseph.
§ Esther’s Prayer (Addition C)
§ The Queen laments the Jew’s existence in exile and blames their own sins for the situation.
§ Esther bemoans her marriage to the king.
§ Hellenizing Esther (Addition D)
§ This describes her entry into the throne room.
§ She faints when the king looks at her and the king assures her that the prohibition against approaching the king uninvited does not apply to royalty.
§ This text undermines Esther’s heroism.
§ The King Rescinds His Order (Addition E)
§ Haman is censured and presented as treacherously plotting against the king.
§ The king exonerates the Jews of all charges made by Haman.
Adding Piety
· Without these additions, one could question Mordecai’s religious stature, wonder about Esther’s true piety and if God really did play a role in the outcome.
· This is most notable in the comparison of the Hebrew and Greek in chapter 6.
· The cumulative effect of these alterations in Greek versions is to make Esther an overtly religious tale in which the main characters embody the distinctive marks of Judaism (dedication to One God, the observance of Torah in all its particulars as a way of life and the practice of pious acts of prayer, fasting and almsgiving).
· Another effect of the additions is to heighten the reader’s awareness of the tension and animosity between Jew and Gentile.
Theological Contribution
§ Unlike Hebrew Esther, Greek Esther speaks of God directly. God is creator of all (13.10); furthermore, God is close to, and holds special, Israel. No one can oppose God’s will (13.9, 11). God controls the nations (16.16) and reveals himself to people (11.12). Finally, God makes the lots fall in the Jew’s favor (10.10-12).
§ On the other hand, Israel has failed God, primarily through the nation’s idolatry, and thus, their status in exile.
The Additions as a Window into Jew/Gentile Relations
§ Taking its place with Daniel, the additions to Daniel, and other Apocrypha, such as Judith and Tobit, the additions to Esther reveal the increasing pressures the Jews experienced as successive ruling nations seek to assimilate them into the dominant culture.
