Esther protests ,
“ It ’ s common knowledge that any person who approaches the king uninvited will be killed . The only exception to the rule is if the king decides he wishes to spare that person . And I have not been called to come to the king for the last thirty days .”
Mordechai responds ,
“ If you don ’ t step up now , the Jewish community will find a way to survive without your help . But you will perish . Don ’ t kid yourself that as a hidden Jew , even as queen , you will be safe in the palace .”
We know how this ends in the megillah . Esther uses her wits and her courage to outwit her nemesis and to save the Jewish people . It ’ s an over-the-top story laced with bawdy good humor .
But the real life megillah we are living today feels pretty scary and much less humorous .
Worldwide , we are witnessing a rise of incidents of antisemitism , of hateful language , of hidden antisemitism under the guise of anti-Zionism . Many American Jews are beginning to question their long-held belief in the United States as a place for Jews to live safely .
It is frightening to realize that our decades of building a place for ourselves in the non-Jewish world may also not be enough of a bulwark to protect us from Jew hatred .
Esther ’ s response to Mordechai is indirect . She calls for a three day fast for all the Jews in Shushan . We know from an earlier verse they were already fasting . Surely , Esther would have known this too . But she requests it anyway . What Esther
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