a pretty face over his loyalties to the One True God, is no man at all. He is a worm. Elisha is not capable of loving and treasuring a woman in the way she is to be treasured, for if he abandoned his love for God, he will just as easily abandon his love for his wife!”
Hadassah sat in the silence that followed, contemplating Hannah’s wise words. She had never thought of it that way before.
“Nevertheless,” Hadassah smiled, still wishing her friend well, “I pray Elisha and his new bride will be happy, and be blessed with many children.”
Just then a violent knock came on the front door. The pounding shook the threshold of their home, and was accompanied by a harsh voice which barked:
“Open up! By order of King Xerxes, Prince of Persia, ruler of one hundred twenty seven Provinces! Open this door!”
The shade of white on Hannah’s face suddenly matched her hair. “Go! Hide!” She whispered desperately, shooing away Hadassah.
“No!” Hadassah refused, “I won’t leave you!”
“Go!” She demanded. Hadassah had never heard Hannah use such a frightful tone.
She quickly obeyed, slipping into the back room, frantically looking every which way for a hiding place. Hadassah could hear the sound of Persian officers storming into the front room. She waved her hands up and down frantically, nervous feet pacing from one side of the small room to the other. A few bedrolls leaned up against the wall were not large enough to duck behind. She examined a small crevasse in the wall which she used to crawl into as a little girl, but now she could not fit. Finally she spotted the large ceremonial hand washing basin which stood in the corner. It was large enough to squeeze her entire body into, and she pulled a blanket overtop her head, desperately trying to tuck the stray edges in. She was breathing so loudly, that she was sure they could hear her in the other room. She placed a frightened hand over her mouth, and prayed she could keep silent.
She heard voices seeping through the thin walls:
“By Order of King Xerxes King of the Persian Empire, His Royal Majesty has issued a decree.
Queen Vashti has been expelled from the presence of His Royal Majesty. Therefore, I command commissioners in every province of my realm to bring every eligible young virgin, stretching from the land of India to Cush, to be brought into my Royal Herim. They are to be placed under the command of Hegai, my eunuch, who is in charge of the women. Beauty treatments will be given to them, and the girl who pleases me will be made Queen instead of Vashti. Let this decree be carried out swiftly across the entire land, and may no man stand in the way of my law. Signed with the royal signet ring, King Xerxes.”
Hadassah felt her ears burning with a fire of fear. Her mind flashed back to the terrible look in Mordecai’s eyes the night before. Had he known about the law?! Had he known this was to come?!
Hadassah could hear a cry rise from Hannah, like that of a woman who just got the news that her child had been killed.
“Are there any young women in your home?” One of the gruff soldiers asked. Hadassah could hear the heavy metal on their shoes stomping through their home, performing a search. She cringed, fighting back frightened tears which stung her eyes. Please God, please, don’t let them find me! Don’t let them take me away…
“No sir, no!” Hannah tried her best to protect her beloved treasure, “There is no one here but me.
I am only a widow who lives alone, and tries her very best to-”
But the men were blocking out her frightened, stuttering, mouse-like words.
CRASH! The sound of the table being pushed over, and clay pots crashing to the ground made Hadassah jump.
“We were ordered to search for every virgin.” The man spat out those sharp and cruel words which shot an arrow of pain through Hannah’s heart.
“But there is no one here!” Hannah begged, “No one at all! You have no right to destroy my home searching for someone who does not-”
Hadassah closed her eyes. She could hear the footsteps enter the room. She could hear the man breathing. Suddenly, a terrible flash of light flooded in. The soldier had removed the blanket. She was exposed. He grabbed her wrist so tightly that Hadassah felt as though he fastened her with a chain, pulling her to a standing position. A dark pair of beady eyes nestled in a face scrunched up with anger, studied her. “Get outta there!” He yelled at her, even though she was within whispering distance. She tumbled out of the wash bin, and struggled to regain her footing, as the man dragged her into the main room.
“Please!” Hannah shouted, tears welling up at the sight of the man dragging Hadassah, “Sir, please I beg you! She is a Jew! Surely the King would not wish for an outcast from Israel in his Herim, he would be appalled at such a find! Let her stay, the King will not want her!”
Those cruel eyes flashed at her, as if he was contemplating the crazy old woman’s words. Would the King refuse a Jewish woman? He turned to look at Hadassah whose tear stained face was choking back sobs, trying to be brave. This servant girl had a dark complexion, soft brown eyes with a natural array of captivating eye lashes, bold crimson lips, and a gently built chin. She was thin and had a good figure, but didn’t look weak or sickly either. She looked vigorous, and for one strange moment this soldier thought perhaps he could even see the beauty of a queen in her. He yanked at the girl's arm and headed for the door.
Hannah let out another terrifying cry, and clasped Hadassah’s left arm, “No, please no!” She clung to the beloved girl who was slipping away. The muscular men ripped them apart without much effort at all.
“Hannah!” Hadassah cried, as the strong man led her out the door, “I love you!”
“Hadassah!” Hannah called back, refusing to allow herself to crumble into a pile of tears on the floor, “The Lord is with you! Never forget, He is with you!”
And with that, the door was slammed in Hannah’s face.
a pretty face over his loyalties to the One True God, is no man at all. He is a worm. Elisha is not capable of loving and treasuring a woman in the way she is to be treasured, for if he abandoned his love for God, he will just as easily abandon his love for his wife!”
Hadassah sat in the silence that followed, contemplating Hannah’s wise words. She had never thought of it that way before.
“Nevertheless,” Hadassah smiled, still wishing her friend well, “I pray Elisha and his new bride will be happy, and be blessed with many children.”
Just then a violent knock came on the front door. The pounding shook the threshold of their home, and was accompanied by a harsh voice which barked,
“Open up! By order of King Xerxes, Prince of Persia, ruler of one hundred twenty seven Provinces! Open this door!”
The shade of white on Hannah’s face suddenly matched her hair. “Go! Hide!” She whispered desperately, shooing away Hadassah.
The man tried to wipe the look of fear and distress off his face, and attempted a shaky smile. “Nothing my child. Other than the fact that I have built up quite the appetite.” He ducked into the other room where a wash bin was awaiting his hands.
Hadassah quickly buzzed over to the hearth where she scooped a generous helping into each bowl. She could hear Mordecai reciting the familiar Hebrew blessing;
“Blessed are You, HaShem, our God, King of the Universe...”
Hadassah felt a troubling stir deep in her heart. The look on Mordecai’s face caused a terribly uneasy feeling to arise. She bit her lip, worry engulfing her mind. Lord she prayed silently, please help Mordecai.
After Mordecai returned the three were seated, each grabbed hands, closed their eyes, and offered this simple prayer up to heaven, “Blessed are You, HaShem, our God, King of the Universe,
who brings forth bread from the earth.”
“Yes Mam” Hadassah swiftly swept up a pile of cinders which had clung to the foot of the fireplace, scooped them into a bowl, and made her way to the back door. Stepping outside, humming a soft tune, Hadassah took a deep breath, relishing in the fresh air. An array of colors meshed across the eastern sky: a glorious mix of pink, orange, and purple, as the sun held his breath and prepared to dunk under the horizon. As soon as Hadassah completed her chore, she returned indoors to set their small table with humble set of cracked clay bowls and utensils. The old pottery was worn and chipped, but it was more than many others had, and for that they were grateful.
“Hadassah” the old widow clicked her tongue, “You mustn’t let our food stick to the bottom of the pot like this! I fear you’ll never find a husband if your cooking is not more than satisfactory.” Hannah added extra water to the sticky pot, vigorously stirring it with her strong right arm.
Hadassah sighed as she placed a third bowl on the table, “Forgive me Hannah. My mind was elsewhere.”
“As it usually is my child” Hannah chuckled, adding her own secret remedy to Hadassah’s failed meal. She taste tested the ingredients a second time. Her furrowed brow relaxed, and she nodded confidently to herself. The meal finally reached her approval.
“Just like your Mother” Hannah spoke gently as she whisked a black strand of hair from Hadassah’s face, “Always a day dreamer.”
Hadassah squeezed the old woman’s hand and spoke softly, “I wish I remembered her better. Sometimes I think I can still hear the old lullaby she used to sing to me, but other times I think I must be making it up. ”
Hannah’s dark eyes grew moist as these old memories were re-lived, “She would be so very proud of you Hadassah. You have grown up to be a beautiful young woman, who one day will make a lucky young man a very proud husband. Your Father would be proud too, just as Mordecai is.”
Just then, the sound of an opening door was heard.
“Cousin Mordecai!” Hadassah greeted, “You’re just in time for supper. Come sit, may I take your shoes, wash your feet?”
Mordecai’s weary eyes from a long day’s work stared gently at his cousin. Hadassah had been orphaned as a young girl, both parents killed in a tragic accident, leaving the sweet little child fatherless. Mordecai immediately brought the frightened child into his home, providing for her a place to eat, sleep, and feel protected. But as Hadassah grew older, Mordecai realized that he could not provide her with the proper education, and asked Widow Hannah to come live with them. Twelve years had past now, and Hadassah would soon be approaching her sixteenth birthday. Together, the three had forged a strong bond, a three stranded cord which was not easily broken. But now, something was attempting to rip this little family apart. Mordecai had just learned of the new law, which was posted on nearly every building in town. Still drifting away to sea in the blow of this tsunami tidal wave of news, a strange look of grief cast upon Mordecai’s face, and Hadassah immediately knew something was wrong. Terribly wrong.
“Mordecai, what is troubling you?”
The man tried to wipe the look of fear and distress off his face, and attempted a shaky smile. “Nothing my child. Other than the fact that I have built up quite the appetite.” He ducked into the other room where a wash bin was awaiting his hands.
Hadassah quickly buzzed over to the hearth where she scooped a generous helping into each bowl. She could hear Mordecai reciting the familiar Hebrew blessing;
“Blessed are You, HaShem, our God, King of the Universe...”
Hadassah felt a troubling stir deep in her heart. The look on Mordecai’s face caused a terribly uneasy feeling to arise. She bit her lip, worry engulfing her mind. Lord she prayed silently, please help Mordecai.
After Mordecai returned the three were seated, each grabbed hands, closed their eyes, and offered this simple prayer up to heaven, “Blessed are You, HaShem, our God, King of the Universe,
who brings forth bread from the earth.”
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