Community at Temple Israel
Rabbinic Intern’s Message – March 14, 2024
If you think about it, the Purim story has a lot of mystery and intrigue. We hear of treasonous plots, hidden identities, and undertaking dangerous missions in the name of saving your people. Looking at it this way, the story of Esther is one of the oldest tales of secret agents there is!
When Queen Vashti is ousted from the palace, a young Esther is selected as the favorite among all the maidens in the countryside and made the new queen. At the suggestion of her cousin and caretaker Mordecai, she does not reveal her Jewish heritage to her new husband or anyone else in the palace. Mordecai takes great care to check on her and advise her on what to do, like an undercover agent and their handler.
Mordecai was a very clever and observant person. Shortly after Esther is made queen, he overhears two of King Ahasuerus’ guards plotting against him. He reports it to Esther who then reports it to the King. Mission success! Their plans are discovered and thwarted. (And it ends up pretty bad for those guys.)
Some time later, a man named Haman is promoted in the King’s court. Everyone bows to him except Mordecai. Enraged by this, he decides to get the king’s permission to wipe out the Jewish communities all around Ahasuerus’ kingdom on a set date, the 12th and 13th of Adar. This understandably sends Mordecai and the Jews into a panic- but then he comes up with a plan. Mission Impossible: Saving the Jewish people.
Mordecai and Esther start corresponding back and forth through the King’s servants. This is much tougher than before, as no one can appear before Ahasuerus without being summoned, and she hasn’t been summoned in a while. Ever resourceful, she hatches a scheme of her own. Appearing before the King, she is granted his favor and he asks what she wants, prepared to give her almost anything. All she asks is for him and Haman to attend a banquet she will prepare for them.
At this banquet, phase two of Esther’s plan is set in motion. Again, the King asks her what he can give to her, and she requests that they come again the next night for another banquet.
Meanwhile Haman is advancing his own dastardly aims. After the embarrassment of helping Ahasuerus honor Mordecai for his earlier good deeds, he resolves to build a gallows where Mordecai will be executed.
At Esther’s second banquet for the King and Haman, the mission is brought to fruition. Her request is to spare her life and the life of her people from an evil plot against them, and reveals her secret identity as a Jew! The king is so furious that Haman would destroy the people of his wife and a man who saved his life before, and orders him to be hung on the gallows constructed for Mordecai. The Jewish people are saved due to Esther and Mordecai’s cleverness, bravery, and undercover operations.
To get your own piece of the secret agent action, join us after the megillah reading on Sunday, March 24th for Purim Confidential: Operation Megillah Mischief! After lunch, agents will have the opportunity to play games to win prizes and spy gadgets, take photos in the photo booth, and blow other operatives’ cover. There will also be a silent auction and a few games appropriate for little spies in training. CLICK HERE to RSVP.