Esther Redux

D’var Torah

By Avi Eisen
Montclair State University

Tragedy tomorrow, Comedy Tonight"

Megillat Esther is one of the more comedic stories read from the Tanakh. A story of triumph over impossible odds, as the Jews once again face annihilation, this time at the hands of Haman the Aggagite. As punishment, Haman and sons are thrown onto a stake, which would have been used for Mordecai the Benjaminite, and the Haman-kabob is paraded around town to show victory over the oppressors. The Jews also take up arms to defend themselves, killing over 75,000 foes. The provinces of Persia celebrate the victory for two days, and everyone is happy.

While we are grateful for once again surviving a genocide attempt, it does not seem as if anyone is apologetic over the deaths of so many people. With this number of people, I must believe that not all of them took up arms just because of their hatred against the Jews. I believe that some of them were trying to serve their providence, for the king ordered the extermination of the Jews and, while giving the Jews permission to defend themselves, he was unable to repeal the order of the extermination.

People working for armed forces are under orders to do things that they may not necessarily want to do or agree with, but will do it because of their devotion to their country. A military confrontation may be nothing more than two innocent people following orders, instead of two people who deeply hate each other or want to retaliate for something done to them. These people have put their faith in their government like a Hassid who puts his or her faith in God.

During the time of the Holocaust, many people who either volunteered or were drafted into the Nazi forces did so not only out of a belief in what the Nazis stood for, but because they had placed their faith in the rebuilding of Germany (the threat of death helped also). These people working for Germany probably did not see themselves as responsible for the deaths. After all, they were just following orders.

Struggles in the Middle East have relied on terrorism as a means of demonstrating the lengths people will go to obtain their freedom from Western influences. The Palestinians want to live in an environment where they would actually have resources at their disposal that would allow them to live comfortably. Through their own media and education, Palestinians are taught the noblest thing to do would be to sacrifice themselves while trying to obtain their freedom. These people sacrifice their own lives because it is looked upon as martyrdom. I would doubt that most of the Palestinians would actually support a government that embezzles its own money for personal vendettas.

Megillat Esther: 75,000 people dead for following the orders of the king. Maybe some had genuine hatred for the Jews, just as Haman did, but most probably did it to defend the provinces they believed in so much. Just as they defended their provinces, so do our armies defend our borders. Some may believe in the actual cause. Most are innocent people, doing nothing more than defending a country in which they dearly believe.

Avi Eisen is a sophomore at Montclair State University, leaning toward a major in education. He has been to Israel four times, one time to learn Hebrew in a Kibbutz environment for five months. Avi has also been on staff at Ramah Berkshires for the past three summers, and works as an assistant to the advisor of two Kadima and USY chapters in Northern Jersey. Avi has written short essays regarding Conservative Judaism for the Shefa Conservative Activist Network. He also enjoys theater, both being involved in the production and being in the audience.

[Posted 2/23/06]