Megillah of Mixed Messages

It’s time to take out the groggers, make some noise and
watch the parade of mini Esthers at the local synagogues and Jewish schools.

There’ll be an aura of frivolity as well-respected pillars
of our community expose their funny bone and sense of silliness when we all
gather for the carnivals and plays. But am I the only one who hears mixed
messages during the reading of the Megillah, an almost 2,500-year-old tangled
tale?

I hate to be a Purim party pooper, but I have some reservations
about the hoopla surrounding the celebration of this minor Jewish holiday. When
it comes to what is taught to our children, what is stressed, what is glossed
over and what is left out, I’m confused.

In order to get the coveted queen title, Esther had to
compete in a contest that didn’t measure mitzvot, but assessed something
superficial: beauty. Granted, her personality and kind, caring nature would
count in later rounds, but she would have been instantly eliminated at the
initial open audition if she didn’t have the right look.

Esther was trying out for the spot as a replacement for the
former queen, Vashti, a woman criticized because she had an attitude. But,
speaking only for myself, there’s only so much a wife can put up with, even if
she is married to a king. And though some would say Vashti didn’t appreciate
the good life she had, others might take a more sensitive approach and say she
was just trying to maintain her independence and self-respect; hard to do when
you’re called upon repeatedly to go on display as a trophy wife. The
frustration of being married to a megalomaniacal, alcoholic party animal might
have finally worn Vashti down.

Esther, under the tutelage of her cousin Mordechai, entered
the preliminaries in the “Who wants to be the wife of a
royal-pain-in-the-you-know-what?” search. She made the first cut, then went on
to the yearlong purification process. With the prospect of playing the palace
as her prize, she passed every test and gracefully jumped through every hoop
and cleared every hurdle that the all the kings’ men, and women, could conjure
up.

After marrying King Ahashuerus, Esther had it made. I’m sure
she wore the finest silk garments, the rarest perfumes and the most dazzling
jewels. Plus she had a legion of servants to wait on her 24/7. In return for
this cushy lifestyle, Esther had to look good, cook good and act charming. Fair
enough, when you know the job requirements before you submit your resume.

From what I can remember as a former Hebrew school student
and attendee at dozens of Purim events, Esther is revered because she saved the
Jews from annihilation. She kept her faith and believed in the power of prayer.

When she was faced with a tremendous challenge, she didn’t
falter. Esther approached King Ahashuerus, uninvited and at the risk of being
executed, revealed her true Jewish identity, and persuaded him to spare her
people. And, with the help of her cousin Mordechai, set things into motion for
the king to do unto Haman (boo!), the evil Jew-hater, what he wanted to do unto
all the Jews. And the new queen and her people lived happily ever after.

Sounds like prime property for an animated Disney feature
film. I must make a note to contact Michael Eisner about that.

While this holiday is joyously celebrated throughout the
Jewish community, how would Queen Esther be received if she appeared today? It
saddens me to think that she would be shunned by many who could not accept her
decision to marry outside the fold. Ironically, she and her husband would not
be welcome at Purim services by some congregations just because the king was
not a Jew.

Before the happily-ever-after part of Esther’s story, there
was a blemish on our peace-loving past. Our forebears who escaped the wrath of
Haman armed themselves for acts of bloody revenge against those who plotted the
murder of all Jews in the kingdom and against anyone associated with the wicked
conspirators. When the violence was over, several thousand people had been
slain.

And there are other aspects of this intricate story that
puzzle me, like exactly what did Esther have to do that fateful night she spent
with the king in order to convince him she would be the best wife in the land?
Bake cookies?

Besides the silly slapstick, Purim is also a time for giving
gifts and donating to charity. But amid the antics and revelry, Esther’s story
can be a valuable tool to promote tolerance and understanding today. Although
this orphan girl wore the crown and royal robes of a queen in a foreign land,
she never gave up her faith. And when the time came for her to risk her life and
proclaim herself as a Jew to save her people, she did the right thing.

I might be misinterpreting this complicated chronicle of
events. But whatever way you want to look at the story of Purim, this holiday
is an occasion to rejoice. After the fasting, it’s a time full of food and fun.
And in a Bible brimming with larger-than-life Jewish men, it’s good to be
reminded of the power of one Jewish woman.

Pearl Salkin is a freelance writer who lives in New Jersey.