Purim

An Exegesis by Pictures

Christophe Stener

• Publisher: Books on Demand
• Year: 2019
• ISBN:
  9782322172214
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Teologia e religione
• Subtopic: Religione

This book presents the Book of Esther historical underground, its theological and political meanings to better understand Purim feast signification. 100 works of art pictures are referred and commented.

Iconography of the Book of Esther

Mostly Judaic works are hereafter reproduced. For extensive Christian iconography please refer my book The Book of Esther, an exegesis in images.

Chapter I

The dream of Mordecai

Mordecai dream is related only by the Greek version but commented by the Midrash Rabba anyway: “The two dragons that clash are Mordecai and Aman. We have a little Apocalypse here.” Petrus Comestor in the Bible translated by Guiart des Moulins (1330) shows two demons clashing over the bed of Mordecai asleep. From the fiery clouds holy rays lighten the victory of the white dragon, on the evil dark one.

Bible Historiae by Petrus Comestor and Guiart des Moulins, 1330, dream of Mordecai

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/2b/cd/21/2bcd21c001e8b5daeb9e480201e0d76a--petrus.jpg

Suse

The story takes place in Susa. Xerxes had withdrawn there after his calamitous military campaign against the Greeks. Suse is the former Elam capital. Elam, Shem's first born, was promised to universal domination. Megilot show the city as antique or contemporary city.

Megila, Germany, XVIII S., SuSE, Coll. Gross, Suse

https://www.facsimile-editions.com/shared/images/me/megillah1.l.jpg

Ahasuerus enthroned

Doura Europos mosaic (245) show Ahasuerus enthroned by the Medes & Persians princes, kneeling at his feet. Several megilot picture Ahasuerus sitting on the throne of Solomon or more exactly on a replica because according to the Midrash Rabba Esther: "Ahasuerus had wanted to sit on Solomon's throne, but it was not permissible for him".

Synagogue of Doura Europos, Turkey, 245 A.D., King with Esther, triumph of Mordecai

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synagogue_de_Doura_Europos#/media/File:Duraeuropa-1-.gif

Megila, Poland, Galicia, 18th century, JHI

http://cja.huji.ac.il/image.php?id=113582&m=medium

Banquet of Ahasuerus

The Hebrew gloss gives several reasons to the royal banquet: Celebration of a military victory, desire of the low extraction king to flatter the noble Persians and Medes, wedding meal with the young queen Vashti, unwise celebration of the non-fulfillment of the Jeremiah doom prophecy. The feast thus has a deep religious meaning because « The royal decree however does not force to drink as it varied according to tradition » stipulates Midrash Rabba. The meal is ritualized. Ahasuerus does not require anyone to drink or eat. This point is essential because it bases the rabbinical gloss: the Jews at the Persian King's table were free to eat and drink and so might have refused non-kosher meal and should have abstained from drinking the wine of the libations to pagan idols. Some gloss adds that Ahasuerus used Temple dishes making it an awful sacrilege.

Megila of Abraham Ben Moshe Pescarol, 1619, Banquet of Ahasuerus, Coll. Gross

http://cja.huji.ac.il/browser.php?mode=set&id=66

Queen Vashti Feast

Men and women by rule should eat separately so queen Vashti feasts by her side with her court and/or with king guests wives taken hostage because she fears that the king will be assassinated by their husbands.

Megila Italy Ferrara, 1617, Banquet of Vashti, BN Israel

http://cdn.timesofisrael.com/blogs/uploads/2018/02/vashti_2.jpg

Queen Vashti's refusal to perform before the guests of the King

The drunkard king in a macho contest want to demonstrate to his guests that his wife is the most beautiful. He sends his eunuchs to get her parade naked only crown dressed. She refuses for good politics: men sexually aroused may rape her or kill the king and in contempt for king redneck boorishness. King advisors make him repudiate the disobedient wife as a bad example not to be followed by wifes.

Megila of Abraham Ben Moshe Pescarol, 1619, refusal of Vashti, Coll. Gross

http://cja.huji.ac.il/browser.php?mode=set&id=66

Disfigurement of Vashti

A Jewish legend imagines that the depraved Queen did not perform the strip tease not by modesty but because her face was marked by shameful diseases spots and her body by a tail. Middle Ages Hebrew literature jokes this disfigurement represented in the Alba Bible, a translation into vulgar language (medieval Castilian) sponsored by Don Luis de GUZMÁN, Grand Master of the Order of Calatrava, which although carried out and illuminated by The Franciscan Order of Toledo shows a blatant Judaic inspiration due to the Hebrew translator, Rabbi Moses ARRAGEL. Both Jewish and Christian codex Alba Bible is an extraordinary example of religious syncretism. It shows the naked queen Vashti lying between the tables of the feast, crowned and wearing a horn and an ignominious tail.

Alba Bible, King feast, Vashti lying dead and naked, Fundación Casa de Alba,1430

https://render.fineartamerica.com/images/rendered/default/print/6.000/8.000/break/images-medium-5/feast-from-book-of-esther-1430-artwork-patrick-landmann.jpg

Repudiation and banishment of queen Vashti

Widely represented by Christian Art, this episode is absent from the Megilot. The Jewish tradition not satisfying itself from a simple exile puts to death the impudent Vashti, execution absent from Christian art.

Execution of Queen Vashti

Several torments are represented: mainly decapitation, less often strangulation, rarely burning at the stake.

Megila Italy Ferrara, XV S., Vashti beheaded

https://blog.nli.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/offwithherhead_3.jpg

Megila Slovak, Nitra, 1834, Vashti strangled by two maids, Coll. Gross

http://cja.huji.ac.il/image.php?id=109032&m=medium

Chapter 2

Esther, Jewish Virgin

"The girl was beautiful to look at", this verse (2.7) has greatly inspired Christian art, rarely Jewish art with a notable exception the representation of Esther in majesty, a very Marrano inspiration on cover page.

Entrance in the harem

Gloss say either that Esther is snapped up by the Persian minions or has been willing fully presented to the harem by Mordecai. She is duly anionted a yearlong before accessing the royal layer. Her unadorned beauty will seduce the king. Jewish art does not show Esther in the harem, a favorite theme of Christian art. Mordecai ordered Hadassah to hide his Jewishness and lends her a Persian pseudonym Esther meaning "hidden". He intimates her to abide by the Law even in seraglio. Esther entrance in the harem is YWHW scheme.

Mordecai watches over the well-being of Esther at the harem

This attention of Mordecai to well-being but equally to the respect of the mitzvotim is not represented.

Esther in the Harem

Legendary not scriptural info, Esther was served by seven Jewish maids who share her the secret respect of shabbat. An accomplice provided her vegetables and dried fruit so she did not eat non-kosher food in the seraglio.

Megila Slovakia Nitra, 1834, Kashruth of Esther, Coll. Gross

http://cja.huji.ac.il/image.php?id=109029&m=medium

King’s love at first glance

Delivered against his will to the royal concupiscence, Esther takes at first glance the heart of the Persian king who decides to make her queen in place of the repudiated Vashti.

Yong Jewish Newspaper, Paris, March 15, 1935, Esther & Ahasuerus wedding photography

http://www.pourimshpilunesco.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/MariageDEsther-1.jpg

The second roundup

By a second roundup of concubine, Ahasuerus tries on a Mordecai ploy to make Esther confess her o...