Esther Rabbah compiles multiple interpretations and expansions on the Book of Esther, filling in gaps, adding rich details, and providing new perspectives on all the major (and minor) players.
Have you ever been curious about Esther’s early life or wanted to know more about Mordekhai? Have you wondered about Haman’s backstory, or what Vashti was thinking? This collection features five sheets which delve into the characters and plot lines of the Book of Esther. You will learn how the midrash interprets the biblical text, provides fresh insights, and maybe even change how you understand the central figures of the story.
Mordekhai, the first person in Tanakh to be called a Jew, counsels Esther, vies with Haman, and ends up as second in command to Achashverosh. What makes Mordekhai the right man for the job? What is so unique about his character? The midrash has this and more covered!
Feasts, beauty contests, insomnia. What comes to mind when you think of Achashverosh, the king in the Esther story? What type of a person was he: a fool, an evil tyrant, or something in between? Did he have any redeeming qualities?
Esther is the star of the show. The megillah provides a lot of narrative details about her, but leaves us wanting to know more about her character, her psychology, and how she changes over the course of her story.
Many of us know Haman as the villain of the Purim story who decreed that all the Jews should be killed. What else do we know about Haman? The Megillah tells us about his lineage, his wife, and his children, but not much else. Esther Rabbah helps us understand him more deeply.