Tag Archives: Esther

Although there seems to be some debate, King Ahasuerus in the book of Esther is generally identified with the Persian king Kshayarsha I, better known as Xerxes I. I always enjoy the reactions of my students when I point out … Continue reading →

Esther is the most “secular” book of the Bible. It is, as Adele Berlin described it, “a comic story for a carnivalesque holiday.” The tone of the book‚—especially as it is read in the synagogue, with boos and noisemakers to … Continue reading →