how old was queen esther when she died

Haman, having become incensed thatMordecai, aJew, held him indisdainand refused obeisance, convinced the king that the Jews living under Persian rule were rebellious and should be slaughtered. Some may have stumbled upon the street named after her in downtown Jerusalem, but otherwise, she is generally only briefly mentioned, marginalized, and almost written out of the historical record. Happy Womens History Month! Whereas her husband had persecuted the Pharisees, in her reign as solitary queen, Shelamzion was particularly supportive of the Pharisees, promoting their vision of Judaism and perhaps ensuring their popularity for generations to come (Josephus, Jewish War 1:110). The jar symbolizes Esthers grief, fear, and pain, which stems from her captivity in King Xerxes harem. However, just because you don't know when Elizabeth reigned for almost forty-five years and was the last monarch of the Tudor Dynasty, having died childless. The historical reality of this biblical episode, and whether or not Esther actually existed, has often been questioned. There is support for this too in the Talmud (Yoma 29a).4) Esther comes from the Median "astra," meaning "myrtle." but the date of Others have suggested an earlier date of translation, ca. The Book of Esther does not say how old Esther was when she was taken to Ahasueruss palace; different midrashic traditions address this question. In post-Temple times, a small piece of dough set aside and burnt. Mordecai was instrumental in thwarting a murderous plot by one of the kings advisers, Haman, to annihilate the Jewish people. The Book of Esther relates that Esther told no one of her Jewish origins, as Mordecai had ordered her. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Rabbis also relate to Esthers sexuality: if Ahasuerus wanted to find in her the taste of a virgin, he found it; if the taste of a non-virgin, he found it(BTMegillah13a;Esth. She received her Ph.D. in religion from Princeton University. And You, O Lord, bring success to this, Your poor handmaiden. Esther: A Queen Under Control. We don't know, though tradition teaches that she lived a long life. She was 96 years old. No, Esther and Mordecai were not married. Ahasuerus promised Esther that he would grant her request, even to half the kingdom(Esth. He was blinded, but when he looked in her direction his vision was restored and he extended his scepter (Midrash Panim Aherim, version B, para. [1] In preparation for Purim and the reading of Megillat Esther, the story of this forgotten Jewish queen is worth recounting. And lest you think I am making an argument about gendered skills (i.e., what women do vs. what men do), the following from the late biblical scholar Tikva Frymer-Kensky is noteworthy: With these two queens, the Torah and Jewish history model another way of being successful in the world, both for men and women. As the Queen died on the Isle of Wight, her body was carried on board the HMY Alberta with several yachts taking the mourners and King Edward VII to Gosport in Hampshire and then by train to Victoria station in London. The Jewish festival of Purim celebrates this event. Similarly, her son Benjamin knew about the sale of Joseph, but remained silent and did not tell his father. In spite of its origins it soon became the basis of the Jewish festival of Purim.According to the book, Vashti, Esther's predecessor as queen of Persia, was divorced by her husband, King Xerxes (Ahasuerus), who then sought a suitable virgin for his wife, finally choosing Esther. Mordecai stopped at the gate because he wanted to tell the king about a plot to kill him. If you need to flag this entry as abusive. When Esther's parents died, I adopted Esther and took care of her like she was my daughter. "Esther: Midrash and Aggadah." [6] Josephus writes: Alongside Queen Alexandra, and gaining power with her, were the Pharisees, an important sector of the Jewish community who were considered more religious than the rest of the nation and stricter in the observance and interpretation of the Laws (trans. Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. The situation was even more serious according to the tradition that Esther was married to Mordecai (the Babylonian tradition), for then, as a married woman, she committed adultery. and Nehemiah may have known each other personally. What happened to Queen Esther in the Bible? Queen Esther died in 473 BCE, so she was likely in her late fifties or early sixties at the time of her death. Dont miss the latest essays from TheTorah.com. In the biblical book named after her, Esther is a young Jewish woman living in the Persian diaspora who finds favor with the king, becomes queen, and risks her life to save the Jewish people from destruction when the court official Haman persuades the king to authorize a pogrom against all the Jews of the empire. When Mordecai refused to bow down to Haman at the gate, Haman was extremely offended and sought to have Mordecai killed. King Xerxes: King Xerxes married Esther when he was 41 years old. probably lived at the same time. Mordecai, the leader of the Jewish community in the city of Susa, heard the news of the decree and went to Queen Esther, his cousin, to plead with her to plead to the king on their behalf and to save them from the impending danger. Three ministering angels were appointed to aid her at that moment: one made her head erect, one endowed her with charm, and one stretched out the scepter(BTMegillah15b). As a result, the king reversed his decree and the Jews were saved from death. Esther, the orphaned cousin and adopted daughter of Mordecai, won the kings devotion and was chosen to be the new queen; Mordecai had instructed her to not reveal that she was Jewish. 28 BC) was the daughter of Hyrcanus II (died 30 BC), who was the son of Alexander Jannaeus. Furthermore, because of her passivity, her life with Ahasuerus was not thought to entail illicit sexual intercourse (a grave sin, for which one should be killed rather than transgress")(BTSanhedrin74b). The king agreed, not knowing that Esther, his beloved queen, and Mordecai, the man to whom he owed his life, were both Jews. The Jewish festival ofPurimcelebrates this event. Esther was ready to endanger herself and even to give her life to save her people, who therefore are called her people (4:8): to plead with him for her people(Ex. This last event was around the same time that Esther became Queen. The grave of Mordecai and Esther still stands in Hamadan; and the Jews of Iran, to this day, are referred to as "the children of Esther.". The Talmud reveals that Esther's relationship with Ahasuerus wasn't a romantic one. She was the second daughter of Laban, Rebekah's brother, making Jacob her first cousin. In the affair of Bigthan and Teresh, Esther continued to follow Mordecais instructions. Designation of the five scrolls of the Bible (Ruth, Song of Songs, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther). In response, Esther tells him that, like him, she is the offspring of royalty (Midrash Abba Gurion, para. This status completely changed when Esther went to Ahasuerus of her own free will, in order to persuade him to cancel Hamans decree(Esth. Do you, or does someone you know, demonstrate the same total commitment to a mission, even at the cost of sacrificing personal happiness? This understanding of the Book of Esther is linked to the perception of Esther as a prophet: she is included in the list of seven women prophets(BTMegillah14a; Seder Olam Rabbah21). [11] According to the colophon to Greek Esther, a delegation of Jews from Jerusalem went to Egypt with the translation of the story of Megillat Esther and asked the Jews of Alexandria to begin celebrating the festival of Purim. The king did not believe in God but Esther did. She was a beautiful Jewish woman, the wife of the Persian king Ahasuerus (Xerxes I). It is known that Esther was the daughter of Abihail, and she had married King Xerxes of Persia around the age of 18. Along with Queen Shelamzion Alexandra, Queen Esther shows that skills at the negotiating table should be just as valued as skills in the field of war. 10:2). For an analysis of these sources and their reliability, see Tal Ilan,Integrating Women into Second Temple History(Tbingen: Mohr Siebeck, 1999), esp. This book therefore has the same sanctity as the other books of Scripture. When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 20). Part of HuffPost Religion. She was married to King Achashverosh, whom some identify as Artaxerxes (), 1 king of Persia. Esther was a Jewish young woman who was providentially selected to be the queen of Persia. was the wife of the Persian King Xerxes [aka "Ahasuerus" in many Mordecai remained a close confidant to Esther and played a pivotal role in helping her save the Jewish people. Esther gained even greater favour with Ahasuerus after she helped thwart an assassination plot against him that Mordecai overheard at the palace gate. What is a reason a mathematical model can fail? Is the singer Avant and R Kelly brothers? She is mentioned several times throughout the Book of Esther. Her story is one of faith, courage, and resilience, and her bravery serves as an inspiration to others to never give up fighting for what you believe in. Jewish Women's Archive. [7] See Elsie Sterns reading of Megillat Esther as a cautionary tale for Jews living in the Diaspora in her TABS essay, Megillat Esther: A Godless and Assimilated Diaspora.. Updates? Rachel was silent when she saw that Jacob married her sister instead of herself. Mordecai did not bow to Haman because he was a Jew and Haman was an Agagite, the enemies of Gods chosen people. When word of the planned massacre reachedEsther, she risked her life by going uninvited to the king to suggest a banquet that Haman would attend. Themidrashrelates that Esther hid from Ahasueruss agents who sought women for the king. During the . Esther showed tremendous courage in standing up for what she believed was right, even when faced with seemingly insurmountable opposition. Esther was a teenager in Queen Esther is an orphan raised by her uncle Mordecai and is eventually married to King Ahasuerus. Features thousands of biographic and thematic essays on Jewish women around the world. Another tradition has Esther reciting this psalm during the three days of fasting that preceded her going to Ahasuerus: My God on the first day, my God on the second day, and why have You abandoned me? on the third. She appears to be a loyal wife to Mordecai, as she supports him throughout his efforts to save the Jewish people from Hamans plot. Another tradition has her becoming pregnant by Ahasuerus, but miscarrying (Esth. cit.). point. Esther, heroine and central figure in the Book of Esther of the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament. Am Yisrael Chai Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. 22:23). In the Book of Esther, Mordecai plays a major role in the events leading up to the deliverance of the Jewish people from their enemies. [1] As shall be discussed further below, much of what we know about Shelamzion Alexandra comes from Josephuss two accounts of her reign inJewish War1.107-119 andJewish Antiquities13.398-432. Meir, Tamar. Just as a wolf seizes its spoils, so did Esther seize the throne; similarly, Mordecai and Esther divided Hamans spoils among them (Gen. Rabbah[ed. Modesty and Sexuality in Halakhic Literature, What Queen Esther can teach us about intermarriage. He married Esther in 479BC (Esther 2:16), when he was 40. The regimen of rituals, songs and textual readings performed in a specific order on the first two nights (in Israel, on the first night) of Passover. Esther was born about 492BC and was 14 when she became Queen. Designation of the five scrolls of the Bible (Ruth, Song of Songs, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther). You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. One tradition asserts that Esther used a resorbent, that is, she employed a contraceptive device to prevent any pregnancy by Ahasuerus. She was in a foreign land without the protection and support of her people. Esther was taken from her home and came to live in the palace along with many other girls of the harem. What can we learn from Esther about our personal understanding of our true life's mission? Commenting on Deuteronomy 11:13-14, which describes rain falling in its season as a reward for keeping the commandments, Sifre Deuteronomy writes (42): In other words, Rabbi Nathan observes that in the days of Queen Shelamzion, the people actually obeyed the commandmentsthey were all good for a change!and God rewarded the Israelites with plentiful rain from heaven. During Jacob's stay, he fell in love with Rachel . 2:7). extended into the reign of her stepson, Artaxerxes. Please support us. cit.). Rabbah1:41; BT Megillah 16a). The plea was turned down by her. ), or her strength wanedPirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer[ed. Just as the myrtle is sweet-smelling but has a bitter taste, so Esther was sweet to Ahasuerus, but bitter to Haman (Esth. This prayer also mentioned her situation, which contrasted with that of Sarah andRebekah: they were taken for a single night to the court of a foreign king and miracles were performed for them. Verily, I seek Your mercy from window to window in the house of Ahasuerus. Esther probably didn't live to see the events of the book of 22:5). See also Susan Niditch,A Prelude to Biblical Folklore: Underdogs and Tricksters(Champaign: University of Illinois Press, 2000). On March 30, 2002, the Queen Mother died aged 101 years and 238 days old. Esther is noteworthy for her beauty, intelligence, and courage, along with her humility. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. 5:3), but not things that were opposed to the kingdom, such as her asking him to rebuild the Temple (BT Megillah loc. Rabbah6:9). She remained passive to the moody King and obedient to her authoritarian uncle, Mordecai. Esther had been made queen to save her people. assassinated 20 years earlier (he was probably bout 20-25 years The Queen died in the afternoon of September 8, 2022. In a risky move, Esther reveals her Jewish heritage to Ahasuerus and pleads with him to spare her people, despite the risk of death. All Her . The Rabbis devote extensive attention to Esthers observance of the laws of niddah. What is the reflection of the story of princess urduja? Later pilgrims mentioned the site, and noted that special celebrations were held there on Shushan Purim. Then the king made a great feast of Esther, for all his . Queen Shelamzion Alexandra reigned as queen of Judea from 76 to 67 BCE. Another angel pushed Haman onto Esthers couch (BTMegillahloc. According to the Bible, Mordechai was a Jew who lived in the Persian city of Susa, the modern-day city of Shush, Iran. In the midrashic exposition, Ahasuerus tries to discover Esthers origins, explaining that this would be beneficial for her relatives, since he would appoint them to important positions (Midrash Panim Aherimloc. Theodor-Albeck], MS. Vatican, para. The document, published by National Records of Scotland on Thursday, says the late British monarch died at 3:10 p.m. UK time . [8] See Helena Zlotnicks discussion of Esther inDinahs Daughters: Gender and Judaism from the Hebrew Bible to Late Antiquity(Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2002), 87. book of Nehemiah began, although her husband, King Xerxes was Hi, I'm Mordecai, Esther's older cousin. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Sort by: Most popular. 2:7states: Mordecai adopted her as his own daughter [literally: took herle-vat], which the midrash understands as: Mordecai took herle-bayit, that is, as a wife (BTMegillahloc. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ordered flags at the Capitol to be flown at half-staff following the queen's death. Despite her hiding her identity, Esther still maintained contact with Mordecai. 726. When she relayed Mordecais information to the king, she attributed it to Mordecai(Esth. Designation of the five scrolls of the Bible (Ruth, Song of Songs, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther). The Queen ascended to the throne in 1952 at the tender age of 25, and was on a royal tour of Kenya when Philip delicately broke the news that her father, King George VI, had died. 2:7 ). She reigned in the first century BCE, sixty years after the Hasmoneans achieved independence from the Seleucid Empire and a few decades before King Herod. "scroll." This means she had been married to the king for approximately 40 years at the time of her death. The Book of Esther was probably written in the 2nd centurybce. Mordecais refusal to bow to Haman displayed his firm faith and commitment to his people and to the God of Israel. She oversaw a peaceful and prosperous period. The Rabbis include Esther among the seven most beautiful women in the world (BT Megillah 15a). In one exegetical expansion, the women in the harem would adorn Esther, for they said to themselves: This one will certainly be married to the king, so it is worth our while to honor her (Midrash Panim Aherim, version B, para. cit.). We can adjust the hypothetical ages and birth dates of Mordecai, Esther and their parents by a few years and still keep it . someone died doesn't mean they didn't exist. Princess Margaret, the Queen's younger sister, was born in 1930. [2] See Ilan,Integrating women, 127, commenting onJewish War1.71 andJewishAntiquities13.302. Mordecai was a trusted advisor to King Xerxes of Persia and Esther was his adopted daughter. Mordecai was elevated to second-in-command in the kingdom. The midrash tells that when Esther came to Ahasueruss palace the spirit of divine inspiration left her, and she then prayed to God. At first, Esther was hesitant to approach the king, as anyone who approached him without his invitation was put to death unless the king extended his top scepter. Her jar allowed her to find a voice in a situation where she could feel voiceless. After Esthers coronation, the king continues to gather virgins in his palace, which the Rabbis understand as an activity meant to reveal Esthers identity. The spirit of divine inspiration descended on Esther shortly before she went to Ahasuerus, thus leading to her inclusion in the list of the seven women prophets(BTMegillah14a; 15a). Esther 5:2-3; 7:4-6 Image Unlike the other women, who wanted to be chosen, Esther tried to evade the king, but she was the one picked to be queen. What did the Nazis begin using gas chambers instead of mobile killing units and shooting squads after a while? How old was Esther when she became queen? According to one tradition, Esther was responsible for Mordecais being seated at the palace gate, since she told Ahasuerus that all the great kings seated a Jewish advisor at the gate (Midrash Abba Gurionloc. The ancient Jewish historian Josephus provides some details. The Rabbis describe at length Esthers activities after she learned of Hamans decree against the Jews. How old was The Queen Mother when she died? Corrections? . 2). The Jewish dietary laws delineating the permissible types of food and methods of their preparation. assumed in to the next King's harem (also possiblealthough a She notes that Josephus only knew this queen by her Greek name, Alexandra, while the Rabbis only knew her by her Semitic name. 17:14): Inscribe this in a document as a reminder (since Haman was of Amalekite stock). Her reign lasted less than a decade but still longer than a two-term presidency. The monarch of Persia, King Ahasuerus, was wealthy and powerful. Rabbah 6:5; BT. An additional stratagem employed by Esther against Haman was connected with his leading Mordecai on the horse. Laying the scene atSusa, a residential city of the Persian kings, the Book of Esther narrates thatKing Ahasuerus deposed his first wife, Queen Vashti, after she refused to display her beauty to the people and nobles at the kings feast. In Shelamzions period, there were no precedents for powerful queens in Judeanot unless one counts Jezebel, the most notorious queen in Israelite history, or her daughter Athaliah. However, later scribes, as the manuscript evidence suggests, no longer understood it. Esthers jar captures her willingness to stand up and fight against her oppressors, despite being completely alone and without support. Esther took place or at the very least was too young to remember 22:1: For the leader; onayelet ha-shahar[literally, the hind of the dawn], which the Rabbis apply to Esther. [12] Ilan, Esther, Judith and Susanna as Propaganda for Shelamzions Queenship,Integrating Women, 135. The Jews were in the Babylonian exile. According to the tradition that she was previously unmarried, she was now married to and lived with a non-Jewish king. Haman, too, was troubled by the question of Esthers origins. As early as 1215, Rabbi Menachem Ha-Hevroni wrote that while visiting the Galilee, he came across the tomb of Queen Esther, "who, during her lifetime, had instructed her son Cyrus to bring her there [for burial]". Decades ago, the historian Elias Bickerman drew attention to a marvelous coincidence: a postscript in the Greek translation of Esther tells us that in 78 or 77 BCE, just one year before Queen Shelamzion began to rule by herself, Megillat Esther was translated into Greek and sent to the Jewish communities of ancient Alexandria. He even granted permission for the Jews to arm themselves with weapons and deliver the kings edicts throughout the kingdom. In contrast, the BT also cites a tradition that Esther had a greenish [sallow] complexion, and therefore was called Hadassah; according to this tradition, Ahasuerus was drawn to her because she was endowed with great charm (BTMegillahloc. There is not one correct rendering of her name in any rabbinic manuscript (260). This meant the king was happy to see her and would not put her to death. Who is Jason crabb mother and where is she? Esther stood in the middle of the fourth department; the guards of the first department could no longer touch her, while those of the last department could not yet approach her. 49). It is believed that Esther's life A day was set aside for the slaughter, and a decree issued to every corner of the empire. Seeing the Letter Tet in a Dream: 9th Anniversary, Study the Torah with Academic Scholarship, By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use, Jewish Queens: From the Story of Esther to the History of Shelamzion, https://thetorah.com/article/jewish-queens-from-the-story-of-esther-to-the-history-of-shelamzion. He deposed Queen Vashti in 483/482BC when he was 36 ( Esther 1:3 ). This makes Esther 60 years younger than her cousin Mordecai. Their relationship was instrumental in saving the Jews from extermination and is one of the main themes of the Book of Esther. 22:26). Hatach and Esther. The Book of Esther tells of Esther marrying King Ahasuerus of Persia and therefore becoming his queen. 2). Esther remained passive and allowed the King to rape her repeatedly. Ilan relies upon Bickermans dating, as does Aaron KollersEsther in Ancient Jewish Thought(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2014). The Rabbis then mention an additional argument that is raised by the people, that the writing of the Book of Esther will arouse the enmity of the non-Jewish nations. When her secret was revealed, the whole of Persia, who had had no knowledge of the Jewish people or their plight, was amazed and moved by Esthers courage and selflessness. We read that: "The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. Given new belongings (Esther 2:9). On the third day, Queen Esther put on her royal robes and presented herself to King Xerxes, even though her husband had not requested her presence in over a month. In order to recognize Mordecais efforts, the king made him his minister and gave him a royal robe and princely apparel. The Bible does not specify how old she was when her parents died. Instead, Haman was hanged on the gallows he had built for Mordecai, and the Jews were given permission to destroy their enemies. Taken to the palace of King Ahasuerus of Persia, she exposed the plot of the evil Haman, who had convinced the king to allow the annihilation of all the Jews in his extensive empire. Esther would then be aged18 when she wins the beauty contest, 22 when she becomes queen (Esther 2:16-17), and 27 when she helps to defeat Haman's genocide scheme. Like the moon, that is born after thirty days, Esther, too, said(Esth. She stayed with Ahasuerus and sacrificed her personal happiness to complete her ultimate mission to enable the building of the Second Temple and the return to Zion. Josephus tells us that she was loved by the masses of the Jewish people (Jewish Antiquities 13:407). After an exhilarating victory, they declared the following day a holiday and (alluding to the lots Haman had cast) named it Purim, which is Hebrew for lots.. She was compared to the dawn, for just as the dawn breaks at the end of each night, so, too, Esther [i.e., the miraculous delivery of the Jews] came after there had been no miracles [during the period of exile and darkness](BTYoma29a). Esther was the heroine and central figure in the Biblical book of Esther. 22:16). Rabbah6:11). She was alone, alone with her grief and trauma. For the name of Esther, a number of etymologies are possible.1) Esther comes from the Persian "setareh," meaning "star".2) Esther comes from the Aramaic "istahar," meaning "moon." 22:25). "the written Torah."

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