When Throwing A Party Could Mean Life or Death

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Purim is a slightly transgressive holiday.
Historically, Purim has been a holiday for merry-making and mockery--so much so that it has become almost a general rule that "on Purim everything is allowed", even transgressions of a Biblical law such as the appearance of men in women's attire and vice versa. According to the Talmud, one should drink on Purim until he can no longer distinguish "Cursed be Haman" from "Blessed be Mordecai".
Transgressions play a major role in the Megillat Esther, (the Book of Esther), the central Biblical text read on Purim. Vashti transgressed and lost her head. And certainly Esther transgressed many of the Jewish elements of sexual morality living in the king’s harem as discussed in the Talmud (Sanhedrin 74b).
The images and transgressions of Esther and Vashti could guide us in interpreting the holiday says Director of the Dr. Beth Samuels High School Program Wendy Ansellem. A faculty member of the Drisha Institute for Jewish Education in New York, Ansellem is an Orthodox Jewish feminist.
The holiday is traditionally celebrated on the 14th of Adar and will begin after sunset on February 27 this year.
At first glance, it would appear that Vashti and Esther are complete opposites. Ansellem described the two women as “perfect foils for each other”.
In the first chapter of Megillah, Vashti appears to be a headstrong woman said Ansellem.

“She makes her own party. She refuses to come to the king when he calls for her. We have a sense that she’s a person who knows her own mind,” said Ansellem.

In contrast, when we first meet Esther in the second chapter of the Megillah, she’s brought, with all the other beautiful woman in the kingdom, to King Ahasuerus’ harem (beit ha’nashim).

“All the language that describes Ether is in the passive tense,” said Ansellem. “For example, in verse 8, Esther was taken (to the capitol, Shushan). In verse 15, the same word is used again--Esther was taken (before the king).

“Her obedience to Mordechai is constantly emphasized. In verse 10, Esther doesn’t reveal her nation and her people because Mordecai commanded her not to. Esther continued to do whatever Mordechai tells her to do. So we know she is passive and obedient. Then in verse 15, when Esther is called to spend a night with the king, each woman was allowed to ask for whatever she wanted--which we presume means adornment. Given a choice of whatever she wants, Esther asks for nothing.

“The particular aspects of Esther that are emphasized in chapter two are her obedience and passivity in contrast to Vashti’s independence and disobedience.”

But things begin to get interesting in Perek 4 of the Megillah. Mordecai informs Esther about Haman’s edict to destroy all the Jews. He tells Esther that she needs to go to the king immediately and plead on behalf of her people.

“Esther’s response is that she cannot go because the king hasn’t summoned her,” continued Ansellem. “It’s a tricky place for Esther to be because she is obedient. Yet even though she agrees to go before the king, she doesn’t carry out Mordechai’s plan. She invites the king to one party and then to another. She’s savvy enough to know that she has to work the channels of power and that Mordechai can’t help her figure out how to do that.

“My argument is that when Esther looks to a model to know how to work the channels of power, that model is Vashti. Back in chapter one, when Vashti wants to show her own independence, she throws her own party. Chapter one, verse four is very explicit that throwing a party is a way to demonstrate and wield your power. And Esther picks up on that. A host always has more power than the guests. And this decision to come before the king--like Vashti’s decision--is keeping her own counsel instead of coming when the king summons you.”

Of course, added Ansellem, Esther is more calculated, subtler, more divinely inspired and ultimately far more successful than Vashti. Yet, in order to triumph, Esther must confront the image of Vashti and incorporate (or perhaps discover) the attributes of Vashti in herself.

When Ansellem first wrote about Esther and Vashti in the JOFA Journal (in the Winter 2003 issue), she saw Esther as merely docile. But since then, Ansellem said she’s come to realize that being told to cover up an essential part of oneself leads to passivity.

“In chapter two, there’s a verse that says Esther finds favor in the eyes of everyone who sees her. How can one person be pleasing to everybody? That’s because everybody sees her as they want her to be. And that’s because she’s hiding who she is. She’s losing a part of herself and that makes her a very passive person. When you don’t know who you are, it’s hard to assert yourself.”

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