Yamulkas in Berlin 3:30

Queen Esther, 2003, Oil on Canvas, 43 x 63 in by Orit Arfa

“I felt unsteady as I lead Xerxes to his seat. Women in his kingdom were but dressing for a man's bed and a satisfactory way to provide heirs. The king had once banished a queen on the advice of his counsel. Now would he accept the word of his queen and banish the adviser? Dear G-d, I pleaded silently, how can it be that I should change history? I am a prisoner myself – how can I asked for the freedom of a nation?”
― Ginger Garrett, Chosen: The Lost Diaries of Queen Esther

Visiting with King Ahasuerus (1909 - 1911)

The Plain Facts

1. Length:read the excerpt of 13 pages.
2. Genre:Yiddish Old Country Tales
3. Characters:Tevye speaks to Shalom Aleichem.
4. Setting: a little village where Tevye lives, and the woods and nature that surrounds it. The story takes place during Purim a time of great festivity much like Mardi Gras. The  Jewish people celebrate God's providence in giving victory to the Jewish People over the great Persian Empire.

So, what's It About Man?

.  This story shares the great joys held in the holiday of Purim.

Vegetable Juice

First Words

Do you know who I was jealous of when I was a little boy?

Last Words

Man must know
How to delight
Before his God,
His sacred light.
Joy in Moderation,
 For his holy nation.
For God, the King
Living and great,
Next year in Jerusalem
We shall gladly wait.
 

Literary Review:

This story shows the class division that is held in the small town.  The rabbis are the ones with money, while the workers scrape at the dirt, to find something to eat.   The oral story telling illustrates how ideas were shared between illiterate folk.   The story is beautiful re-telling of the nature of Purim.

Turnip Tips

• read the Jewish Literary Review
•  

 

Words Defined:

word	definition
Purim	Purim means Lots.  The celebration of Esther and Mordachai's saving work from the hard-nosed Persian Haman.  The story shows the lots that are divided between rich and poor, the hungry and the full.
hifalutin	Pompous or pretentious.
robed in purple	royal colors, so to be robed in purple means to be wearing the clothes of royalty.

Where to Find This Story

One can find the story in Shalom Aleichem Old Country Tales edited and compiled by the Children of Sholom Aleichem, and published in 1966. Although this book is out of print Amazon has a few copies. Also alibris listed that Powells had a hard bound copy for $2.24. The book would be a great addition in any personal library.