Transcript [00:05] [music] [00:09] >> Hello, this is C.J. Burrows. Welcome to [00:12] Holy Days, Holy People. [00:14] Today, we're exploring Purim. [00:18] Courage, hidden miracles, [00:20] God's unseen hand. [00:24] >> [singing] [00:26] [music] [00:30] [singing] [00:32] [music] [00:35] >> Today, we're going to talk about the [00:37] holiday of Purim, and we'll explore [00:39] verses [music] from the Book of Esther, [00:41] one of my favorite books. We're going to [00:43] talk about the Jewish custom to wear [00:45] masks on Purim, something Jews have been [00:48] doing for hundreds of years, and we'll [00:50] discover what this practice can teach us [00:52] about our own times. [00:55] What we see in life is not a reflection [00:58] of our true reality. And today, we're [01:00] going to pull away the curtain and [01:02] reveal the truth that is hidden behind [01:05] the scenes. [01:07] In the Book of Esther, Haman convinced [01:09] King Xerxes, the King of Persia, to [01:12] obliterate the Jews, and it seemed like [01:14] the Jewish people were destined for [01:16] total destruction. [01:19] But with the help of God working behind [01:20] the scenes, Queen Esther was able to [01:22] save her people. [01:24] Ever since that time, the Jewish people [01:27] have celebrated Purim according to the [01:29] directions laid out by Esther's uncle, [01:31] Mordecai, in the Book of Esther. [01:35] In Esther 9:22, we are instructed to [01:38] observe the days as days of feasting and [01:41] joy and giving presents for food to one [01:44] another and gifts to the poor. [01:47] This translates into the three things [01:49] that we do on Purim. We celebrate with a [01:51] festive meal to acknowledge God's [01:53] miraculous salvation. We bring gifts of [01:56] food to our friends, which increases [01:58] fellowship. And we give charity in order [02:00] to embrace the poor and the needy, too. [02:05] Another thing that we do on Purim is [02:06] read the Book of Esther. The book is [02:09] read out loud in the synagogue, and [02:11] everyone comes to hear it. There is a [02:13] custom to bring special noise makers to [02:16] the reading called groggers, and every [02:18] time the name of Haman, the villain of [02:21] the story, is said by the reader, we [02:23] make noise with our groggers or we shout [02:26] boo. We stomp our feet to show that he [02:28] was so evil we don't even want to hear [02:30] his name. [02:32] Purim is a really fun holiday, and for [02:35] many kids it's their favorite Jewish [02:37] holiday, and it's easy to see why. We [02:40] have a big party, they bring treats to [02:43] friends, and receive a lot of candy from [02:45] their friends, and they get to make [02:47] noise with their groggers in the [02:49] synagogue. [02:50] And there's another custom that makes [02:53] this holiday a favorite for kids and [02:55] many adults. And that is the custom of [02:59] dressing up with masks and costumes on [03:02] Purim. [03:03] If you walk the streets of Israel on [03:04] Purim, it might look a lot like [03:06] Halloween, except we go door-to-door in [03:09] order to give treats, not to receive [03:12] them. [03:13] And another difference is that dressing [03:15] up in costumes on Purim has nothing to [03:17] do with ghosts or gore. It's a custom [03:20] that goes back to the 13th century, and [03:23] it has a biblical message behind it. [03:26] We wear masks and dress up on Purim [03:29] because the story in the Book of Esther [03:31] is all about how things aren't always [03:34] the way that they seem. They're hidden. [03:38] This brings me to the verse that I want [03:41] to focus on today. It's one of my [03:43] favorite verses, and maybe it's one of [03:45] your favorite verses, too. [03:48] When Mordecai tells Esther to go to her [03:51] husband, the king, in order to intercede [03:53] on behalf of the Jews. She doesn't want [03:55] to do it. She's scared for her life, and [03:58] rightfully so. [04:00] The verse that I'm about to read is what [04:02] Mordecai responds to Esther. [04:05] This is what it says in Esther 4:14. [04:09] "For if you remain silent at this time, [04:13] relief and deliverance for the Jews will [04:15] arise from another place, but you and [04:18] your family will perish. And who knows [04:22] but that you have come to your royal [04:25] position for such a time as this." [04:30] According to Jewish tradition, Esther [04:32] never wanted to be King Xerxes' wife, [04:34] and it was a difficult experience for [04:36] her. [04:37] But in this verse, Mordecai encourages [04:40] her to consider that God's hand has been [04:42] at work all along, from the moment that [04:44] this king wanted to marry her. And if [04:47] he, God, was able to orchestrate events [04:51] behind the scenes until now, he would [04:54] continue to help Esther. [04:57] It was God who put her in this position, [05:01] not chance. [05:03] And for us, the readers, this is the [05:05] moment when all of the puzzle pieces [05:07] start to come together. [05:08] We suddenly understand how what seems [05:11] like a hopeless situation for the Jewish [05:13] people can turn around. We see how God's [05:16] hand has been moving the pieces in the [05:18] right direction all along. [05:22] This verse captures the main theme of [05:24] the Purim story, that no matter how [05:27] things appear, God is always in control, [05:30] working in ways that we can't see or [05:32] understand. [05:34] Even when it seems bad, God has his [05:38] plan. [05:39] And this is why we wear masks on Purim. [05:43] The masks remind us that God is hidden [05:46] in our world. Just because we can't see [05:48] him, doesn't mean he isn't there. And [05:51] just because something seems not so [05:52] good, doesn't mean it's not all for the [05:55] best, part of the larger story. [05:59] When we read the book of Esther in [06:01] synagogue, the whole story takes less [06:03] than an hour to hear. It's easy to see [06:06] how all of the events in the story are [06:07] the result of God's providence. It's [06:09] easy to feel God's presence in every [06:12] scene and understand that he is the [06:15] author of the entire story. [06:18] But did you know that the story actually [06:20] unfolded over the course of almost 10 [06:22] years? [06:24] Think about that. Esther spent years in [06:26] the palace not knowing that something [06:28] good would come out of it. And when the [06:30] Jews heard about Haman's terrible [06:32] decree, they couldn't imagine how they [06:34] could be saved. [06:36] All the events that happened over 9 and [06:38] 1/2 years must have seemed like random [06:41] occurrences until they all came together [06:44] perfectly to complete God's master plan. [06:49] In Hebrew, we call the book of Esther [06:51] Megillat Esther, which literally means [06:54] the scroll of Esther. [06:56] But it also has another meaning. [06:59] The name Esther actually means hidden. [07:03] And the word megillah is rooted in the [07:06] Hebrew word which means reveal. [07:09] Together, Megillat Esther can mean [07:13] revealing the hidden. Because when we [07:16] read it, that's exactly what happens. [07:18] >> [music] [07:18] >> We reveal the hidden hand of God. [07:26] >> Here's Fellowship founder, Rabbi Yechiel [07:29] Eckstein, of blessed memory. [07:32] The celebration of Purim is actually one [07:35] of my favorite times of the year. [07:38] You may be more familiar with the [07:39] celebration as the story of Queen [07:41] Esther, the inspiring story of one [07:44] woman's courage and faith in the face of [07:47] adversity. [07:48] As you may recall, after Queen Vashti [07:50] was dethroned for defying him, King [07:53] Xerxes of Persia, or as he's called in [07:56] the Hebrew, Ahasuerus, [07:58] chose Esther to be his new queen. At the [08:01] insistence of her cousin Mordecai, [08:03] Esther kept her Jewish identity a [08:06] secret. Meanwhile, Haman, the king's [08:08] prime minister, was outraged that [08:10] Mordecai, a Jew, refused to bow before [08:13] him. As punishment, Haman plotted to [08:15] destroy Mordecai and all his people, and [08:18] Xerxes gave Haman the permission to do [08:21] so. Lots were cast to determine the date [08:24] on which the Jews would be destroyed, [08:26] and that's where Purim gets its name [08:28] from, Purim, the Hebrew word for lots. [08:32] Mordecai urged Esther to use her [08:34] position to help her people, saying, [08:36] "And who knows but that you have come to [08:38] royal position for such a time as this?" [08:41] This was a huge risk for Esther, as the [08:44] punishment for appearing before the king [08:46] unannounced was death. After fasting for [08:49] 3 days, Esther made her decision, "If I [08:52] perish, I perish." [08:55] Soon after, King Xerxes learned that [08:57] Mordecai, Esther's cousin, had saved his [09:00] life, but had not been rewarded. [09:03] Meanwhile, Haman, the evil prime [09:05] minister, went to ask King Xerxes for [09:08] permission to have Mordecai executed for [09:11] not bowing down to him. [09:13] But before he could, the king first [09:15] asked Haman, "What should be done for [09:17] the man the king wants to honor?" [09:20] Thinking the king wanted to reward him, [09:22] Haman suggested that such a person be [09:25] honored with an elaborate parade. [09:27] Imagine Haman's surprise when King [09:30] Xerxes instructed him to, quote, "Go at [09:33] once and do as you have suggested for [09:36] Mordecai the Jew." [09:37] Look at God's timing and justice. [09:41] In short order, Esther finally revealed [09:44] to the king that she was Jewish and [09:46] exposed Haman's plot to kill her people. [09:49] Furious, King Xerxes ordered Haman's [09:51] execution, hanging him on the very [09:54] gallows he'd built for Mordecai, a [09:56] fitting end for the man who had planned [09:58] to destroy God's children. [10:00] And so, on the very day that had been [10:02] slated for the destruction of the Jews, [10:05] we remember our deliverance with this [10:07] festival. Purim is a joy-filled [10:09] celebration of God's protection, one [10:12] that he still provides for his people, [10:14] Jews and Christians alike. [10:24] >> [music] [10:26] >> As a lifelong champion of women, my [10:28] father felt particularly connected to [10:30] the holiday of Purim, when we celebrate [10:32] Queen Esther, the heroine who saved the [10:34] Jews. [10:35] Most are probably familiar with this [10:37] story that takes place after the [10:38] destruction of the first temple in [10:40] Jerusalem, while the Jewish people lived [10:42] in Persian exile under the rule of King [10:44] Xerxes. [10:46] As the story goes, after the king had [10:47] banished his first wife, he looked for a [10:49] new wife and chose Esther, a young [10:51] Jewish orphan. Under the direction of [10:53] her uncle Mordecai, Esther did not [10:55] reveal her Jewish identity. While Esther [10:57] was queen, an evil man named Haman [10:59] plotted to kill all the Jewish people [11:02] and through a series of well-placed lies [11:04] and deceptions was granted permission by [11:06] the king to do so. [11:08] Haman drew lots to determine the day [11:11] that the genocide would take place, the [11:13] 14th day of the month of Adar. [11:16] Mordecai informed Esther of the looming [11:19] threat and instructed her to go before [11:21] the king and beg for mercy for her [11:23] people. [11:24] Esther, however, was hesitant. She knew [11:26] that anyone who appeared before the king [11:28] without being summoned would be put to [11:30] death unless the king favored them. [11:33] But Mordecai encouraged Esther to do her [11:35] duty with these stirring words, [11:39] "Who knows but that you have come to [11:41] your royal position for such a time [11:45] [music] as this?" [11:53] >> Queen Esther wasn't the only Jewish [11:55] woman named Esther to display [11:56] extraordinary courage. [12:03] Queen Esther is one of the Bible's great [12:05] heroes. [12:06] When her people faced destruction, she [12:08] chose courage over comfort. [12:11] She stepped forward in faith, risking [12:14] her own life to save the Jewish people. [12:17] More than 2,000 years later, another [12:20] young Jewish woman named Esther would do [12:22] the same. [12:24] Her name was Esther Cailingold. [12:27] She wasn't a queen. [12:28] She was a school teacher. [12:31] Born in London to a Jewish family whose [12:33] roots stretch back to Poland, [12:36] Esther grew up with a deep love for the [12:38] Jewish people and the land God had [12:40] promised them. [12:42] Long before the modern state of Israel [12:44] existed, Esther believed the Jewish [12:46] people belonged in their ancient [12:49] homeland. [12:51] In 1946, she left England and immigrated [12:54] to Jerusalem to teach English. [12:57] But history had other plans. [13:00] Violence against the Jewish community [13:02] was growing. [13:04] The dream of a reborn Israel was [13:06] becoming a fight for survival. [13:09] So, while continuing to teach, [13:12] Esther joined the Haganah, [13:14] the Jewish defense force that would [13:16] later become the Israel Defense Forces, [13:19] today's IDF. [13:22] Then came 1948. [13:25] As war engulfed the newborn nation of [13:27] Israel, [13:28] Esther left the classroom and became a [13:30] full-time defender of Jerusalem. [13:33] Disguised as a teacher, she slipped into [13:36] the Jewish quarter of the old city [13:39] carrying food, water, ammunition, and [13:42] hope to the isolated defenders. When the [13:45] shelling became too intense to move [13:48] between positions, [13:49] she picked up a rifle and joined the [13:51] battle herself. [13:54] During the fighting, an explosion [13:56] shattered her spine. [13:58] But, even then, witnesses remembered [14:01] that Esther remained calm. [14:03] She spoke with those around her. She [14:06] read from her Bible. [14:08] She prayed. [14:09] Two days later, on May 29th, 1948, [14:13] Esther Cailingold died from her wounds. [14:16] She was just 24 years old. [14:19] Today, Esther Cailingold rests at Mount [14:22] Herzl in Jerusalem [14:24] among Israel's fallen heroes. [14:28] On Purim, [14:29] we remember Queen Esther's courage in [14:32] saving the Jewish people. [14:33] And we also remember that throughout [14:36] history, [14:37] God has continued to raise up men and [14:39] women willing to stand in faith when [14:42] their people needed them the most. [14:44] Esther Cailingold never wore a crown, [14:47] but like the biblical Esther before her, [14:50] she reminds us that courage, faith, and [14:53] sacrifice can change history. [14:57] And that [music] even in the darkest [14:58] moments, [14:59] God is still shining his light [15:02] and writing his story through ordinary [15:05] people who answer his call. [15:13] >> I'll tell you another thing about the [15:14] book of Esther [music] that a lot of [15:15] people don't realize. God isn't [15:18] mentioned in it even once. Did you know [15:21] that? [15:22] Look around. God's name isn't there. [15:25] The whole story is about God's [15:28] providence and his miraculous salvation, [15:32] but technically, God isn't in the story. [15:34] Not at all. Not even once. His name is [15:38] not mentioned, and that isn't a mistake. [15:42] The fact that God's name is missing from [15:44] the story only emphasizes his presence [15:48] on every page. Hidden, but there in [15:52] every line. [15:54] Unlike other miracles like the splitting [15:56] of the Red Sea, the miracle of Purim was [16:00] a hidden miracle. [16:02] And by leaving God's name out of the [16:04] story, we learn that just because we [16:05] can't see God clearly in black and [16:08] white, doesn't mean that he's not there. [16:12] Sometimes it might seem like God isn't [16:13] with us, like it did to the Jews in the [16:16] Purim story. But no matter how things [16:18] may seem, God is always here. And if we [16:22] look closely enough, we can find him. [16:25] I love how this idea is demonstrated in [16:27] Song of Solomon 2:9. [16:30] It says, "My beloved is like a gazelle [16:33] or a young stag. Look, there he stands [16:36] behind our wall, gazing through the [16:38] windows, peering through the lattice." [16:41] I just love that imagery. God is always [16:44] here with us, watching us, loving us, [16:48] gazing at us, and doing miracles on our [16:51] behalf. He loves us. He wants what's [16:53] best for us. He's just [music] hidden. [17:02] Shalom, my friends, from here in my [17:05] kitchen, and welcome [music] as we [17:07] celebrate the holiday of Purim together. [17:10] This festive, [music] fun, exciting [17:13] holiday that we celebrate as a family [17:15] and joy and celebration. [music] [17:18] And it's really one of my favorite [17:20] holidays because Megillat Esther, the [17:22] Book of Esther, reads kind of like a [17:25] Shakespeare play with high drama and [17:28] three [music] [17:29] main characters. The two Jewish [17:32] characters, Mordecai and Queen Esther, [17:35] who saved the Jewish people, [17:37] and the wicked [music] evil Haman. And [17:40] that brings us to the special food that [17:42] we eat on Purim called Haman Taschen. [17:45] These are cookies that we eat to [17:48] symbolize the defeat of Haman. [17:51] Haman tried to destroy the Jews, and in [17:55] the end he ended up being destroyed. And [17:57] so we make these special cookies to show [18:00] how he was defeated. Now, the Book of [18:04] Esther is an amazing book to read, and [18:06] it's so relevant for these days because [18:09] it reminds us that sometimes when it [18:11] feels like you're all alone, like [18:13] there's despair, there's no hope in [18:16] sight, it makes you realize that God is [18:19] there with [music] you. There is no such [18:22] thing as despair. [18:24] And it gives me faith as I read the [18:27] words of the Book of Esther that [18:29] everything will turn around for the [18:31] good. [music] I am never alone. [18:34] In the Book of Esther, we see that God's [18:36] name [music] isn't mentioned even once. [18:39] You know what the word Esther means in [18:42] Hebrew? [music] [18:43] It means hidden. [18:45] What Queen Esther and the Book of Esther [18:48] and the story of Purim is telling us is [18:50] that even if God seems hidden, Esther, [18:55] hidden, [18:56] he's [snorts] there. [18:58] We are never alone. God never forsakes [19:02] us. [19:03] Every [music] single step of the way [19:06] he's with us. [19:12] >> We close with Bishop Paul Lanier. [19:17] >> So many of the [19:19] the most extraordinary revelation that [19:21] God [19:22] ever revealed to his people of Israel, [19:26] the most [19:27] fascinating miracles performed [19:31] before his children didn't even take [19:33] place in Israel, [19:36] but under some illegitimate authority in [19:39] a foreign land. I think about Esther, [19:40] Queen Esther. She fasted 3 days [19:44] in Persia or Iran. [19:48] 3 days, no food, no [19:50] water. She called for the people of God [19:52] to do this. To this fellowship family [19:55] who engages the glory of the Lord, and [19:57] you're a part of us. [20:00] We're doing this together. We are part [20:02] of what God is doing in the world [20:04] through Israel by [20:07] the International Fellowship of [20:08] Christians and Jews. I'm so grateful you [20:10] and I get to be a part of this. [20:13] Use us, oh God. Be pleased with our [20:15] offering. Be pleased with our lives. Be [20:17] pleased with our surrender. [20:20] There's no greater honor than to be used [20:22] by God. [20:25] We surrender. We submit. We thank you [20:27] now. [20:30] Amen. Amen. [20:32] >> [singing] [20:38] >> Thank you for joining us for Nourish [20:40] Your Biblical Roots. [20:41] Join us next time as we continue Holy [20:44] Days, Holy People. [20:47] >> [singing] [20:52] >> May God's blessings of shalom, peace, be [20:55] with you always.
