Shabbat Messages

I hope this doesn’t sound blasphemous, but the Torah is not my favorite part of the Hebrew Bible, which in Hebrew is called the Tanach, and I will tell you why. 

The Tanach consists of three sections: 

1. The Torah - which begins with the creation of the world, includes the stories of our patriarchs and matriarchs; tells the stories of the Exodus, the receiving of the Ten Commandments and the Israelites’ journey across the desert; lists most of our mitzvot, and ends with the death of Moses.

2. The Prophets (Nevi’im)- which begins with story of Joshua leading the Israelites into the Promised Land, includes the stories of King Saul, King David and King Solomon, as well as the kings that followed them; plus, the writings of our 12 prophets, including Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel.

3. And then we have The Writings (Ketuvim) – an anthology of eleven short books containing a diversity of literature containing poetry, history, philosophy, mysticism, and short stories. 

The Writings are beautifully unique in that each book depicts different and sometimes even opposing Jewish points of view about God, faith, identity, survival, relationships, wisdom, and purpose. 

They explore profound questions such as what constitutes a meaningful life and how do we understand tragedy, death, and suffering.

In other words, The Writings offer insights into the human condition. Into our condition. No matter what it might be, no matter what we are going through, The Writings have something to say to us.

If you’re grieving, read Lamentations.

If you’re in love, read Song of Songs.

If you’re afraid, grateful, need help or comfort, read Psalms.

If you’re questioning God, read Job.

If you’re seeking wisdom on how to live, read Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.

And if you need courage, read the Book of Esther. 

Today we are celebrating Purim, and the story of a minority Jewish population living in a Diaspora of non-Jews seems more relevant than ever. 

We know this story well. Esther was an assimilated Jewish Persian young woman that nobody knew was Jewish. In fact, she may have been always hiding her identity, since her Uncle Mordecai advises her not to reveal this information when she is summoned to the palace. This suggests that being a Jew at that time was not particularly safe.

How many of us, our college students, or family and friends have taken off our Jewish star necklaces, removed the mezuzahs from our doorposts, and even removed or covered our kippot (yarmulkes) in order to feel safe?

In the Purim story, a powerful, popular politician meets one Jew that he doesn’t like and decides that he hates all Jews and they must be destroyed. This irrational hatred is accepted unquestioningly not just by other leaders, but also by the military and the general population.

In January 2025, the ADL reported that global antisemitism surged 340% in the past two years, and today, nearly half of all people worldwide hold elevated levels of antisemitic attitudes. Most of these people have never even met a Jew.

In the Purim story, one woman takes her life into her hands to speak up and reveal her Jewish identity in an attempt to save herself and her people. She confronts her oppressor and forcefully accuses him of his heinous crimes, naming and shaming him. When Esther takes that step, she has no idea what the consequences will be, but she understands that she can longer remain silent. Silence will result in disaster. Mustering the courage to stand up and speak out is the only chance of salvation.

We have learned that standing up, speaking out, naming our enemies, and claiming our Jewish identity, heritage, history, and values in the face of hatred and lies, are the best weapons we have. During the Spanish Inquisition, in the Warsaw Ghetto, and after October 7, despite our fears and our suffering, we Jews have defiantly remained true to who we are and what we believe.

At the end of the Purim story, the Jews of Persia attack their enemies and defend themselves.

When all else fails, this too, is an option. Because we live in the real world and we have made a vow: Never Again.

These are just some of the messages in the Book of Esther. There are many more, and this book is just one of eleven in The Writings, my absolute favorite section of the Tanach. But you probably figured that out by now.

Shabbat Shalom and Happy Purim.
Susan