The Queen You Thought You Knew

by David Fohrman

The Book of Esther can easily masquerade as a child's tale. There's a villain out to hang Mordechai and murder his countrymen; a king who enjoys drinking; and a beautiful and noble queen. There are assassins, palace intrigue and a climactic battle scene -- and a happy ending, to boot. What more could you ask for in a good child's story?

The holiday associated with the book can seem child-like, too. Purim is celebrated with costumes, carnivals, and abundant merriment. Kids dress up as Esther, Mordechai, Haman and Achashveirosh, wearing plastic hats and cellophane scepters. Purim is the great holiday of make-believe.

All this make believe, though, can have unintended consequences. Chief among them is the fact that many of us are likely to remain with childlike views of Purim and the Megillah long after we've turned adults. Our perspective upon Mordechai and Esther and their struggle can easily remain as one-dimensional as the face paint we use to impersonate these people in costume.

In this book, Rabbi Fohrman invites the reader to look at the Book of Esther with fresh eyes; to join him, as it were, on a guided adventure -- a close reading of the ancient biblical text. In so doing, he reveals another Purim story; a richer, deeper narrative -- more suited perhaps, to the eyes ofan adult than to a child. As layers of meaning are gradually revealed, Esther's hidden story comes alive in a vibrant, unexpected way -- offering the reader a fascinating and stirring encounter with the queen whose costume they wore as children -- the queen they thought they knew.

Genres: Judaism, Nonfiction, Christian, Jewish, History, Theology, Spirituality

162 pages, Hardcover

First published February 15, 2011

About the author

Rabbi David Fohrman lectures internationally on Biblical themes. He heads the Curriculum Initiative of the Areivim Philanthropic Group, and directs the Hoffberger Institute for Text Study. He currently resides in Woodmere, NY with his wife and children, where he also serves as resident scholar at the Young Israel of Woodmere. Rabbi Fohrman's first book, The Beast that Crouches at the Door, was a finalist for the 2007 National Jewish Book Award. In earlier years, Rabbi Fohrman served as a senior editor and writer for ArtScroll's Schottenstein Edition of the Talmud, and taught Biblical themes at the Johns Hopkins University. His recorded lectures are available at rabbifohrman.com.

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

"When we were young, we built with little colored blocks; as we matured, so did our ideas about architecture. When we were young, we counted with our fingers; as we matured, so did our ideas about mathematics. Well, when we were young, we also learned about the Bible. But did we ever allow our ideas to mature, or are we stuck with the same six-year-old view we had when we were playing with colored blocks and counting on our fingers?"

Fascinating read about the book of Esther which made me feel very much like a six-year-old at times. It presented new ideas about the significance of the narrative structure of and details within the book of Esther. Reading it as a Christian, I also benefited from learning about Jewish traditions surrounding the holiday of Purim, the Hebrew language, and traditional rabbinical commentaries/writings on Esther. Since Fohrman is a rabbi, there are obviously no Christological types presented, but it is an insightful look at the book of Esther which I would highly recommend.

[Becker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the way that Rabbi David Fohrman thinks and teaches, mixing his deep love and respect for the Text and the rabbinic tradition with wonder and willingness to experiment/theorize and see where it leads.
In this book, he begins by pointing out all of the oddities in the Megilla that we often overlook or ignore and asks numerous questions (an almost overwhelming amount), which he then seeks to answer and tie together as the book goes on. It’s an exciting and impactful read that I would recommend to anyone (especially those whose understanding of the book of Esther started and ended in Sunday school)!

[Matt Burchard · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s a missed opportunity, I think, in studying the Bible when we are so hasty to figure everything out and put it into the right box. We forget sometimes to just breathe in a story and wonder “why’s it like that?”

Like, why are there three extra chapters at the end of Esther after the climactic second banquet? Why is the Jewish festival that celebrates the events in Esther named after the lots thrown by Haman to figure out what day the Jews would die? Why does Esther invite the king to not one but two feasts before asking for what she wants? Why does the king call out his first wife before the feast in chapter one? We’re so used to hearing it that we forget that it’s just kind of … odd.

Taking this approach, Fohrman is able to draw out here some of the subtext we may miss by showcasing some crucial context and a bit of the underlying Hebrew. Honestly, I can’t even say more because he does such a brilliant job that I don’t want to spoil his fun. Suffice it to say, there’s more here than meets the eye.

Anyway - fun read, 3.5 stars that I’m rounding up because I finished it so fast.

[evelina april · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

wow. i will never be able to read the book of Esther the way i’ve read it before. this book reveals so much more depth and meaning behind every word, and every detail described in the story.

although this is the only book in the Bible that doesn’t mention “God” directly, the correlation and significance the story has with the other books of the Bible is easily missed but so impactful. sometimes reading Esther, it looks like it was randomly added to the Old Testament, this book shows the story in a completely new light.

incredibly thankful to Marty Solomon from the Bema Podcast, who raved about all of Rabbi David Fohrman’s teaching and books!

[Rain Lemming · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great little book to chew on Esther, Purim, and ultimately (not addressed by Rabbi Fohrman obviously) the sociopolitical backdrop that lead to the cross. I found it very illuminating and the first commentary on the subject that addressed the awkward way in which Esther seems to end before it ends. Excellent read.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Presents some interesting theories about the motives of the various characters in the book of Esther. Appreciated the explanations about culture and history as well. This is the only book I've ever read about the Bible that wasn't written by a Christian, which felt kind of weird at times.

[Milina Kazlouski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this was so good!

Definitely recommend this book to everyone! I love how simple the language was yet how profound the thoughts and points were. It's interesting because when you read Esther, you probably read it as a story that has an introduction, climax, and then a resolution...at least that's how I read it. Which, theres nothing wrong with that. But when you approach it from a different lens, so much more is revealed to us.
The author takes us through the book of Esther through a Hebrew lens. By the end, I was shocked at how intentional every little detail was and how the puzzle pieces created a larger picture. I will never read Esther the same. READ IT!

[Marty Solomon · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are two things that I absolutely love about the teaching of Rabbi Fohrman and I found them to be delightfully present in his writing here (which I found to my surprise was my favorite forms of his teaching for me).

First, Fohrman has a dedication to help return the reader to a fascination and fixation on the Text. While much of Judaism finds itself dedicated to the preservation of the rabbinic traditions (and wonderfully so, I might add), Fohrman draws us back to the ancient words themselves helping us to wrestle within the Text and teaching us how to interact with the Tanakh itself. While he remains resolutely committed to his teaching being driven by the rabbinic teachers, Fohrman has helped me fall back in love with Tanakh and is one of the few teachers that is just masterful with the biblical Text alone.

Second, Fohrman's teaching is absolutely delicious in it's ability to ask an enormous set of questions on the front end, almost so that the reader is overwhelmed, and then leads you on a slow journey to answer those questions, one by one. As you approach the end of this journey, the teaching flies to life with a profound new perspective on a story that you were quite familiar with.

Fohrman will create a renewed hunger and wonder for the narratives of Tanakh.

[Sarede Switzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read!! I had no idea what to expect as this book was lent to me by a friend. Was definitely enlightening and uncovered many layers to the story of Purim I had never heard before. I'm excited to read other works of his.

[Josiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rabbi Fohrman can, at times, seem long winded and take his blessed time getting to a point. However, in my perspective, despite the simplicity of his writing, his intentionality is superbly controlled in developing a train of thought that ultimately is much more than a climax. Fohrman does what God has set to do. He challenges us to ask questions of ourselves and of Him. As a result, conclusion isn't simply satisfying knowledge. Conclusion of the matter is a deepened harmonious relationship that is furthered compelled with meaning and purpose. As a Gentile Believer, my place and significance is further enhanced to understand the duality at work in scripture carrys on to this day with impactful and thought compelling outcomes. Namely, my familial obligation to the older sibling Israel and world around me. This book has indeed sparked a whirlwind of psychological, philosophical and personal ruminations that remove my faith from the walls of belief to the streets of learning.

[Marsha Altman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I mean, come on. I know it's expensive to hire editors, but if you're a publishing company, you should still put some effort into it.

The author has a couple interesting ideas about the Esther story, the kind that he could work into a decent dvar Torah, not a book. In order to get to his various thesises, he has to ignore both the Rabbinic tradition (which he's clearly aware of but choosing to ignore because it would be too contradictory and problematic) and our basic knowledge of historical circumstances in the ancient Near East, which he either doesn't know anything about or is choosing to ignore entirely. He tries to examine the events through the lens of political science, but he doesn't know anything about political science, so it's all sort of embarrassing. He's reading things into the text that are clearly not there, which again, you can get away with as part of a sermon, but not as part of a printed book people are going to read and think about.

[Samuel Barrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book after listening to Rabbi Fohrman's teaching on the Meguilla on A Book like No Other. There are so many layers in this story, just in this book, and even more with his later work with the tree of life. The Meguilla is such a fascinating story with much more to be discovered

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story in the story

The BEMA podcast recommended this book and I’m so glad I read it. The Bible has so many layers and I’m grateful scholars have put in the work and research for lay people like me.

[Dorothy Hartley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will be shifting into rabbi-exclusive bible commentary henceforth. Yes please

[Michelle Smart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely, literally breath-taking. This book has changed my relationship with the word of God. Rabbi Fohrman's insights are shared in approachable language, and I read the entire book in one sitting.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will say something for Rabbi David Fohrman, he sure brings a fresh perspective and fresh questions to the biblical text. Like his book "The Exodus You Almost Passed Over," this blessedly short book brings a bunch of fresh questions to the book of Esther that help the reader illuminate and understand the text in a deeper way. Here is one example. Why does Ahasuerus, in the midst of a drunken party for his entire nation, decide to parade Vashti, his queen, before all the people? Is he just extra drunk and wants to show off his hot wife? Make everyone else jealous?

Mr. Fohrman doesn't think so. He writes:

If the king is a symbolic embodiment of his country, what is the Queen? The queen is the feminine embodiment of her country. In the external form of her persona, in her beauty, grace, and radiance, reside the beauty, grace, and radiance of an entire people. In Achashveirosh’s case, his queen is Mother Persia. And at the culmination of his final party, he is showing off the final, most grandiose, most impressive, symbol of his new empire - the beauty of Persia, embodied in the beauty of his queen, Vashti. Yes, the king is tipsy from the wine - and yes, he is objectifying his wife, treating her more as an object of beauty than as a person. But this objectification serves a political purpose, too. This is not an ordinary man showing off his girl to other men. This is an affair of state, presided over by the king’s cabinet. The queen, as object of beauty, is almost like a statue -a statue of the new Persia. We have a statue like that in modern times, too, right here in the United States, a female statue that embodies the aspirations, values, nobility, and beauty of our people; a statue that boldly and elegantly invites poor, huddled masses to find shelter beneath her outstretched arm. That statue strikes a resonant chord for most Americans. It means something to them. Americans do not think it strange to harbor a visceral, emotional attachment to Lady Liberty.

In short, Mr. Fohrman argues that Ahasuerus does this as a political act of unity. All of the officials will go back to their 127 provinces and talk about the great Persian Empire and its wealth and officials, even the lady that represents Mother Persia! This will help keep his very diverse and widely scattered empire together. This makes a lot more sense to me than to just say that Ahasuserus drunkenly decides to parade his wife for all to see.

Mr. Fohrman makes a fascinating argument for how Mordecai and Esther overcame the decree of the king that all of the Jews should be killed on a certain day. I won't reproduce his argument—you can read that for yourself—but I will quote his statement of the dilemma: "What good is writing anything when the authorization for a pogrom to destroy you is set in stone?"

Finally, there is a fascinating look at the word "pur" which meant "lots." Haman cast lots to see when the Jews would be destroyed. "Why," Mr. Fohrman asks, "would you name a celebration after the object that was used to plan your destruction?" He has an answer which reaches back to the book of Numbers in a rather obscure passage, but I have to say, he makes a pretty compelling argument.

He writes: "To sum up: Esther had initially focused all her energy on annulling the first decree. But the more she pressed, the less successful she was. In the end, she was able to achieve victory only by both “affirming” and “annulling” - or, more precisely, by “affirming” the second decree, as a way of “annulling first one. In the prophetic words of the Book of Numbers: Isha yekimenu v’isha yepheirena A woman will affirm it; a woman will annul it."

Mr. Fohrman makes a connection between Moredecai and Esther at the end of the book of Esther and Judah and Benjamin back at the time of the great famine in Egypt and the Promised Land. You would think that he is stretching to make this connection, but he certainly made a good enough argument to convince me. What is his point? Well, you'll have to read the book for that, but hint: Moredecai and Esther were of the tribe of Benjamin.

This is an excellent book.

[Michael Lewyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This speculative but fascinating (to me) book addresses a variety of interesting questions about the Book of Esther. For example:
1. The book begins with some seemingly bizarre behavior by the King of Persia. He holds a six-month long party, and asks his wife to parade herself before various noblemen. Rabbi Forhman speculates on how this might have made sense. He asks us to assume that Persia's empire was decentralized enough that the king needed to impress provincial leaders with the magnificence of his empire, and that he wanted the queen to show her beauty and grace in order to be a living example of the empire's magnificence, a kind of human statute so to speak.
2. Why is Esther at first afraid to tell the king that she is Jewish and to ask the king to protect the Jews from Haman's plot to exterminate them? Since she didn't tell the king about her ancestry, part of her appeal was that she represented the Empire as a whole, not any particular province or group. If she revealed herself as a special pleader for one group, the king might get annoyed - perhaps annoyed enough to terminate her.
3. Why does Esther instead invite the king and Haman to dinner (twice!) before revealing her true agenda? By bringing Haman into their relationship she is giving the king a chance to be jealous of Haman, which will make her more receptive once she attacks the latter.
4. Why does Mordecai (with the king's permission) give the Jews permission to defend themselves? Since the Jews were presumably no better-armed than anyone else, what good did that do? This edict, Rabbi Forhman suggests, was not aimed at the Jews themselves so much as at local nobles and police, hinting that the king was on the Jews' side after all. Similarly, Mordecai parades in royal dress through the streets of Shushan- not as a celebration, but as a message that the king was on the Jews' side. Esther gets the king to have Haman's sons hanged, as another part of this giant bluff.
5. Why is Purim named after the lots Haman cast to exterminate the Jews? Rabbi Fohrman suggests it isn't. He notes that in Biblical Hebrew, "pur" means "annul" and the activities of Esther and Mordecai annulled the king's decree.
6. Why does the Book of Esther repeatedly mention that Mordecai and Esther were of the tribe of Benjamin? In Genesis, the children of Leah and the children of her sister Rachel do not get along. But by the days of the Persian Empire, the leading remaining tribes were Benjamin (the last "Rachel" tribe) and Judah (Leah). (There's also the tribe of Levi, which has no role in the story). So by saving Yehudim (as Jews are referred to in Esther) these Benjaminites are healing the Rachel/Leah breach.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes. This is a book. Short, exciting, well-written, and insightful. And as corny as the title of course, but I mean it wouldn't be David Fohrman without that.

In this short little book, Fohrman does his thing and asks the odd questions. Why are there so many chapters after Haman is dispatched? What's up with all the stuff about Mordecai's greatness at the end? Why does Esther invite the king to two feasts instead of just coming out and asking? Why Purim named after the Lots Haman throws? Why does Haman accuse the Jews of having their own customs when everyone in the Persian empire had their own customs? Fohrman asks these questions and answers them in a way that doesn't just see answers but looks for the beating hearts of the characters caught up in an extremely politically charged situation. Esther begins as the fascinating Miss Anonymous, ready to be Mother Persia and to forget her past. The drama is whether she can preserve that role while asking for her own people's salvation. I also loved how he used jujitsu metaphors.

I don't always agree with everything Fohrman says, and Fohrman's arguments for intertextuality with Numbers are perhaps not as persuasive, but he pays such close attention to the text and what's going on that I don't care. And maybe it's true: he does find some absolutely fascinating wordplay parallels.

However, the last chapter is an amazing doozy. I won't spoil anything, but I will say I am totally convinced and it's worth the price of admission. If you're in Moscow, I have two copies and I'm happy to lend one to you. Best of all, he promises more books. I hope to buy each one.

[Garrett Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!!
One of my favorite things to do now, as a Christian, is to read commentary on Old Testament texts strictly from a Jewish perspective. This is one of those books and it does not disappoint.

While I won't spoil it (can a book about a book have spoilers?) I will say that the depth of analysis that Fohrman goes into is really eye opening. The amount of history and context he injects into the story make things click together more profoundly than just a surface level reading.

While some of his thoughts are clearly educated guesses based on history, rather than a strict reading of the text, he does an excellent job of justifying those positions in my opinion. However, he truly shines when he connects passages of Esther, to other parallels passages in the OT. All I can say is, the connections that he makes not only provides an incredible depth to this story, but also causes one to marvel at the depth of God's word when someone really starts digging.
READ THIS BOOK. It's short, but impactful, just like Esther.

[Yana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great little booklet shedding new light on the story of Esther. Fohrman illuminates the rather complicated political intrigue at the heart of the story, explaining some otherwise strange behavior on the part of the characters and deciphering some rather cryptic quotations. The best part comes last, when Fohrman draws connections between the name Purim and the annulment of vows from Numbers, and especially when showing the "echoes" of the Joseph saga in Esther and the larger themes of tribal strife in Israel along with the way Esther is a reversal or fulfilment of the Judah-Benjamin drama in Genesis.

It was great exegesis and accesibly presented, even though I would have preferred a more scholarly treatment. I think the book suffered from trying to be too accesible, getting bogged down in analogies and repetitions.

Overall a fine little treatment of Esther - I would definitely read the sequel too, as I do believe the author is onto some real connections.

[Charles Krouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although somewhat speculative with his assertions, Rabbi Fohrman provides plenty of convincing evidence to support his claims. As usual, Fohrman engages the reader immediately in the first chapter by questioning many of the strange events and conversations that occur within the Book of Esther. He makes you wonder what's going on. Then, he proceeds to address those claims one-by-one. For example, Fohrman explains that "Purim" is traditionally named after the lots that Haman cast; however, it makes no sense to name a holiday after the weapon that your enemy is using to destroy you. Fohrman provides a much more compelling reason for why the Jewish holiday is called "Purim." He also points out the obscure references in Torah that Mordecai uses to appeal to Esther, and likewise the references to Genesis that Esther uses to appeal to the King. Overall, a thought-provoking book that I enjoyed.

[Christopher Good · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seven or eight out of ten.

(Yes, this is the first book I finished this year . . . )

Fascinating. And very concise - though not without a little wit. Fohrman's conclusions are not unassailable, but they are presented convincingly; the man is incredibly well versed in Biblical language and culture.

I did find myself wishing he weren't restricted to the Old Covenant as I wonder what he would see in the story of Esther from the other side of the cross.

I'd recommend this book. At 154 pages, it's not a huge investment, and it's great perspective.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was recommended by a professor I admire. Fohrman makes many good connections from the story of the Tanach, reinforcing my love for this epic work.
In addition to the juvenile style and badly edited prose, however, I am also thoroughly tired of sentence openers like As we now see, We have now discovered, and It is obvious to us now. Is this something new from modern writers, used whether the phrase is true or not?

[Sarah Curry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always loved the story of Esther, I even named my daughter after her. But through tear filled eyes I became increasingly proud to have given my daughter this name. I knew she was patient and brave... but I had no idea the depths of her wisdom, creativity, understanding of scripture, and scripture. Rabbi Fohrman, thank you for the gift of this teaching. Thank you for helping us see the reconciliation work of Esther here. This book was just incredible.

[Peter Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fascinating. One of the most thought provoking books I’ve read this year. Esther quickly becomes more than a children’s story.

Especially insightful is the connection of the story of Benjamin / joesph / Judah with mordecai & Esther as Benjaminites risking their life for “Judeans.”

Esther 4:16 & Genesis 43:14.

Read this book. Only takes 1 or 2 sittings easily.

[Christian Ott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible. Absolutely incredible. Just phenomenal textual analysis that leads to practical teaching and instruction. Leaving me with a ton of thoughts to wrestle through about how God longs to see us bring reconciliation to our own families (literal and metaphorical).

I am recommending this to anyone and everyone!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve watched Rabbi Forhman’s videos with Aleph Beta, and this book follows his familiar structure of text analysis and finding connections— something I never tire of! I want to share this book with everyone at my shul this Purim! I came away with a wholly new understanding of the Purim story. Fantastic reading!

[Karinne Caisse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an eye opening read about the story of Esther. This book reveals a larger story that I've missed entirely through my many reads, and fills the story with so much more depth and beauty than it already possessed. Context and language are everything. Fohrman's writing style is easy to read but no less profound.

[Michael Kareithi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional book!!

Every time I read a book by Rabbi Fohrman, I always come to the realization that I know nothing! After reading this book, it's once again so. I thought I knew the Megillah, oh boy, I'm even ashamed to say that I ever read it. Thank you Rabbi for bringing out the deeper beauty of the Torah

[Zachary Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This the second of Rabbi Fohrman’s books that I’ve read and it was just as mind-blowing as the first. Esther is one of my favorite books and this book just added layers and layers to why I love it.

I can only imagine this being even more meaningful to those who are Jewish and can look back on their people’s long and complicated history.