BS: Today's Holiday-March 17-Ta'anit Esther

Subject: BS: Today's Holiday-March 17-Ta'anit Esther
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 17 Mar 03 - 11:07 AM

Today in the Jewish calendar is Ta'anit Esther, the Fast of Esther, the day before Purim.

It is based on the Book of Esther: On Purim, Esther the Queen went before the King and pleaded with him to change from the course of action suggested by his evil adviser. The day before, in anxiety and prayer that her entreaties would be successful, she fasted, and she asked her people to fast and pray with her. They did so, which is the origin of today*s fast day of Ta'anit Esther.

She was successful in swaying the King from his obsessions, which was accounted a miracle of divine intervention.

We could use a miracle like that today in the United States.

Subject: RE: BS: Today's Holiday-March 17-Ta'anit Esther
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 Mar 03 - 10:37 PM

We could use that sort of hero in a lot of places in today's world, if you think about it....

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Today's Holiday-March 17-Ta'anit Esther
From: Blackcatter
Date: 18 Mar 03 - 02:42 AM

Remember that on the 13th of Adar, Jews across the kingdom assembled and, before the Babylonians could attack, the Jews attacked and killed thousands of the Babylonians, including Haman's 10 evil sons who were hanged from a tree.

This was also allowed by the God of the Jews and was probably the first story of a "pre-emptive strike."

The Old Testament has several instances of "hey, we believe that those people are going to destroy us Jews, so we will destroy them to protect ourselves."

Subject: RE: BS: Today's Holiday-March 17-Ta'anit Esther
From: Troll
Date: 18 Mar 03 - 05:17 AM

Happy Purim.

troll

Subject: RE: BS: Today's Holiday-March 17-Ta'anit Esther
From: Forum Lurker
Date: 18 Mar 03 - 10:51 AM

BLackcatter-You will note, however, that the Jews did not do this until authority to do so had been passed down from the secular athourities, namely the king. God is not mentioned anywhere within the Book of Esther. And it was Persians, not Babylonians.

Subject: RE: BS: Today's Holiday-March 17-Ta'anit Esther
From: Blackcatter
Date: 18 Mar 03 - 10:56 AM

Sorry, I mis-spoke, but the point is that this is exactly the attitude of President Bush and a pretty scary story when you look at the whole story. And while God is not mentioned, I doubt any Orthodox Jew would say that G-d did not approve it's occurance.

pax yall