Глава 10

1–3. Conclusion of the book. 7th Addendum to the Book: Explanation of Mordecai's Dream (after verse 3) Esther 10:1. Then King Artaxerxes imposed taxes on the land and on the islands of the sea. Esther 10:2. However, all the works of his strength and power and a detailed testimony about the greatness of Mordecai, with whom the king exalted him, are written in the book of daily records of the kings of Media and Persia, Esther 10:3. as well as the fact that Mordecai the Judean was second after King Artaxerxes and great among the Jews and beloved among many of his brothers, for he sought the good of his people and spoke for the good of his entire tribe. Esther 10:1–3, promising to continue the story of Artaxerxes after Esther, suddenly breaks off with a simple reference to the annals of the kings of Media and Persia, where all this is described, as well as everything connected with the name of Mordecai. It is possible that the author of the book took his narrative from these chronicles, cutting it off with such a clause where it was no longer necessary and forging it better to suit the tastes of Jewish readers. Esther 10:3a. [And Mordecai said, This was of God, Esther 10_3b For I remembered the dream that I had about these events; there was nothing left unfulfilled in him. Esther 10_3c The little spring became a river, and there was light and sun and abundance of water: this river is Esther, whom the king took as his wife and made him queen. Esther 10_3d And the two serpents are me and Haman; Esther 10_3е) nations are those who have gathered to destroy the name of the Jews; Esther 10_3f and my people are the Israelites who cried out to God and were saved. And the Lord saved His people, and the Lord delivered us from all these evils, and God performed great signs and wonders, such as had never happened among the pagans. Esther 10_3g Thus God appointed two lots: one for the people of God, and the other for all the Gentiles, Esther 10_3h And these two lots came out at the hour and time and at the day of judgment before God and all the Gentiles. Esther 10_3ï) And the Lord remembered His people and justified His inheritance. Esther 10_3k And these days of the month of Adar, on the fourteenth and fifteenth days of this month, will be celebrated with triumph and joy and gladness before God for ever and ever among His people Israel. Esther.10_3l In the fourth year of the reign of Ptolemy and Cleopatra, Dositheus, who is said to have been a priest and a Levite, and Ptolemy his son, brought to Alexandria this message about Purim, which they say was interpreted by Lysimachus, the son of Ptolemy, who was in Jerusalem.] The Greek text gives a special 7th addition to this, offering in it an explanation of Mordecai’s dream given at the beginning of the book (see 1st addition - Esther 1:0), which becomes quite understandable after describing this entire story, which served as the basis for the establishment of the holiday of Purim. The explanation of the dream is learned by Mordecai himself, who remembered this dream based on its justification by the events that took place. The addition consists of a mention of familiarization with the circumstances of the establishment of Purim for the Egyptian Jews through a special “message,” by which one can mean the book of Esther itself, in more or less close to the present form. This acquaintance took place a hundred years after the book was written, during the joint reign of Ptolemy XII and his sister and wife, the famous Cleopatra (52–30 BC). The holiday of Purim (2Mak 15.37) Μαρδοχαϊκῆ ἡμέρα - “day of Mordecai”) is still celebrated with special solemnity in synagogues on the 13th Adar; the eve of the holiday is a day of fasting. In the evening of this day, the holiday itself begins - with the reading of the entire book of Esther. At the same time, the reader recites very quickly the passage of Esther 9.7–9, where the names of Haman and his sons are given, as far as possible - without taking a breath, to indicate that they were all hanged together. At this time, those present make an unimaginable noise, as with every proclamation of the name of Haman, thereby showing the full severity of their indignation. On the morning of the 14th of Adar, the reading is repeated, and the evening of the day is spent in great fun. To this day, a custom is also observed - the exchange of mutual gifts, and certainly a special form of poppy seed cakes, known under the name “Gamana ear”. The time for celebrating Purim usually falls on the last days of February or the first of March, making it like a Jewish Maslenitsa. You might be interested in: