At the end of an 180-day feast, Achashverosh, the King of Persia-Media, banished (some say, executed) his wife Vashti for refusing to appear at his banquet. He then staged an elaborate beauty contest to find a new queen.

Esther lived with her cousin Mordechai in Shushan, the capital city. Because of her exceptional beauty, she was chosen for the contest and was eventually selected to be queen. Mordechai instructed her not to reveal her Jewish identity.

Achashverosh’s new Prime Minister, Haman, asked for, and received, permission to destroy the Jews. A royal edict was issued saying that on the 13th of Adar (a date chosen by lottery), the Jews in all 127 provinces were to be killed and their property kept as plunder.

Mordechai told Esther of the plot and asked her to seek mercy from the king. Esther, after first hesitating, agreed, but requested that all the Jews fast for three days and repent for their sins, while praying for the heavenly decree against them to be reversed.

Esther, welcomed by Achashverosh, simply requested that Achashverosh and Haman join her for a private feast – at which she requested that the three of them return for a second feast on the next day. After the first feast, Haman went home and built gallows on which to hang Mordechai.

That night, Achashverosh instructed Haman to reward Mordechai for revealing an assassination plot, by immediately leading him through town, dressed in royal robes, on the royal steed.

At her second feast, in front of Haman, Esther explained to the king that Haman’s evil plan was to kill all the Jews, including herself. Haman and his 10 sons were hanged, and Mordechai became Prime Minister.

The Jews celebrated with great feasts, and Esther and Mordechai codified all the practices of Purim for future generations: the reading of the Megillah, the festive meal, gifts of food and charity to the poor.

This year, Purim will be celebrated on Thursday evening, March 13th and Friday, March 14th. For members of the Jewish community residing in cities such as Jerusalem that have the distinction that they were identified as “walled cities” during the time of Joshua, the festival is celebrated two days later, on “Shushan Purim,” Saturday evening, March 15th and Sunday, March 16th.

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