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Far fewer people know about the Old Testament, the Jewish roots of American liberty, but they should. Here's Dr. Stuart Halpern, who also happens to be a rabbi, co-author of the phenomenal book, Jewish Roots. of American liberty. with the story of how a Persian queen Changed America forever.
This might be surprising, but the character from the Bible, Who hung out in ancient Persia at the beginning of the fifth century BCE, has been a constant source of wisdom in America. But Queen Esther has been exactly that. She worked no miracles and commanded no armies. She was not Moses splitting the sea. She was not David in charge of an entire army.
not receiving tablets on top of a mountain. Rather Esther was, if I could dare to say. Just like you and me. All of us find ourselves in those moments in our lives. where we are forced to make a choice.
Do we choose to do what's right? Or do we choose to do what is comfortable, what is easy? King Xerxes you might recognize him as the bad guy in the movie 300. Was looking for a replacement wife after his earlier wife separated from her head.
So this new queen was selected through the process of involuntary beauty contests of young women being ripped from their homes and forced to spend a night with the tyrannical monarch. whoever won in scare quotes would be his new lawfully wedded bride.
Now, a young woman whose Israelite name was Hadassah. was taken from the warm home of her cousin Mordecai. They were both living as Israelites as Jews in the Persian Empire in the city of Susa. But when she's taken by the court officials to participate in this who wants to be the next queen contest, Mordechai, tells her don't let anyone know that you urge. And so Hadassah, going by her Persian name Esther, Eventually, she finds herself spending a night with the king, and wouldn't you know it, she is selected as the new queen of the realm.
The whole time, no one knows her secret Jewish identity. And as the biblical tale progresses, an evil vizier named Haman rises to power, and Haman takes a disliking to Mordecai, Esther's cousin, and decrees. That Mordecai and all his co-religionists, the Jews, should be wiped out throughout the entire vast Persian Empire. They should all be killed. And so, seeing this crucial moment in the history of her people, Esther approaches King Xerxes, invites him and Haman to a party.
Then, after laying the groundwork for her political move, She invites them to a second party and it is there, once she has worked up the confidence, she reveals her secret Jewish identity and Xerxes understandably upset that someone would dare try to slay the queen and her co-religionists. X swiftly. and allows the Jews to defend themselves and to hang Haman on the gallows he had prepared to slay Mordecai on. That is the story of the Biblical Book of Esther. And that is a story celebrated by Jews across the globe to this day in the holiday of Purim.
Now, this story, this very Jewish story taking place in ancient Persia, about an unexpected young heroine who rises to the occasion courageously defending her people, risking her life to do so. Has actually been a source of inspiration even before it became known as the United States of America. In the years leading up to the revolution, the colonists wrestled with the ethics of whether it was okay to fight against the forces of King George III. Perhaps they wondered, this whole taxation without representation thing was not George's own ideas. Rather, it was the idea of his evil vizier, the Hamans that were in his ear giving him bad advice, telling him to oppress the colonists.
And so the colonies saw their own story as that of echoing biblical Israel in the book of Esther. They saw the Persian decree to allow for the genocide at the urging of Haman to be paralleling their own situation. They felt That Xerxes was King George III. He had by his side a veritable haman of his own that would oppress his ever loyal subject. And so over and over again, the colonists turn to the story to wrestle with the ethics.
Should they perhaps be like Mordecai and Esther, rising to the occasion in their own justifiable self-defense? And they, at first, tried to excuse the behavior of George III as being a little clueless, like Xerxes, who let Haman come up with the plot himself.
So, by way of example, upon the repeal of the Stamp Act in 1765, the Boston Gazette declared that whoever had suggested King George III enact such a law in the first place was, quote, as great an enemy as was wicked Haman to the Jews. Thomas Rees, a colonial preacher, thundered in a sermon, No principles of religion, virtue, or humanity can restrain the wretch whose ruling passion is the lust for power. King George III, like Xerxes, was too ready to believe evil of his subjects and to comply with the oppressive measures. of his Prime Minister. Another paper said like George III, the Persian king reigned over many distant provinces and was by his prime minister induced to oppress and take measures to destroy many of his subjects.
It was the prime ministers of England who were the haymans of their day. and George III, the clueless Persian monarch. This was not the end of Esther's story in America. She would continue to serve as a model of morality and courage, inspiring countless individuals to fight. for their people and to fight for a more free society.
In an influential eighteen thirty six pamphlet, Angelina Grimke urged fellow Southern white women to act like the Jewish queen. Arguing that the sin of slavery would lead to the moral destruction of all of American society, she encouraged her friends and colleagues to risk their own lives. as Esther had done to ensure the survival of their people. Is there no Esther among you? she asked rhetorically.
Read the history of this Persian queen. It is full of instruction. Years later, the legendary Sojourner Truth also quoted Esther in a pivotal women's rights rally in New York City. Surrounded by hecklers, the Address became known as the Mob Convention, but Sojourner Truth was undaunted. And what did she turn to?
What story could this woman turn to who could neither read nor write, who had been a slave for years? Where did she look for inspiration? the ancient story of Esther. There was a king in the scriptures, and then it was the kings of the earth would kill a woman if she came into their presence. But Queen Esther came forth.
for she was oppressed. Here we say Jerner Truth, hearkening to that biblical scene where Esther comes before the king in his throne room and invites him to the party, starting the process. of rescuing her people. Truth continued. Esther was oppressed and felt there was a great wrong, and she said, I will die or I will bring my complaints before the king.
social equality. that she sought? was garbed and the robes. of the essay.
Now, the fight for freedom and liberty throughout the United States continued in the court, if you will. of none other than President Lincoln himself. When President Lincoln was in the White House and he had the Emancipation Proclamation, in his desk drawer, not yet ready to issue it. He was visited by a pastor. from Chicago named William Weston Hatton.
And the pastor Approach the President. and framed His crucial opportunity. as being his Esther moment. And he cited the words of Mordecai to Esther in the fourth chapter of the biblical book in an effort to spur President Lincoln to take action. and issue the Emancipation Proclamation.
Patton asked, Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time? As this. These were the words that Mordecai used. to inspire Esther to act courageously. Your memorialists believe that in divine providence, you have been called to the presidency to speak the word of justice and authority, which shall free the bondman and save the nation.
Now, just like Esther, who did not act right away in seizing the moment, And revealing her secret Jewish identity to King Xerxes because the time was not yet right, the political winds were not yet positioned correctly. President Lincoln waited. for the military tide to turn towards the north. And then, only then, did he release the Emancipation Proclamation. This was Lincoln's Esther moment.
Americans today aren't necessarily familiar with these stories. They're not necessarily even so familiar. with the biblical star. But Esther's teachings can and should continue to resonate. After all, she chose Covenant.
overcomfortable.
Now what does that mean? Covenant over comfort. We all can be living in the greatest country on earth. with all its material comforts. But sometimes there are moments when you are asked, to be loyal to your mission.
to your people. to your faith. And that is the call of Esther. That is the call that these heroic Americans from the Revolutionaries to those fighting for abolition and against slavery. to the greatest president of the United States, they've chosen to risk License them.
For the sake of of the responsibility they felt. for the moral elevation of their people, of their community. of their land. When Mordecai asked Esther to risk her life on behalf of her people, Esther was sitting in the lap. of nobility and luxury.
And yet, She chose loyalty to her family, to her people. and to their tradition. The story of Esther here on Our American Stories. We've been duped, hoodwinked, conned for 50 years. The lawn care industry sold us toxins in a bag and made our yards more toxic than a bad relationship.
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This is Julian Edelman from Games with Names. I want to take a second to talk about something that's personal to me. I've had the privilege of working closely with Robert Kraft for a long time. And one thing I've always respected is how seriously he takes up standing up to hate. As a Jewish athlete my identity is something I am proud of.
but I also know what it feels like to be singled out for it. That's why this new commercial for the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate that aired during the big game really hit home. It's about showing up for someone when they're targeted, even if you don't have the perfect words. And sometimes standing next to someone is enough. And you can show support by sharing the blue square.
No one knows what the future holds, but you deserve a weather app that can help. Weatherbug is easy to use and provides forecasts for your every need, from storm warnings to pollen levels, right at your fingertips. Get the fastest local alerts and comprehensive 10-day forecasts wherever you are. It's hyper-local real-time customizable alerts. Make sure the weather never takes you by surprise so you can plan every day with confidence.
Download the free weather bug app from the App Store today and start getting accurate weather forecasts 24-7. To test the new Pathfinder, Nissan turned to the boldest creators of all. Kids, their drawings sparked a wild idea, brought to life by a Hollywood director, a stunt team, and the SUV that makes the unthinkable unforgettable. No tricks, just V6 power, practical effects, and the rugged new Pathfinder. Watch how it all came together and discover why JD Power ranks Nissan number one in new vehicle quality among mainstream brands.
For JD Power 2025 U.S. Initial Quality Study Award information, visit jdpower.com slash awards. Awards based on 2025 model year. Newer models may be shown. Hi, I'm Julianne Moore.
I learn a lot from every role. But some things stay with me more than others. like the impact of Alzheimer's disease. It's important to think about brain health now. Because there's so much we want to do.
Acting early to protect brain health may help reduce the risk of dementia from conditions like Alzheimer's disease. Ask your doctor about your risk factors and for a cognitive assessment. Learn more at brainhealthmatters.com. This is a paid partnership with Lilly. This is an iHeart podcast.
Guaranteed human. Mm-hmm.
