Esther: a Four-Fold Interpretation

In some of my earlier posts I have talked about the four fold method of interpretation.  Just as a reminder, this it is a method developed by Jewish scholars that follows an acronym for the word that means paradise. דספר 

פ= Peshat =פשט =literal

ר=Remez= רמז=symbolic

ד=Drash= דרש=context

ס=Sod =סוד =secret or sacred

As I studied the story of Esther, I thought it might lend itself well to this kind of an approach.

Literal: 

There aren't many biblical scholars who believe the story of Esther is historical. There isn't any evidence that Ahasuerus, who is associated with the Persian ruler, Xerxes, ever had a Jewish wife and high court official that saved the Jews from extermination.  It is possible that a similar story happened on a smaller, more localized level, and that, over time, the story was exaggerated, much like the stories of King Arthur may have been based on a historical medieval king, but have been exaggerated over time. The way the story is written, with a clear chiastic structure, type characters, and ironic reversal of fortune, suggests it is more of a parable than a history.

Symbolic: 

The value of the story of Esther is in its symbolism. Esther represents how a woman in captivity can gain and wield power while maintaining her devotion to her God.  Just as the story of Rachel represents the ideal pre-Exodus Israelite maiden, Esther is the ideal maiden in captivity. She is the female equivalent of Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.  She is beautiful and dutiful.  She follows the direction of her near kinsman and sacrifices herself for the good of her people.  Her beauty, courage, modesty and humility win the day, saving her family and all Jews from destruction. 

Context: 

Why is this story included in the cannon? Why is it so important that Jews still have a holiday commemorating it? As most of the Hebrew Bible was compiled during or slightly after the Babylonian captivity, this story would have been a kind of wish fulfillment, "Cinderella" type tale. Babylonian captives would have felt powerless and vulnerable.  They understood that their very lives depended on the whim of their rulers who didn't understand their beliefs or culture. Women would have felt even more vulnerable because of societal norms that put all power into the hands of men. A story that shows a young woman rising to a position of power and influence, while staying true to her heritage and religion could have significant appeal.  Of course, the Babylonian captivity was not the last act of oppression Jews experienced.  Through their long history, Jews were often at the whim of oppressive rulers.  It is possible that with each captivity or aggression that threatened to destroy Jewish identity, the story of Esther and the celebration of Purim gained importance as a beacon of hope and as a rare chance to rejoice and have fun. 

Secret or Sacred

Some scholars have seen the figure of Esther as related to the Babylonian female goddess, Ishtar. The Babylonians had a 10-day carnival-like celebration/fertility festival dedicated to Ishtar, a goddess of love and war. Some scholars believe that Hebrew leaders created the celebration of Purim to draw people away from participating in the celebration of Ishtar. Purim has many of the same elements as the festival of Ishtar; costumes, drinking, and eating little fertility cakes (e.g. Jewish Hamantaschen). The main way the two celebrations differ is that the festival of Ishtar involved profligate sex, while the Purim does not. It is much like when Medieval priests created the celebration of St. Valentine's Day to draw people away from pagan fertility rite, Lupercalia. By creating the story of Esther and the celebration of Purim, Hebrew leaders during the exile not only sought to keep Jews from pagan worship, but also to give them an example of faithfulness, courage, and hope for better days to come.