What's A Nice Jewish Girl

First Temple History

• 832 BCE: Built by Shlomo
• 575 BCE: Exile of the 10 Tribes begins
• 422 BCE: Destruction of the First Temple

The End of Babylon

• Nevuchadnetzar is succeeded by Evil-Merodach (Amel-Marduk)
• Cyrus The Great Conquers Babylon and begins the Persian Empire

Achashverosh

• Father was Darius I, not of noble birth
• Xerxes I marries Vashti, great-granddaughter of Nevuchadnetzer

Purim Story

• Achashverosh ascends the throne of Persia (369 BCE)
• Achashverosh's Feast, lasting 180 days (366 BCE)
• Esther taken to Achashverosh's Palace (362 BCE)
• Haman casts lots (357 BCE)
• First decrees dispatched by Haman (357 BCE)

Purim STory II

• Three days' Fast ordered by Esther (357 BCE)
• Haman's downfall and execution by hanging (357 BCE)
• Second decrees, reversing the first (357 BCE)
• Sadness turned to gladness; Haman's ten sons executed (356 BCE)
• Purim Recording in Megillah (355 BCE)

Purim for the Insider

Jewish Shmooze

• What was the story for Jews in the provinces?
• What about Jews in the Capital?
• Was this significant at all?

Jewish schmooze

• Why doesn't Mordechai bow down to Haman?
• What tribe is he from?
• Ester's Coercion
• כאשר אבדתי אבדתי

Eternal Meaning?

• It took a year for the story to be written
• Mordechai is still not totally accepted
• But something changed...

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN JEWISH HISTORY, THE TRAGEDY MADE SENSE.