The Story of Queen Esther and Purim - Have We Missed Something Here?

What a beautiful story in the book of Esther. Her real Hebrew name was Hadassah meaning “myrtle tree”.

The myrtle tree has a pleasant fragrance and Rabbi Shmuel Eliezer Edels (Maharsha) explains that “man is like a tree of the field”, therefore the righteous are called myrtles, likened to a good tree with a pleasant smell (Commentary of Maharsha to Talmud, Megillah 13a, s.v. al shem ha-tzaddikim).

Hadassah was indeed a pleasant and righteous woman who listened well to the good advice given to her by her uncle Mordechai. She was obedient and was born for “such a time as this” to save her people from their sure deaths.

This evil plan to destroy the Jews was to be carried out in the month of Adar but the tables were turned and instead their enemies were destroyed, including the wicked Haman.

Did you know however that the story of Hadassah actually took place in the month of Nisan? Only the “lot” fell in the month of Adar for the massacres to take place. This sheds a whole new perspective on the story. While Purim is celebrated in Adar to commemorate their deliverance from their enemies the miracle actually happened in the first month, Nisan, exactly at the timing of Pesach (Passover).

Let's read from the book:

Esther 1:7

In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur (that is, the lot), before Haman to determine the day and the month, until it fell on the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.

Esther 1:12 - 13

Then the king's scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and a decree was written according to all that Haman commanded-to the king's satraps....

And the letters were sent by couriers into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions.

Hadassah then calls for a fast on the 14th, 15th, and 16th day of Nisan, and on the 17th day Haman is hung on the gallows (see verses 4:16)

In chapter 8:9 we read that under the direction of the king, Mordachai and Queen Esther write a decree and that in the “third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day,” it was written.

Now, if you do your counting you would find that this was most likely Shavuot (Pentecost), or close to it.

All of this happened during our “Season of Redemption”. It just so happens that Yeshua was crucified on the 14th, placed in the tomb, and arose on the 17th of Aviv. Just like the story of Esther who saved her people from destruction, Yeshua came to save us from destruction from our enemies, namely death. One day He will come again and save us from our human enemies also.

In addition, the Holy Spirit fell at Shavuot just as it is likely that at or near Shavuot the letters went out from the King that during the month of Adar all Jews were allowed to defend themselves and destroy those who would destroy them.

Coincidence? Nope

I think the greater celebration of Purim should be in the spring during the Passover month for this is when the miracle actually happened.

Please go read it for yourselves as I have only listed a few verses.

Thank you Yeshua for rising to the occasion “for such a time as this”!

Happy Purim!

Leisa