Teachers’ Guide

Princess of Persia: A Purim Story

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Megillat (The Scroll of) Esther

● Chapter 1: Introduction of King Ahasuerus, who deposes Queen Vashti for

disobeying him at a party.
● Chapter 2 pt 1: The King seeks a new wife via beauty contest: he chooses Esther
(not knowing that she is the cousin of Mordechai the Jew)
● Chapter 2 pt 2: Mordechai uncovers a plot to assassinate the king; by revealing this,
thereby foiling the plot, he is recorded as a hero.
● Chapter 3: The king promotes Haman as prime minister. Haman despises
Mordechai because he will not show obeisance to him. He convinces the king to
allow him to arrange for the extermination of all Jews.
● Chapter 4: Mordechai convinces Esther to approach the king to beg for the Jews’
lives, though she is terrified.
● Chapter 5: Esther invites the King and Haman to a private feast. Haman is thrilled.
● Chapter 6: The paranoid king, reading his chronicles, learns of the earlier plot to
assassinate him, as well as Mordechai’s role in foiling it. Meanwhile, Haman’s
eagerness for power makes the king suspect him of evil intentions.
● Chapter 7: At the private banquet, Esther reveals that she is Jewish, and that
Haman’s plot would lead to the Jews’ death. Haman, in terror, throws himself on the
queen, provoking the king further - who calls for Haman’s death.
● Chapter 9/10: The Jews, with royal permission, strike at their enemies, are
victorious, and inaugurate a yearly feast.

INCLUDED IN THIS VIDEO

● Mordechai’s cousin Esther hears about the contest for a new queen and is
chosen.
● Esther enjoys the wealth, but misses her community
● Mordechai alerts her to Haman’s plot to kill the Jews.
 ● Esther knows she must confront the King about this, but is afraid. She finds
strength in the knowledge that her people need her and believe in her. She,
too, must stand up for what she believes in.
● She invites the King and Haman to feast, where she reveals her Jewish identity
and Haman’s plot to kill the Jews. Death of the Jews would include her!
● The King is horrified and decrees that no Jews will die (and that the Jews should
fight back)
● Haman is executed, and the Jews celebrate their survival.
● Esther reminds us to stand up for what we believe in.

Note to Educator: We recommend that you screen this video for your students twice -
once for the “big picture” and then once for more focused details. It may help to ask
these comprehension questions in between the screenings.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. At the Queen Contest, there are many “beautiful women” represented. What
makes Esther stand out? (There is more than one answer)
2. Why does Haman want to kill the Jews? (There is more than one answer).
3. Why is Esther afraid to confront the king about Haman’s plot? How does she
manage to overcome her fear?
4. How does Esther convince the King not to go along with Haman’s plot?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS & ACTIVE LEARNING IDEAS

Pointing the Finger of Blame

Introduction
From one perspective, the decree to kill the Jews emerges when Mordechai refuses to
bow down to Haman. It stands to logic that bowing down to another person would be
akin to idol worship, forbidden for Mordechai the Jew.

At the time this story takes place, however, bowing to someone was akin to saluting or
showing honor (like the modern Japanese bow).1 If so, the decree to kill the Jews
begins with Mordechai refusing to salute a government official.

11
For other examples of permissible bowing, see Bereshit 42:6 and 1 Malachim 1: 23.
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Questions
1. Does this make Mordechai at fault for the danger to which the Jews are
exposed?
2. Is Haman at fault for abusing his power to hurt people simply because his ego
has been bruised?
3. Is the King at fault for not saying “no” to Haman when he first presents his plan
to kill the Jews?
4. Are the citizens of Persia at fault for being willing to allow this plot to be carried
out?
5. Are the Jews at fault for living in a place so willing to punish a group because of
one person’s decision?

Activity
Turn this discussion into a debate or a court-case. Assign various perspectives, then
allow students to make their case and challenge each other’s claims. End with a vote
and an open discussion about whether any of these perspectives should really hold
sway over all the others.

Shushan Mailbag

Introduction
In the original text, clueless about Haman’s plot and the King’s decree, Queen Esther
actually attempts to stop Mordechai from protesting the imminent destruction of the
Jews. She even sends him clothing to replace his sackcloth (a sign of public mourning),
and when he urges her to beseech the king to “stop this slaughter,” she balks, saying
that it’s forbidden to approach the king unbidden. Mordechai must remind Esther that
her life will not be spared if the Jews are killed.2 In a sense, she has nothing to lose.
(Note that in the text, all this takes place by messenger3, but in the G-dcast, to
condense the storytelling, the events happen in person.)

2
Megillat Esther 4,3

3
Megillat Esther 4,3

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People make decisions to act based on different factors –
a) for selfish reasons d) out of a sense of loyalty to one’s own
b) because one is urged or pressured to people
c) because of one’s personal e) out of altruism (care for others)
values/ethics

Discussion
Which of these factors is the Biblical Esther motivated by? Which of these is the G-dcast
Esther motivated by? Do you relate to one more than the other? Do you aspire to be
one more than the other?

Activity
Pick a perspective from the list below. Pretend you are one of the local Shushanites who
has read the decree, calling for the execution of the Jews. You have heard that Queen
Esther is hesitant to intercede, but you don’t know why.

Write a “scroll” to the Queen that’s focused on one of these motivations, listed below.
What sorts of encouragement, rhetoric, language, and/or metaphors would you use to
motivate the Queen? Hang the scrolls for other groups to read and react to. As a
group, discuss the value and effectiveness of each approach.

Text of the Decree:

... destroy, massacre, and exterminate all the Jews, young and old, children and
women, on a single day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month -- the month of
Adar -- and plunder their possessions. (Esther 3:13)

Motivations (Choose 1) Perspectives (Choose 1)

self-preservation a reporter for a local newspaper
social pressure a Jewish teenager
ethics/values The Persian-Peace Prize Committee
loyalty A concerned Persian citizen
altruism

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Media Literacy
Note to Educators: The following exercise is most appropriate for teens and adults who
can compare versions of a text, and are sophisticated enough to compose theories
about why certain decisions are made.

Part 1: In or Out?
Think a movie based on a book that you have read. (These are called adapted
screenplays for a reason - an adaptation occurred.) NO adaptation is ever 100% perfect.
In your example, what did the filmmakers add, leave out, or change? Why do you think
these decisions were made?

(Consider: length, simplification, marketing reasons, dramatic effect, conveying a strong

message, creating a “happy ending,” etc.)

Part 2: Text Activity

In small groups, have students compare the following excerpts from Megillat Esther
with BimBam’s renditions. What was left out, changed, or added? Why do you think
BimBam made these changes?

Megillat Esther Text G-dcast Screenplay

1. Haman’s Plot 1. Haman’s Plot

Esther 3:8, Haman’s words to the King: Esther:

"There is a certain people, scattered
...Haman has convinced the King to
and dispersed among the other
declare that on the 13th day of the month
peoples in all the provinces of your
realm, whose laws are different from the Jews will all be killed!!
those of any other people and who do
not obey the king's laws; and it is not [Visual: lots are thrown and land on the
in Your Majesty's interest to tolerate 13th of Adar]
them

Esther 3:9
If it please Your Majesty, let an edict
be drawn for their destruction, and I
will pay ten thousand talents of
silver...for deposit in the royal
treasury."

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 Esther 3:11
And the king said, "...the people are
yours to do with as you see fit."

2. The Jig is Up 2. The Jig is Up

Esther 7:3-8 My Dear King

3 Queen Esther said: "If Your Majesty
It has been ordered that all the Jews are
will do me the favor, and if it pleases
to be killed. That means that I am going to
Your Majesty, let my life be granted
me as my wish, and my people as my die, too.
request. 4 For we have been sold, my
people and I, to be destroyed, For I am Jewish.
massacred, and exterminated. Had we
only been sold as bondmen and I am standing up for what I believe in.
bondwomen, I would have kept silent;
If you believe that I shouldn’t die, and that
for the adversary is not worthy of the
king's trouble." my people shouldn’t die,
Then you must stop this evil plan!
5 Thereupon King Ahasuerus
demanded of Queen Esther, "Who is The room went silent.
he and where is he who dared to do
this?"
[King’s jaw drops]

6 "The adversary and enemy," replied

Esther, "is this evil Haman!" And “Who would ever think of such a thing???”
Haman cringed in terror before the the king cried!
king and the queen.
[Haman looks nervous]
7 The king, in his fury, left the wine
feast for the palace garden, while
Him. I pointed. Haman!
Haman remained to plead with Queen
Esther for his life; for he saw that the
king had resolved to destroy him.
[Haman sneaks offscreen]
8 When the king returned from the The king was furious. He stood up and
palace garden to the banquet room, bellowed:
Haman was lying...on the couch on
which Esther reclined.
“Let it be ordered across the land that no

"Does he intend," cried the king, "to Jews are to be killed.”

dominate the queen in my own
palace?"
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 [Mordechai stamps a scroll with the King’s
No sooner did these words leave the ring]
king's lips than Haman's face was
covered. [in preparation for execution]

3. The Aftermath 3. The Aftermath

Esther 8:5-17 “Let it be ordered across the land that no

Esther said: "If it please Your Majesty...and Jews are to be killed.”
if I am pleasing to you -- let dispatches be
And wouldn’t you know, my king flipped
written overturning those which were
the script! Haman was hanged, and the
written by Haman... embodying his plot to
Jews were saved.
annihilate the Jews throughout the king's
provinces.
[The Jews rejoice throughout the city. We
see a gallows where Mordechai was meant
For how can I bear to see the disaster
to be hung but instead, Haman is.]
which will befall my people! And how can I
bear to see the destruction of my
Always have the courage to stand up for
kindred!"
what you believe in!

Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther

[The curtain closes. We are at a Purim
and Mordecai the Jew, "I have given play.]
Haman's property to Esther, and he has
been impaled on the stake for scheming
against the Jews...

[but] an edict that has been written in the

king's name and sealed with the king's
signet may not be revoked."

...so the king's scribes were summoned at

that time...

[and publicized] ...The king has permitted

the Jews of every city to assemble and
fight for their lives; if any people or
province attacks them, they may destroy,
massacre, and exterminate its armed force

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together with women and children, and
plunder their possessions...

And in every province and in every city,

when the king's command and decree
arrived, there was gladness and joy among
the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many
of the people of the land professed to be
Jews, for the fear of the Jews had fallen
upon them.

Part 3: Another Perspective

In the following text, instead of G-dcast taking artistic liberties with our text, we have
instead the Rabbis, nearly 2 millenia ago.

As scholar and educator Tamar Kadari says:

According to midrashic tradition, Vashti was a princess and Ahasuerus was her father’s
steward, in charge of the royal stables. He acquired regal status by marrying her (Esther
Rabbah 3:14; Babylonian Talmud, Megillah 12b).

The difference in their stations was reflected in Ahasuerus’s behavior at the banquet,
when he summoned Vashti to appear before the men at their revelry. Esther 1:10
attests: “on the seventh day, when the king was merry with wine,” from which the
Rabbis understood that the king was intoxicated. The midrash relates that Vashti sent a
messenger to her husband with the message: You were Father’s steward. My father
Belshazzar would drink wine in the measure of one thousand men and would not be
inebriated, while you act the fool from the wine of a single man! She thereby hinted to
him that she was the daughter of royalty, while he was a simple person who had
reached his exalted status thanks to her (Megillah 12b).4

Lead this discussion: Why does Midrash (whether ancient or modern) make creative
“alterations” to a source text? What might be the goals? Can you see any limitations to
this practice?

4
http://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/vashti-midrash-and-aggadah
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