For millennia, when our people were faced with an existential crisis, they fasted. Today, the planet – and all the peoples on it, including ours – face an ecological crisis. What perspectives, inspiration, and hope might we glean from looking at Ta’anit Esther – (lit. the Fast of Esther), the traditional fast day, just before Purim – as a resource in our own climate-imperiled era?
The biblical story of Esther is set in ancient Persia, when an inept monarch allows a hate-filled minister to unleash devastation on the widely-dispersed Jewish community. Capital resident Mordechai aids his niece Esther to join the royal court; their commitment and courage help save the day.
Might our own commitment and courage help do the same today, as collective human activity threatens Creation, the biosphere, countless animal and human populations, and ultimately ourselves and our descendants?
This short text study draws the parallels, asks the questions, and highlights one of many concrete actions we all can take. May we now channel Mordechai’s strategy, Esther’s boldness, and Persian Jewry’s unity in our efforts to save all that we hold dear.