Esther, and the Art of Concealment

The Book of Esther is a truly fascinating work - though its brilliance can easily elude us. This is intentional. The thematic thread running throughout this work can be summed up in the word, "concealment".

"Esther" is a Persian name, but in Hebrew, this word means "hidden" or "concealed"¹. Around the time of Purim, it is a mitzvah to read "[Megillat] Esther to remember the events that took place in that time.

Concealment

In Rabbinic literature, the theme of concealment is innately connected with its opposite - the revelation of G_D. When G_D is hidden, we should remember that hope lies in the coming Redemption when the world will be given the ability to perceive G_D.

It is for this reason that the Megillat Esther is considered a blueprint of the final Redemption. At one point in the narrative, the Jewish people were facing a sanctioned genocide; in the next, the nations were seeking conversion!

So great was this reversal that the Sages remark that [the book of] Esther will remain relevant in the days of Messiah.

All the books of the Prophets and all the Writings will be annulled in the days of the Messiah, apart from Megillat Esther. It will continue to be binding like the Five Books of Moses and the entire Oral Law, which will never be invalidated - Megillat Esther 1:5

For this reason, Esther prefigures the Messianic Kingdom where the nations will return to G_D and when the Jewish people will no longer endure oppression and subjugation at their hands.

Tools of the Trade

As such, Megillat Esther, like the entire corpus of scripture, is filled with deep insights that have been obscured from the plain reading of the text. This is particularly the case when reading a translation.

Throughout history, the Rabbis have uncovered various methods of decrypting these insights, through the use of; Gematria, Roshei Tevet/Notarikon, and many others.

For example, in the various methods of Gematria³, the numerical value of letters and words can be summed up to reveal connections to other words and passages.

Another method, known as 'Roshei Teivot', combines the first letter of each word in a sentence (acrostically) to reveal a hidden meaning.

As we will see, these and other methods are employed throughout Esther.

Hidden in Plain Sight

Many readers astutely observe that G_D's Name is nowhere to be found in the text of Esther. While this is true in the Peshat⁴, we will find that he is mentioned multiple times in the Sod (Secret), at key points in the narrative.

Suffice it to say there is much more in this tradition, but I'll leave the study of these passages for you to explore.

Here are (5) to begin with;

1

ונשמע פתגם המלך אשר־יעשה בכל־מלכותו כי רבה
היא וכל־הנשים יתנו יקר לבעליהן למגדול ועד־קטן

Then will the judgment executed by Your Majesty resound throughout your realm, vast though it is; and all wives will treat their husbands with respect, high and low alike.” - Esther 1:20