The Story of Esther

This story opens with Mordecai setting the context of the story. The words in italics are directions to the actors.

Actors:
•	Mordecai
•	Esther
•	King Ahasueras
•	Prince Carshena
•	Haman
•	Servant

Mordecai	(Slowly and with poise) Hello. My name is Mordecai and I want to tell you a story. Since all stories begin with “once upon a time”, I want to start that way too.

Once upon a time ELOHIM made a land called Persia and HE put it just east of Yerushalayim, not too close and not too far away. The days and the years passed and our people Yisrael stopped asking ELOHIM to bless them, so HE decided to make their neighbour Persia a great and wealthy empire. What ELOHIM decides always comes true, so Persia became very great indeed. Unfortunately, the Persians used all their blessings to make a cruel and hungry army and they went to war against all their neighbours and conquered them, even the Blessed Land of Yisrael. That was in the day of my great grampa Kish. 

Well those Persians came in and the first thing they made us do was pack our bags and walk to Persia. Hoy vey am I glad I wasn’t born yet, ‘cause I hate long walks in the hot desert. (Pause briefly) How my Saba - Grampa Shimei (pronounced shee-may) often told us the story of that long and difficult trip with his father when he was so young. After many days they arrived here in Shushan the royal city of Persia and this is where the family has lived ever since. 

Well ELOHIM hasn’t forgotten us even here in Shushan and we haven’t forgotten HIM either. HE’s helped me out more times than I can remember and HE has kept our family together all these years. Like Abba always said, “HIS love endures forever”. Well my Abba and Ima are gone now and so are Dod - Uncle Abihail and my Doda, my Auntie. The only ones left are myself and my little cousin Haddasah who is like a daughter to me, like the daughter I never had! May ELOHIM bless her and keep her.
 
Of course my little Hadassah isn’t so little anymore and her name isn’t even Hadassah. No longer is she named after the shy little myrtle plant. Now we call her Queen Esther and just like her new name means, she is one of the bright shining stars of Persia, thanks to ELOHIM. 

Well I think I’ll go now and let this story tell itself. Here comes King Ahasuerus, the mighty king of Persia and his counsellor Carshena. But be careful (put’s his finger to his mouth), don’t say a thing, because they don’t know yet that Esther is Jewish!	
	(The setting changes to show the palace interior. The king and Carshena enter)	
King Ahasuerus	Carshena. And what is said of my splendour and majesty in the distant lands from which you have come.	
Prince Carshena	O great King. There is nowhere in the world where your name is not feared and where the sound of your army does not send its enemies fleeing in terror! And of the life of your court, many stories of your power and wealth have reached to the uttermost parts of the known world. Surely, there is no King as great as thou.  	

King Ahasuerus	Yes, Carshena I know that I am great, but I have been very lonely these last months since I sent away my Queen Vashti for mocking me publicly before my subjects. 	
Prince Carshena	O King, the former Queen refused to obey you her lord and had to be punished without mercy.	
King	Yes. I remember how angry she made me and the matter is done, but there is something still unfinished in my heart about the whole thing.	
Prince Carshena	Perhaps, the King is missing the company of a Queen that is worthy of him. Shall we gather together all the most beautiful young virgins here at Shushan to appear before you O king so that you may choose a new queen for yourself and for the good of your empire.	
King	Yes, Carshena. Go and do it.	
	(Both Carshena and the King leave. The setting changes to show the interior of Mordecai’s house. Use flannel graphs to show this. Mordecai enters the scene.)	
Mordecai	The king’s officers went out far and wide and checked every inch of Persia for her most precious jewels. And one day in our own little neighbourhood, there was a knock on the door. 	
	(Banging on the door. Mordecai answers it and Prince Carshena enters.)	
Prince Carshena	Good man, are there any young ladies living here? The king has commanded that all the beautiful young virgins be gathered at the palace so that he can choose a new queen. After he chooses, the others will return to their homes.	
Mordecai	Yes, there is a little flower that grows here. O Esther, are you upstairs?	
	(Esther calls from upstairs)	
Esther	Yes Mordecai, is there someone at the door for me?	
Mordecai	Yes dear, a whole platoon. (Pauses briefly) You had better gather a few things for yourself because you are going to pay the king a visit. (Mordecai turns and asks the prince). How much time does she have to get ready?	
Prince Carshena	Not much. She won’t need any extra clothes. Everything will be provided.	
Mordecai	Everything except family and friends. Sir, would you please let me say goodbye to my daughter alone.	
Prince Carshena	Certainly. (He leaves by the door)	
Mordecai	(Calling up to Esther) Esther, hurry and get ready and don’t forget your scroll and your long veil. You’ll need to be well covered with the fierce wind that’s blowing out there today.	
Esther	Yes Mordecai, I’m coming. 
(She appears immediately with the scroll in her hand and the veil on her head..) 
Here is the scroll and here is my veil. 	
Mordecai	May the scroll be not only in your hand but also in your heart my precious little lamb. May ADONAI bless you and keep you wherever you go and may you return in safety. Remember to hide the scroll and do not tell anyone that you belong to the house of Yisrael. 	
Esther	Yes Mordecai, no one will know. May ADONAI bless you and care for you while I am gone. I love you and I will miss you so much. (She embraces him, kisses him and leaves through the door)	
Mordecai	There went ELOHIM’s greatest blessing on my life. (Turning to the audience). It’s at times like this that I always like to remember what is written in the scroll: “For YOU ADONAI are good and all that YOU do is good.” I wonder what ELOHIM is doing this time? You’ll have to go to the palace and see how Esther is doing.	
	(Mordecai leaves and the setting changes to show the palace interior with the King on his throne with Prince Carshena, i.e. use the flannel graphs to picture the scene.)	
King	Many months have passed and I have seen many young and beautiful virgins, but none seems to me nearly so fair as my former Queen Vashti.	
Prince Carshena	O king, your officers have gathered the most precious jewels of the empire and you have seen all of them, except the last, and I tell you great Ahasuerus, that she will make you forget all the others. Here she is!
(Esther enters, Carshena exits and the King stands up, pauses and then says.)	
King	Welcome, you who are as beautiful as the stars.	
Esther	The king is gracious and I am named after a star, but a star’s beauty can anyone match?!	
King 	(The king smiles) There is something unreachable about a star. What is your name and where do you come from?	
Esther	My name is Esther, my lord. My family is from Shushan and my parents left this life many years ago. Since that time, I have lived with my cousin in the city.	
King	Your garments are splendid and the colors are my favorite.	
Esther	My desire is to please my lord.	
King	You do Esther. Come let us walk in the garden.	
	(King and Esther exit. Mordecai enters and addresses the audience.)	
Mordecai	Well it wasn’t long before the announcement was made from the palace that King Ahasuerus would marry Esther. Their wedding day came and the king proclaimed it a holiday for all Persia and a great wedding feast was held here in Shushan. Who would have imagined that my little Esther would become the queen of Persia. Only ELOHIM could have imagined it. Well the months passed after the wedding and everything seemed to be going well, when I overheard that there was a plot against the King. Here comes the king and Esther. They can tell you what happened.	
	(Mordecai leaves and the king and Esther enter. Esther is now wearing a special crown.)	
King	Esther, I investigated the matter that this merchant Mordecai warned you about and it is true. The two eunuchs were plotting to murder me, but I put them both to death and they are now swinging by their necks. I owe Mordecai my life and I shall have it recorded in the histories of Persia that Mordecai the merchant preserved the life of his king.	
Esther	Mordecai is a faithful servant. I will tell him that you favor him. 
(Esther goes out and Haman enters. All the children go ‘boo’. Haman is a slippery fellow and full of wickedness.)	
King	Haman, welcome into my presence. I have good news for you.	
Haman	My lord, I have already heard the good news that the king’s enemies are dead and swinging from a gallows. 	
King	Yes. That matter is ended. But there is another piece of good news. Haman, you have been of great service to me and I have decided to make you the arch prince of Persia, second only to me. By my command, those who greet you shall pay you homage and you will rule over the other princes.	
Haman	I am grateful my king. Difficult times demand difficult measures and I will continue to seek out and destroy the king’s enemies until they all hang by their necks.	
	(The king and Haman leave the scene. The scene changes to the king’s gate where Mordecai is selling his wares.)	
Mordecai	Here I go selling my few wares on a beautiful sunny day in Shushan. If it weren’t for Haman, the day would be perfect. He walks about everywhere like a proud peacock puffed up beyond measure. The days are evil indeed when the king listens to wicked people like Haman and makes others bow to him.  Haman passes here often, but I will not bow to him, for I bow only to EL ELYON, God Most High. Blessed be HIS NAME.	
	(Haman enters with prince Carshena and they walk by Mordecai. Mordecai leaves and the other two stay.)	
Prince Carshena	Prince Haman, did you see that man Mordecai? He refuses to bow to you as the king commanded. I sent two of my servants to question him, and he told them that he is a Jew and that Jews do not bow to men, but only to GOD who is in Heaven. I warned him that the punishment for disobedience to the king’s command is severe, but he still refuses.	
Haman	I have hated that man ever since I first saw him and now I know why. We must devise some suitable punishment. (Pauses) Let’s see. If he doesn’t want to bow his head, then I’ll raise it up on a gallows and, after putting him to death, I’ll put his whole race to death by some fine instrument of my cruelty. Leave me now, the plot thickens in my mind. He and his people will soon wish they were anything but Jews. He is my enemy and his people are my enemies.	
	(Both leave. The scene changes to the kings throne room. The king enters followed by Haman)	
King	What’s that you say Haman.	
Haman	My lord, There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among your people in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from all other people’s, and they do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not fitting for the king to let them remain. If it pleases the king, let a decree be written that they be destroyed and I will pay richly all those who do the work.”	
King	(Hands Haman his ring) Here is my signet ring. The money and the people are given to you to do with them as seems good to you.	
Haman	Thank you my king. The decree will be issued tomorrow and sent to all the king’s provinces to all the king’s subjects that they should be ready to destroy, to kill and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women in one day on the 13th day of the 12th month. It is now the 3rd month, so that should give the king’s enemies something to think about! 	
King	Haman, that’s enough for one day. Let’s go and enjoy a feast.	
Haman	Yes, my lord.	
	(They both leave and Esther enters with a servant of the king.)	
Esther	Do you bring me news from my cousin Mordecai.	
Servant	Yes my queen. He is in some distress.	
Esther	What has happened?	
Servant	The king has sent out a decree telling all Persia to kill the Jews on the 13th day of the 12th month. Mordecai and your people are weeping and wailing and making such a noise in the whole city that there is no peace anywhere. (Hands a paper to Esther and she looks at it.) Mordecai asks you to go into the king and plead with him for the life of your people.	
Esther	There is but one law for all those who go into the inner court without first being called by the king. The law is to put them to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden sceptor. Go and tell Mordecai that I have not been called by the king for thirty days and that I may die if I go in.	
Servant	My queen I told him this.	
Esther	What did he say?	
Servant	He said, “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. ELOHIM is just.” And he also said, “Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (He pauses and waits briefly for Esther to speak.) My queen do you have any further message for Mordecai?	
Esther	(Esther pauses and then speaks) Yes. Tell him to go and gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!	
Servant	Yes my queen. I will tell Mordecai.	
	(He and Esther leave and the setting changes back to the king’s throne room. The king is there with prince Carshena.)	
King	There are many pressing matters that concern me today. (Pauses) Someone enters without being called. 
(Esther comes in and stands before the king. The king extends the sceptor. Esther draws near and touches it.) 
What do you wish Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you - up to half of my kingdom.	
Esther	If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today for the banquet that I have prepared for him.	
King	(King turns to prince Carshena) 
Prince Carshena, bring Haman quickly that he may do as Esther has said.	
Prince Carshena	Yes great king. 
(He leaves and the scene changes to a banqueting hall where the king and Haman are seated while Esther stands serving.)	
Narrator	Later that day in the banqueting hall....	
King	This has been a wonderful feast Esther. Now tell me, what is your petition? It shall be granted you up to half of my kingdom. It shall be done.	
Esther	If I have found favor in the sight of the king and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, then let the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for you tomorrow and there I will answer the king’s question.	
King	Let it be so. (He and Haman leave)	
Esther	O ELOHIM may I find favor in YOUR eyes and in the eyes of the king that YOU will spare me and the life of YOUR people from our enemy Haman! Give thanks to ADONAI for HIS love endures forever.	
	(Esther leaves and the scene moves to the King’s throne room the next day. The king is there and prince Carshena.)	
Narrator	The next morning....	
King	Carshena, it was a most excellent feast that Esther served us yesterday and I went to bed early. But I was restless and did not fall asleep until very late. I sensed that there was something unfinished.	
Prince Carshena	Did you find out what it was my lord?	
King	I did. I checked the book of the histories of Persia to see what had been recorded there. I was reminded of the time the two eunuchs tried to take my life and how the merchant Mordecai warned me about them. What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?	
Prince Carshena	Nothing has been done for him.	
King	Who is in the outer court?	
Prince Carshena	Haman is there.	
King	Let him come in. (Haman comes in and stands before the king.) What shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honour? (Haman pauses and thinks before responding.)	
Haman	Let a royal robe be brought which the king has worn, and a horse on which the king has ridden, which has a royal crest placed on its head. Then let this robe and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that he may array the man whom the king delights to honor. Then parade him on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him: “Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.”	
King	Go now, take the robe and the horse, as you have suggested, and do so for Mordecai the Jew. Leave nothing undone of all that you have spoken and meet me later at the banquet that Esther is serving us.	
Haman	Yes my king.	
	(Haman exits and the scene changes to the banqueting hall with Esther, the king and Haman.)	
Narrator	Later that day in the banqueting hall....	
King	Esther, this second feast has been more wonderful and magnificent than the first. Now tell me, what is your petition and what is your request? It shall be granted you up to half of my kingdom. It shall be done.	
Esther	If I have found favor in the sight of the king and if it pleases the king let my life be given to me and the life of my people. For we have been sold, my people and I, to be destroyed, and to be killed. Had we been sold as male and female slaves, I would have held my tongue, although the enemy could never compensate for the king’s loss.	
King	Who is he and where is he, who would dare presume in his heart to do such a thing?	
Esther	The enemy is this wicked Haman. (She points at Haman who steps back out of his chair in terror. The king gets out of his seat and looks at Haman)	
King	Haman, wait here until I decide what to do with you. (King leaves)	
Haman	O queen Esther forgive my offense. I did not know that you were a Jew.	
Esther	Had I not found favour with the king, you would have gladly seen me die along with the rest of my people.	
Haman	I beg you my queen to be merciful to me and grant me to keep my life. If you speak to the king, he will hear you.	
Esther	The blood of an entire nation is on your head. Our cries have reached to GOD and HE alone decides your fate.	
Haman	Have mercy. (He comes to Esther, kneels down, embraces her legs and pleads for his life.) 	
	(The king returns with prince Carshena)	
King	Haman, will you assault my queen even while I am here in the house. My servants say that yesterday you built a gallows to hang Mordecai, but today you yourself shall hang there. (The king turns to Carshena)
Carshena, Take him away.	
Prince Carshena	Come with me Haman you cruel and bloodthirsty man.	
	(The scene changes. Mordecai enters)	
Mordecai	Do you see how ELOHIM answered our prayers. That day was a great day of salvation for our people in Persia. For Jews it was a day of light and gladness, joy and honour. Haman was hung on the gallows and the king advanced me to be the chief prince of the empire. Then he commanded Esther and I to write a new decree permitting we Jews to arm and protect ourselves from our enemies on the very same day Haman had appointed for our destruction, the 13th day of the 12th month. True to ELOHIM’s word: “No weapon that is formed against you will prosper.” The day came, we armed ourselves, defeated our enemies and proclaimed a feast. And that is why even to this very day, our Jewish people remember to celebrate the 14th and 15th days of the 12th month of Adar. To remember the great things that ELOHIM has done for us and the SHALOM that HE makes us every day.
Blessed art THOU ADONAI ELOHEINU RULER OF THE UNIVERSE who alone does wonderous  things!