feast of Achashverosh

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1. A Tale of Two Cities: Chanina bar Ada

   Chazal's Preambles to Megillat Esther: Part 2

   Rabbi Moshe Taragin | 17 minutes

   What’s wrong with enjoying Achashverosh’s feast? While the Jews of Persia spent 180 days partying, the Jews who had returned to the Land of Israel were fighting for their lives and were trying to build the Beit HaMikdash. The Persian Jews had distanced themselves from the destiny of the future of Am Yisrael, enjoying lavish feasts while ignoring Jewish history. The Persian Jews needed a jarring reminder of their collective identity and national destiny, and this came in the form of Haman’s edicts.

2. Purim Special - The Culture of Shushan

   Cultural and Historical Challenges of the Megilla Story

   Rabbi Moshe Taragin | 54 minutes

   In this shiur, we analyze two layers of the story of Megillat Esther: Events didn't occur in a vacuum, but as part of cultural struggles and historical challenges.  As we examine the historical and cultural contexts of the story, we find that there is structure to the megilla supported by the numerous feasts in the story. These parties become an icon for a problematic type of multiculturalism: Shushan lacks a shared ethic or value system, so it unites in valuing and celebrating money and the power of wealth above all else. The overlooked letter-carriers in the Megilla help to highlight the flaws of this misplaced value system.