{"id":59903,"date":"2021-02-26T04:44:35","date_gmt":"2021-02-26T10:44:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/?p=59903"},"modified":"2021-02-26T04:44:35","modified_gmt":"2021-02-26T10:44:35","slug":"off-the-pulpit-why-we-have-the-megillah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/off-the-pulpit-why-we-have-the-megillah\/","title":{"rendered":"Off the Pulpit: Why We Have the Megillah"},"content":{"rendered":"

By RABBI DAVID WOLPE<\/p>\n

Among the Dead Sea Scrolls every book of the Hebrew bible is represented except the book of Esther. Allusions are made to phrases from Esther so the book was known in Qumran, but not considered sacred and therefore not preserved.<\/p>\n

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The Rabbis were not prophets but they were often gifted with remarkable foresight. They anticipated a future when communities outside of Israel would be frightened and need encouragement. How often did the story of Esther remind Jews that things could be reversed, that there was still hope, that even in the brutal diaspora there was a promise of survival? The Rabbis kept Esther because they knew we would need it. More than two thousand years ago Esther and Mordecai saved the Jews of Shushan; since that time they have helped save us as well.<\/p>\n

(Rabbi David Wolpe is the senior rabbi of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles.)<\/em><\/p>\n

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