Today


Isaiah 49:1 Listen to Me, O islands,And pay attention, you peoples from afar.The Lord called Me from the womb;From the body of My mother He named Me.

 

Today is May 18th…my son’s birthday. It was a beautiful spring day he was born. Eight pounds 6 ounces. I was barely 18 years of age. I was still a child in an adult body. I did not have any idea how to mother a child. That Adonia allowed me to give birth is a mystery.

His death, still a mystery. Every year at this time, since his death, this mother goes through a funk. A teary-eyed funk. Although I attempt to brace myself, telling myself that this year will be different, it never is…a mother’s heart can never forget her child she once carried in her womb. Never. (even those who abort their child!)

As Adonia says in Isaiah 49:15

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
If a woman forgets her infant and does not love on a son of her womb, even if these forget, I shall not forget you.

 

 

 

Purim Casting the Lot: Facing One’s True Identity For Such a Time as THIS!

 

 

What Queen Vashti Was Saying Yes To When She Said No to Her King - Leesa Renee Hall

Here are the basics of the Purim story, as told by Dena Klein, a rabbi at Chavurat Tikvah in New York City: “King Ahasuerus loved to have parties and he had this giant event where he asked his wife Vashti to dance for him,” she says. “But Vashti refused, so he sent her away to be executed and held a beauty pageant to find another wife, which is how we got to Queen Esther.” In the story, Esther, whose cousin Mordechai was a leader in their Jewish community, kept her religion to herself until Haman, one of the king’s advisers, hatched a plan to exterminate the Jews. By speaking up, Esther saved her people—and in the end, Haman was the one executed on the gallows he had hoped to use to hang Mordechai.

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Queen Vashti…she had the audacity to refuse the Kings demand that she come before him and all those other drunken men to be put on display. For her insubordination, she was divorced, thrown out of the palace, her home.

Many themes run through the story of Esther. This is the time of year when many read the account of Esther and celebrate Purim. It is a celebration of victory over wickedness and deceitfulness, treachery, and a plot to wipe out those who are Jewish by birth.

Is there anything new under the sun?

No….

Let’s look at some of the themes that run through this ancient story…

First…the way women are treated…second…the way women are treated…and third…a woman’s true identity…and a glimpse of the 12 tribes of Israel…and the present day…

  1. The treatment of Vashti, her banishment due to refusing the King’s demands. Eshter Chap. 1
  2. Esther and the others purified to meet the King Esther 2:3
  3. Mordecai entreated her to hide her true identity Esther 2:10
  4. Mordecai refused to bow to Haman and Haman’s rage and plotting to kill all Jews Esther 3:8
  5. Born for such a time as this
  6. If I perish, I perish!

According to the following scriptures from Yahweh’s Word, we are scattered across the earth and the Spirit has been calling the tribes back to His ancient ways of Torah. Restoration work has begun. Yahshua said He came for the lost sheep of Isreal…if you are reading this, chances are you are a part of that restoration, awakening and soon to be a revealing as we read in the book of Esther…9 Impactful Lessons We Can Learn From The Book Of Esther in the Bible | Esther bible, Esther bible study, Bible

I prayed for a deeper understanding of why Queen Vashti would do such a thing knowing she would face serious consequences. I spoke with Author and speaker Kisha Gallagher and she gave me a different spin on the story, one I had heard in the past. That is what led me to do more praying and seeking. I found this article I want to share with you.

Hail Queen Vashti! Celebrating Purim in the age of #MeToo

 

When Meredith Jacobs was taught the Purim story as a little girl in the 1970s and ’80s, Esther was made out to be its heroine, while Queen Vashti was its “evil queen.” According to the Book of Esther, Vashti was banished by her husband, the Persian King Ahasuerus, for refusing his order to display herself wearing her crown in front of his male guests, often interpreted to mean nothing but her crown. A body of traditional commentary depicts Vashti as disobedient and a fraud.

As an adult, Jacobs started to reject that interpretation. Vashti, she realized, was standing up for herself in disobeying her husband’s command to expose herself to his guests. This year, Jacobs said, the new interpretation feels even more relevant to her.

“It resonates more powerfully through the voice it’s been given through the #MeToo movement and the Time’s Up movement,” Jacobs, vice president of communications and marketing at Jewish Women International, told JTA.

Jacobs helped organize JWI’s #IAmVashti campaign urging people to share their thoughts on the Purim narrative on social media. She said she doesn’t think the campaign, which launched this month, would have worked prior to this year.

“I think #MeToo and Time’s Up created a way for women to have a conversation and a platform in a huge way and empowered them,” she said.

Themes relating to gender are especially relevant this Purim, female rabbis and community leaders told JTA. The holiday, which begins on Feb. 28, comes as sexual harassment and assault allegations against high-profile men continue to emerge months after dozens of women accused Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct.

The carnival-like holiday is based on Megillat Esther, the Book of Esther, which describes how the Jewish queen Esther used her influence in Ahasuerus’ harem to avert a slaughter of his Jewish subjects. In recent years there has been a slew of feminist interpretations both rehabilitating Vashti and pondering the tensions between Esther’s subservient role in the king’s household and the power she asserts as his queen.

“I’ve always thought of Purim as a bit of a feminist holiday in that there was always strong female role models in this particular narrative, but it is especially striking this year as we’ve watched the #MeToo movement just explode, that there is such a precise parallel right here in our own Bible,” said Rabbi Leora Frankel at the Community Synagogue of Rye, a Reform congregation in suburban New York City’s Westchester County.

Together with the synagogue’s cantor, Melanie Cooperman, Frankel is organizing a women’s event highlighting women’s voices from the Purim story in a skit. “The Megillah Monologues,” named after the feminist playwright Eve Ensler’s acclaimed  “Vagina Monologues,” took place Feb. 25, framed as a way to promote discussion about gender and celebrate Purim in the wake of the #MeToo movement.

“How can we lift up both Vashti and Esther as role models of women today? How can we celebrate their courage and draw inspiration from their story?” Frankel recalled asking herself when she came up with the idea for the event.

Rabbi Denise Handlarski at Oraynu, a Humanistic Jewish synagogue in Toronto, said the themes relevant to #MeToo have always been in the back of her mind while reading the Purim narrative.

“If you read Megillah, it’s quite clear that Vashti was victimized in all kinds of ways, and much as we see with some of the things that have been happening recently,” she said. “But we have also seen throughout history when a woman stands up for herself, there are unfavorable consequences.”

Vashti was victimized in all kind of ways.

Although Esther is able to attain a position of power, she is still limited by the fact that she is a woman, Handlarski said.

“She is able to capitalize on her position, but her position is not particularly full of great choices,” she said. “She uses her femininity to help her people in the story, but she has to use her femininity because that’s the only location of power for her.”

While these themes are not new to Handlarski, she said the #MeToo movement may prompt those who have not previously shared her perspective to do so.

“It’s a challenge to rabbis who don’t always seek the perspective of women in Jewish texts to center those perspectives a little bit more,” she said.

Channa Pinchasi, director of the Be’eri School for Teacher Education at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem, says Vashti represents the first time a character in the Purim narrative stands up to Ahasuerus.

“She is the first #MeToo,” Pinchasi said.

But Esther, who remains with the king at the end of the Megillah, also represents a #MeToo moment, according to Pinchasi.

“We are asking ourselves in the end of story, there was salvation for the Jewish people, but I can hear Esther calling [out to] us ‘Me too, me too! I want to be part of the salvation, but I never got the chance to get out of the palace!’” she said.

B’nai Jeshurun, a non-affiliated synagogue on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, is hosting Purim events with the theme “reveal yourself,” including a ball for Jewish LGBTQ teens.

“The obvious connection between the theme that we’ve chosen and the #MeToo movement is the importance of creating communities and a society wherein people feel empowered and safe to reveal the truth of their identities and their experiences and to feel supported in both telling their truth and living their truth,” said Rabbi Adina Lewittes, a part-time interim rabbi at B’nai Jeshurun.

Rabbi Mary Zamore, executive director of the Women’s Rabbinic Network, said the holiday provides an opportunity to think about Judaism and gender more generally.

“Purim gives us an opportunity to see how these problems have played out throughout our history, but also how we’ve brought our understanding of gender to our texts in the past and how we can have a fresh view of our texts with a new understanding of gender and women’s experience,” Zamore said.

“Purim is a night that’s supposed to be a little irreverent and frivolous, so [I want women] to be able to come together in safety and female solidarity but [also] to celebrate and not just to protest and not just to lament the state of things,” she said.

This MeToo/Vashti causes me to go “hmmmmmm!” I have done past shows on the podcast called Healing for the Nations with A Modern Day Samaritan Woman regarding the MeToo Movement. As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, domestic abuse, and sexual harassment, I cannot help but applaud this woman’s audacity to set a strong boundary, protecting herself from being a modern-day version of a  porn star. You may disagree with my point of view, and that is okay. There are many ways to interpret this storyline.

With the sex trafficking industry in full swing in spite of people’s knowledge and disgust, I wonder about this King ordering his kingdom to search out the land for a new queen. Were these young ladies a willing participant? What if they were taken from their secure homes, away from mother and father, their guardians simply because it was a king’s order? Had they been taken against their will, and that of their families?

I wonder…

 

Here is a powerful message on Purim, I encourage you to watch this brother’s message…listen to what he has to say because it is for such a time as this!

Dare

Psalm 91:13
You will tread on the lion and cobra; you will trample the young lion and serpent.

Luke 10:19

Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you.

Ezekiel 2:6
And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.

This morning, as I felt impressed to be on my face before The Holy One, I pleaded with  Him to remove from me all the works of the flesh:  gossip, envy, jealousy, covetousness, unbelief, sloth, evil eye, contemptuous attitudes,  bitterness, resentment, anything and all things that keep me from dying to self and hindering Him from using me to be a light in this dark world.  I laid prostrate before Him…humbling myself before my Maker I heard him speak…

The word dare came…”dare to walk on snakes and scorpions, dare to get out of the boat and walk on water, dare to be different than others…

I will leave you with the following to ponder, meditate on and pray about…pray for me and I will pray for you dear soldier! Shalom…

DARE…

 1869. darak 
Strong’s Concordance
darak: to tread, march

Original Word: דָּרַךְ
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: darak
Phonetic Spelling: (daw-rak’)
Definition: to tread, march

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to tread, march
NASB Translation
aimed (1), aims (1), archers* (1), bend (6), bends his bend (1), bent (6), come (1), guide (1), lead (1), leads (2), led (2), march (1), set foot (2), shot (1), stamped firm (1), trampled (1), tramples (2), tramples down (1), tread (8), treader (1), treader treads (1), treading (1), treads (5), trod (3), trod them down (1), trodden (4), walk (3), wielding (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

דָּרַךְ verb tread, march (Aramaic דְּרַךְ; Late Hebrew Hiph`il lead, conduct; Arabic IV.  reach, overtake; Ethiopic  be rough, serve (from calcavit, Di);  threshold, vestibule) —Qal Perfect3masculine singular דָּרַךְ Numbers 24:17 6t.; 3 feminine singular דָּֽרְכָה Joshua 14:9; 2masculine singular דָּרַכְתָּ Habakkuk 3:15; 1singular דָּרַכְתִּי Isaiah 63:3Zechariah 9:13; plural דָּֽרְכוּ Job 22:15 3t.; Imperfect3masculine singular יִדְרֹךְ Micah 5:4 6t. + ידרך Jeremiah 51:3 (כתיב ולא קוי); 3 feminine singular תִּדְרֹךְ Deuteronomy 11:24Joshua 1:3; 2masculine singular תִּדְרֹךְ Deuteronomy 33:29 2t.; 2 feminine singular תִּדְרְכִי Judges 5:21; 1singular suffix וְאֶדְרְכֵם Isaiah 63:3; 3masculine plural יִדְרְכוּ 1 Samuel 5:5יִדְרְכוּן Psalm 11:2וַיִּדְרְכוּ Judges 9:27; 2masculine plural תִּדְרְכוּ Deuteronomy 11:25Participle active דֹּרֵךְ Amos 4:13 5t.; דּוֺרֵךְ Job 9:8דֹּרְכִים Jeremiah 25:30Nehemiah 13:15דֹּרְכֵי Jeremiah 46:9 5t.; passive feminine דְּרוּכָה Isaiah 21:15דְּרֻכוֺת Isaiah 5:28; —

1 tread, march, march forth, absolute, תִּדְרְכִי נַפְשִׁי עֹז Judges 5:21; compare דָּרַךְ כּוֺכָב מִיַּעֲקֹב Numbers 24:17 (poem) a star hath marched forth from Jacob.

2 tread upon (land), followed by בְּ Deuteronomy 1:36Deuteronomy 11:25 (subject person), Joshua 14:9 (subject רֶגֶל) compare Deuteronomy 11:24 = Joshua 1:3 (subject כַּף רַגְלְכֶם); tread in a path, followed by בְּ Isaiah 59:8 (figurative of mode of life); tread in (on) the sea, followed by בְּ Habakkuk 3:15 (but text dubious compare VB); of an invader יִדְרֹךְ בְּאַרְמְנוֺתֵינוּ Micah 5:4 (“” יָבוֺא בְּאַרְצֵנוּ); בִּגְבולֵינוּ ׳יִד Micah 5:5 (“” id.); followed by עַל 1 Samuel 5:5 (עַלמִֿפְתַּן דָּגוֺן); Psalm 91:3 (עַלשַֿׁחַל וָפֶתֶן); especially (poetry) עַלבָּֿמֳו֯תֵי אֶרֶץ Micah 1:3, of ׳י, so Amos 4:13, & (עַלבָּֿמֳתֵי יָ֑םJob 9:8; of Israel treading on heights of enemies, i.e. subduing them Deuteronomy 33:29. Once followed by accusative (אֲשֶׁר reference אֹרַחJob 22:15. In technical senses

3 tread wine- (or oil-) press, followed by accusative יְקָבִים Job 24:11 (“” יַצְהִירוּ), גִּתּוֺת Nehemiah 13:15; followed by accusative of thing pressed עֲנָבִים ׳ד Amos 9:13; also of product תִּדְרֹךְזַֿיִת ֗֗֗ וְתִירוֺשׁ Micah 6:15יַיִן בַּיְקָבִים לֹא יִדְרֹךְ הַדֹּרֵךְ Isaiah 16:10; followed by בְּגַת Isaiah 63:2 (in simile); absolute Jeremiah 25:30 (simile) Jeremiah 48:33; figurative of judgment Isaiah 63:3 followed by accusative מּוּרָה winepress, subject ׳י, compare Isaiah 63:3 וְאֶדְרְכֵם בְּאַמִּי (“” רמס), i.e. tread them down; so גַּת דָּרַךְ אֲדֹנָי לִבְתוּלַת בַּתיְֿהוּדָהLamentations 1:15.

4 tread (i.e. bend) the bow, followed by accusative קֶשֶׁת Jeremiah 51:8 (אֶליִֿדְרֹךְ יד֯רך הַדֹּרֵךְ קַשְׁתּוֺ); figurative of assaults of wicked Psalm 11:2Psalm 37:14, of judgments of ׳י Psalm 7:18Lamentations 2:4Lamentations 3:12; also figurative of Judah as bow in hand of ׳יכִּי דָרַכְתִּי לִי יְהוּדָה Zechariah 9:13 (“” קֶשֶׁת מִלֵּאתִי אֶפְרַיִם); twice in like meaning with object חֵץ arrow Psalm 58:8 (but on text compare Checritical note.) Psalm 64:4דֹּרְכֵי קֶשֶׁת = bow-benders, archers Jeremiah 50:14,291 Chronicles 5:181 Chronicles 8:40; 2Chron 14:7; קֶשֶׁת דְּרוּכָה bent bow Isaiah 21:15קַשְׁתֹֿתָיו דְּרֻכוֺת Isaiah 5:28.

Hiph`il Perfect וְהִדְרִיךְ Isaiah 11:15; suffix הִדְרִיכָהּ Jeremiah 51:33 (where many Infinitive construct) compare RSJ Ph xvi. (1888) 72; 1 singular suffix הִדְרַכְתִּיךָ Proverbs 4:11; 3plural suffix הִדְרִיכֻ֑הוּ Judges 20:43הִדְרִיכוּהוּ Job 28:8Imperfect יַדְרֵךְ Psalm 25:9, suffix יַדְרִכֵנִי Habakkuk 3:19וַיַּדְרִיכֵם Psalm 107:7; 1singular suffix אַדְרִיכֵם Isaiah 42:16וַיַּדְרְכוּ Jeremiah 9:2 (compare Ges§ 53, 3, R 4); Imperative masculine singular suffix הַדְרִיכֵנִי Psalm 25:5Psalm 119:35Infinitive construct see above; Participle suffix מַדְרִיכְךָ Isaiah 48:17; —

1 tread, tread down, of treading down enemy in battle Judges 20:43; of treading a path Job 28:8; levelling threshing-floor Jeremiah 51:33 (all followed by suffix).

2 tread (bend) the bow (= Qal 4), only figurative וַיַּדְרְכוּ אֶתלְֿשׁוֺנָם קַשְׁתָּם שֶׁקֶר Jeremiah 9:2 and they have bent their tongue as their bow in falsehood.

3 causative, cause to tread or march, lead, returning exiles Isaiah 11:15 (subject ׳י; no object expressed); compare וַיַּדְרִיכֵם בְּדֶרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה Psalm 107:7 and he led them in a straight way; see also Isaiah 42:16 (“” הוֺלִיךְ); with a moral application הִדְרַכְתִּיךָ בְּמַעְגְּלֵייֿשֶׁר Proverbs 4:11; compare Psalm 119:35 הַדְרִיכֵנִי בִּנְתִיב מִצְוֺתֶיךָ lead me in the path of thy commandmentsPsalm 25:5 בַּאֲמִתֶּ֑ךָ “” (לַמְּדֵנִיׅ compare Psalm 25:9 יְלַמֵּד דַּרְכּוֺ) בַּמִּשְׁמָּטIsaiah 48:17 בְּדֶרֶךְ תֵּלֵךְ “” (לְהוֺעִל מְלַמֶּדְךָׅ; once of giving security & triumph עַלבָּֿמוֺתַי יַדְרִכֵנִי Habakkuk 3:19 upon mine heights he maketh me tread (compare Qal 2).

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance

archer, bend, come, draw, go over, guide, lead forth, thresh,A primitive root; to tread; by implication, to walk; also to string a bow (by treading on it in bending) — archer, bend, come, draw, go (over), guide, lead (forth), thresh, tread (down), walk.