Esther in Ancient Jewish Thought

This book situates the book of Esther in the intellectual history of Ancient Judaism and provides a new understanding of its purpose.

Aaron Koller (Author)

9781107673885, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 28 April 2016

278 pages, 1 b/w illus. 7 tables
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.5 cm, 0.41 kg

'I thoroughly enjoyed this well-researched and stimulating book and I can recommend it highly to anyone interested in the Esther scroll and in the development of early Judaism.' Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer, Vetus Testamentum

The book of Esther was a conscious reaction to much of the conventional wisdom of its day, challenging beliefs regarding the Jerusalem Temple, the land of Israel, Jewish law, and even God. Aaron Koller identifies Esther as primarily a political work, and shows that early reactions ranged from ignoring the book to 'rewriting' Esther in order to correct its perceived flaws. But few biblical books have been read in such different ways, and the vast quantity of Esther-interpretation in rabbinic literature indicates a conscious effort by the Rabbis to present Esther as a story of faith and traditionalism, and bring it into the fold of the grand biblical narrative. Koller situates Esther, and its many interpretations, within the intellectual and political contexts of Ancient Judaism, and discusses its controversial themes. His innovative line of enquiry will be of great interest to students and scholars of Bible and Jewish studies.

Introduction
Part I. The Provocation: Conventional Wisdom in Early Second Temple Judaism: 1. Setting the stage: the theological challenge of political stability
2. The movement of Ezra and Nehemiah
3. Authoring/editing: Joseph, Daniel, and God
4. Identity of a hero: Mordecai the Yehudi, scion of the house of Saul
Part II. Entering the Fray: Esther as a Political Book: 5. Persian law and Persian king in the Book of Esther
6. Modeling heroes: Daniel, Esther, and Mordecai
7. Hero models: Joseph and Saul
8. Diaspora revisions: rethinking the Exodus and rethinking God
Part III. Early Reactions: Rejection, Subversion, Correction: 9. A tense embrace: the reception of Esther in hellenistic Alexandria
10. Subvert or ignore: canonical re-contextualization and outright rejection of Esther
11. Criticism by adaptation: rewriting Esther in Hellenistic and Roman times
12. Adoption: Esther in the eastern diaspora and in the canon
Part IV. Rabbinic Readings: Moving Esther from the Periphery to the Center: 13. Introduction to the rabbinic literature on Esther
14. Biblicizing Esther
15. Restoring God and Torah.

Subject Areas: Judaism: sacred texts [HRJS], Judaism [HRJ], Old Testaments [HRCF1]