Abstract
Whatever one might think about the book of Esther in terms of its theology (or lack thereof) and ethics, whether in the Masoretic text or the Septuagint, it is surely undeniable that it is a great story, full of character, humour and drama. Surely all Jewish children know of Esther, Vashti, Mordecai and Haman, but how many Christians (of any age) would know them? The book is little used in Catholic liturgy, and the parts we hear at Mass are largely the prayers from the Septuagint version. Two verses from one of these prayers are also sung as an Offertory chant at Mass in the 28th week of the year by those communities using the Graduale Romanum.
Isaac Kalimi examines Esther according to three broad categories: text/story, Jewish interpretation and Christian interpretation. The Masoretic text is the principle focus of discussion, but with consideration of the Targumim and Septuagint when appropriate.
The first part of the book is a truly excellent introduction to the book of Esther in terms of plot, literary style, message and historicity. It is a very balanced text and greatly appreciative of the Hebrew text in particular, which he quotes in unvocalised Hebrew as well as providing an English translation. When needed, in order to demonstrate grammatical or syntactical points, the vocalised text is included. This approach is very helpful and ensures that those who understand Hebrew can also access his argument and easily see the biblical text, whilst not excluding those who do not have good Hebrew. He also uses rabbinic sources in order to illuminate the text. The longest chapter is that on the historical setting and historicity. Esther is a book that contains a great deal of hyperbole and humour (albeit a sort of ‘gallows humour’ in many places), and thus those who seek a strictly historical narrative will be disappointed; this has not, however, stopped some (mainly Christians or secular academics) from trying and then denigrating the book when history is found only very sparsely. It is in this first part of the book that Kalimi looks at ancient accusations against Jews, some of which are built on negative views of Esther and the feast of Purim.
The second section considers the way in which Esther has been read (or not in the case of Qumran) by Jewish authors, beginning with its complete absence from the Dead Sea Scrolls and going via mediaeval rabbis (helpfully quoted with their full name as well as their acronym) to modern authors, who view Esther both positively (the vast majority) and (occasionally) negatively. Isaac Kalimi adds to the study of the reception with an examination of the way in which the story and the characters have been viewed in rabbinic and academic literature as well as in fiction, film and art.
The third section, looking at the reception of Esther among Christians, focuses firstly on Rabanus Maurus, the ninth-century Benedictine abbot and bishop, who interpreted Esther allegorically (as was a normal approach to the Old Testament among Christians at the time), and wrote the first commentary on the book. That nothing had been written earlier is a clear indication of the lack of interest in Esther among Christians, even though its place in the canon was never widely disputed. Kalimi rightly spends a great deal of time looking at the view of Esther presented in the writings and speeches of Martin Luther. His views make for very uncomfortable reading, and highlight both his unpleasant personality and lack of discretion in his modes of expression, which were extreme even for the time. It is helpful that Luther’s original German is reproduced in the footnotes and that modern German spelling/vocabulary is included in square brackets when this would assist the reader. Some readers will, however, find this presentation a little ‘bulky’ and in many cases unnecessary. Someone with sufficient German to read the footnote will be able to understand that Luther’s ‘villeicht’, ‘wol’, darumb’, ‘tzu’, unnd’ are the modern ‘vielleicht’, ‘wohl’, darum’, ‘zu’ and ‘und’, to give some of the most obvious examples. That Luther’s view was perpetuated by, principally, Protestant authors well into the twentieth century, and even the twenty-first, does not make pleasant reading. Dr Kalimi does not address Catholic authors, though they are more inclined to allegorical readings in the style of Rabanus Maurus, as we see in the writings of Monsignor Ronald Knox, for example.
Dr Kalimi includes a very interesting consideration of the reason for this negativity as seen in a few authors. It is, of course, related to views that the Jews sought to be a nation within a nation, that they had a split loyalty and so on. He asks, “Would these scholars consider a group of Catholic Christians living among Protestant Christians…as those who ‘serve two masters’ or have ‘dual loyalty’ – one for the Pope in Vatican [sic] and the other to the state where they live?” He clearly expects the reader to say ‘of course not’, but many Catholics would point to the way in which Catholics were accused of precisely this, expelled from various countries, persecuted and killed in the centuries following the Reformation, and Christians continue to be persecuted in many countries today.
There are, however, pro-Esther readings within the Christian tradition, although these appear less frequently than many would hope. These readings focus on God’s salvation of the Jews through Esther and Mordecai, and can be seen even in some earlier commentators such as Matthew Henry (1662–1714), but the fact that this chapter is only 9 pages long says a lot.
This book is an excellent companion for anyone wishing to learn more about the book of Esther and its interpretation. It assumes (of course) that the reader is already familiar with the story and leads us to a deeper understanding of the text and the way in which it has been understood. It is of particular value for anyone wishing to know more about the Jewish reading or that of Martin Luther in particular. It is very readable and interesting, since Dr Kalimi writes with a captivating style that makes an academic book genuinely enjoyable to read.