Esther (also known as Hadassah), daughter of Abihail (an exile at Shushan), and heroine of
the book of Esther, was orphaned as a child. Her cousin, Mordecai, adopted her and raised
her. When Queen Vashti fell into disgrace because of her disobedience to King Ahashverosh,
Esther was among the beautiful virgins chosen to be presented to the king. Ahashverosh was
struck by her beauty and appointed her queen instead of Vashti. Esther, however, did not
reveal the fact that she was a Jewess.
Haman, the evil prime minister, persuaded the king to issue an edict of extermination
against all the Jews of the empire. Esther, on Mordechai's advice, endangered her own life
by appearing before the king without being invited, to intercede for her people. Seeing
that the king was well disposed toward her, she invited him and Haman to a private
banquet, during which she did not reveal her wish, and invited them to another banquet.
She misled Haman and made him think he was in the queen's good graces. Her real intention,
however, was to take revenge on him. During the second banquet, Queen Esther revealed her
Jewish origin to the king, begged for her life and the life of her people, and named her
enemy. Angry with Haman, Ahashverosh went into the palace garden. Haman, in great fear,
remained to plead for his life from the queen. While imploring, he fell on Esther's couch
and was found in this compromising situation on the king's return. He was immediately
condemned to hanging on the gallows he had prepared for Mordechai. The king complied with
Esther's request, and the edict of destruction was changed into permission given to the
Jews to avenge themselves on their enemy.
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