Cyrus, Xerxes, Darius, Mordechai, Binyamin

Modern propaganda can distort retrospectives. To unravel mysteries one must be sensitive to actors and cultures that influenced our perception of people and ancient times. One example is the great Xerxes, a Persian King of mythical proportion about whom modern movie going audiences are unlikely to ever restore a real sense. Historical documents, archaeology, anthropology and punctuated moments during his rule are the only tools we have to reconstruct his story. One such source is the Jewish perspective, you see, Xerxes was the Greek name of the well known King Ahasuerus (Ahashverosh) of Susa (Shushan), from the story of Purim. Ahash - silent, behind, rosh - head, the silent king.

Shushan an ancient Persian city, housed the palace of Xerxes close to the the border of modern Iran and Iraq. It was to Shushan, that the Jewish nation had been exiled by the Babylonians shortly before they were defeated by the Persian King, Cyrus The Great.

The display of confidence in the prophecy of their Jewish leaders, that their exile would be limited to 70 years bewildered Persian officers and King Xerxes. Was this an arrogant prediction of Jews to dominate the will of the Persian King? As the time approached and the intellectual challenge to Xerxes grew more intense, he strengthened his hand, subjecting the Jews to a battle of wits. He hosted an elaborate feast that lasted 6 months and subjected the pious Jewish community to exotic foods, luxuries and practices that were not permitted by Jewish law or custom. During the feasts his sorcerers, who deemed the 70 years was already over served Jews from the holy vessels that had been captured when they destroyed their holy temple in Jerusalem.

Rapid assimilation became Xerxes objective. Ultimately, when that did not appear to shake the confidence of the Jewish leaders he was convinced, by his visor and leading bureaucrat to authorize a Jewish genocide. This leading bureaucrat nemesis, known through the Jewish story as 'Haman' was of the Amalekite bloodline that also became Hitler’s Germany. Primed and ready for the final genocide Haman eagerly negotiated with and paid Xerxes large amounts of silver to obtain the coveted rights to the impending Jewish spoils.

Unbeknown to Xerxes one of his recently isolated harem girls, whom he is said to have favored became his Queens’ envy. During the feasts, in his drunken moment his jealous Queen failed his public challenge, humiliated, Xerxes had her killed and began a courtship with Hadassah, the hidden Jewish harem girl. She was a relative, some say wife of once Jewish nobleman Mordechai, descendant of the Benjamin tribe from Shimei, King David's nemesis. As the true, seventy year prophecy drew closer and conditions for the Jews became intolerable, Mordechai, who had once employed Haman incensed him when he refused to bow down to him. This became the catalyst that led to the events of Purim, one of the happiest events on the Jewish calendar.

In the miracles that followed, Mordechai pleaded with Hadassah, now known as Ester, to approach and influence Xerxes to make him aware of Haman's royal plot. She complained of the insult to her and her people who had fasted and prayed for three days before she approached the King. Xerxes was worried and after reading his book of records he was reminded of an indebtedness to Mordechai. He favored Ester over Haman who was subsequently hanged with his 10 sons. Xerxes and his successor integrated the Jews into Persian society, they became loyal servants of the King and in precise accordance with their 70 year prophecy, under Darius The Second they were permitted to return to Jerusalem to rebuild their temple. Although the prophecy of return from exile had in fact come true, the significant majority of exiled Jews never returned to Jerusalem. Life in Persia had become comfortable, Xerxes had cleverly integrated them into his society and the Jews would empower his dynasty for many generations into the future.

The small number of returnees to Jerusalem under Nehemiah and Ezra, the head of the Great Assembly eventually restored the destroyed temple and rekindled the age old practices of the Jewish people. Jewish influence was then centered in Jerusalem and Persia. For the millions of Jews entrapped in their Persian exile modern day Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, France and Spain became some of their eventual homes.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pleaded with the US Congress on 13 Adar, the day Jews remember the Fast of Esther. It is reminiscent of Mordechai’s plea to Esther. But, when the annihilation of the Jewish nations is still threatened by Iran, the very people over which Xerxes once ruled one must take a firm stand to defeat the remnant!