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Aspects of Esther: A Phenomenological Exploration of the Megillah of Esther and the Origins of Purim

1999; SAGE Publishing; Volume: 24; Issue: 85 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1177/030908929902408505

1476-6728

Daniel F. Polish,

Archaeology and Historical Studies

Among the puzzles in the book of Ester is that of its origins. It is commonly agreed that its inclusion in the canon justified the Jewish community's appropriation of a holiday non-Jewish in origin. Many candidates have been suggested as the Ur-celebration upon which Purim is based. My effort employs a phenomenological, rather than historical or linguistic, analysis of various holidays to establish the identity of the proto-Purim. This article examines Esther's Haman/Mordecai doppelgänger figure and its correlation to the substitute king component of Sacae, the Babylonian New Year celebration. Other elements of the Purim celebration underscore this association with the New Year motif, leading us to identify Purim's origins with the Babylonian New Year festival.