avi strauss based on vbm-torah

Question: Megilat Esther appears to be the antithesis of classical tanach; a sefer devoid of even a direct reference to hashem.  This retreat from classic tanach style, but inclusion in tanach itself is obviously meant to deliver a certain message.  What are we supposed to learn from the “topsy-turvy” world of the Megilla?

Explanation:  The Megilla seems to blatantly keep Hashem’s name out of its text.  When Mordachai refers to the salvation that will be brought to the Jewish people, he says it will come from a “different source”.  Another example is when Esther is taken for the beauty contest, one would expect the Megilla would portray it as a tragedy, but instead it glorifies it with a description about the lengthy process.  These instance as well as several others indicates a specific intention to remove a direct connection to god. 

            The Megilla is also devoid of mentions of Israel and only mentions Yerushalyaim once.  Its also curious that the Megilla paints Achashverosh and his kingdom a disgrace and farce marked by his physical indulgence.  It only mentions historical events in the 3^rd, 7^th, and 12^th years of his reign albeit barely.  However, modern day historical evidence shows that during Achashverosh’s rule, major events transpired.  Persia was preparing for a major war with the Greeks.  Under Achashverosh’s rule, the Persians built major canals and roads to transport a massive army to conquer Athens that was ultimately defeated.  But these events are totally neglected even when the tanach would sometimes devote space to mention the major historical occurrences of a time period.

            Also, we know the torah to be particular of its language and it generally tries to “cut the fat” of the story when hashem isn’t connecting to the people.  The torah skims over 200 years of slavery and the bulk of the trip through the desert (38 years) because of the absence of hashem.  So why then here would the tanach devote an entire Megilla to a time period without hashem?

            Furthermore, the Megilla seems to exaggerate the physical, unspiritual, antithetical-to-a-divine-kingdom qualities, that the Persian kingdom represents.  Also, the Jews of the time seem totally devoid of god as well.  They are actively a part of this society, totally assimilated from the Jewish ways and enjoying the parties Achashverosh throws.  Even the names of our heroes, Mordachai and Esther seem to be adopted from the Persian culture names of Morodokh and Ishtar.  No one in the whole story can escape the attraction of assimilation.  Moreover, the Jews fate seems to totally be determined by chance.  Haman wants to kill all of Mordachai’s people and decides when to do so based on a lottery.  There is not one mention of a divine intervention in the day chosen, just a by chance, down to earth, “pur” to determine the Jews fate. 

            So with these major differences, the question returns; what are we supposed to learn from this backwards segment of tanach?  The Megilla is written in this secular way to teach us that hashem is everywhere even when his name or presence might not be clearly expressed.  It just takes a deeper understanding to realize his hand in everything that happens both spiritual AND physical.  Without the Megilla, we would just have a tanach of hashem’s control of all that we do, but no example of him moving the strings behind the scenes.  Therefore, the Megilla is the exception to the norm that is there to prove hashem’s omnipotent control in all that happens.