Don't Need a Crown
Discover more from Ya'aleh: Holiday Torah for Organizers and Optimists
“Can you make me a playlist that will help me like Purim?” My friend, M, asked me this after years of struggling with some of the darker and gendered aspects of the story. (She knows I have a proclivity for holiday-themed playlists, and Purim happens to be one of my favorite holidays.) Though I doubt the lyrics and music on one playlist can rewrite someone’s relationship to the entire holiday of Purim, I told M I would give it a try.
What resulted was a feminist and somewhat whimsical attempt to reflect key aspects of Megillat Esther through a playlist–with songs sung by women and trans artists. Though this playlist does not erase the pain points in Megillat Esther, my hope is it will give us the strength to encounter them in new ways. Sometimes, by first turning things upside down, we can make the world a little more right side up.
Chapter One: Songs 1-9
King Ahashveirosh holds two giant parties. Vashti refuses Ahashveirosh’s request to come before the people wearing her crown and displaying her beauty. Or, in the words of Lizzo, “I don’t need a crown to know that I’m a queen.” Ahashveirosh banishes (or kills, depending on your midrash of choice) Vashti.
Chapter Two: Songs 10-13
King Ahashveirosh searches throughout the empire for a new queen. Esther comes to the palace and keeps her Jewish identity a secret. Esther and Mordechai save King Ahashveirosh from two scheming staffers.
Chapter Three: Song 14
Mordechai refuses to bow to Ahashveirosh’s viceroy, Haman. Haman plots to have all the Jews of Shushan killed on the 13th of Adar.
Chapter Four: Song 15
Esther finds out the news by hearing word of Mordechai’s mourning. Mordechai convinces Esther–who is nervous she will be put to death if she approaches, because she has not been recently summoned by the king–to go to the king. Esther instructs Mordechai to establish a fast on her behalf.
Chapter Five: Song 16
Esther puts on royal apparel, approaches the king, and wins his favor. Esther has a feast prepared as part of her plan. Haman is enraged when Mordechai once again refuses to bow to him, and he prepares to have Mordechai impaled.
Chapter Six: Song 17
Ahashveirosh realizes he never rewarded Mordechai. He asks Haman what should be done for someone the king wants to honor. Haman, assuming the king had to be speaking about him, suggests he be paraded through the city square on the king’s horse, while wearing royal garb. Ahashveirosh instructs Haman to do this for Mordechai.
Chapter Seven: Songs 18-20
At the party, Ahashveirosh asks Esther what she wishes. Esther reveals Haman’s plot. The king has Haman impaled on the stick intended for Mordechai.
Chapter Eight: Song 21
Ahashveirosh issues an edict to save the Jews, allowing them to fight to defend themselves. The Jews rejoice.
Chapter Nine: Songs 22-25
The Jews kill their enemies, but they do not take any plunder (uh…yeah, it’s dark). The Jews accept the responsibility to celebrate Purim (and some say the Torah, again…see Babylonian Talmud Shabbat 88a).
Chapter Ten: Song 26
The events are entered into the official records. Mordechai serves as a very successful leader in Ahashveirosh’s court. Conspicuously, Esther’s name does not appear in these concluding verses…
“The Whole Megillah”: Songs 27-29
Time for merrymaking.