(ז) וַיְהִ֨י אֹמֵ֜ן אֶת־הֲדַסָּ֗ה הִ֤יא אֶסְתֵּר֙ בַּת־דֹּד֔וֹ כִּ֛י אֵ֥ין לָ֖הּ אָ֣ב וָאֵ֑ם.
(7) And Mordechai raised Hadassah—that is, Esther—his uncle’s daughter, for she had neither father nor mother.
What is Esther's Hebrew name?
What it her Persian name?
Why do you think she is called Esther throughout Megillat Esther, and not Hadassah, her Jewish name?
(י) לֹא־הִגִּ֣ידָה אֶסְתֵּ֔ר אֶת־עַמָּ֖הּ וְאֶת־מֽוֹלַדְתָּ֑הּ כִּ֧י מָרְדֳּכַ֛י צִוָּ֥ה עָלֶ֖יהָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־תַגִּֽיד׃
(10) Esther did not reveal her people or her kindred, for Mordecai had told her not to reveal it.
How would you feel if you had to mask your Jewish identity as Esther did?
How much of your identity is connected to your name? Explain your answer to your group.
How many names do you have?
How does your Hebrew name connect you to your family history?
Whenever a person increases their mitzvot, they earn themselves a good name. The midrash (Tanhuma, Vayakhel 1) tells us that a person has three names: one given by parents; another given by other people; and the third earned by one's own actions. The midrash goes on to say that it was the good name Bezalel acquired for himself that made G-d choose him to build the tabernacle, as it says in this week’s parsha: “And Moses said unto the children of Israel: ‘See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah”. (Exodus 35:30).
What do you notice about Bezalel's name? What does the midrash mean by "a name we earn for ourselves"? What is the name Esther earned for herself through the events of the Purim story? If you had to choose 2 adjectives to re-name Esther, which would you choose?
On your mask, write three unique identities, attributes, or characteristics. One portraying your Jewish identity, one portraying your American identity, and one identity you hope to earn for yourself.
