Z is for ZERESH

[This is the MILLERWRITES contribution to the 2012 Blogging A to Z April Challenge  Here is my INTRODUCTION to this particular series, and an opportunity for you to influence which alphabetically aligned weird words I will comment on this month.  THANK YOU for stopping by!]


Did you read the book of Esther the other day when we had V is for VASHTI?  I started out to update my info about Vashti and Esther, but got carried away and read the whole story again.  It is really quite incredible!  By the way; this book explains the beginning of Purim, which is the holiday still remembered today whereby Jewish people celebrate the defeat of Haman.


Speaking of Haman, his career might not have gone so far (75' up) if it were not for his sweet little bride, ZERESH!  She joined with Haman's friends in trying to console his miserable pride, by suggesting that he have his enemy Mordecai (the secret Uncle to Queen Esther) impaled on a pole, so that he, Haman, could have an undistracted good time at the next day's banquet with the King and Queen!  What a dear!


Then later, in her last words to her stricken husband, after her first suggestion had failed miserably (and was about to backfire interminably), ZERESH had the temerity to tell him this bad news:  “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him—you will surely come to ruin!” 
Esther 6:13b

She must have had a good insurance policy in place, she was so flip about his doom.  But the next thing ZERESH knew, within a few hours I believe, Haman was on top of the 75' pole he had erected outside his house for Mordecai.  ('On top of', as in, 'impaled on'.)  I have a feeling that she stood there with her hands on her hips and yelled up at him; "I told you so"!

I hope you go read the fascinating book of Esther right now!  (Trivia: Esther is the only book in the Bible that does not mention God!)

And THANK YOU for stopping by this month during the A to Z Challenge, to see some of the 'weird words from the Word of God'!

V is for VASHTI

[This is the MILLERWRITES contribution to the 2012 Blogging A to Z April Challenge  Here is my INTRODUCTION to this particular series, and an opportunity for you to influence which alphabetically aligned weird words I will comment on this month.  THANK YOU for stopping by!]



The story of Esther, the undercover Jewess beauty who became Queen of Persia, as told in the Bible book of the same name, is incredible!  The twists and turns of this true account of the heroine Esther, her brave Uncle Mordecai and the evil Haman could only happen in real life.  And it all starts with VASHTI.  VASHTI was King Xerxes Queen until she refused to come into his banquet hall so he could show her off.  You will get a kick out of how her disobedience got her deposed from the throne because all of Xerxes advisers warned that her rebellion was a terrible example for the women across the kingdom!

[ Of course they were right, but I'll save that speech for when we get to the letter MS and I'll do "MS is for Mike's Suicide!"   He hee.  Good thing women can't read between brackets, eh guys?! ]

That's all we know about VASHTI, except that with the exception of Esther, she was the most beautiful woman around.  As a man, I don't know what to think about such a woman who stands out among the rest.    Well, I know what I think, but what does SHE think about being so gorgeous?

At first, one might think it's purely a wonderful thing to be so lovely.  Everyone loves a beauty queen right?  Or is that the very problem?   The negatives must be burdensome.  With piggish men staring, jealous women glaring, and all the while never daring to be seen under anything but the best light.  Such a woman must feel a lot of pressure to match her character and attitude to her skin deep, though only genetically controlled features.   And then, being human, she must readily fall short.  A VASHTI or an Esther must be aware that she had nothing to do with the raw beauty she lives in, and struggles with how to respond to appearance based compliments.  Personally she needs to be considered for her talents and interests, and given allowance for her flaws and weaknesses, but that perfect face and figure regularly intimidate the simple minded [ men ] and distract women who might otherwise become good friends.

So what do you think ladies?  Was anybody more relieved than VASHTI when she was deposed?

BY THE WAY....

MILLERWRITES copy is copyrighted.  Why copy and paste when you can burrow and borrow?  (copy the URL)