"Purim: Unveiling the Secrets" delves into the ancient holiday of Purim, drawing connections between the story of Esther and historical events. Highlighting the courage of Queen Esther, the show explores the themes of identity, faith, and God's intervention during challenging times. Rabbi Jason Sobel and comedian Chonda Pierce uncover the hidden mysteries behind Purim, emphasizing the power of courage, second chances, and faith in overcoming doubt and darkness. Through engaging storytelling and deep insights, they reveal how the timeless lessons of Purim continue to inspire and guide us today.
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God's Appointed Times with Rabbi Jason Sobel | Jason Sobel & Chonda Pierce: Purim (Part 1) | God's Appointed Times | January 23, 2026
- (beeping sound)
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- - right now, we're diving into the secrets
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- And mysteries within the holiday of purim.
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- This appointed time is very different than hanukkah,
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- But there are so many threads that connect them.
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- We're discovering these connections
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- And taking a deeper look at the story of esther.
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- When we read the account of esther through jewish eyes,
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- Just like yeshua did,
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- We can find truths that we've never seen before.
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- It's time to see the bible in high definition.
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- I'm rabbi jason sobel, and this is god's appointed times.
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- (epic music)
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- (dramatic music)
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- (dramatic music turns epic music)
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- (slow dramatic music)
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- Purim is all about recognizing the unseen, mysterious,
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- Invisible nature of god.
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- If you followed any of my teachings at all,
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- Then you know i love a good mystery.
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- Purim has plenty for us to explore.
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- Purim celebrates jewish identity, perseverance,
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- And god's heart for his people.
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- This entire holiday is centered
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- Around the story of esther.
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- Xerxes, also known as ahasuerus in hebrew,
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- Was the king of the persian empire
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- And had a ridiculous amount of wealth.
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- Scripture describes how he threw a lavish 180-day party
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- At his palace with gold cups, pearl floors,
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- And unlimited wine for the guests.
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- That's a party.
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- During this party,
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- Xerxes got angry at his wife,
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- Queen vashti, and dethroned her.
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- He decided it was time to find a new queen.
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- Xerxes sent out his men into the kingdom
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- To find an eligible woman to marry.
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- This is where esther comes in.
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- She was an orphan raised by her cousin mordecai.
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- Both of them were jewish from the tribe of benjamin.
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- They now lived in persia under the rule of xerxes.
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- People, though didn't know that esther was jewish.
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- This is a bit of a secret.
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- Esther was brought before the king, along with a bunch
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- Of other women in a sort of beauty contest.
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- King xerxes saw esther and she caught his eye.
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- Before long, she was elevated to be the new queen.
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- Little did xerxes know that the woman seated next
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- To him was jewish.
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- Now, it would be nice to say they rode off into the sunset,
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- Living happily ever after.
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- But this story also has a villain.
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- Haman was second in command to xerxes,
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- The right hand man of the king.
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- He was an evil man who despised the jewish people
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- And their god.
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- As mordecai, esther's cousin began to climb the ranks,
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- He was pretty threatening to haman.
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- Everything came to a head
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- When haman told mordecai to bow down to him.
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- Mordecai, a devout jewish man, never would.
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- This infuriated haman.
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- So he not only planned to kill mordecai,
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- But to slaughter every jewish person in the land.
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- He convinced the king to go along with his plot.
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- Xerxes didn't know that he had just signed
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- A death warrant for queen esther also.
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- The only thing left to decide is
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- What day the jewish people should be killed,
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- And haman decided to gamble with their fate.
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- What chutzpah!
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- He cast lots to determine the day of the genocide.
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- Casting lots was sort of like rolling dice
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- Or flipping a coin.
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- Haman did this because it would be
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- The ultimate insult to god.
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- He knew that everything with god is intentional
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- And had a purpose.
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- The lots landed on the 13th day
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- Of the 12th month, the month of adar.
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- That was a day that haman planned
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- To wipe out all the jewish people in the kingdom.
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- Esther wasn't going to let this happen. she-
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- - knew she had to save her people.
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- But the question was how?
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- She risked her life by going before the king
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- Without being summoned.
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- This was a really big deal.
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- Showing up unannounced to speak to xerxes
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- Could mean execution,
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- But she had the chutzpah,
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- The holy audacity and boldness to do it anyway.
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- Xerxes greeted her with love,
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- And she managed to convince the king to spare her people.
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- She revealed that she herself was in fact jewish,
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- And the people that xerxes had ordered to be killed
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- Were her own.
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- King xerxes sent out a counter decree
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- And hung haman to death
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- In the gallows that haman had himself prepared and built
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- To kill mordecai.
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- What irony.
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- This is where the story gets even more poetic.
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- Purim, in hebrew, purim means lots.
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- And this holiday reminds us that with god,
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- Our fate is never left up to chance.
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- (gentle music)
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- - hallo, my
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- I'm just kidding.
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- Just had to do it, i'm sorry.
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- My name is chonda pierce, and i'm a comedian.
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- I grew up a preacher's kid in the south
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- In a very legalistic environment
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- And never really figured out when i got saved,
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- I got saved a lot.
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- But one of the biggest moments of my life
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- Came when i was running from god.
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- Now i remember what it feels like to be close to god,
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- And i know what it feels like to be far from god.
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- And one of those far from god moments,
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- I heard a song as i was sitting there typing the lyric out
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- In a publishing office in nashville, tennessee,
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- And i realized, i miss god, i miss my time with him,
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- I miss really knowing how much he loved me.
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- And i went in the bathroom and knelt,
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- Knelt at the porcelain throne and got saved.
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- - i am so excited, chonda, to have you here,
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- The queen of clean-
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- - so they say. - comedy, so they say.
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- And we're gonna be talking about a queen today,
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- So who better than to have this conversation with?
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- So i just want to thank you for being here.
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- I'm so excited to jump into the story of purim,
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- The book of esther.
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- - [chonda] yes.
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- - and i think it's so appropriate that you're here
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- Because purim is the most joyous of holidays.
- 00:06:58.348 --> 00:07:02.119
- - oh, good. - that's right.
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- It says when the month of purim begins,
- 00:07:03.287 --> 00:07:05.022
- That joy should increase.
- 00:07:05.022 --> 00:07:08.358
- - i think that's when i was born, that's when purim started.
- 00:07:08.358 --> 00:07:11.094
- Yeah, that's when i was born. - that's right, that's right.
- 00:07:11.094 --> 00:07:12.396
- - absolutely.
- 00:07:12.396 --> 00:07:13.497
- - it's all about having fun and so,
- 00:07:13.497 --> 00:07:14.765
- But i want to talk with you a little bit
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- About some things people don't know
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- About the deeper backgrounds of purim
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- Because you can't understand the book of esther-
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- - [chonda] right.
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- - without understanding the background
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- And the ancestries of the main people in the story.
- 00:07:25.976 --> 00:07:30.414
- - good. - and so we know
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- The bad guy in the story is haman.
- 00:07:31.548 --> 00:07:34.751
- - yes. - he was a very, very bad man.
- 00:07:34.751 --> 00:07:37.387
- - wasn't he though?
- 00:07:37.387 --> 00:07:39.122
- - you think it's kind of weird, like, one jewish guy-
- 00:07:39.122 --> 00:07:42.626
- - right. - mordecai, won't bow down.
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- And so he makes a decision, i'm not just gonna take him out,
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- I'm gonna wipe out an entire group of people
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- Because of the actions of one individual.
- 00:07:51.935 --> 00:07:54.404
- - wow. - and it only makes sense
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- When you understand his background
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- Because we know from the book of esther
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- That he is a descendant of a guy by the name of amalek.
- 00:07:59.643 --> 00:08:04.915
- - hmm.
- 00:08:05.148 --> 00:08:06.517
- - and amalek is the first person in the bible
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- To actually attack the children of israel
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- When they came out of egypt.
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- And what's really bad about it,
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- He didn't just attacked the warriors and the soldiers,
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- Is that he actually attacked the weak and the stragglers,
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- He attacked the defenseless.
- 00:08:23.400 --> 00:08:25.736
- And so god says that because of what amalek did,
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- That he was gonna be at war with amalek in every generation,
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- And that the jewish people needed to wipe out this guy
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- Who represented the embodiment of evil
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- And oppression and racism-
- 00:08:38.148 --> 00:08:40.484
- - right. - and discrimination.
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- And saul decided not to do what god said
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- And to wipe out all the amalekites,
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- But he spared some of them,
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- Including the king and the women and some of the cattle.
- 00:08:50.027 --> 00:08:53.330
- And because of that, god says to king saul,
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- "i am going to take the kingdom from you."
- 00:08:56.133 --> 00:08:59.803
- Haman actually wanted to destroy all the jewish people.
- 00:08:59.803 --> 00:09:05.409
- - wow.
- 00:09:05.642 --> 00:09:06.577
- - because he knew god's command
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- That this was meant to be done by the children of israel,
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- And that's the reason why he wanted to wipe them out.
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- When you think about the whole name of the story, purim,
- 00:09:15.819 --> 00:09:19.790
- It means, lots.
- 00:09:20.157 --> 00:09:22.326
- - really?
- 00:09:22.626 --> 00:09:23.460
- - we named the holiday
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- After the means by which haman made the decision on what.
- 00:09:24.995 --> 00:09:29.600
- - the day the jewish people were going to be destroyed.
- 00:09:29.600 --> 00:09:33.503
- Which is kind of a strange name.
- 00:09:33.503 --> 00:09:35.072
- - right. - right? for the holiday.
- 00:09:35.072 --> 00:09:36.607
- - yeah, it is. it really is.
- 00:09:36.607 --> 00:09:37.941
- But also, it makes a whole lot of sense
- 00:09:37.941 --> 00:09:40.344
- When you think about, you chose the day
- 00:09:40.344 --> 00:09:42.913
- You were supposed to be wiped out.
- 00:09:42.913 --> 00:09:45.816
- We are gonna celebrate because that didn't happen.
- 00:09:45.816 --> 00:09:48.151
- - that's right.
- 00:09:48.151 --> 00:09:49.419
- They say the summary of all jewish holidays,
- 00:09:49.419 --> 00:09:51.488
- They tried to destroy us.
- 00:09:51.488 --> 00:09:52.856
- - yeah. - we won. let's eat.
- 00:09:52.856 --> 00:09:54.157
- (booth laughing)
- 00:09:54.157 --> 00:09:55.759
- - that's true. - every jewish holiday.
- 00:09:55.759 --> 00:09:56.727
- That's how you can sum it up.
- 00:09:56.727 --> 00:09:57.861
- - that's the truth. - are you sure?
- 00:09:57.861 --> 00:09:59.363
- - you know, protestants can, you know, we have potluck.
- 00:09:59.363 --> 00:10:01.898
- That's all we've got, you know, is on a sunday afternoon.
- 00:10:01.898 --> 00:10:04.568
- But that's true. and they had such a feast.
- 00:10:04.568 --> 00:10:08.405
- I mean, the episcopalians would've been happy.
- 00:10:08.405 --> 00:10:11.808
- They had wine and they had, you know,
- 00:10:11.808 --> 00:10:13.810
- And then they had sweets, you know,
- 00:10:13.810 --> 00:10:15.445
- They had everything laid out there before 'em.
- 00:10:15.445 --> 00:10:17.681
- I think, you know, it'd be really great
- 00:10:17.681 --> 00:10:19.750
- If we started doing purim more often.
- 00:10:19.750 --> 00:10:21.685
- - yeah. - in my house.
- 00:10:21.685 --> 00:10:23.153
- - yeah. and jewish thought, numbers are important.
- 00:10:23.153 --> 00:10:26.957
- - right. - and you write numbers
- 00:10:26.957 --> 00:10:28.392
- With letters in hebrew.
- 00:10:28.392 --> 00:10:30.060
- And so every name in the bible,
- 00:10:30.060 --> 00:10:32.396
- Every word has a numerical value.
- 00:10:32.396 --> 00:10:34.631
- The numerical value of haman equals 240,
- 00:10:34.631 --> 00:10:38.001
- Which is the numerical value of doubt.
- 00:10:38.001 --> 00:10:40.837
- So he represents doubt in the bible.
- 00:10:40.837 --> 00:10:44.207
- - wow. - and what's interesting
- 00:10:44.207 --> 00:10:46.009
- Is when israel was attacked by amalek
- 00:10:46.009 --> 00:10:49.713
- Right before he attacked them,
- 00:10:49.713 --> 00:10:51.415
- 'cause you could ask the question, how
- 00:10:51.415 --> 00:10:52.249
- Could the amalekites
- 00:10:52.249 --> 00:10:54.184
- Have any success after god just delivered them from egypt,
- 00:10:54.184 --> 00:10:57.287
- The greatest military power of their day?
- 00:10:57.287 --> 00:11:00.223
- What happens right before the attack
- 00:11:00.223 --> 00:11:02.125
- Is the children of israel grumble against god
- 00:11:02.125 --> 00:11:04.428
- At the waters of mara,
- 00:11:04.428 --> 00:11:06.129
- And they say, "is god really among us or not?"
- 00:11:06.129 --> 00:11:09.433
- Doubt opened the door to disaster,
- 00:11:09.433 --> 00:11:12.703
- Which is connected to amalek, which is connected to haman.
- 00:11:12.703 --> 00:11:16.139
- And so purim is about going from doubt
- 00:11:16.139 --> 00:11:18.909
- To faith and trust in god.
- 00:11:18.909 --> 00:11:20.911
- Has there ever been a moment in your life
- 00:11:20.911 --> 00:11:22.579
- Where you've struggled, maybe a doubt?
- 00:11:22.579 --> 00:11:25.182
- - how long is the show?
- 00:11:25.182 --> 00:11:27.217
- You know, it really is powerful that you say that.
- 00:11:28.251 --> 00:11:30.520
- For one thing, i'm a comic, so i'm sitting here
- 00:11:30.520 --> 00:11:32.889
- And thinking of all the little funny quips.
- 00:11:32.889 --> 00:11:35.158
- Part of it is, i gotta tell,
- 00:11:35.158 --> 00:11:36.693
- Shout-out to my pastor alan jackson.
- 00:11:36.693 --> 00:11:38.695
- I've been standing here with you for 10 minutes
- 00:11:38.695 --> 00:11:40.664
- And learned 10 times more.
- 00:11:40.664 --> 00:11:42.499
- Don't tell my pastor that.
- 00:11:43.066 --> 00:11:44.601
- But i will say, what's interesting
- 00:11:44.601 --> 00:11:46.403
- About putting a number to the words.
- 00:11:46.403 --> 00:11:50.006
- - yeah. - is that correct?
- 00:11:50.006 --> 00:11:51.274
- And the words have a number correlation.
- 00:11:51.274 --> 00:11:53.043
- - yeah. - and it is interesting how,
- 00:11:53.043 --> 00:11:56.213
- Oh, you know, the people who are doubters,
- 00:11:56.213 --> 00:11:59.549
- I live in a world of comics
- 00:12:00.150 --> 00:12:02.586
- And you know, people are always thinking of the next word
- 00:12:02.586 --> 00:12:05.088
- Or the next line or the next funny thing
- 00:12:05.088 --> 00:12:07.491
- They can come up with.
- 00:12:07.491 --> 00:12:09.326
- And i'm always worried
- 00:12:09.826 --> 00:12:11.561
- That creativity is gonna run out.
- 00:12:11.561 --> 00:12:14.664
- Or i'm always worried that i'm not gonna get the next gig
- 00:12:14.664 --> 00:12:18.168
- Or that next dream that i wanted.
- 00:12:18.168 --> 00:12:20.103
- So i have doubt in myself,
- 00:12:20.103 --> 00:12:22.572
- Probably more often than doubting god,
- 00:12:22.572 --> 00:12:25.942
- Because i am blessed that i was raised in a christian home
- 00:12:25.942 --> 00:12:29.813
- Where i always knew there was a jesus,
- 00:12:29.813 --> 00:12:31.882
- But i didn't really know him.
- 00:12:31.882 --> 00:12:33.617
- And so the doubt always played its part in my past.
- 00:12:34.651 --> 00:12:38.488
- And to hear that it was so specific
- 00:12:38.488 --> 00:12:42.192
- That god used haman and doubt
- 00:12:42.826 --> 00:12:47.497
- In that particular place and in that particular way.
- 00:12:47.497 --> 00:12:50.634
- Man, that makes you wanna shout
- 00:12:50.634 --> 00:12:52.636
- And run around the table a little bit.
- 00:12:52.636 --> 00:12:54.070
- That brings the pentecostal out in me right there.
- 00:12:54.070 --> 00:12:55.705
- - whoo.
- 00:12:55.705 --> 00:12:56.573
- (both laughing)
- 00:12:56.573 --> 00:12:58.074
- No, and that's it. i mean, that's the spirit of haman.
- 00:12:58.074 --> 00:13:00.377
- - right. - right?
- 00:13:00.377 --> 00:13:01.878
- Because yes, there's these historical events that happened,
- 00:13:01.878 --> 00:13:05.148
- But the story is for us.
- 00:13:05.148 --> 00:13:06.750
- - yes. - and so the spirit of haman
- 00:13:06.750 --> 00:13:09.286
- Wants us to doubt the goodness of god.
- 00:13:09.286 --> 00:13:11.655
- - yes. - wants us to doubt
- 00:13:11.655 --> 00:13:13.056
- The promises of god. - right.
- 00:13:13.056 --> 00:13:14.291
- - wants us to doubt our potential,
- 00:13:14.291 --> 00:13:16.927
- Wants us to doubt, "is god gonna help me?
- 00:13:16.927 --> 00:13:19.362
- Is god gonna be with me?"
- 00:13:19.362 --> 00:13:20.997
- - yes. - he wants us to doubt
- 00:13:20.997 --> 00:13:22.299
- Our identity. - right.
- 00:13:22.299 --> 00:13:23.867
- - he wants us to doubt our destiny. identity is destiny.
- 00:13:23.867 --> 00:13:27.771
- And we all struggle with doubts.
- 00:13:27.771 --> 00:13:29.573
- - the interesting thing is also the history
- 00:13:29.573 --> 00:13:31.675
- Of what's going on in our world.
- 00:13:31.675 --> 00:13:33.643
- And israel fighting for their right to be, you know?
- 00:13:34.678 --> 00:13:39.549
- I don't know. i can get worried.
- 00:13:40.183 --> 00:13:41.885
- I can get doubtful that we're gonna get out of this.
- 00:13:41.885 --> 00:13:44.588
- And then you're reminded of the history
- 00:13:44.588 --> 00:13:46.890
- Where god has never taken his hand off of the jewish nation.
- 00:13:46.890 --> 00:13:50.794
- - then we also have the other really two key main character
- 00:13:50.794 --> 00:13:54.464
- Of the story, which are mordecai and esther.
- 00:13:54.464 --> 00:13:57.834
- - yes.
- 00:13:57.834 --> 00:13:58.969
- - the book of esther named after her.
- 00:13:58.969 --> 00:14:00.370
- And we're gonna dive into that more in a moment.
- 00:14:00.370 --> 00:14:03.406
- But i think what's also beautiful
- 00:14:03.406 --> 00:14:05.275
- Is to understand their ancestry.
- 00:14:05.275 --> 00:14:07.611
- - hmm.
- 00:14:07.611 --> 00:14:08.845
- - they were from the tribe of benjamin.
- 00:14:08.845 --> 00:14:11.214
- Why is that so important?
- 00:14:11.214 --> 00:14:12.782
- Because as we said, the first king of israel, king saul,
- 00:14:12.782 --> 00:14:16.720
- Was from the tribe of benjamin.
- 00:14:16.720 --> 00:14:18.221
- - wow.
- 00:14:18.221 --> 00:14:19.489
- - because he didn't kill the amalekites
- 00:14:19.489 --> 00:14:21.358
- Of whom haman came from.
- 00:14:21.358 --> 00:14:23.827
- That's why there was a haman in the future.
- 00:14:23.827 --> 00:14:26.830
- God knew the beginning from the end.
- 00:14:26.830 --> 00:14:28.531
- So we could look at the story, oh god.
- 00:14:28.531 --> 00:14:30.467
- - so cruel.
- 00:14:30.467 --> 00:14:31.601
- He said, "wipe out these people."
- 00:14:31.601 --> 00:14:32.936
- But god knew what ultimately was gonna come.
- 00:14:32.936 --> 00:14:35.505
- But because of king saul's disobedience,
- 00:14:35.505 --> 00:14:38.775
- Because of his doubting god
- 00:14:38.775 --> 00:14:40.377
- And what he was asked to do,
- 00:14:40.377 --> 00:14:42.379
- Kingship was taken from saul
- 00:14:42.379 --> 00:14:44.915
- And the tribe of benjamin
- 00:14:44.915 --> 00:14:46.650
- And given to david and the tribe of judah.
- 00:14:46.650 --> 00:14:50.587
- That's why jesus is the line of the tribe of judah.
- 00:14:50.587 --> 00:14:53.723
- But the beautiful thing,
- 00:14:53.723 --> 00:14:54.991
- Kingship was taken.
- 00:14:54.991 --> 00:14:56.493
- And yet here is esther,
- 00:14:56.493 --> 00:14:58.461
- A descendant of the tribe of benjamin.
- 00:14:58.461 --> 00:15:02.933
- - wow. - seated on the throne
- 00:15:02.933 --> 00:15:04.768
- Over an even greater empire
- 00:15:04.768 --> 00:15:06.836
- Than the little empire of israel,
- 00:15:06.836 --> 00:15:09.039
- 127 provinces.
- 00:15:09.039 --> 00:15:11.274
- Esther had to make the decision,
- 00:15:11.274 --> 00:15:13.443
- Was she gonna be like her ancestor king saul and doubt
- 00:15:13.443 --> 00:15:18.381
- Or was she gonna take a risk and see if god could use her
- 00:15:19.516 --> 00:15:23.720
- To save her people?
- 00:15:23.720 --> 00:15:25.322
- But really the point of all this
- 00:15:25.322 --> 00:15:26.957
- Is that god is the god of second chances.
- 00:15:26.957 --> 00:15:29.326
- - yeah. - he gave esther
- 00:15:29.326 --> 00:15:30.627
- And mordecai the opportunity to make right
- 00:15:30.627 --> 00:15:33.630
- And to finish what their ancestor,
- 00:15:33.630 --> 00:15:37.367
- King saul got wrong.
- 00:15:37.367 --> 00:15:38.969
- He's the god of second chances.
- 00:15:38.969 --> 00:15:40.937
- You know a little something about second chances?
- 00:15:40.937 --> 00:15:42.772
- - lord, all the time,
- 00:15:42.772 --> 00:15:44.107
- For heaven's sakes.
- 00:15:44.107 --> 00:15:45.041
- You know, it is true.
- 00:15:45.041 --> 00:15:47.177
- I have a joke all the time that,
- 00:15:47.177 --> 00:15:48.478
- You know, i got saved 365 times.
- 00:15:48.478 --> 00:15:51.381
- Every time it would storm or lightning,
- 00:15:51.381 --> 00:15:52.916
- I'd get saved.
- 00:15:52.916 --> 00:15:54.317
- Or if there was a good looking boy at the altar,
- 00:15:54.317 --> 00:15:55.251
- I'd get saved.
- 00:15:55.251 --> 00:15:56.619
- You know, the interesting thing,
- 00:15:56.619 --> 00:15:58.888
- If i'm always terrified
- 00:15:58.888 --> 00:16:00.657
- I'm gonna run out of grace,
- 00:16:00.657 --> 00:16:02.492
- You know, that god's gonna count
- 00:16:02.492 --> 00:16:04.060
- How many times i have turned around
- 00:16:04.060 --> 00:16:05.895
- And tried to do it again.
- 00:16:05.895 --> 00:16:06.997
- You know, and pick myself up.
- 00:16:06.997 --> 00:16:09.599
- Ask for forgiveness, you know,
- 00:16:09.599 --> 00:16:11.201
- How many times.
- 00:16:11.201 --> 00:16:12.702
- And he never has failed to give me the second chance,
- 00:16:12.702 --> 00:16:15.839
- The third and the fourth and the fifth.
- 00:16:15.839 --> 00:16:17.674
- He set a precedence,
- 00:16:17.674 --> 00:16:19.142
- Even back in scripture that says,
- 00:16:19.142 --> 00:16:20.844
- "let me redeem what the devil set out to do."
- 00:16:20.844 --> 00:16:24.414
- And i do feel like in my life,
- 00:16:24.414 --> 00:16:26.950
- Coming from such legalism,
- 00:16:26.950 --> 00:16:29.419
- The very fact that i became a comedian
- 00:16:29.419 --> 00:16:31.921
- Is god's second chance for my generational problems.
- 00:16:31.921 --> 00:16:37.193
- Which is, you know,
- 00:16:37.660 --> 00:16:38.862
- Fearing god and being angry at god
- 00:16:38.862 --> 00:16:41.131
- And can't dance, you can't...
- 00:16:41.131 --> 00:16:42.866
- You know, you can't do this,
- 00:16:42.866 --> 00:16:44.367
- Women can't say this, you can't do that.
- 00:16:44.367 --> 00:16:46.102
- It was always, don't, don't, don't.
- 00:16:46.102 --> 00:16:48.304
- And when i came to know jesus,
- 00:16:48.304 --> 00:16:49.706
- It was, "look what you get to do."
- 00:16:49.706 --> 00:16:51.574
- It was always good, good, good.
- 00:16:51.574 --> 00:16:53.576
- I just love the fact
- 00:16:53.576 --> 00:16:55.678
- That it set a precedence even back then of second chance.
- 00:16:55.678 --> 00:16:59.482
- So now i go,
- 00:16:59.482 --> 00:17:00.750
- "oh, no wonder i've been given a second chance."
- 00:17:00.750 --> 00:17:02.919
- Yeah.
- 00:17:02.919 --> 00:17:04.054
- I'm a lot more fun than my mother
- 00:17:04.054 --> 00:17:05.555
- And 10 times more fun than my grandmother.
- 00:17:05.555 --> 00:17:08.491
- (upbeat music)
- 00:17:08.491 --> 00:17:13.029
- - why is it named after esther?
- 00:17:13.663 --> 00:17:15.532
- I mean, can you imagine your name is in the bible.
- 00:17:15.532 --> 00:17:18.735
- An entire book is named after you.
- 00:17:18.735 --> 00:17:21.037
- I mean, that's pretty amazing, right?
- 00:17:21.037 --> 00:17:22.539
- - well, you know, i pray.
- 00:17:22.539 --> 00:17:24.841
- I pray that...
- 00:17:24.841 --> 00:17:26.176
- Although i heard what my name means in yiddish,
- 00:17:26.176 --> 00:17:28.411
- So let's just don't even talk about that, yeah.
- 00:17:28.411 --> 00:17:30.880
- No, you're exactly right.
- 00:17:30.880 --> 00:17:32.715
- - yeah, so obviously it's really-
- 00:17:32.715 --> 00:17:34.350
- - girl power. - significant.
- 00:17:34.350 --> 00:17:35.385
- - yes, and it is.
- 00:17:35.385 --> 00:17:36.853
- Because i mean, think about it.
- 00:17:36.853 --> 00:17:37.987
- I mean, when i look at the story,
- 00:17:37.987 --> 00:17:39.989
- Yes, she is the hero of the story,
- 00:17:40.723 --> 00:17:42.392
- But she is a reluctant hero-
- 00:17:42.392 --> 00:17:44.994
- - yes. - of the story.
- 00:17:44.994 --> 00:17:46.196
- I mean, when you look at it,
- 00:17:46.196 --> 00:17:47.564
- Really mordecai is behind the scenes.
- 00:17:47.564 --> 00:17:50.567
- He's the one who raises her.
- 00:17:50.567 --> 00:17:52.769
- He's the one who counsels her
- 00:17:52.769 --> 00:17:55.305
- And really gives her the wisdom she needs
- 00:17:55.305 --> 00:17:57.373
- To get to the place of being the queen
- 00:17:57.373 --> 00:18:00.310
- Of the greatest empire of her day.
- 00:18:00.310 --> 00:18:03.680
- And at the same time,
- 00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:05.615
- You know, he finds out about the plot,
- 00:18:05.615 --> 00:18:08.051
- He goes and tells her,
- 00:18:08.051 --> 00:18:09.486
- She's reluctant to go.
- 00:18:09.486 --> 00:18:10.854
- Because if she goes before the king uninvited
- 00:18:10.854 --> 00:18:13.857
- And he doesn't extend the scepter,
- 00:18:13.857 --> 00:18:16.159
- Literally it could be off with her head.
- 00:18:16.159 --> 00:18:18.194
- - right. - she could lose her life.
- 00:18:18.194 --> 00:18:19.596
- She could end up like the previous queen vashti,
- 00:18:19.596 --> 00:18:22.599
- Kicked out of the palace or worse.
- 00:18:22.599 --> 00:18:25.802
- But she decides to take the risk.
- 00:18:25.802 --> 00:18:28.138
- - hmm. - so the question is
- 00:18:28.138 --> 00:18:29.105
- Why is it named for esther?
- 00:18:29.105 --> 00:18:31.508
- I think it's named for esther because in the end,
- 00:18:31.508 --> 00:18:34.577
- Esther took courageous action.
- 00:18:34.577 --> 00:18:36.746
- - right. - she was the one
- 00:18:36.746 --> 00:18:38.148
- Who literally risked her life to go before the king.
- 00:18:38.148 --> 00:18:42.252
- And i think faith is spelled r-i-s-k.
- 00:18:42.252 --> 00:18:45.722
- Faith is about risk.
- 00:18:45.722 --> 00:18:47.557
- - yes. - has there been a moment
- 00:18:47.557 --> 00:18:49.359
- In your life where you've had to do something courageous
- 00:18:49.359 --> 00:18:53.730
- Or take a risk like esther
- 00:18:53.730 --> 00:18:56.533
- That you saw it really paid off
- 00:18:56.533 --> 00:18:58.334
- With a significant, you know, success?
- 00:18:58.334 --> 00:19:01.371
- - a lot and probably just coming here, rabbi,
- 00:19:02.272 --> 00:19:05.341
- You know, is going,
- 00:19:05.341 --> 00:19:06.543
- "i don't want the entire world
- 00:19:06.543 --> 00:19:08.111
- To see how stupid i am."
- 00:19:08.111 --> 00:19:09.779
- They say sometimes comedy is one
- 00:19:09.779 --> 00:19:11.381
- Of the hardest jobs out there.
- 00:19:11.381 --> 00:19:13.249
- To make it look good,
- 00:19:13.249 --> 00:19:15.151
- You do it so it looks like anybody can do it.
- 00:19:15.151 --> 00:19:17.887
- But the truth of the matter is,
- 00:19:17.887 --> 00:19:19.355
- It's really hard work
- 00:19:19.355 --> 00:19:20.356
- And it is taking a risk every day
- 00:19:20.356 --> 00:19:22.926
- That you put a group of words together,
- 00:19:22.926 --> 00:19:25.094
- Hoping that that will make someone laugh.
- 00:19:25.094 --> 00:19:28.798
- Especially try doing that without any kind
- 00:19:28.798 --> 00:19:31.100
- Of dirty language
- 00:19:31.100 --> 00:19:32.035
- Or dirty, you know,
- 00:19:32.035 --> 00:19:34.037
- Scenario or anything in the story.
- 00:19:34.037 --> 00:19:36.272
- Try to do it where it's still god honoring.
- 00:19:36.272 --> 00:19:39.175
- That takes, you know,
- 00:19:39.175 --> 00:19:40.810
- A little bit of work and writing it out.
- 00:19:40.810 --> 00:19:43.179
- So just the very fact of doing that
- 00:19:43.179 --> 00:19:45.615
- Is a risk all the time
- 00:19:45.615 --> 00:19:47.183
- Because i either get instant gratification
- 00:19:47.183 --> 00:19:49.852
- Or instant rejection in my job.
- 00:19:49.852 --> 00:19:53.890
- So that's the risk.
- 00:19:53.890 --> 00:19:55.592
- But for me personally,
- 00:19:55.592 --> 00:19:57.460
- The biggest risk of your life
- 00:19:57.460 --> 00:19:59.429
- Is to get up outta bed.
- 00:19:59.429 --> 00:20:01.231
- I suffer from clinical depression, right?
- 00:20:01.231 --> 00:20:04.701
- I'm not depressed now 'cause i'm highly medicated.
- 00:20:04.701 --> 00:20:07.637
- But all that to say,
- 00:20:07.637 --> 00:20:09.472
- Every day is a risk to get up out of bed,
- 00:20:09.472 --> 00:20:13.743
- Believing and hoping for,
- 00:20:13.743 --> 00:20:15.578
- "this is gonna be a better day,
- 00:20:15.578 --> 00:20:17.513
- Or this is gonna be a day i will survive."
- 00:20:17.513 --> 00:20:19.916
- And with the grace of god and good doctors
- 00:20:19.916 --> 00:20:22.685
- And great medicine and good self-talk
- 00:20:22.685 --> 00:20:24.687
- And all the therapies that are available to you,
- 00:20:24.687 --> 00:20:28.024
- That risk diminishes.
- 00:20:28.024 --> 00:20:30.627
- - because of wisdom and knowledge.
- 00:20:30.627 --> 00:20:32.662
- So once you learn a little something about your disease,
- 00:20:32.662 --> 00:20:34.897
- You can fight it easier, but the risk is still there.
- 00:20:34.897 --> 00:20:38.501
- Is today going to be a better day?
- 00:20:38.501 --> 00:20:40.470
- Is today gonna be the a good day?
- 00:20:40.470 --> 00:20:42.905
- Am i gonna survive this day?
- 00:20:42.905 --> 00:20:44.841
- There's a risk for living some days,
- 00:20:44.841 --> 00:20:48.244
- But man, what keeps you moving
- 00:20:48.878 --> 00:20:51.714
- And motivated is stories like esther, where
- 00:20:51.714 --> 00:20:55.518
- He's still gonna use you.
- 00:20:55.518 --> 00:20:57.053
- It may cost you a little bit today.
- 00:20:57.053 --> 00:20:58.855
- He's still going to use you. yeah.
- 00:20:58.855 --> 00:21:01.124
- - well, it's courageous - [guest] yes.
- 00:21:01.124 --> 00:21:02.959
- - that you're willing to share that,
- 00:21:02.959 --> 00:21:04.560
- But also courageous that, you know, every day you get up
- 00:21:04.560 --> 00:21:09.499
- And you look to make people laugh, even though every day
- 00:21:09.499 --> 00:21:13.636
- At that moment you might not feel-
- 00:21:13.636 --> 00:21:15.305
- - right.
- 00:21:15.305 --> 00:21:16.639
- - like, like laughing. - that's exactly right.
- 00:21:16.639 --> 00:21:18.074
- - right. as you're struggling through something.
- 00:21:18.074 --> 00:21:19.876
- And that's such a powerful thing that, you know,
- 00:21:19.876 --> 00:21:23.713
- 'cause i think one of the things with depression,
- 00:21:23.713 --> 00:21:27.984
- It's like the ninth plague on egypt.
- 00:21:27.984 --> 00:21:32.288
- - yes. - right?
- 00:21:32.288 --> 00:21:33.423
- The darkness wasn't just a darkness,
- 00:21:33.423 --> 00:21:35.291
- It was a heavy, weighty darkness that was debilitating.
- 00:21:35.291 --> 00:21:38.361
- - right. right. - to the egyptians,
- 00:21:38.361 --> 00:21:40.096
- They literally could not move, the darkness was so thick.
- 00:21:40.096 --> 00:21:44.200
- - [guest] right. - and heavy.
- 00:21:44.200 --> 00:21:45.301
- And that's kind of oftentimes what,
- 00:21:45.301 --> 00:21:47.236
- When we go through depression
- 00:21:47.236 --> 00:21:49.238
- Or struggle, it kind of paralyzes us and immobilizes us.
- 00:21:49.238 --> 00:21:53.576
- - i think one of the greatest lessons i ever learned,
- 00:21:53.576 --> 00:21:56.479
- And i've written about this before, is rehearse in the dark
- 00:21:56.479 --> 00:22:00.550
- What you learned in the light.
- 00:22:00.550 --> 00:22:02.518
- - [host] mm.
- 00:22:02.518 --> 00:22:03.686
- - and that's the power of the stories.
- 00:22:03.686 --> 00:22:05.254
- Like esther, that's the power of scripture.
- 00:22:05.254 --> 00:22:07.390
- That's the power of believing and remembering,
- 00:22:07.390 --> 00:22:10.226
- Yesterday i did fine, and i got through it.
- 00:22:10.226 --> 00:22:12.762
- So, what makes me think
- 00:22:12.762 --> 00:22:14.330
- That today i won't be able to get through it?
- 00:22:14.330 --> 00:22:16.366
- In other words, on the days you don't feel like it,
- 00:22:16.366 --> 00:22:19.602
- You remember the days of what you learned in the past.
- 00:22:19.602 --> 00:22:24.107
- So, you rehearse in the dark what you learned in the light.
- 00:22:24.107 --> 00:22:28.044
- - mm. - and that never fails you.
- 00:22:28.044 --> 00:22:30.046
- And everything you drag out
- 00:22:30.046 --> 00:22:31.714
- Of the dark into the light has no more power over you.
- 00:22:31.714 --> 00:22:36.052
- - think about the entirety of the bible,
- 00:22:36.052 --> 00:22:38.020
- What it really is, it's a witness.
- 00:22:38.020 --> 00:22:40.490
- - yes. - it's a testimony
- 00:22:40.490 --> 00:22:41.891
- To who god is and who he promises to be for us when we go
- 00:22:41.891 --> 00:22:46.529
- Through different situation and circumstances.
- 00:22:47.497 --> 00:22:50.233
- And the interesting thing about the word
- 00:22:50.233 --> 00:22:51.868
- For witness in hebrew is it's made up
- 00:22:51.868 --> 00:22:54.470
- Of two hebrew letters (speaking in foreign language)
- 00:22:54.470 --> 00:22:58.074
- - wow.
- 00:22:58.074 --> 00:22:59.242
- - and the interesting thing about that
- 00:22:59.242 --> 00:23:00.710
- Is the same letters that make up the word
- 00:23:00.710 --> 00:23:02.979
- For witness also makes up the hebrew word for again,
- 00:23:02.979 --> 00:23:07.483
- Because a witness is literally something that god wants
- 00:23:07.483 --> 00:23:10.653
- To do again and again and again in our life.
- 00:23:10.653 --> 00:23:15.458
- So, the witness of esther, the message to us, which you
- 00:23:15.458 --> 00:23:18.961
- So beautifully remind us of, is that
- 00:23:18.961 --> 00:23:23.332
- What he did for her, he wants to do for you.
- 00:23:23.332 --> 00:23:26.936
- - amen. - he wants to do
- 00:23:26.936 --> 00:23:28.004
- For me again today.
- 00:23:28.004 --> 00:23:29.672
- - amen. - god used a woman
- 00:23:29.672 --> 00:23:32.675
- To save her people.
- 00:23:32.675 --> 00:23:34.944
- - yay. - and one of the things,
- 00:23:34.944 --> 00:23:37.079
- There's this interesting expression in jewish thought
- 00:23:37.079 --> 00:23:39.282
- That israel was redeemed from egypt
- 00:23:39.282 --> 00:23:41.751
- Because of the righteous women.
- 00:23:41.751 --> 00:23:44.987
- - wow. - really, the women
- 00:23:44.987 --> 00:23:46.422
- Of the story are the heroes in the book of exodus.
- 00:23:46.422 --> 00:23:49.258
- - absolutely. - [host] the midwives.
- 00:23:49.258 --> 00:23:51.627
- - absolutely. - who saved the babies.
- 00:23:51.627 --> 00:23:53.162
- It was moses' mom who hid him. - [guest] yeah.
- 00:23:53.162 --> 00:23:55.765
- - it was his sister
- 00:23:55.765 --> 00:23:57.366
- Who watched him float down the nile and watched over him.
- 00:23:57.366 --> 00:24:00.403
- It was pharaoh's daughter who defied the edict of the king
- 00:24:00.403 --> 00:24:04.307
- To save this hebrew child and-
- 00:24:04.307 --> 00:24:06.909
- - amen.
- 00:24:06.909 --> 00:24:07.810
- - raise him in the palace.
- 00:24:07.810 --> 00:24:09.812
- It was esther who saved her people.
- 00:24:09.812 --> 00:24:12.381
- It was the women who were the first at the tomb.
- 00:24:12.381 --> 00:24:16.252
- It was the women who were the first to declare
- 00:24:16.252 --> 00:24:18.754
- That he had risen.
- 00:24:18.754 --> 00:24:20.323
- It was the women who went all the way to the cross.
- 00:24:20.323 --> 00:24:23.025
- Only one of the male disciples, john, that we know of,
- 00:24:23.025 --> 00:24:27.864
- Was there at the crucifixion.
- 00:24:27.864 --> 00:24:30.032
- - [guest] yeah.
- 00:24:30.032 --> 00:24:31.334
- - and so i believe as it was in the beginning.
- 00:24:31.334 --> 00:24:33.135
- So is it gonna be in the end,
- 00:24:33.135 --> 00:24:35.104
- I believe god is raising up powerful women,
- 00:24:35.104 --> 00:24:38.841
- And it's gonna be women that are going
- 00:24:38.841 --> 00:24:41.377
- To be stepping up in this esther moment.
- 00:24:41.377 --> 00:24:45.147
- We need the esthers to step up.
- 00:24:45.147 --> 00:24:47.450
- - yes. - to turn around our nation
- 00:24:47.450 --> 00:24:49.852
- And to turn around the world.
- 00:24:49.852 --> 00:24:52.288
- - amen.
- 00:24:52.288 --> 00:24:53.589
- (gentle music)
- 00:24:53.589 --> 00:24:57.007
- - one traditional piece of the purim celebration
- 00:24:57.232 --> 00:25:00.369
- That i want us to look at is the gragger.
- 00:25:00.369 --> 00:25:03.272
- It is a traditional noisemaker that sounds like this.
- 00:25:03.272 --> 00:25:06.708
- (gragger clicking)
- 00:25:06.708 --> 00:25:08.644
- It's a little loud, right? but that's not by accident.
- 00:25:08.644 --> 00:25:12.581
- On purim while we read the story of esther, the spin
- 00:25:12.581 --> 00:25:17.286
- Of the gragger is spun when haman's name is mentioned
- 00:25:17.286 --> 00:25:21.890
- In order to drown it out.
- 00:25:21.890 --> 00:25:24.126
- This is a way of blotting out
- 00:25:24.126 --> 00:25:25.961
- Haman the amalekite from the story just as exodus
- 00:25:25.961 --> 00:25:30.332
- And deuteronomy instructs us.
- 00:25:30.332 --> 00:25:32.968
- This can be thought of as literally calling out
- 00:25:32.968 --> 00:25:36.605
- And trying to obliterate evil.
- 00:25:36.605 --> 00:25:39.541
- In a 12-step recovery program for addiction,
- 00:25:39.541 --> 00:25:42.911
- The very first step is always to admit
- 00:25:42.911 --> 00:25:46.248
- That there is a problem.
- 00:25:46.248 --> 00:25:47.883
- Why is this? because naming something removes its power.
- 00:25:47.883 --> 00:25:53.155
- Evil grows in dark places.
- 00:25:53.722 --> 00:25:55.791
- When you look at something
- 00:25:55.791 --> 00:25:57.059
- And call it out, you bring it into the light.
- 00:25:57.059 --> 00:26:00.062
- This is why we reinforce the truth on purim,
- 00:26:00.062 --> 00:26:01.363
- That haman was evil.
- 00:26:01.363 --> 00:26:05.667
- Depression and sadness can confine and restrict us,
- 00:26:05.667 --> 00:26:10.072
- But purim reminds us that we're invited to step out
- 00:26:10.072 --> 00:26:13.609
- Of sadness into gladness and joy.
- 00:26:13.609 --> 00:26:17.679
- The greatest joy is the light that comes from the darkness.
- 00:26:17.679 --> 00:26:21.750
- This is the miracle of purim.
- 00:26:21.750 --> 00:26:23.919
- Next time, we're continuing to explore purim even deeper,
- 00:26:23.919 --> 00:26:29.257
- We're taking a look at how the story of esther connects
- 00:26:30.359 --> 00:26:32.227
- To an event in 1946.
- 00:26:32.227 --> 00:26:35.797
- God's plan has woven together
- 00:26:35.797 --> 00:26:38.233
- So many secrets throughout time,
- 00:26:38.233 --> 00:26:40.669
- I want to dive into it even more with you.
- 00:26:40.669 --> 00:26:43.739
- I'm rabbi jason sobel, and this is "god's appointed times".
- 00:26:43.739 --> 00:26:43.739
