Esther

After the destruction of Jerusalem...

...nearly six centuries before the birth of Christ,

the Jews were taken into captivity in Babylon.

But 60 years later, Babylon's territories...

...were conquered by the Persian Army...

...and engulfed in a new, vast empire.

By edict of King Cyrus,

all captive peoples were set free...

...and allowed to return to their own lands.

But not all the Jews returned to Judea.

Many decided to remain in the Persian empire,

the capital of which was the magnificent city of Susa.

Stop, stop! Thief!

- Help me, get him! - Get him!

- Thief! - Stop him!

Stop him!

- Come here, you! - Hold it!

- Let me go! - That's all!

- Move! Move! - Let me go!

That wretched man will have his hand cut off.

It's the harsh law of the Persians.

It's not the harshness, Ezra.

It's the absence of clemency. We Jews should remember...

- ...when we write our own law... - People of Susa!

Make way for the counselor of your king!

Just look at him.

Ever since the Kingdom of Saul, every Jew has known...

...as long as there's one Amalekite on earth, we are in danger.

It's been so many years.

Will this feud never end?

Maybe. But I still refuse to bow before him.

Come, Ezra.

We must try to do nothing which can bring harm to our people.

Haman is just looking for an excuse to strike us all.

Why can't we get through?

You stupid idiots!

Bow your heads before Haman, who brings gifts...

...for the Great King of Persia and Media!

- How dare he? - What is it, my lord?

Nothing.

Step right up! What do you have to declare?

- We have silks. - Okay, open in fashion.

His riches have opened too many doors at court.

Soon he may even win the king's favor.

Well, you know the king.

He may have his indulgences, but...

Well then,

it might not be as hard as we thought to rid ourselves of that impostor.

You make me so proud, Hadassah!

You've a true gift for languages, you learn so quickly.

Well, I do have the best teacher in Susa, Cousin.

She's so generous, and obedient.

That's because she has the blood of King Saul...

...from the tribe of Benjamin, flowing in her veins.

- Thank you, Ezra. - But heed my words.

Don't let her marry a foreigner.

Has someone asked for my hand?

No one.

Haven't you some, uh, some chores to do?

Mordecai.

You shouldn't treat her like the orphan you took in many years ago.

She's a woman now! You have to accept that!

I know. I know! But she is a special girl.

She deserves a man who is worthy of her.

If it be the will of the Lord.

Hadassah?

What is this about a man?

So...

Should someone be asking for your hand?

Is it...

- ...anyone in particular? - Oh, I don't know.

The man of my dreams, perhaps?

But I will accept whomever you choose for me.

You know me well, and you're a wise man.

I know you'll make the right decision.

Today, with Haman,

I was neither wise nor prudent.

Hadassah, Ezra is not wrong.

Living among the Persians so long,

we have become like them. But we are still Jews.

- We are different. - But you've always taught me...

...that what matters is what's in a man's heart.

- Not his blood. - Yeah.

Your father might not have taught you so.

No father is more dear to me than you are.

Nehemia! What are you doing?

The king's jewels, booty from all over the kingdom.

But they are better off here than... in their original places.

Like that gold basin.

It comes from the Temple in Jerusalem.

The Jews used it to gather the blood during the sacrifices.

- Have you washed? - No.

Everything must be purified...

... before one of the most important banquets...

...ever offered by the king. Wash!

Tend to the wine.

And taste it before offering it to the king.

- What if I die? - You can.

But not the Great King Ahasuerus. Come!

Parathael, are you instructing him well?

Remember that at court, a false move...

...could cost him dearly.

Come with me, Nehemia.

Here is the wine you requested, my king.

To the health of our wise king.

May he live forever,

by the grace of the god, Ahuramazda,

for the eternal joy of his loyal subjects.

If you, my subject, are so full of joy,

why do you look so sad?

- Won't you reply? - My lord...

I was thinking that this feast will soon end.

Your servant, Haman, is sad...

...because he cannot make it last longer.

You cannot. But your king has this power!

I, Ahasuerus,

King of Persia and... Media,

declare...

...that every man here assembled shall drink...

...without restraint each to his own desire.

You spoke well. But answer this:

Which of the king's jewels would you desire for yourself?

They're all equally magnificent, Shetar.

I wouldn't know which one to choose.

My king!

This man finds none of your jewels worthy of praise.

How brazen.

Haman, you say... that the King of Kings...

...doesn't own a jewel splendid enough to...

...reflect his glory?

My lord...

The king's most beautiful jewel isn't among these.

Where is it, then? Let it be brought.

A man's most precious jewels are his wife's grace and honor.

There's no other beauty in your empire...

...that can rival that of Queen Vashti.

Ishtar, the goddess of love and war.

She must have her way,

and she is pleased when she sees the beautiful princess...

...and the valiant warrior...

...fall in love.

But other gods...

...conspire against the match.

Ishtar, moved to pity,

begins to blow, and blow, and blow,

until the offending gods...

...are swept away.

Love triumphs,

and the enemies of love...

...are turned into ugly...

...pigs.

Why do I bother to bring artists and dancers from faraway lands,

if my guests refuse to show interest in them?

My queen, we are not used to plays...

...that ridicule our king's gods.

We are... confused.

I am not one of those foolish courtiers...

...that prostrate themselves in order to obtain favors.

I am the queen.

And I do as I please in my chambers.

Harbona, the king's eunuch, asks to be received!

Don't just stand, Harbona, speak.

The king requires my lady's presence.

For what purpose?

He makes display of his most treasured objects.

Am I such an object?

Oh, the most beautiful of all, my queen!

It does not befit a lady,

much less a queen,

to be displayed before a man quite drunk...

- ...after too many days of feasting. - The king wills it!

You are to wear the royal crown!

Say to the king that I refuse.

Queen Vashti!

Queen Vashti wrongs the king...

...by refusing my command.

Not only the king, but the officials,

and the whole people in every province.

- A royal command must be obeyed. - What does the law require?

If it please the king,

let a royal order go out that Vashti...

...be sent away from palace life and never return before the king again.

Let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes,

so that it might not be revoked.

My king! When word gets out,

all women will look upon their husbands with contempt!

Let her royal position be given to another...

...who is better than she.

Very well, Memucan.

Scribe!

Let it be written...

...to every province in its own script...

...and to every people in its own language.

Let it be sent by swift couriers...

...to every province in the empire...

...that I declare by royal decree...

...that the king no longer recognizes Vashti...

...as his queen...

...due to her disobedience,

as she dared oppose...