Rabbi Elaina Rothman and Gerald Rothman: Jewish soul

Ester had a Jewish soul. It was impossible to know her and not to realise that. She was suffused with compassion, rachmannes, and a highly developed sense of the ethical—of what her Judaism and her God demanded of her. High on the list of those demands was understanding and assisting "the other" in our society, the underprivileged, the marginalised, those of a different faith and (in particular and very often the embodiment of many or all of those qualities) the refugee.

Micah told us, "Act justly and love mercy" (6: 8) and Ester took him at his word. In Devarim (the Book of Deuteronomy) we are told (10: 18 and 19) that God "shows no favour and takes no bribe, doing justice for the orphan and the widow and loving the stranger, to give him food and clothing. And you shall love the stranger (ger)…"

On that basis we are surely entitled to see in Ester's life a genuine reflection of imitatio dei. Zichrona livracha—may her memory be for a blessing.