Esther's Transformation

 It would seem that the character in the megillah who experiences the biggest transformation is no other than Queen Esther. At one of the low points of her reign, she is admonished by Mordechai, "If you are silent at this desperate time, you and your family will be expunged from the annals of Jewish history."

At that point, Esther, boldly calls for all of the Jewish people to fast. In essence, Mordechai has told her that her fate, and future are intertwined and interwoven with the Jewish people. Surely Esther would not have been killed by Haman, but her entire destiny, and purpose, were not mere survival, but rather, using her position to advance that of the Jewish people. 

Having then realized that, Esther becomes the leader par excellence - and comes full circle at a later stage when the death toll for Shushan is presented to her by Achasveirosh. Esther could have well been complacent, thanking Achashveirosh for his largesse in protecting her people. But no, Esther takes it a step further, asking Achashveirosh for another day in which the Jewish people will be allowed to slay their enemies, making the most symbolic statement she could have: I am a Jew, and am proud to be a Jew, and even more than I am your queen, I am one with my people, and whoever should dare lift his finger from now on against a Jew, shall remember this second day, granted to me and my people. For it is immoral to try to vanquish the light of the world - and the King himself let that be known by giving me a second day to uproot any who would dare stand up against me and my people. 

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