The Story of Mordecai and Haman "Heyman"
And it came to pass in the days of King Ahasuerus amidst a 187 day celebration of his third year in power the King made a simple request. He wanted the Queen to appear before him and all of his subjects. Queen Uashti refused and with much ožcial and inebriated fanfare she was deposed. How was the king to know his "simple” request would set in motion a series of events that would Ÿfill the halls of his lavish palace with trickery and murderous intrigue or that his life, politics and history would be forever altered by the courage and strength of a beautiful young wife he had yet to meet. Years later, meet her he does. On first sight of Esther, the King's loneliness is banished and he crowns her his Queen. The Queen's cousin Mordecai uncovers a plot to kill the King, and the perpetrators are executed. Evil Haman (Heyman for our story) becomes Minister and requires all to bow before him. Mordecai, as a Jew, refuses. An enraged Haman vows to kill all Jews and prevails upon the King. The Pur, or lot, is cast for Adar 13.
Mordecai appeals to a fearful Esther to go to the King, but court rules demand death to anyone who dares approach the King. Esther asks all Jews to fast for three days. With resolve, she devises a plot to save her people. Esther enters the Court, and the King's raised sceptor exempts her from death. Amazingly, Haman also becomes a participant in her plan.
Esther's strategy works; the Jews are saved. Mordecai is made Minister. Random fate or the will of G-d? And as for the King? The King loved his Jewish Queen even more, for evermore.
In contemporary time, a King and Queen were introduced. He was a Heyman, and she a Mordecai; the legacies of their surnames would suggest an unlikely pairing. But Gareth Heyman and Betsy Mordecai were drawn together by their shared Jewish heritage and desire to make the world a better place, and from their love a son was born, and they named him Stone.
Stone is set to become a Bar Mitzvah on the eve of Purim, the holiday that celebrates the story of Mordecai and Heyman, with costumes, gaiety and acts of kindness and caring that make the world a better place. B'shert?
The psalmist declares, "the stone that the builders refused has come to be the chief cornerstone." Many might have written off attempts to unite the forces of Heyman and Mordecai, but in this story as in the Purim tale, the combination reaps a wonder. Coincidence? Fate? God's Will? Revelation?
The Hebrew expression Megilat Esther can mean both "The Scroll of Esther" and "to reveal what is hidden." Hidden behind the masks of names past, a new possibility is to be revealed. Stone is stepping up to take his place among the Jewish people as a Bar Mitzvah, a corner-Stone, with, of course, a cornered hat. Thank you for joining us as we celebrate this mitzvah on the Eve of Purim.
We would like to encourage our guests to wear Purim costumes to both the Service and Dinner and After-Party. Please check-out the video below to see some examples of Purim costumes. We hope it inspires you. Costumes are NOT required. We want everyone to be comfortable, be creative and most importantly HAVE FUN!
Easy Purim Costume Ideas:
- Dress as a sports figure by wearing your favorite sports players jersey.
- If you play tennis, dress as a tennis player. If you ski, dress as a skier.
- Simple costumes, such as animal ears, funny hats or wigs are any easy way to dress up.
- We ask that no masks are worn during the service.
If you would like to wear a costume, we recommend checking out some of these local Denver costume shops!
