Said to Myself

In the Midrash we learn:

Rav Assi said that young children began their Torah studies with Leviticus and not with Genesis because young children are pure, and the sacrifices explained in Leviticus are pure, so the pure studied the pure. (Leviticus Rabbah 7:3.)

I understand why people might think that the story of Genesis is too nuanced or even elicit for a young child and their initiation to learning. But still my children come back from kindergarten telling me stories of the Garden of Eden and not the sacrifices of the Temple. I find it similarly interesting that my children are taught the story of Esther at such a young age. Like the successful Fifty Shades of Grey the story of Esther is basically pornography.

Beyond the obvious nudity and drunken debauchery at the start of the story, there is some material that I do not think my kids are ready for yet. We read:

And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight; and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the scepter. (Esther 5:2)

As Freud is said to have said “Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.” And sometimes a scepter is not a scepter.  Please do tell me how you might put this on the big screen.

Even the whole ceremonial cookie is pretty elicit. Some times  Persian Fertility cookie is just a Persian fertility cookie. Have festive holiday.