Definition

1. Noun:
   • A minor Jewish fast day: "Fast of Esther" is a minor fast day in Judaism observed on the 13th day of the Hebrew month of Adar. It commemorates the three days of fasting undertaken by Queen Esther before she approached King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) of Persia to plead for the salvation of the Jewish people, as recounted in the Book of Esther. This fast is directly connected to the festival of Purim.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

Advanced Usage

• "to observe the Fast of Esther": to partake in the fast by refraining from food and drink from dawn until nightfall.

Variants and Related Words

• Ta'anit Esther (n): The Hebrew name for the Fast of Esther.
• Purim (n): The joyous Jewish festival that commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in ancient Persia, which is celebrated immediately after the Fast of Esther.
• Fast day (n): A general term for a day on which fasting is observed for religious reasons.

Synonyms

• Minor fast: A fast day of lesser stringency compared to major fasts like Yom Kippur.
• Commemorative fast: A fast observed to remember a specific historical event.

Related Phrases

• The Fast of the Firstborn (Ta'anit Bechorim): Another minor fast observed on the day before Passover.
• The Three Weeks: A period of mourning which includes fast days like the Seventeenth of Tammuz and the Ninth of Av (Tisha B'Av).

Related Concepts

• Megillat Esther (n): The Scroll of Esther, the biblical book read on Purim which details the events commemorated by the fast.
• Mishteh (n): Meaning "feast" or "banquet"; the Fast of Esther is followed by the festive Purim meal ().

Noun

1. (Judaism) a minor fast day on Adar 13 commemorates three days that Esther fasted before approaching the Persian king on behalf of the Jewish people; the fast is connected with Purim