{"id":7333,"date":"2025-01-28T12:47:31","date_gmt":"2025-01-28T10:47:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/?page_id=7333"},"modified":"2025-01-30T23:24:16","modified_gmt":"2025-01-30T21:24:16","slug":"the-book-of-esther-unmasked","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/en\/books\/the-book-of-esther-unmasked\/","title":{"rendered":"The Book of Esther Unmasked"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

The Book of Esther Unmasked<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

By Thamar E. Gindin, PhD<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"The\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The story of the Book of Esther comprises an integral part of the Jewish DNA: Every girl was Queen Esther at least once, and every boy was a king or Mordechai with a cotton beard. Isaac Manger put juicy Yiddish words in the mouths of these characters, but who knows what they spoke originally? The linguist Thamar E. Gindin knows. Her Book of Esther draws directly on the original ancient Mesopotamian, Persian and Greek sources, and that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is fascinating. Or as Chazal put it: Did you know that the Jewish people took cultural ingredients from the gentiles and upgraded them to a flourishing and successful format which the gentiles are buying back?<\/span><\/p>

The Book of Esther is a cultural code that has to be learned. I laughed myself to tears in the part where Thamar explains the etymologies of the names of Haman’s sons. One of them was handmade, and another one was destined to be a Gynaecologist! Well, we don’t always live to the interpretations of our names, and his happens in the best of Languages. Including Old Persian.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Eyal Shahal, Tel Aviv, 2015\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t


The English version is adapted from the second, expanded Hebrew edition. Adapted and not translated, because of different assumed cultural and linguistic backgrounds of readers.\u00a0
A Persian adaptation is currently underway.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Catalog price:\u00a0\u20aa88.00<\/del><\/span><\/p>

Website price: \u20aa79.20<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Digital format (PDF): \u20aa45<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOrder Now<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBundles (Hebrew only)<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"The\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Author's Note<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

On the last class of the first semester of 1996, I \u2013 an impudent, <\/span>22-year-old second-year B\u1d00 student of Iranian linguistics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem \u2013 asked my teacher and master, Prof. Shaul Shaked, to dedicate the first class of the second semester to a lecture about the Book of Esther.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

I made arrangements for a room, hung neatly-penned posters around the campus, and baked tiny chocolate haman-taschen. Prof. Shaked, for his part, gave an extraordinarily intriguing lecture that covered almost all of the first chapter.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

In 1997, I made the same wish on the last class of the first <\/span>semester and the same arrangements. This time, he gave a wonderful lecture on the names in the Book of Esther.<\/span><\/p>

In 1998, on the last class of the first semester, I had hardly <\/span>uttered the words \u2018next semester\u2019 when Prof. Shaked said:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

\u2018this year \u2013 you do it\u2019.<\/span><\/p>

The lecture became the flagship lecture of the Depart<\/span>ment of Iranian Studies at the Hebrew University, and remained so all the years I was there. With time, I also started to give paid lectures on the subject. I\u2019ve given this lecture in various settings at every Israeli university as well as to non-academic audiences at private and corporate Purim parties, Adar bar-mitzvas, batei midrash, friendly get-togethers, culture clubs in remote (and less remote) communities, my children\u2019s classes in elementary school, I\u1d05F training bases in the middle of nowhere … and the list goes on.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Thamar E. Gindin, PhD<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Thamar E. Gindin is an Iran expert and Iran analyst on various media outlets in Hebrew, English and Persian. <\/span>
<\/span>In her books, lectures, media interviews, podcasts etc., she builds bridges between the Israeli and Iranian nations and opens eyes on both sides to see the other side is human, just like us. <\/span>
<\/span>Her previous books in English were academic, this is her first popular non-fiction in English.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Bundles (hebrew only)\ud83d\udcda<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

\u05dc\u05d4\u05e9\u05dc\u05de\u05ea \u05d7\u05d5\u05d5\u05d9\u05d9\u05ea \u05d4\u05e7\u05e8\u05d9\u05d0\u05d4<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\u00a0“\u05d4\u05de\u05dc\u05db\u05d4” \u05d5”\u05de\u05d2\u05d9\u05dc\u05ea \u05d0\u05e1\u05ea\u05e8 \u05de\u05d0\u05d7\u05d5\u05e8\u05d9 \u05d4\u05de\u05e1\u05db\u05d4”
<\/span><\/bdi><\/span>\u20aa167.40<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>
<\/bdi><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

\u05de\u05e9\u05dc\u05d5\u05d7 \u05d7\u05d9\u05e0\u05dd<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u05dc\u05e8\u05db\u05d9\u05e9\u05d4 <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Readers' Notes<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\u2018A refreshing and readable blend of erudite scholar-<\/span><\/p>

ship and humour, which Gindin does masterfully.\u2019<\/span><\/p>

 <\/span><\/p>

   <\/span><\/p>

\u2013 Adi Manory, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA<\/span><\/p><\/span><\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\u2018Your book is so absolutely wonderful! I know nothing about etymology, but you\u2019ve created a composition that is elegant and beautiful and profound, and the light it sheds on the Book of Esther \u2013 I wonder\nhow it hadn\u2019t been shed before.\u2019\n \n\u2013 Shai Gillis, Mevo Beitar, Israel\u200b\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
The book is so much fun to read! Who knew that\na book about Indo-Iranian philology could be so\nmuch fun?! Well done, really. Truly amazing.\u2019\n\n \n\u2013 Prof. Adam Silverstein, Bar Ilan University, Israel\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOrder Now<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\u2018This is a book you will not want to take with you<\/span><\/p>

to the synagogue, because it\u2019s too interesting, and<\/span><\/p>

you won\u2019t be able to listen to the reading and fulfil<\/span><\/p>

the commandment.\u2019<\/span><\/p>

   <\/span><\/p>

  <\/span><\/p>

  <\/span><\/p>

\u2013 Netanel Chlafo Brandl, Hodayot, Israel<\/span><\/p><\/span><\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\"\u05d9\u05e9 \u05e9\u05ea\u05d9 \u05d1\u05e2\u05d9\u05d5\u05ea \u05e2\u05dd \u05d4\u05e1\u05e4\u05e8:\n1. \u05d4\u05d5\u05d0 \u05de\u05d0\u05d5\u05d3 \u05de\u05e2\u05e0\u05d9\u05d9\u05df \u05d5\u05de\u05d5\u05e0\u05e2 \u05ea\u05e7\u05e9\u05d5\u05e8\u05ea \u05e2\u05dd \u05d4\u05e1\u05d1\u05d9\u05d1\u05d4.\n2. \u05d4\u05d5\u05d0 \u05de\u05d0\u05d5\u05d3 \u05de\u05e8\u05ea\u05e7 \u05de\u05d4 \u05e9\u05d9\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05d1 \u05d0\u05d5\u05ea\u05d9 \u05dc\u05e7\u05e8\u05d5\u05d0 \u05d0\u05d5 \u05dc\u05e9\u05de\u05d5\u05e2 \u05d0\u05ea \u05d4\u05de\u05d2\u05d9\u05dc\u05d4 \u05e9\u05d5\u05d1 \u05e4\u05e2\u05dd \u05db\u05d3\u05d9 \u05dc\u05e6\u05d0\u05ea \u05d9\u05d3\u05d9 \u05d7\u05d5\u05d1\u05ea \u05d4\u05de\u05e6\u05d5\u05d4 (\u05d0\u05e7\u05e9\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d4\u05ea\u05e8\u05db\u05d6 \u05d1\u05e7\u05e8\u05d9\u05d0\u05ea \u05d4\"\u05d1\u05e2\u05dc \u05e7\u05d5\u05e8\u05d0\" \u05e2\u05dd \u05d4\u05de\u05d5\u05df \u05e4\u05e8\u05d8\u05d9\u05dd \u05de\u05e2\u05e0\u05d9\u05d9\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd \u05d1\u05e8\u05e7\u05e2)\"<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\u05e0\u05ea\u05e0\u05d0\u05dc \u05db\u05dc\u05e4\u05d5 \u05d1\u05e8\u05e0\u05d3\u05dc<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\"\u05dc\u05d0 \u05d6\u05d5\u05db\u05e8 \u05de\u05ea\u05d9 \u05d4\u05e4\u05e2\u05dd \u05d4\u05d0\u05d7\u05e8\u05d5\u05e0\u05d4 \u05e9\u05e7\u05e8\u05d0\u05ea\u05d9 \u05e1\u05e4\u05e8 \u05e2\u05dc \u05de\u05d2\u05d9\u05dc\u05ea \u05d0\u05e1\u05ea\u05e8 \u05e9\u05d7\u05d9\u05d3\u05e9 \u05dc\u05d9 \u05db\u05dc \u05db\u05da \u05d4\u05e8\u05d1\u05d4.\n\u05d0\u05dd \u05e2\u05d3\u05d9\u05d9\u05df \u05dc\u05d0 \u05d9\u05e6\u05d0 \u05dc\u05db\u05dd, \u05e8\u05d5\u05e6\u05d5 \u05dc\u05e7\u05e8\u05d5\u05d0 \u05d0\u05ea \u05e1\u05e4\u05e8\u05d4 \u05e9\u05dc \u05ea\u05de\u05e8 \u05e2\u05d9\u05dc\u05dd \u05d2\u05d9\u05e0\u05d3\u05d9\u05df, \u05d0\u05ea\u05dd \u05ea\u05d9\u05e9\u05d0\u05e8\u05d5 \u05e4\u05e2\u05d5\u05e8\u05d9 \u05e4\u05d4\"<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\u05d0\u05e8\u05d6 \u05dc\u05d5\u05d6\u05d5\u05df<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\"\u05e1\u05e4\u05e8 \u05e9\u05e7\u05e8\u05d0\u05ea\u05d9 \u05d1\u05e9\u05e7\u05d9\u05e7\u05d4 \u05d1\u05e9\u05e0\u05d4 \u05d4\u05d7\u05d5\u05dc\u05e4\u05ea \u05d5\u05d4\u05d7\u05db\u05de\u05ea\u05d9 \u05de\u05d0\u05d3. \u05d0\u05e0\u05d9 \u05de\u05e0\u05d9\u05d7 \u05e9\u05de\u05e2\u05ea\u05d4 \u05d1\u05db\u05dc \u05e9\u05e0\u05d4 \u05e1\u05d1\u05d9\u05d1 \u05e4\u05d5\u05e8\u05d9\u05dd \u05d0\u05e6\u05d9\u05e5 \u05d1\u05d5 \u05e9\u05d5\u05d1 \u05dc\u05e8\u05e2\u05e0\u05df \u05d0\u05ea \u05d6\u05db\u05e8\u05d5\u05e0\u05d9.\"<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\u05d3\"\u05e8\u00a0\u05d3\u05d5\u05ea\u05df\u00a0\u05d0\u05e8\u05d3<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\"\u05de\u05d2\u05d9\u05dc\u05ea<\/a><\/p>

\u00a0<\/h5>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

After an intensive month of crowdfunding and writing, the first edition of The Book of Esther Unmasked<\/em> was published on Purim 5775 (February 2015), in Hebrew only. The English edition was published in February 2016 and was partially funded through a campaign on Indiegogo.<\/p>

The book features a reading of the biblical Book of Esther from an Iranologist’s point of view. Drawing directly on the original ancient Mesopotamian, Persian and Greek sources, it provides linguistic, cultural and historical insights on the Book of Esther, showing how it reflects intimate knowledge of the culture and language of the time and comparing it to other stories and festivals in the ancient Near East and around the world — all in a perfectly accessible, enjoyable manner.<\/p>

The author, Thamar E. Gindin, PhD, is a specialist on everything Iran, from Xerxes and the Achaemenid Empire to Rouhani and the Islamic Republic. She gives popular lectures and makes frequent appearances on the media in Hebrew, English and Persian. Educated at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, she is currently a core faculty member at Shalem College of Liberal Arts in Jerusalem and a researcher at the Ezri Centre for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies at Haifa University.<\/p>

Click here for a preview!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>

Praise for the Hebrew edition<\/h3>

\u2018A refreshing and readable blend of erudite scholarship and humour, which Gindin does masterfully.\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>

~ Ady Manory, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA<\/p>

\u2018The book is so much fun to read! Who knew that a book about Indo-Iranian philology could be so much fun?! Well done, really. Truly amazing.\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>

~ Prof. Adam Silverstein, Shalem College and Bar Ilan University, Israel<\/p>

\u2018This is a book you will not want to take with you to the synagogue, because it’s too interesting, and you won’t be able to listen to the reading and fulfil the commandment.\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>

~ Netanel Chlafo Brandl, Hodayot, Israel<\/p>

\u2018Your book is so absolutely wonderful! I know nothing about etymology, but you’ve created a composition that is elegant and beautiful and profound, and the light it sheds on the Book of Esther — I wonder how it hadn’t been shed before.\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>

~ Shai Gillis, Mevo Beitar, Israel<\/p>

Where to get the book<\/h3>

The book is available through us, in print or digital formats (we ship abroad!), and at all Israeli bookshops.
Order your copy of the book (English)<\/a><\/strong>
Order your copy of the book (Hebrew)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>

The book is also available at Ketab Corp.<\/a> in Los Angeles, CA:
1419 Westwood Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
(310) 477-7477
ketab1@ketab.com<\/a><\/p>

Errata<\/a><\/p>

Invite Thamar for a lecture or a series of lectures<\/a>
Follow us on Facebook<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dr Thamar Eilam Gindin had a really great lecture on the Book of Esther from an Iranist’s viewpoint, a Jewish mother who pressured her to write it as a book… and a supportive audience, which helped make the dream come true. Watch<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":38,"parent":33,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-7333","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Book of Esther Unmasked - Zeresh Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/books\/the-book-of-esther-unmasked\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Book of Esther Unmasked - Zeresh Books\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"[:he]\u05dc\u05d3"\u05e8 \u05ea\u05de\u05e8 \u05e2\u05d9\u05dc\u05dd \u05d2\u05d9\u05e0\u05d3\u05d9\u05df \u05d4\u05d9\u05ea\u05d4 \u05d4\u05e8\u05e6\u05d0\u05d4 \u05de\u05de\u05e9 \u05e9\u05d5\u05d5\u05d4 \u05e2\u05dc \u05de\u05d2\u05d9\u05dc\u05ea \u05d0\u05e1\u05ea\u05e8 \u05de\u05d6\u05d5\u05d5\u05d9\u05ea \u05e9\u05dc \u05d7\u05d5\u05e7\u05e8\u05ea \u05d0\u05d9\u05e8\u05d0\u05df \u05d4\u05e7\u05d3\u05d5\u05de\u05d4, \u05d0\u05de\u05d0 \u05e9\u05dc\u05d7\u05e6\u05d4 \u05e2\u05dc\u05d9\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d4\u05d5\u05e6\u05d9\u05d0 \u05d0\u05d5\u05ea\u05d4 \u05d1\u05e4\u05d5\u05e8\u05de\u05d8 \u05e1\u05e4\u05e8... \u05d5\u05e7\u05d4\u05dc \u05ea\u05d5\u05de\u05da, \u05e9\u05e2\u05d6\u05e8 \u05dc\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d4\u05e4\u05d5\u05da \u05d0\u05ea \u05d4\u05d7\u05dc\u05d5\u05dd \u05dc\u05de\u05e6\u05d9\u05d0\u05d5\u05ea. \u05e6\u05e4\u05d5[:en]Dr Thamar Eilam Gindin had a really great lecture on the Book of Esther from an Iranist's viewpoint, a Jewish mother who pressured her to write it as a book... and a supportive audience, which helped make the dream come true. Watch[:]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/books\/the-book-of-esther-unmasked\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Zeresh Books\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-01-30T21:24:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/cover.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1505\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1745\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/books\/the-book-of-esther-unmasked\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/books\/the-book-of-esther-unmasked\/\",\"name\":\"The Book of Esther Unmasked - Zeresh Books\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/books\/the-book-of-esther-unmasked\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/books\/the-book-of-esther-unmasked\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/cover.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-01-28T10:47:31+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-01-30T21:24:16+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/books\/the-book-of-esther-unmasked\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/books\/the-book-of-esther-unmasked\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/books\/the-book-of-esther-unmasked\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/cover.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/cover.jpg\",\"width\":1505,\"height\":1745},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/books\/the-book-of-esther-unmasked\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"\u05d3\u05e3 \u05d4\u05d1\u05d9\u05ea\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"\u05d4\u05e1\u05e4\u05e8\u05d9\u05dd \u05e9\u05dc\u05e0\u05d5\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/books\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"The Book of Esther Unmasked\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/\",\"name\":\"Zeresh Books\",\"description\":\"Books that I like\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Zeresh Books\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cropped-zeresh_700_400.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cropped-zeresh_700_400.webp\",\"width\":700,\"height\":400,\"caption\":\"Zeresh Books\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Book of Esther Unmasked - Zeresh Books","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/books\/the-book-of-esther-unmasked\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Book of Esther Unmasked - Zeresh Books","og_description":"[:he]\u05dc\u05d3\"\u05e8 \u05ea\u05de\u05e8 \u05e2\u05d9\u05dc\u05dd \u05d2\u05d9\u05e0\u05d3\u05d9\u05df \u05d4\u05d9\u05ea\u05d4 \u05d4\u05e8\u05e6\u05d0\u05d4 \u05de\u05de\u05e9 \u05e9\u05d5\u05d5\u05d4 \u05e2\u05dc \u05de\u05d2\u05d9\u05dc\u05ea \u05d0\u05e1\u05ea\u05e8 \u05de\u05d6\u05d5\u05d5\u05d9\u05ea \u05e9\u05dc \u05d7\u05d5\u05e7\u05e8\u05ea \u05d0\u05d9\u05e8\u05d0\u05df \u05d4\u05e7\u05d3\u05d5\u05de\u05d4, \u05d0\u05de\u05d0 \u05e9\u05dc\u05d7\u05e6\u05d4 \u05e2\u05dc\u05d9\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d4\u05d5\u05e6\u05d9\u05d0 \u05d0\u05d5\u05ea\u05d4 \u05d1\u05e4\u05d5\u05e8\u05de\u05d8 \u05e1\u05e4\u05e8... \u05d5\u05e7\u05d4\u05dc \u05ea\u05d5\u05de\u05da, \u05e9\u05e2\u05d6\u05e8 \u05dc\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d4\u05e4\u05d5\u05da \u05d0\u05ea \u05d4\u05d7\u05dc\u05d5\u05dd \u05dc\u05de\u05e6\u05d9\u05d0\u05d5\u05ea. \u05e6\u05e4\u05d5[:en]Dr Thamar Eilam Gindin had a really great lecture on the Book of Esther from an Iranist's viewpoint, a Jewish mother who pressured her to write it as a book... and a supportive audience, which helped make the dream come true. Watch[:]","og_url":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/books\/the-book-of-esther-unmasked\/","og_site_name":"Zeresh Books","article_modified_time":"2025-01-30T21:24:16+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1505,"height":1745,"url":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/cover.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/books\/the-book-of-esther-unmasked\/","url":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/books\/the-book-of-esther-unmasked\/","name":"The Book of Esther Unmasked - Zeresh Books","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/books\/the-book-of-esther-unmasked\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/books\/the-book-of-esther-unmasked\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/cover.jpg","datePublished":"2025-01-28T10:47:31+00:00","dateModified":"2025-01-30T21:24:16+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/books\/the-book-of-esther-unmasked\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/books\/the-book-of-esther-unmasked\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/books\/the-book-of-esther-unmasked\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/cover.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/cover.jpg","width":1505,"height":1745},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/books\/the-book-of-esther-unmasked\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"\u05d3\u05e3 \u05d4\u05d1\u05d9\u05ea","item":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"\u05d4\u05e1\u05e4\u05e8\u05d9\u05dd \u05e9\u05dc\u05e0\u05d5","item":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/books\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"The Book of Esther Unmasked"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/","name":"Zeresh Books","description":"Books that I like","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/#organization","name":"Zeresh Books","url":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cropped-zeresh_700_400.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cropped-zeresh_700_400.webp","width":700,"height":400,"caption":"Zeresh Books"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7333","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7333"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7333\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7377,"href":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7333\/revisions\/7377"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/33"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zeresh.co.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7333"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}