Purim

King Achashverosh ruled over the people in Persia (or Shushan in Hebrew), known as Iran. He made a party for all the men of his kingdom to  see his riches and taste the delicacies being served. However, the riches didn't belong to him, but to the Beis Hamikdosh. Achashverosh had taken the beautiful vessels from his wife's, (Queen Vashti) grandfather who had taken them from the Beis Hamikdosh.

Mordechai warned and begged the Jewish people not to join the party since non-kosher food would be served upon the dishes from the Beis Hamikdosh. He was afraid the Jewish people would upset Hasehm for being tempted to eat the food. Sure enough, it was difficult for many Jews to stay away, as they wanted to join the party and see everything first hand. Although they promised themselves not to eat at the party, the food was too good to pass up and they were unable to control their will.

Haman, was the King's adviser and wasn't kind or thoughtful. Because he didn't like the Jewish people at all, he was excited that many were going to join the party. Haman knew that if the Jews would eat non-kosher food, Hashem will be upset with them and  then he could get rid of the Jewish people.

At the party, King Achashverosh boasted about his beautiful wife, and had his servants call her to show her off. In the meantime, Queen Vashti was at her palace holding a party for the women and girls in Shushan. When the servants came to get her, she glanced in the  mirror and was shocked to see pimples covering her face and a tail growing behind her. This was Hashem's way of punishing her for forcing Jewish girls to work on Shabbos when she knew they weren't allowed to. Queen Vashti now refused to come to the party.

Haman suggested the guards take  Vashti away and should not be allowed to continue as the Queen. King Achashverosh didn't think much for himself, and took Haman's advice. The next morning the king awoke saddened when he realized that he had no longer had a queen.

Haman suggested that the girls from Shushan should come to the palace for Achashverosh to choose a new queen. Ssecretly, Haman was hoping his daughter would be chosen.

A Jewish girl named Esther, lived with her uncle Mordechai who took care of her as she didn't have a mommy or daddy. He taught her many good things including Torah, how to be kind, and thoughtful.

One day, the kings guards found Esther and brought her to the palace. Although she didn't want to go, she had no choice. As soon as King Achashverosh saw her, he chose her as his new queen. This made Esther sad, because all she wanted was to stay with her uncle Mordechai. 

But Mordechai understood that Hashem had a plan for the Jewish people by making Esther the queen instead of any other girl from Shushan. Mordechai thought she may need to save the their people one day, and told her not to tell anyone she was Jewish. Esther followed Mordechai's advice. In addition, during her entire stay at the palace,        she only ate fruits and vegetables so as only to eat kosher food.

Daily, Mordechai would sit at the palace gates to try and find out how Esther was doing. One day, Mordechai overheard two servants making a plan in another language. They were deciding how to get rid of Achashverosh, so one of them could become the new king. Mordechai quickly sent a message to King Achashverosh so he could be saved. The king was so thankful that he wrote down Mordechai's good deed in his Royal Book of Memories.

Meanwhile, King Achashverosh made a new law that everyone must bow down to Haman. Only one Jew was not afraid and refused to do so: Mordechai the Jew who told everyone that he only bows down to Hashem, the Creator of the world. 

This made Haman furious. He could wait no longer to get rid of the Jews and asked for the king's permission to do so. King Achashverosh gave Haman his ring with a stamp on it, and told him to do  whatever he wanted. Haman quickly sent a letter to the people of Shushan to be prepared for the day  they will be getting rid of a nation living in Shushan. He stamped the letter with the king's ring.

Now, Mordechai told Esther to go to the King and tell him she was Jewish and that Haman was trying to get rid of her nation, the Jewish people.

Since Esther was afraid to do so since the King hadn't called her into his private chamber for 30 days, she asked Mordechai to get all the Jewish people to daven and fast for three days on her behalf. She also said the Jews should ask Hashem to forgive them for going to King Achashverosh's party.

The entire Jewish nation followed Esther's words and her example, because she also fasted and davened. After 3 days of fasting and davening, Hashem listened. This is what happened next.

Esther bravely entered the King's room. Achashverosh was upset because he hadn't called her. But then Hashem made him change his mood and asked her what she wanted. Esther didn't feel it was the right time yet to tell the King about Haman's evil plan. Instead, she invited the King and Haman to a party she would prepare specially for them. Achashverosh and Haman accepted, only to be invited by Esther to a second party.

That night, King Achashverosh could not sleep, and asked his servant to read to him. The guard opened the Royal Book of Memories and read the story of how Mordechai saved the king's life. Achashverosh asked if Mordechai had ever been rewarded for doing so and was told that Mordechai hadn't.

Just then, Haman walked in and King Achashverosh asked him what should be done to the man whom the king wished to honor? Greedy Haman thought it was him whom the king was talking about. He suggested that his man shall wear the king's clothes and crown and ride on the King's horse throughout Shushan while all the people parade after him chanting, "This shall be done to the man whom the king wishes to honor." Achashverosh thought it was a splendid idea, and told Haman to do so to Mordechai on the next day. Naturally, Haman was upset but had no choice. 

The following day Haman got Mordechai ready for the parade, and was embarrassed to be leading Mordechai on a horse. Afterwards, ashamed and upset he went to Queen Esther's gathering. At the party, Queen Esther finally told King Achashverosh that it was Haman who was trying to get rid of her and her nation.

Achashverosh told his guards to take Haman away and to get rid of him.

All the Jewish people danced and sang and thanked Hashem for saving them from Haman's evil plan.