On Persians and Jews

On the afternoon of erev Purim I was leaving work heading home to pick up Miriam from school and planning to come to shul.  An Iranian colleague of Zoroastrian belief, a real Persian, caught me in the hallway.  I worked with her on a project nine years ago and only exchanged an occasional 'hello / how are you' since then.  This afternoon, as I was heading for the Purim services, she called out to me and started telling how much she enjoyed working with me on that old project, and how she was hoping we'll be working together again, showering me with compliments over the top, showing pictures of her handsome kids.  She knows that I am Jewish, and I was thinking about it all the way home, how strange that she was going on like that all of a sudden, just before Purim.

I was thinking how I spend most of my working time, and most of my life, among gentiles and non-observant Jews, and how generous these people have been to me, how much love and care they've given me, and how I've never been able to adequately reciprocate. 

There is one thing that my friends resent – when I separate myself to pray, to write, finding excuses not to eat their food or consume mass entertainment.  That separation is often perceived as rejection, and is often the source of tension between Jews and gentiles, more observant and less observant Jews, fed by lack of understanding that this separation of a Jew to be closer to God is the backbone of this persons essence, that if you enjoy my company you have to let me be myself.  

I recalled the encounter with Zarin when re-reading Megillat Esther at home after the celebration at shul, where it talks about the love of Achashveirosh for Esther. 

2:17 The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she found favour and kindness before him more than all the maidens; so that he set the crown of royalty upon her head, and he made her queen in place of Vashti.

5:3, 5:6, 7:2  Even if it be up to half the kingdom, your request shall be granted to you.

Esther found grace in the king’s eyes, he would give her half of his kingdom, but can she ever love him back in equal measure?  Esther fasts and is ready to sacrifice her life for the Jews - would she ever do so for the Persian king, who gives her everything?  This is our life in galut, in the gentile world.  In the good times gentiles love us, they pay us generously for our labour, they want to hear us speak, they seek our friendship – but we cannot possibly love them back as much, our souls long for the company of the fellow Jews, the kindred souls touched by the spirit of God.