The day before the revelry and celebration of Purim begin in earnest there is a fast day, The Fast of Esther.
One of the six fast days of the Jewish calendar the Fast of Esther calls upon the Jewish people to spend a day disconnecting from the physical to focus on our spiritual endeavours. This means we don't eat or drink, but the focus should not be on our empty stomachs but rather it should be on ourselves, individually and nationally.
There are two fasts associated with the Purim story. The first fast was when Esther went to appear before the King to attempt to save her people. She asked that all the Jews join her on fasting that day to help elevate them and hopefully lead to her success.
The second fast came almost a year later. The Jews were able to take up arms and defend themselves against their foes, and with a battle being a perilous time, once again the Jewish people fasted to bolster their chances of winning the war.
In constrast to some of the other fast days, such as the 9th of Av which are distinctly mournful, the Fast of Esther isn't about sadness. It's about connecting with ourselves, eachother and our Saviour above. A day of inspiration just before the celebration.
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