Prof. Adele Berlin presents a new interpretation of the Book of Esther. In Berlin's opinion the scroll was written to explain the purpose and customs of Purim. The scroll itself is from the Hellenistic period. In her introduction, Berlin proves that the Persian background of the scroll is similar or even identical to the descriptions of persia and its customs as they appear in Greek literature from the Hellenistic period. Even its linguistic form belongs to that period.
Won the The Israeli Culture and Sports minister's prize for literary work (2002)