“Petashegen Megillat Ostracon…” – A satirical Esther Scroll written in Jaffa – A parody on class differences and economic disparities in Israeli society, and on the differences in views between the right and the left. The author of the scroll: Avraham Yitzhak from Emek Dotan… The scroll was published in Hamam Jaffa, 1985. Rare.
“Blessed are those present, eagerly awaiting to hear some humorous words… In these days, the king made a Purim feast for all the rulers of Mer’Sh (Ministerial Council) in Tel Aviv – Jaffa, from the greatest to the least, for seven days… A Jewish man was in Shushan the capital, and his name was Mordechai son of Yair… a left-wing man who was exiled from Jerusalem with the exiles to the coastal plain…”
Haman’s decree is described as an attempt by Haman to force all Jews into early retirement, and Esther’s response is to file a petition with the High Court of Justice (Bagatz) to keep them in their jobs: “ונשלח ספרים ביד הרצים אל כל המדינות להשמיד להרוג לאבד ולפטר ולהוציא לפנסיה מוקדמת בגן העדן את כל היהודים…ותאמר אסתר: אם על המלך טוב ואם מצאתי חן בעיני המלך אגישה בג”צי ותינתן לי נפשי בשאלתי ועמי בעתירתי…” – “And letters were sent by couriers to all the provinces to destroy, kill, annihilate, and lay off and send to early retirement in the Garden of Eden all the Jews… And Esther said: ‘If it pleases the king and if I have found favor in the king’s sight, I will submit a petition to Bagatz, and let my life be given me at my request and my people at my petition…”. Haman’s sentence is depicted as the abolition of all days of strikes and sanctions – “ובשושן הבירה הרגו היהודים ואיבד חמש מאות ימי עבודה בשביתתא ובעיצומתא וסנקציונתא, ואת מס הכנסתא וערך מוספתא והיטל השבחתא ושבח מקרקעתא… וכל שאר שרי אוצרתא ובעלי ראש באטאטה צוררי הנעבעכים הרגו…”- “And in Shushan the capital, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred workdays through strikes, sanctions, and restrictions, and also income tax, VAT, appreciation tax, and land appreciation tax… And all the other treasury ministers and high-ranking officials, the enemies of the unfortunate ones, were killed…”.
The scroll ends with the “Song of Hatikvah.”
The second part of the scroll is written in ancient cuneiform script over three and a half pages.
Length: 135 cm. Height: 24 cm. Very good condition.