Life-Saving Vegan Banquets of Queen Esther. By Dr. Chapman Chen

In the heart of the Persian Empire, Queen Esther orchestrated not only a political masterstroke but also, quite possibly, a compassionate culinary stand. According to traditional Jewish sources such as Megillah 13a, Esther, a secretly Jewish queen in a non-kosher palace, likely adopted a vegan diet to maintain her ritual purity—consuming only seeds, legumes, fruits, and nuts, much like the prophet Daniel in Babylon. But beyond practicality, Esther’s diet may reveal a deeper ethical vision.

The Book of Esther recounts how Esther, chosen by King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) for her beauty, becomes queen and uncovers a genocidal plot by Haman, the king’s advisor, to annihilate the Jewish people. Rather than confronting the king immediately, Esther invites him and Haman to two private banquets, skillfully designed to turn the tide of history.

At the first banquet (Esther 5:1–8), Esther wins the king’s favour but delays her true request, inviting them again the following day. This strategic pause heightens royal curiosity and lulls Haman into a false sense of security. Then, at the second banquet (Esther 7:1–10), Esther boldly reveals her Jewish identity and exposes Haman’s scheme. The king is outraged and has Haman hanged on the very gallows he built for Esther’s cousin Mordecai. A new decree follows, allowing the Jews to defend themselves—and they are saved.

Through wisdom, patience, and moral courage, Esther’s vegan banquets became the setting for one of the most dramatic reversals in biblical history. As Kohenet Yael Tischler (2020) insightfully suggests, Esther’s plant-based diet can be seen not only as a kosher workaround but as an act of deep empathy. Living as a minority in exile, Esther knew what it meant to be “othered.” In choosing compassion at the table, she embodied the same moral clarity that guided her resistance to oppression.

Today, the Jewish festival of Purim celebrates Esther’s heroism. But perhaps it also invites reflection on the quiet strength behind her actions—the ethical choices, even in diet, that reflect a deeper commitment to justice for all. #VeganChrist #VeganGod #VeganTheology #VeganChurch

Full Text: https://www.vegantheology.net/post/life-saving-vegan-banquets-of-queen-esther-by-dr-chapman-chen

References

Megillah 13a https://www.sefaria.org/Megillah.13a.14?lang=bi

Tischler, Kohenet Yael (2020). “Queen Esther the Vegan.” JVS, Mar. 2. https://www.jvs.org.uk/2020/03/02/queen-esther-the-vegan-by-kohenet-yael-tischler/