A Vegetarian Purimshpiel

Which Came First, the Chicken or the Egg?
A Vegetarian Purimshpiel

Richard Schwartz

Reb Henna taught: “Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Clearly, the chicken. How do we know this? We learn from the Book of Esther that when Mordecai asked Esther to go before King Ahashveros to plead for the Jewish people, she was ‘chicken,’ fearing for her life. Only when Mordecai ‘egged’ her on, telling her that perhaps she was enabled to be queen for just this EGGcelent purpose, did she muster the courage and ‘scrambled’ to appear before the king.”

Reb Roosta said, “Speaking of birds, I heard that a Heavenly voice once announced: ‘A Robin Redbreast in a cage puts all Heaven in a rage'”. (William Blake, “Auguries of Innocence”) Reb Chicka responded, “Not to EGGaggerate, but – If a robin redbreast in a cage puts all heaven in a rage, how feels heaven when, dies the billionth battery hen?” (Spike Mulligan, British comedian) Reb Poultrie stated, “Since Queen Esther was a vegetarian to avoid violating the dietary laws while hiding her Jewish identity while in the palace of King Ahashveros, and since our esteemed editor, Rabbi Judah, the Prince was stricken with pain for many years because he callously treated a frightened calf, perhaps we should egg on Jews to protest against the current horrible treatment of chickens and other animals.

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