I recently received this thoughtful question that deserves some important consideration: Should admission to a Passover Seder be offered to the public?  The original discussion of Passover indicates that it was made for families (Exodus 12:3) and that it was to be a holy assembly (Exodus 12:16).  If this is the case, why hold public festival observances?  Should pre-believers be allowed to partake?  Thus it is a good thing to ask how “kosher” it is to offer a Seder to unbelievers, let alone to hold one in a public forum.

I’ll spare you the drama: yes we have every scriptural right to hold public Seders.  How, you might you ask?  There are at least two main ways to address this.

The holiday of Purim, taken from the scroll of Esther, is a Jewish tradition.  It has all the elements of a classic Biblical storyline:  two heroes (Esther, Mordecai), a notorious villain (Haman) and the salvation of Israel (can I get an Amen???).  It also has some rather peculiar elements.  For instance, the scroll of Esther doesn't mention the name of God (yet His handiwork is very evident throughout the story).  It doesn't model a rigorous Torah-based religious lifestyle (though we see strong character and moral fiber in the heroes).  It doesn't even refer to important Jewish concepts such as the Temple, Kosher or other Festivals (yet it concludes by establishing a new holiday, Purim).  Let’s just say the scroll of Esther is rather unique in the annals of ancient Jewish literature (with some even calling it a deliberate work of comedy!).

But as Jewish as the book is, I think that the scroll of Esther has an important message for all of us today, Jew or Gentile, believer in Yeshua or not.