Lincoln, Esther, and the Emancipation Proclamation

In 1862, President Lincoln was visited by a group of Christian clergymen, who delivered an earnest sermon citing the Book of Esther to urge the president to free the slaves. Several days later, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. Is there a connection between these two episodes?

Taught By

Rabbi Meir Soloveichik
Meir Soloveichik is a senior fellow and contributor at Tikvah, the rabbi of Congregation Shearith Israel, and the director of the Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought at Yeshiva University. His many podcasts, video series, media appearances, and writings can be found at Ideas.Tikvah.org.

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Lincoln, Esther, and the Emancipation Proclamation

Taught By

Rabbi Meir Soloveichik

Tikvah Ideas All Access

Lincoln, Esther, and the Emancipation Proclamation

Taught By

Rabbi Meir Soloveichik

Lincoln, Esther, and the Emancipation Proclamation

Taught By

Rabbi Meir Soloveichik

1 of 8 Exodus, the Presidential Seal, and the Civil War

2 of 8 Lincoln, Esther, and the Emancipation Proclamation

3 of 8 The Rabbinic Roots of the Gettysburg Address

4 of 8 The Almost Chosen People

5 of 8 General Grant and the Jews

6 of 8 When Lincoln Died on Passover

7 of 8 The Eternal Lessons of the Second Inaugural

8 of 8 Lincoln, Moses, and America

Subscribe to Tikvah Ideas

1 of 8 Exodus, the Presidential Seal, and the Civil War

2 of 8 Lincoln, Esther, and the Emancipation Proclamation

3 of 8 The Rabbinic Roots of the Gettysburg Address

4 of 8 The Almost Chosen People

5 of 8 General Grant and the Jews

6 of 8 When Lincoln Died on Passover

7 of 8 The Eternal Lessons of the Second Inaugural

8 of 8 Lincoln, Moses, and America

Lincoln, Esther, and the Emancipation Proclamation

Taught By

Rabbi Meir Soloveichik

1 of 8 Exodus, the Presidential Seal, and the Civil War

2 of 8 Lincoln, Esther, and the Emancipation Proclamation

3 of 8 The Rabbinic Roots of the Gettysburg Address

4 of 8 The Almost Chosen People

5 of 8 General Grant and the Jews

6 of 8 When Lincoln Died on Passover

7 of 8 The Eternal Lessons of the Second Inaugural

8 of 8 Lincoln, Moses, and America

1 of 8 Exodus, the Presidential Seal, and the Civil War

2 of 8 Lincoln, Esther, and the Emancipation Proclamation

3 of 8 The Rabbinic Roots of the Gettysburg Address

4 of 8 The Almost Chosen People

5 of 8 General Grant and the Jews

6 of 8 When Lincoln Died on Passover

7 of 8 The Eternal Lessons of the Second Inaugural

8 of 8 Lincoln, Moses, and America

Subscribe to Tikvah Ideas