Talmud reads Torah // Purim

אַחַ֣ר ׀ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה גִּדַּל֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵר֜וֹשׁ אֶת־הָמָ֧ן בֶּֽן־הַמְּדָ֛תָא הָאֲגָגִ֖י וַֽיְנַשְּׂאֵ֑הוּ וַיָּ֙שֶׂם֙ אֶת־כִּסְא֔וֹ מֵעַ֕ל כָּל־הַשָּׂרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּֽוֹ׃ וְכָל־עַבְדֵ֨י הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־בְּשַׁ֣עַר הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ כֹּרְעִ֤ים וּמִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִים֙ לְהָמָ֔ן כִּי־כֵ֖ן צִוָּה־ל֣וֹ הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וּמָ֨רְדֳּכַ֔י לֹ֥א יִכְרַ֖ע וְלֹ֥א יִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶֽה׃ וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ עַבְדֵ֥י הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־בְּשַׁ֥עַר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לְמָרְדֳּכָ֑י מַדּ֙וּעַ֙ אַתָּ֣ה עוֹבֵ֔ר אֵ֖ת מִצְוַ֥ת הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ וַיְהִ֗י באמרם [כְּאָמְרָ֤ם] אֵלָיו֙ י֣וֹם וָי֔וֹם וְלֹ֥א שָׁמַ֖ע אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וַיַּגִּ֣ידוּ לְהָמָ֗ן לִרְאוֹת֙ הֲיַֽעַמְדוּ֙ דִּבְרֵ֣י מָרְדֳּכַ֔י כִּֽי־הִגִּ֥יד לָהֶ֖ם אֲשֶׁר־ה֥וּא יְהוּדִֽי׃ וַיַּ֣רְא הָמָ֔ן כִּי־אֵ֣ין מָרְדֳּכַ֔י כֹּרֵ֥עַ וּמִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה ל֑וֹ וַיִּמָּלֵ֥א הָמָ֖ן חֵמָֽה׃ וַיִּ֣בֶז בְּעֵינָ֗יו לִשְׁלֹ֤ח יָד֙ בְּמָרְדֳּכַ֣י לְבַדּ֔וֹ כִּֽי־הִגִּ֥ידוּ ל֖וֹ אֶת־עַ֣ם מָרְדֳּכָ֑י וַיְבַקֵּ֣שׁ הָמָ֗ן לְהַשְׁמִ֧יד אֶת־כָּל־הַיְּהוּדִ֛ים אֲשֶׁ֛ר בְּכָל־מַלְכ֥וּת אֲחַשְׁוֵר֖וֹשׁ עַ֥ם מָרְדֳּכָֽי׃ בַּחֹ֤דֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן֙ הוּא־חֹ֣דֶשׁ נִיסָ֔ן בִּשְׁנַת֙ שְׁתֵּ֣ים עֶשְׂרֵ֔ה לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵר֑וֹשׁ הִפִּ֣יל פּוּר֩ ה֨וּא הַגּוֹרָ֜ל לִפְנֵ֣י הָמָ֗ן מִיּ֧וֹם ׀ לְי֛וֹם וּמֵחֹ֛דֶשׁ לְחֹ֥דֶשׁ שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֖ר הוּא־חֹ֥דֶשׁ אֲדָֽר׃ (ס)

Esther 3:1-7

Some time afterward, King Ahasuerus promoted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite; he advanced him and seated him higher than any of his fellow officials. All the king’s courtiers in the palace gate knelt and bowed low to Haman, for such was the king’s order concerning him; but Mordecai would not kneel or bow low. Then the king’s courtiers who were in the palace gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s order?” When they spoke to him day after day and he would not listen to them, they told Haman, in order to see whether Mordecai’s resolve would prevail; for he had explained to them that he was a Jew. When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel or bow low to him, Haman was filled with rage. But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone; having been told who Mordecai’s people were, Haman plotted to do away with all the Jews, Mordecai’s people, throughout the kingdom of Ahasuerus. In the first month, that is, the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, pur—which means “the lot”—was cast before Haman concerning every day and every month, [until it fell on] the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar.

Why didn't Mordechai bow down to Haman?

רש"י על אסתר ג׳:ב׳:א׳

כֹּרְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים. שֶׁעָשָׂה עַצְמוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ, לְפִיכָךְ, וּמָרְדְּכַי לֹא יִכְרַע וְלֹא יִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה:

Rashi on Esther 3:2:1

Kneeled and prostrated themselves. Because he made himself as a god; therefore, “but Mordechai would neither kneel nor prostrate himself.”

רש"י על אסתר ג׳:ד׳:א׳

הֲיַעַמְדוּ דִּבְרֵי מָרְדְּכַי. הָאוֹמֵר שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה עוֹלָמִית, כִּי הוּא יְהוּדִי, וְהוּזְהַר עַל עֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים:

Rashi on Esther 3:4:1

If Mordechai’s avowal would be sustained. Who said that he would never prostrate himself because he is a Jew, and was warned against idolatry.

אסתר רבה ז׳:ו׳

וְכָל עַבְדֵּי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר בְּשַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ וגו' (אסתר ג, ב), רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר חֲנִינָא פָּתַח (תהלים קמ, ו): טָמְנוּ גֵאִים פַּח לִי, אָמְרָה כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם מְצוּדָה פָּרְשׂוּ לִי עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים לְהַפִּילֵנִי, אוֹמְרִים לִי עֲבֹד עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, אִם אֲנִי שׁוֹמַעַת לָהֶם נֶעֱנַשְׁתִּי, וְאִם אֵין אֲנִי שׁוֹמַעַת לָהֶם הֵן הוֹרְגִין אוֹתִי. מָשָׁל לִזְאֵב שֶׁצָּמָא לַמַּיִם וּפָרְשׂוּ לוֹ מְצוּדָה עַל פִּי הַמַּעְיָן, אָמַר אִם אֵרֵד לִשְׁתּוֹת הֲרֵינִי נִצּוֹד, וְאִם לֹא אֵרֵד הֲרֵינִי מֵת בַּצָּמָא.

Esther Rabbah 7:6

...

משנה מגילה ב׳:ג׳

בֶּן עִיר שֶׁהָלַךְ לִכְרַךְ וּבֶן כְּרַךְ שֶׁהָלַךְ לְעִיר, אִם עָתִיד לַחֲזֹר לִמְקוֹמוֹ, קוֹרֵא כִמְקוֹמוֹ. וְאִם לָאו, קוֹרֵא עִמָּהֶן. וּמֵהֵיכָן קוֹרֵא אָדָם אֶת הַמְּגִלָּה וְיוֹצֵא בָּהּ יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ, רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר, כֻּלָּהּ. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, מֵאִישׁ יְהוּדִי (אסתר ב ה). רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, מֵאַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה (אסתר ג׳:א׳):

Mishnah Megillah 2:3

With regard to a resident of an unwalled town who went to a walled city, where the Megilla is read on the fifteenth of Adar, and conversely, a resident of a walled city who went to an unwalled town where it is read on the fourteenth, the following distinction applies: If he is destined to return to his original place, he reads it according to the halakha governing his own place, and if not, i.e., if he is not destined to return to his place, he reads with them, the residents of his current location. Beginning from where must a person read the Megilla in order to fulfill his obligation? Rabbi Meir says: He must read all of it. Rabbi Yehuda says: He need read only from “There was a certain Jew” (Esther 2:5). Rabbi Yosei says: From “After these things” (Esther 3:1).

מגילה י״ט א:י״א-י״ג

מֵהֵיכָן קוֹרֵא אָדָם אֶת הַמְּגִילָּה וְכוּ׳ תַּנְיָא רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בַּר יוֹחַאי אוֹמֵר מִבַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְכוּלָּן מִקְרָא אֶחָד דָּרְשׁוּ וַתִּכְתֹּב אֶסְתֵּר הַמַּלְכָּה וּמׇרְדֳּכַי הַיְּהוּדִי אֶת כׇּל תּוֹקֶף מַאן דְּאָמַר כּוּלָּהּ תּוֹקְפּוֹ שֶׁל אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ וּמַאן דְּאָמַר מֵאִישׁ יְהוּדִי תּוֹקְפּוֹ שֶׁל מָרְדֳּכַי וּמַאן דְּאָמַר מֵאַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה תּוֹקְפּוֹ שֶׁל הָמָן וּמַאן דְּאָמַר מִבַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא תּוֹקְפּוֹ שֶׁל נֵס.

Megillah 19a:11-13

§ The mishna teaches that three Sages disagree about the question: Beginning from where must a person read the Megilla in order to fulfill his obligation? It is taught in a baraita that there is a fourth opinion as well: Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai says: One must start to read from “On that night” (Esther 6:1). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: And all of these tanna’im, in arriving at their respective opinions, were expounding the same verse. As it is stated: “Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote about all the acts of power to confirm this second letter of Purim” (Esther 9:29). The one who said that the Megilla must be read in its entirety interprets “acts of power” as referring to the power of Ahasuerus, and so the Megilla must be read from the beginning, where the power of Ahasuerus is recounted. And the one who said that it needs to be read from “There was a certain Jew” explains that “acts of power” is referring to the power of Mordecai. And the one who said that it needs to be read from “After these things” maintains that “acts of power” is referring to the power of Haman. And the one who said that it needs to be read from “On that night” understands that the expression is referring to the power of the miracle, which began on that night when Ahasuerus could not sleep, and therefore one must begin reading the Megilla from there.

מגילה י״ג ב:י״ד

וַיִּבֶז בְּעֵינָיו לִשְׁלוֹחַ יָד בְּמׇרְדֳּכַי לְבַדּוֹ אָמַר רָבָא בַּתְּחִילָּה בְּמָרְדְּכַי לְבַדּוֹ וּלְבַסּוֹף בְּעַם מָרְדֳּכַי וּמַנּוּ רַבָּנַן וּלְבַסּוֹף בְּכׇל הַיְּהוּדִים

Megillah 13b:14

The verse states: “But it seemed contemptible in his eyes to lay his hand on Mordecai alone; for they had made known to him the people of Mordecai; wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai” (Esther 3:6). Rava said: At first he wanted to lay his hands on Mordecai alone, and in the end on the people of Mordecai. And who were the people of Mordecai? They were the Sages, i.e., Mordecai’s special people. And ultimately he sought to bring harm on all the Jews.

מגילה י״ג ב:ט״ז-י״ז

ישְׁנוֹ עַם אֶחָד אָמַר רָבָא לֵיכָּא דְּיָדַע לִישָּׁנָא בִּישָׁא כְּהָמָן אֲמַר לֵיהּ תָּא נִיכַלִּינְהוּ אֲמַר לֵיהּ מִסְתְּפֵינָא מֵאֱלָהַיְהוּ דְּלָא לֶיעְבֵּיד בִּי כְּדַעֲבַד בְּקַמָּאֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ [יֶשְׁנוֹ] יָשְׁנוּ מִן הַמִּצְוֹת אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִית בְּהוּ רַבָּנַן אֲמַר לֵיהּ עַם אֶחָד הֵן.

Megillah 13b:16-17

Haman said to Ahasuerus: “There is [yeshno] one people scattered abroad ... Rava said: There was none who knew how to slander like Haman, as in his request to the king he included responses to all the reasons Ahasuerus might be reluctant to destroy the Jewish people. He said to Ahasuerus: Let us destroy them. Ahasuerus said to him: I am afraid of their God, lest He do to me as He did to those who stood against them before me. Haman said to him: They have been asleep [yashnu] with respect to the mitzvot, having ceased to observe the mitzvot, and, therefore there is no reason to fear. Ahasuerus said to him: There are the Sages among them who observe the mitzvot. Haman said to him: They are one people, i.e., they are all the same; nobody observes the mitzvot.

אסתר רבה ז׳:ז׳

וַיְהִי כְּאָמְרָם אֵלָיו יוֹם וָיוֹם (אסתר ג, ד), רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי בִּנְיָמִין בַּר רַבִּי לֵוִי, בָּנֶיהָ שֶׁל רָחֵל נִסָּן שָׁוֶה וּגְדֻלָּתָן שָׁוָה. נִסָּן שָׁוֶה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית לט, י): וַיְהִי כְּדַבְּרָהּ אֶל יוֹסֵף יוֹם יוֹם, וְכָאן כְּתִיב: וַיְהִי כְּאָמְרָם אֵלָיו יוֹם וָיוֹם וְלֹא שָׁמַע אֲלֵיהֶם, וּלְהַלָּן כְּתִיב (בראשית לט, י): וְלֹא שָׁמַע אֵלֶיהָ לִשְׁכַּב אֶצְלָהּ. וּגְדֻלָּתָן שָׁוָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית מא, מב): וַיָּסַר פַּרְעֹה אֶת טַבַּעְתּוֹ מֵעַל יָדוֹ וַיִּתֵּן אֹתָהּ עַל יַד יוֹסֵף וַיַּלְבֵּשׁ אֹתוֹ בִּגְדֵי שֵׁשׁ, וְכָאן כְּתִיב: וַיָּסַר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת טַבַּעְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱבִיר מֵהָמָן וַיִּתְּנָהּ לְמָרְדֳּכָי. לְהַלָּן כְּתִיב (בראשית מא, מב): וַיַּרְכֵּב אֹתוֹ בְּמִרְכֶּבֶת הַמִּשְׁנֶה אֲשֶׁר לוֹ וַיִּקְרְאוּ לְפָנָיו אַבְרֵךְ, וְכָאן כְּתִיב: וְנָתוֹן הַלְּבוּשׁ וְהַסּוּס וְקָרְאוּ לְפָנָיו כָּכָה יֵעָשֶׂה לָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר הַמֶּלֶךְ חָפֵץ בִּיקָרוֹ.

Esther Rabbah 7:7