Esther

“Who had been carried away from Jerusalem” (Esther 2:6). Rava said: That he went into exile of his own accord. “And he brought up Hadassah” (Esther 2:6). She is called Hadassah but she is called Esther. It has been taught: R. Meir says: Esther was her proper name. Why then was she called Hadassah? After the righteous who are called myrtles (hadasim), for so it says, “And he stood among the myrtle trees” (Zechariah 1:8). R. Judah says: Hadassah was her name — Why then was she called Esther? Because she concealed [masteret] the facts about herself, as it says, “Esther did not make known her people or her kindred” (Esther 2:20). R. Nehemiah says: Hadassah was her name. Why then was she called Esther? All peoples called her so after Istahar. Ben Azzai said: Esther was neither too tall nor too short, but of medium size, like a myrtle. Joshua b. Korha said: Esther was green, and there was an aura of kindness (hesed) about her. “For she had neither father nor mother…And when her father and mother died” (Esther 2:7). Why did it need to say this again? Aha said: When her mother became pregnant with her, her father died; when she was born, her mother died. “And when her father and mother died, Mordecai took her for his own daughter” (Esther 2:7). A Tanna taught in the name of R. Meir: Do not read “for a daughter [le-bat],” but “for a house (i.e. wife) [le-bayit].” ... “And the seven maidens who were meet to be given to her” (Esther 2:9): Rava said: [They were seven so that] she could count the days of the week by them. “And he treated her better than her maidens” (Esther 2:9). Rav said: [This means that] he gave her Jewish food to eat. Shmuel however said, it means that he gave her pieces of pork. And R. Yohanan said that he gave her legumes, and so it says, “So the steward took away their food and gave them legumes” (Daniel 1:16). “Six months with the oil of myrrh” (Esther 2:12). What is the oil of myrrh? R. Hiyya b. Abba said: Stakat. R. Huna said: Oil from olives not a third grown. It has been taught: R. Judah says: Anpikon is oil of olives not a third grown. Why is it used for smearing? Because it removes hair and makes the skin soft. “In the evening she went and in the morning she returned” (Esther 2:14). R. Yohanan From the disgrace of that wicked man we can learn something to his credit, that he did not have sexual relations by day. “And Esther found favor” (Esther 2: 15). R. Elazar: said This teaches that to everyone she looked like a member of his own people. “So Esther was taken to king Ahashverosh into his royal house in the tenth month, which is the month Tevet” (Esther 2: 16). The month when a body benefits from being close to another body. “And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight above all the virgins” (Esther 2: 17). Rav said: If he wanted to find in her the taste of a virgin he found it; if the taste of a non-virgin, he found it. “Then the king made a great feast” (Esther 2: 18). He made a feast for her, and she did not tell him [who she was]. He remitted taxes, and she did not tell him. He sent gifts, and she [still] did not tell him. “And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, etc” (Esther 2: 19). He went and took counsel from Mordecai who said, The way to cause a woman to be jealous is to show her other women” and even so she did not tell as it says, “And Esther did not reveal her birthplace.” R. Elazar said: What is the meaning of the verse,

...Rabbi Yuden taught about nursing, that they did not find Esther a nursemaid, and so he nursed her...

...Rav said that [Esther] was 40 years old. Shmuel said that she was 80 years old. The Rabbis taught that she was 75 years old. Rabbi Brachiah in the name of the rabbis taught, God said to Avraham, you left your father's house when you were 75 years old, so to the redeemer that will come from you will be 75 years old as can be calculated in the name Hadassah.

. The Rabbis taught: There have been four beautiful women in the world — Sarah, Rahab, Abigail and Esther. According to the one who says that Esther was green, Vashti should be inserted in place of Esther. ... “

...The Rabbis taught: Esther found favor in all that saw her, both in the upper world and in the lower world. As it says: (Proverbs 3) "And you will find favor and approbation in the eyes of God and man."

(3) Rabbi Akiva was once sitting and lecturing, and the community [his students] was falling asleep. To arouse them, he said: How could Esther rule over one hundred and twenty seven provinces? It should be that Esther, a descendant of Sarah who lived to one hundred and twenty seven, to rule over one hundred and twenty seven provinces.

...And the Rabbis taught: she miscarried. And from the time of her miscarriage, she did not conceive again. Rabbi Yuden the son of Rabbi Simon said: She used contraception (moch). Rabbi Yuden the son of Simon taught: "the last Darius" was her son...

(7) And Esther said to respond to Mordechai: She said to him, "'Go and gather all of the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast for me - do not eat or drink for three days' - these are the 13th, 14th, and 15th of Nissan." He (Mordechai) sent to her, "Behold, in them is the first day of Pesach." She said to him, "The Elder of Israel, what is Pesach for?" Immediately, Mordechai understood and conceded to her words. That is [the meaning of] that which is written, "Mordechai passed and did like everything that Esther commanded him." There they say, that he passed the holiday of Pesach in a fast. And about that anguish, Moredechai prayed to the Lord and said, "It is revealed and known before Your throne of Glory, Master of the worlds, that it is not because of pride of heart and from a haughty eye that I did not bow down in front of Haman, but rather form Your fear did I do this - not to bow down to him. As I was fearful in front of You to give Your honor to flesh and blood, and I did not want to bow down to anyone besides You. As who am I not to bow down to Haman for the salvation of Your people, Israel? For Your sake, I would have licked the shoes of his feet. And now, our God, please save us from his hand, and let him fall in the pit that he has dug and be trapped in the net that he hid for the feet of Your pious ones, and that this angering one should know that You have not forgotten Your promise that You promised us (Leviticus 26:44), 'And also with this; in their being in the land of their enemies, I will will not reject them and I will not abhor them to destroy them, to rescind My covenant with them, as I am the Lord, their God.'" And what did Mordechai do? He gathered the children, and afflicted them from [receiving] bread and water and clothed them with sackcloth and sat them in the dust, and they were calling out and crying and involved in Torah [study]. And at that time, Esther was very scared because of the evil that had grown in Israel and she took off the clothing of her royalty and splendor and wore sackcloth, and she uncovered the hair of her head and covered it with dust and ashes, and she afflicted herself with fasting. And she fell on her face in front of the Lord and prayed and said, "Lord, God of Israel, who has ruled from the days of yore and created the world, please help Your maidservant, as I was orphaned without father or mother and am comparable to a poor woman who goes to beg from house to house; so do I beg Your mercy, from window to window in the house of Achasverosh. And now, Lord, please give success to Your maidservant - this poor woman – and the flock of Your shepherding from these enemies that have risen against us, as You have no impediment from saving with the many or with the few. And, You, O Father of orphans, please stand to the right of this orphan, who trusted in Your kindness, and give me mercy in front of this man, as I feared him; and bring him low in front of me, as you bring the proud ones low."