Esther: Jewish Leadership in Times of Crisis - The Seven Prophetesses of the Torah

מגילה י״ד א:י״ג
שֶׁבַע נְבִיאוֹת מַאן נִינְהוּ? שָׂרָה, מִרְיָם, דְּבוֹרָה, חַנָּה, אֲבִיגַיִל, חוּלְדָּה וְאֶסְתֵּר.
Megillah 14a:13
§ The Gemara asks with regard to the prophetesses recorded in the baraita: Who were the seven prophetesses? The Gemara answers: Sarah, Miriam, Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, Huldah, and Esther.

Middot (Qualities of Character)

Sarah: Chessed - kindness
Miriam: Gevurah - strength,
Deborah: Tiferet - balance (between chessed & gevurah), beauty, glory, truth
Hannah: Netzach - victory (to overcome), eternity,
Abigail: Hod - splendor, beauty,
Huldah: Yesod - foundation,
Esther: Malchut - majesty, royalty.

אסתר ד׳:י״ג-י״ז

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר מָרְדֳּכַ֖י לְהָשִׁ֣יב אֶל־אֶסְתֵּ֑ר אַל־תְּדַמִּ֣י בְנַפְשֵׁ֔ךְ לְהִמָּלֵ֥ט בֵּית־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מִכָּל־הַיְּהוּדִֽים׃ כִּ֣י אִם־הַחֲרֵ֣שׁ תַּחֲרִישִׁי֮ בָּעֵ֣ת הַזֹּאת֒ רֶ֣וַח וְהַצָּלָ֞ה יַעֲמ֤וֹד לַיְּהוּדִים֙ מִמָּק֣וֹם אַחֵ֔ר וְאַ֥תְּ וּבֵית־אָבִ֖יךְ תֹּאבֵ֑דוּ וּמִ֣י יוֹדֵ֔עַ אִם־לְעֵ֣ת כָּזֹ֔את הִגַּ֖עַתְּ לַמַּלְכֽוּת׃ וַתֹּ֥אמֶר אֶסְתֵּ֖ר לְהָשִׁ֥יב אֶֽל־מָרְדֳּכָֽי׃ לֵךְ֩ כְּנ֨וֹס אֶת־כָּל־הַיְּהוּדִ֜ים הַֽנִּמְצְאִ֣ים בְּשׁוּשָׁ֗ן וְצ֣וּמוּ עָ֠לַי וְאַל־תֹּאכְל֨וּ וְאַל־תִּשְׁתּ֜וּ שְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת יָמִים֙ לַ֣יְלָה וָי֔וֹם גַּם־אֲנִ֥י וְנַעֲרֹתַ֖י אָצ֣וּם כֵּ֑ן וּבְכֵ֞ן אָב֤וֹא אֶל־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־כַדָּ֔ת וְכַאֲשֶׁ֥ר אָבַ֖דְתִּי אָבָֽדְתִּי׃ וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖ר מָרְדֳּכָ֑י וַיַּ֕עַשׂ כְּכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוְּתָ֥ה עָלָ֖יו אֶסְתֵּֽר׃ (ס)

Esther 4:13-17

Mordecai had this message delivered to Esther: “Do not imagine that you, of all the Jews, will escape with your life by being in the king’s palace. On the contrary, if you keep silent in this crisis, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another quarter, while you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows, perhaps you have attained to royal position for just such a crisis.” Then Esther sent back this answer to Mordecai: “Go, assemble all the Jews who live in Shushan, and fast in my behalf; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens will observe the same fast. Then I shall go to the king, though it is contrary to the law; and if I am to perish, I shall perish!” So Mordecai went about [the city] and did just as Esther had commanded him.

מגילה י״ד ב:ט׳

אֶסְתֵּר — דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וַתִּלְבַּשׁ אֶסְתֵּר מַלְכוּת״, בִּגְדֵי מַלְכוּת מִיבְּעֵי לֵיהּ! אֶלָּא שֶׁלְּבָשַׁתָּה רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ, כְּתִיב הָכָא: ״וַתִּלְבַּשׁ״, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: ״וְרוּחַ לָבְשָׁה אֶת עֲמָשַׂי וְגוֹ׳״.

Megillah 14b:9

Esther was also a prophetess, as it is written: “And it came to pass on the third day that Esther clothed herself in royalty” (Esther 5:1). It should have said: Esther clothed herself in royal garments. Rather, this alludes to the fact that she clothed herself with a divine spirit of inspiration. It is written here: “And she clothed herself,” and it is written elsewhere: “And the spirit clothed Amasai” (I Chronicles 12:19). Just as there the reference is to being enclothed by a spirit, so too Esther was enclothed by a spirit of divine inspiration.

אסתר ה׳:א׳

(א) וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֗י וַתִּלְבַּ֤שׁ אֶסְתֵּר֙ מַלְכ֔וּת וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֞ד בַּחֲצַ֤ר בֵּית־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ הַפְּנִימִ֔ית נֹ֖כַח בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְ֠הַמֶּ֠לֶךְ יוֹשֵׁ֞ב עַל־כִּסֵּ֤א מַלְכוּתוֹ֙ בְּבֵ֣ית הַמַּלְכ֔וּת נֹ֖כַח פֶּ֥תַח הַבָּֽיִת׃

Esther 5:1

(1) On the third day, Esther put on royal apparel and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, facing the king’s palace, while the king was sitting on his royal throne in the throne room facing the entrance of the palace.

דברי הימים א י״ב:י״ט

(יט) וְר֣וּחַ לָֽבְשָׁ֗ה אֶת־עֲמָשַׂי֮ רֹ֣אשׁ (השלושים) [הַשָּׁלִישִׁים֒] לְךָ֤ דָוִיד֙ וְעִמְּךָ֣ בֶן־יִשַׁ֔י שָׁל֨וֹם ׀ שָׁל֜וֹם לְךָ֗ וְשָׁלוֹם֙ לְעֹ֣זְרֶ֔ךָ כִּ֥י עֲזָֽרְךָ֖ אֱלֹקֶ֑יךָ וַיְקַבְּלֵ֣ם דָּוִ֔יד וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֖ם בְּרָאשֵׁ֥י הַגְּדֽוּד׃ {פ}

I Chronicles 12:19

(19) Then the spirit seized Amasai, chief of the captains:
“We are yours, David,
On your side, son of Jesse;
At peace, at peace with you,
And at peace with him who supports you,
For your God supports you.”
So David accepted them, and placed them at the head of his band.

אור חדש ה׳:א׳:א׳

(א) "ותלבש אסתר מלכות" (אסתר ה, א). ולא כתיב "בגדי מלכות", מפני כי גם ההדיוט יכול ללבוש בגדי מלכות. אבל אסתר שהיתה מלכה, כאשר לובשת בגדי מלכות והיא מלכה, בזה שייך לומר שלבשה מלכות לגמרי. ואצל שאר מלכה שייך לומר "ותלבש בגדי מלכות", שאף שהיא מלכה, מכל מקום אינה ראויה למלכות לגמרי, ולכך לא שייך "ותלבש מלכות" אצל שאר מלכה, רק אסתר שהיתה ראויה למלכות לגמרי, לכך שייך לומר עליה "ותלבש מלכות".

Ohr Chadash 5:1:1

Summary: "Esther clothed herself in royalty". It is not written "royal garments" since any common person can cloth him- or herself in royal garments. But Esther was the queen and because of that she wore royal garments and she was the queen. Because of that, it says she clothed herself completely in royalty. Other queens can dress as a queen, but only Esther was a real queen.

מגילה ט״ו ב:ט׳

״וַיְהִי כִרְאוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת אֶסְתֵּר הַמַּלְכָּה״. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: שְׁלֹשָׁה מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת נִזְדַּמְּנוּ לָהּ בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה, אֶחָד שֶׁהִגְבִּיהַּ אֶת צַוָּארָהּ, וְאֶחָד שֶׁמָּשַׁךְ חוּט שֶׁל חֶסֶד עָלֶיהָ, וְאֶחָד שֶׁמָּתַח אֶת הַשַּׁרְבִיט.

Megillah 15b:9

The verse states: “And so it was, that when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favor in his sight; and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand” (Esther 5:2). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Three ministering angels happened to join her at that time: One that raised up her neck, so that she could stand erect, free of shame; one that strung a cord of divine grace around her, endowing her with charm and beauty; and one that stretched the king’s scepter.

מגילה ט״ו א:ז׳

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אַרְבַּע נָשִׁים יְפֵיפִיּוֹת הָיוּ בָּעוֹלָם: שָׂרָה (וַאֲבִיגַיִל, רָחָב) וְאֶסְתֵּר, וּלְמַאן דְּאָמַר אֶסְתֵּר יְרַקְרוֹקֶת הָיְתָה — מַפֵּיק אֶסְתֵּר וּמְעַיֵּיל וַשְׁתִּי.

Megillah 15a:7

To complete the discussion about the prophetesses, the Gemara cites a baraita in which the Sages taught: There were four women of extraordinary beauty in the world: Sarah, and Abigail, Rahab, and Esther. And according to the one who said that Esther was greenish in color, lacking natural beauty, only that a cord of divine grace was strung around her, remove Esther from the list and insert Vashti in her place, for she was indeed beautiful.

פסחים קי״ז א:י״ט

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הַמּוֹדָעִי אוֹמֵר: דְּבוֹרָה וּבָרָק אֲמָרוּהוּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁעָמַד עֲלֵיהֶם סִיסְרָא. הֵם אָמְרוּ: ״לֹא לָנוּ״, וְרוּחַ הַקּוֹדֶשׁ מְשִׁיבָה וְאוֹמֶרֶת לָהֶם: ״לְמַעֲנִי לְמַעֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂה״. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה אוֹמֵר: חִזְקִיָּה וְסִייעָתוֹ אֲמָרוּהוּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁעָמַד עֲלֵיהֶם סַנְחֵרִיב. הֵם אָמְרוּ: ״לֹא לָנוּ״, וּמְשִׁיבָה וְכוּ׳. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר: חֲנַנְיָה מִישָׁאֵל וַעֲזַרְיָה אֲמָרוּהוּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁעָמַד עֲלֵיהֶם נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר הָרָשָׁע. הֵם אָמְרוּ: ״לֹא לָנוּ״, וּמְשִׁיבָה וְכוּ׳. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי אוֹמֵר: מָרְדְּכַי וְאֶסְתֵּר אֲמָרוּהוּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁעָמַד עֲלֵיהֶם הָמָן הָרָשָׁע. הֵם אָמְרוּ: ״לֹא לָנוּ״, וּמְשִׁיבָה וְכוּ׳.

Pesachim 117a:19

Rabbi Elazar HaModa’i says: Deborah and Barak recited it when Sisera stood against them (see Judges 4–5). They said: Not to us, and the Divine Spirit responded and said to them: For My own sake, for My own sake, will I do it. Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya says: Hezekiah and his company recited it when Sennacherib stood against them (see II Kings 18–19). They said: Not to us and the Divine Spirit responded: For My own sake. Rabbi Akiva says: Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah recited it when the wicked Nebuchadnezzar stood against them (see Daniel 3). They said: Not to us, and the Divine Spirit responded: For My own sake. Rabbi Yosei HaGelili says: Mordecai and Esther recited it when the wicked Haman stood against them. They said: Not to us, and the Divine Spirit responded: For My own sake (see the book of Esther).

Esther as the Deliverer of Israel
The Rabbis relate to Esther as the one responsible for the deliverance of Israel and compare her to the moon, which shone for Israel in the darkness of night. Like the moon, that is “born” after thirty days, Esther, too, said (Esth. 4:11): “Now I have not been summoned to visit the king for the last thirty days” (Ex. Rabbah 15:6).
Esther was ready to endanger herself and even to give her life to save her people, who therefore are called “her people” (4:8): “to plead with him for her people” (Ex. Rabbah 30:4). The Rabbis compare Esther to the son of the uncle who redeems an ancestral landholding (Lev. 25:49) because she was the niece of Mordecai and Israel was delivered through her (Esth. Rabbah 10:13).
In the Book of Lamentations Israel bemoan (5:3): “We have become orphans, fatherless,” and God promises them the redemption of the fatherless and motherless orphan (Lam. Rabbah 5:3).
Esther illuminated Israel like the light of dawn, while this light itself was like darkness for the nations of the world (Midrash Tehilim, on Ps. 22:5).
Source: Meir, Tamar. "Esther: Midrash and Aggadah." Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. 31 December 1999. Jewish Women's Archive. (Viewed on December 26, 2023) <https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/esther-midrash-and-aggadah>.