Mordekhai

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And Mordekhai Would Not Bow
Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom
תאריך פרסום: תשע"ב | |
Mordekhai's refusal to prostrate before Haman is the key to the plot of the Megilah - if he doesn't refuse, there is no decree, no Purim - and no Megilat Esther. Yet Mordekhai's actions are enigmatic and appear to have no justification. We will explore the various suggestions raised over the millenia to explain his refusal - and suggest another one.
Presentation of Mordekhai and Esther in Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Prof. Jonathan Grossman
The midrash links the expositions introducing Mordekhai and Moshe, and Shaul and David. The text demonstrates that Mordekhai was chosen by God to save Am Yisreal. This article discusses the reason Esther is told to hide her identity, and whether Esther wanted to become queen.
Who is the Protagonist of Esther?
Prof. Jonathan Grossman
The beginning of the Book of Esther presents Mordekhai as the protagonist of the story, but later Esther is the character that drives the plot. By the end of the book, they are parallel protagonists. King Ahashverosh is the Antihero, who pushes us to find the hidden protagonist - the King of Kings.
The Gallows
Prof. Jonathan Grossman
Death by hanging is a punishment for treason. Haman, who is charged with the safety of the king, plots to accuse Mordekhai of treason, unaware that Mordekhai is "immune" to such accusations, while the king begins to suspect that Haman himself is plotting against him.
Esther and the Book of Joshua
Prof. Jonathan Grossman
The protagonists of the Book of Esther are described in similar terms as the protagonists of the Book of Joshua. This comparison places the story in perspective: every achievement is a story of survival, and even after being saved, the Jews of Shushan remain exiled.
The Golden Idol
Part 1
Rabbi Yaakov Medan
In order to override the conclusion of his dream regarding the transience of the Babylonian kingdom, Nevukhadnetzar constructs a golden idol. He believes that if all bow down to the idol, he will eternalize the Babylonian kingdom. The refusal of only three Jews is thus viewed as a threat to this plan, just as Mordekhai’s refusal to bow to Haman was viewed as a threat. Their refusal to bow to the idol leads them to be cast into the fiery furnace just as Avraham was cast into the furnace of Nimrod many years earlier according to the Sages. The first king of Babylon, Nimrod, and his tower that rose to the heavens, are compared to Nevukhadnetzar, the current king, and his gold idol that rose sixty cubits high.
On Kiddush Ha-Shem and Self-Sacrifice - Part 2
Rabbi Yaakov Medan
Potential solutions for understanding Hananya, Misha’el and Azarya’s actions in contrast with the general behavior of the Jews at their time include: the permissibility as an act of piety to give up one’s life even if no obligation exists; the obligation to give up one’s life if the action is part of a decree to destroy one’s faith even if the action itself is not idol worship; and the obligation of leaders to give up their lives for an action that can be perceived as idol worship. The permissibility to give up one’s life if the idol worship is for the ruler’s honor and not a question of faith as Mordekhai did in the case of Haman is up for debate amongst the Sages both in the book of Daniel, and in the case of Mordekhai.
Yosef, Mordekhai, and Binyamin
Rabbi David Silverberg
Megillat Esther: Establishing Purim as a Holiday
Erev Shabbat Excerpts - Pekudei
Rabbi Jonathan Snowbell | 17 minutes
We delve into the end of Megillat Esther and examine the tension in establishing Purim as a holiday. What does it mean that Mordekhai is accepted by "most of" his brethren? What is happening when Mordekhai and Esther repeatedly send out the "letters of Purim?" How does Purim fit in with the prohibition to add to the Torah? What is going on with the Jewish people when Purim is first established, and how does that affect their reaction to Mordekhai and Esther?