Page 45 - HaMizrachi #27 Purim USA 2021

PURIM READING

Esther, Chapter Seven

— ז קרפ ,רתסא תליגמ — Rabbi Jesse Horn

Esther’s

Transformation

ne central theme of the Purim Megillah reiterates how she remained quickly enough (5:3, 5:6, 7:2, and 9:12).
ְ
miracle is אּוה ךֹופ ֲ הַנ ְ ו, “And it was quiet, not revealing her nationality, as However, Esther’s accumulation of
Oswitched around” (Esther 9:1). Mordechai had instructed her (2:20). power is most unmistakably reinforced
Many things are switched around in the These descriptions reinforce our when Haman, pleading for his life, turns
Megillah, most notably, the fate of Am image of Esther as beautiful, quiet and to her rather than to the king. Even
Yisrael, but Chazal (Ptichta D’Esther obedient. Haman realizes Esther is now the one
Rabbah, Vilna Edition 9) stress one par- calling the shots. Haman begs Esther
ticular element about Achashverosh, However, Esther is not just quiet and for his life because clearly she has the
ג ַ ר ָ ה ת ֶ ר ֶ ח ַ א ם ַ ע ַ פּו ֹוב ֲ ה ֹוא יֵנ ְּ פ ִ מ ֹו ּ ת ְ ׁש ִ א ת ֶ א ג ַ ר ָ ה ֶ ׁש passive; she is controlled by others. power. This visual illustration further
ֹו ּ ת ְ ׁש ִ א יֵנ ְּ פ ִ מ ֹוב ֲ ה ֹוא ת ֶ א, “He killed his wife She almost blindly obeys Mordechai to reinforces Esther’s commanding role.
because of his loved one and on another keep her nationality secret (2:10, 20).
occasion killed his loved one because Additionally, she is taken forcefully to What precipitates this change in
of his wife.” Achashverosh kills Vashti the palace (2:8), first as a prospect to Esther? What motivates her to behave
because of his advisors, and he kills marry the king and ultimately, as his wife so differently?
Haman because of his wife, Esther, after (2:17). None of these actions appear to The turning point in Esther’s behavior
she charges him with the mass-exter- be of her own volition. The verse stating occurs immediately after a powerful
mination of her people. Haman, in an “And Esther was taken” (2:16) is more conversation with Mordechai. At the
effort to save his life, turns to Esther and than a mere description of her move- climax in the narrative, Mordachai
begins to beg (7:7) but to no avail. ments; it captures who she is. exclaims, “Do not be silent with your
This scene best captures Esther’s There is a stark contrast between Esther soul escaping from all the Jews, for if
remarkable transformation, her own in the first (chapters 1–3) and second you are silent now, salvation will come to
ְ
אּוה ךֹופ ֲ הַנ ְ ו. parts (chapters 4–10) of the Megillah. In the Jews from another place and you and
the second segment, she is exceedingly your father’s house will be lost. And who
The first three chapters of the Megillah active. Esther initiates and organizes knows if for this moment you became
portray Esther as beautiful, quiet, pas- three days to fast and mourn (4:15–16), queen” (Esther 4:14).
sive and obedient. This is undoubtedly enters Achashverosh’s inner courtyard
expressed in Esther’s introduction, “She unannounced (5:1–2), putting her life Upon hearing this challenge, Esther is
had no father or mother, and the girl in peril (4:11), throws two parties for deeply inspired and risks everything,
was beautiful and pleasant to look at Achashverosh and Haman, and at the including her life, to save her nation.
and when her father and mother died, second one, accuses Haman of plotting Esther’s unparalleled commitment to
Mordechai took her in as a daughter” the destruction of the Jewish people. Am Yisrael prompts a metamorpho-
(2:7), and reinforced throughout. sis in her behavior. Simply put, Esther
In her newly active role, she exerts dom- becomes who she needs to be because
The Megillah fortifies this image by inance over those who had previously she has to save her people.
noting that Esther obeys Mordechai’s controlled her. The Megillah unmistak-
command to remain utterly silent and Rabbi Jesse Horn is a Senior Ra”m (Rosh
not inform anyone of her religion or ably presents her as having the upper Metivta) at Yeshivat Hakotel and director of
hand.
the Mizrachi/Yeshivat Hakotel Mechanchim
nationality (2:10–11). Esther is then program.
taken into the palace for a special party She commands Mordechai to gather
(2:18). There, the people are deeply the Jews to fast (4:16), which he does, A member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau
impressed with her beauty (2:16). The and Achashverosh can’t fulfill her needs mizrachi.org/speakers

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