God is moving His pieces into place, preparing to honor Mordecai and humiliate Haman. [8] The Greek version, dating to the first century BCE, includes 107 verses not found in MT. Launched Shavuot 5773 / 2013 | Copyright Project TABS, All Rights Reserved, script type="text/javascript"> However, here is a suggestion that is based on the story and is at least plausible. The description of this type of obeisance appears in daily Jewish prayers such as the Aleinu, recited at the end of every service, and the mah tovu, (here bowing precedes kneeling) recited at the beginning of the morning service. Bowing is traditionally a sign of respect, so one easy interpretation would be that Mordechai may have felt that Haman did not deserve his respect. Uh, king, by the way Haman just built some nice gallows and they are fifty cubits high, hint hint. Harbonah knows when to speak and gives an apt word spoken at just the right time! (Esther 6:10-11, 7:7-10. The question remains, though, why Mordechai refused to do so. Ezra Haman wasnt there. 1 Sam. [7] See Ibn Ezra, loc. Timothy. All of these Diaspora stories stress Jewish piety and commitment to Jewish rituals and values they include Gods name, prayer, kashrut, traditional modesty and endogamous marriage. He thought scorn] Literally, it was contemptible in his eyes. See the comment (ad loc.) Yaakov sets an appropriate example of swallowing some nationalistic, familial, and personal pride in order to save his nation-family. How can we compare expressive power between two Turing-complete languages? A small minority of Midrashim criticizes Mordechai for his actions and believes that he erred in his refusal to bow to Haman. New King James Version When Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow or pay him homage, Haman was filled with wrath. Job 5:2 For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one. She holds a Ph.D. in Hebrew Literature from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and is the author of The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe de-Rabbi Eliezer and the Pseudepigrapha (Brill 2009) and The Female Ruse: Women's Deception and Divine Sanction in the Hebrew Bible (Sheffield Phoenix, 2015). As judge, God alone has this right and commanded it because of the incredible evilness of those people as a religion that would become infectious to all people around them. Spam, November 27 2020 Mordechai, according to this Midrash, responds that his ancestor Binyamin was not alive at the time of the Yaakov-Eisav encounter and did not bow to Eisav. 9:1-2), must then finish off the job, so to speak.". , . Mordecai's choices in the face of these questions are what made him great. Rav Meidan notes that this Midrash does not seek to portray Mordechai as wicked. Is this just a coincidence that this happened that night? And it is by understanding this, that Mordecai succeeds. Here are two theories: Skip Advertisement I understand that (one of) the reason (s) that Mordechai did not bow before Haman was that Haman wore an idol around his neck and therefore bowing to him would (appear to?) Esther Rabba 7:6 presents what is probably the most popular approach to this issue. 6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the . Why didn't Haman investigate Mordecai's relationship with Queen Esther? How do you manage your own comments on a foreign codebase? Genesis 4:5,6 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. Its also worth noting that Mordechai himself was a member of the great assembly, who passed on their interpretations of Jewish Law to the sages of the Talmud. Non-anarchists often say the existence of prisons deters violent crime. In actuality, Haman was a pawn of Satans in a much larger conflict dating all the way back to Satans rebellion in heaven against God, his tempting of Eve to turn humans against God, Cains man made religion, the fallen angels intermarriage with humans in Genesis 6 to pollute the Messiahs bloodline, the Egyptian scheme to kill all male children of the Jews, and the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles which Satan surely hoped would eliminate the Jews as a people. Haman's Scheme | Esther 3:7-15 | July 2, 2023. Being only a few generations removed, and part of the same intellectual tradition as Mordechai himself, their explanations shouldnt be lightly dismissed. One example of this approach is the Midrash (Yalkut Shimoni 956) that states that Mordechai refused to bow to Haman because Haman was technically his slave. rev2023.7.3.43523. Haman, according to this understanding, resembles Mao Tse Tung, the chairman of Communist China in the mid-twentieth century. Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular, Mordecai -- a companion of Zerubbabel, also a cousin of Esther, Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Participle - masculine singular, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. I understand that (one of) the reason(s) that Mordechai did not bow before Haman was that Haman wore an idol around his neck and therefore bowing to him would (appear to?) Esther 1:12 But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him. (Proverbs 14:19). If you are asking strictly about a text allowing or prohibiting bowing, would examples of Israeli's bowing to David, Solomon, etc., work? Who, exactly, are you? At the end of the day, it is not about whose clothes you wear; it is about what ideals you serve. The parade wasn't a premature attempt at self-congratulation. Notably, although almost every major scene takes place in the presence of the king, no one is every described as prostrating or bowing before the king. This Midrash seeks to teach a poignant lesson how personal animosities and pride can wreak havoc on an entire community. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. The author of the book of Esther, however, chooses to convey a religious message through literary allusion and innuendo rather than exhortation. According to this interpretation, the struggle between Mordechai and Haman was not of a direct religious nature. Technically, the king had allowed license to do this. Sign up to receive the printer friendly and online versions of Kol Torah each week. It would make his skin crawl but he would have to do it. Ibn Ezra and Tosafot (Sanhedrin 61b s.v. The Midrash About the Idol, The Question of Mordecai's Deafening Silence, A Biblical Parallel to Mordecai's Story? The source for this idea is in the gemarah megillah. They became angry with King Xerxes. Not from disloyalty. As history would prove out, when the Greeks overthrew the Persians and conquered Judah, you can plainly see the difficulties and ultimate failure that they had as the Jews overthrew them because they refused to allow the Jews to worship God. [14] See Zechariahs vision in chapter 14. be bowing before an idol. Gods divine providence arranges circumstances to accomplish His own plans. Obviously Saul failed in his mission to wipe them out utterly as evidenced by the fact that one of Agags descendants still lived over seven hundred years later. Also, it seems more than likely that Mordecai bowed to King Ahasuerus who was a most proud and egotistical king looking at his treatment of Queen Vashti. But, in the end, v'nahafoch hu: Things were reversed. Satan is also behind the scenes using his pieces to try to thwart Gods redemptive plan. Mordecai refused. The apparent catalyst of Haman's plan to eradicate us was Mordechai's refusal to bow to Haman. But the important thing to remember is that God is in control and God will win. Stack Exchange network consists of 182 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. Paul In any case, we learn that Mordecais loyalty has limits. He didnt stand nor moved to bow down and prostate himself before Haman. it cant mean something else as Mordechai went horseriding later and in order to do so he would needed to stand up and move his legs. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. 18:7; and 1 Kgs. [8] Editors note: For a discussion of this story, see Carl Ehrlich, Bathsheba the King Maker, TheTorah (2020). Most relevant In the coming battle, Persian officialdom throughout the empire will tacitly back the Jews. But Mordecai would not bow or pay homage. Mordecai wasnt there. Why did God let my house burn down in a fire? He was terrified when he found out Esther was a Jew and revealed to the king Hamans wickedness. but s little thing may have much effect on . It could perhaps demonstrate a lack of faith or weak faith in God and show reliance on his own intellect instead of on God. We find in the Tanach a number of instances when prominent Jews bowed to kings such as the prophet Natan bowing to David . Rabbi Chanoch Teller, in his recently published biography of Rav Aharon Kotler, relates that Rav Aharon Kotler once was in a post office in Japan in 1940 when a siren sounded alerting that Emperor Hirohito was in the area. As Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego told Nebuchadnezzar, "If you're going to throw us in the furnace for not bowing to your idol, go ahead, because we are not bowing," In essence, Mordecai's . His own lineage was part of the reason he hated the Jews so much. (See Berlin, Esther, xxxiv.) In Esther 5 why did Esther arrange a second meeting? Does the DM need to declare a Natural 20? The Amalekites, historically, were the persistent enemy of the Israelites and later the Jews after the northern tribe of Israel went into captivity and dispersed. 2. Most people go with the flow. Binyamin hardly constitutes a precedent of a conscious decision to endanger his people because of what appears to be nationalistic pride. Character Studies E-book If you found these character studies helpful, get ourCharacter Studies E-book, with 8 practical lessons on important Bible heroes of the faith. Recall that Chazal assert that Haman is a descendant of King Agag of Amalek (hence, the Megilla repeatedly refers to Haman as Haaggagi) and that Amalek is the grandson of Eisav. Gentiles start converting. Es). It could be because of the commandment in the Mosaic law not to bow down to idols (Ex 20:4-6). He grows a big head and a big ego, thinking he is clever and is about to register a victory for the ages against the Jews. b. Megillah 19a, b.Sanhedrin 61b, and Esther Rabbah 7:8). It contains many winning story elements: a common girl who becomes queen; a dastardly villain and his wicked plot; a clever resolution; and justice served. Mary He would not compromise his faith even for a man with the authority to build a gallows and have him hung from it (Esther 5:14). Emails are sent out on Thursday evenings EST. The good things that Haman planned for himself, such as his idea of how to honor the one whom the king appreciated, he ended up having to do for Mordecai. To go against orders would be to incur the wrath of those higher up, very dangerous in any kind of government especially non-democratic ones. After Haman was appointed the principal minister of the king Ahasuerus, all of the king's servants were required to bow down to Haman, but Mordecai refused to. The reason that Mordecai did not bow down to Haman may have been that He and the Jews would only bow down to God: however the Jews would also bow down to their Kings. Agag lived during the time of Saul and was king of the Amalekites (Genesis 36:12, Exodus 17:8-16, 1 Samuel 15). God had commanded the Israelites to completely wipe out the Amalekites. 2. Esther is a story about successful Jews living in the Diaspora and in this respect resembles other books from the late biblical and early postbiblical period. It is clear from within biblical tradition, Mordecai's action cannot be justified in the erroneous belief that Jews only bowed down to God and not humans, a fact refuted by a number of biblical passages such as Genesis 23:7; 43;28; and Exodus 18:7; 1 Kings 1:23) So what motivated Mordecai's behaviour? Some selfish people might consider it a nuisance, hassle, or trouble. He didnt see her being taken away for the queen interview as an opportunity to get rid of her. Rav Aharon Kotler refused to bow down following the precedent of Mordechai. Because this is a narrative and doesnt always tell us what the characters were thinking, we dont know why Mordecai didnt bow to Haman. The source for this idea is in the gemarah megillah. If he could succeed to kill all Jews, for example, then the line of Christ would fail and He could not be born according to prophecy as mankinds redeemer. It is not exactly the same as a believer keeping his faith a secret, but would be more like me not mentioning I am an American when in a foreign country around crowds I knew had an anti-American bias.. The Midrash (Yalkut Shimoni 953) interprets the words the kings servants that appears in the Pasuk (Esther 3:3) and the kings servants said to him (Mordechai), why do you violate the kings orders? as referring to Dayanim (rabbinic judges). They represented an extremely evil pagan religion known for its worship of fertility gods through immoral acts and baby sacrifices. Was this a good or bad instruction? : [4] See e.g. Friedman has been a scholar-in-residence at synagogues and educational institutions throughout the United States and abroad. NKJV - Only at that moment the crowd realizes what has happened and sees exactly why all of those previous moves were made. "Haman, how much will you give me for me to. Does Esther 4:16 contradict Esther 5:1-5? Yaakov even bowed to Esav seven times. The fact is, we do not know why Mordecai refused to bow given that numerous Bible characters bowed before superiors (eg, 1 Sam 24:8, Gen 23:7, 27:29, 33:3, etc). Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. A fourth approach to our problem is presented in Midrash Esther 7:8, which records a dialogue between Mordechai and Haman. The effect of that parade is like a wave. In Gods divine providence He wouldnt let the king sleep and directed the specific records of Mordecais loyal help to divulge the conspiracy. And so, those who bowed to him also had to bow to the image. Mordecai Refuses to Bow Down to Haman W. M. Taylor, D. D. Esther 3:2 And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him But on what ground did Mordecai refuse to bow to Haman and do him reverence? He promoted him in rank and gave him a higher position than all the other officials. So Mordechai's refusal could have been his legal right based on not bowing down to anyone but his God. In a private conversation. God apparently empowered them and saw fit to use the local governments to support them in their endeavor to seek justice against those who plotted their deaths. (See Talmud Bavli Megilla 19). Also, religion is at the root of such acti The . God had commanded the Israelites to completely wipe out the Amalekites. FEAR haman nor is there room for any [15] While Mordechai could not be depicted as refusing to kneel and bow before the king if called upon to do so, this too would likely rankle the author of the Megillah. (2003/5763) Introduction The apparent catalyst of Haman's plan to eradicate us was Mordechai's refusal to bow to Haman. It only takes a minute to sign up. See for example Adele Berlin in Esther: The JPS Bible Commentary, p. 68 where she notes that there is a tradition of interpreting nezek in this verse in its Mishnaic Hebrew sense of damage. Esther may be suggesting that wiping out the Jews would cause an actual financial loss to the king by eliminating a productive portion of the population. The Story of Naboths Vineyard and the Ancient Winery in Jezreel, Korban Chagigah from the Torah to the Seder Plate, Megillat Esther: A Godless and Assimilated Diaspora.. The Jews they seem so confident, is is like they've already won. God is always at work. There is a difference difference though between jacobs bowing and Mordechais refusal to bow: Jacobs actions happened before the giving of the Law, while Mordechai was bound to the Torahs precepts against worshiping false gods, and all the rabbinical cautions that accompany it. All of these events were used by Satan as a way to try to wipe out the Jews and by effect the Messiahs bloodline. Haman's Idol As Rachel Adelman notes in her "Why did Mordecai not Bow Down to Haman?" ( TheTorah 2015), the lack of a clear reason in the megillah led the rabbis to the midrashic suggestion that Haman was wearing an idol, and thus, kneeling and bowing to him would be a form of idolatry. A Nonprofit Media Company helping people closely read the Torah to discover its beauty, meaning and relevance, Connect:InstagramTikTokFacebookYoutubeApple PodcastsSpotify, Idolatry: An Attempt to Answer Mordecai's Story, Why Doesn't Mordecai Bow to Haman? He enjoyed all the people paying homage to him. 5. Lateral loading strength of a bicycle wheel. He delighted in his riches, in his power, in his position, and in his clever schemes. Confining signal using stitching vias on a 2 layer PCB. This can give us a huge clue as to why Haman so bitterly hated the Jews. God's attributes in the parallels between 1 Samuel and Esther. at this point in megilla story Just like the king once told Haman that maybe all should bow to him. Sign up for our newsletter to receive your free 36 lesson Bible study E-book of Revelation. It is therefore uncertain that the author of the Megillah would have known of the passages cited from 2 Chronicles 7 and 29. Prof. Rachel Adelman is Associate Professor of Hebrew Bible at Bostons Hebrew College. 13:1, Titus 3:1, 1 Pet. Rav Meidan notes that according to this Midrash, Haman parallels Tomas de Torquemada, the fifteenth-century spiritual leader of the Spanish Inquisition who influenced King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to torment the Jews of Spain. He is standing up for those who would otherwise be destroyed, just as he always has. Why? They pointed to Yaakov bowing to Eisav as a precedent for bowing to Haman. This evil scheme to destroy the Jews didnt end there, but continued with the Roman invasion and another dispersion in 70 AD, and more recently with the Nazis attempt to exterminate them as a people. Barak Gen. 23:7, 33:3, 43:28, Exod. His parade sends the unmistakable signal that Persian officialdom, represented in that big, golden crown stands firmly behind the Jews. Why did Mordechai push to have Esther visit Achashveirosh at that time? Clarify Esther 3:4b for he had told them that he was a Jew. Another plausible explanation would be that Haman the Agagite (Esther 3:1) was a descendant of King Agag who was an Amalekite (1 Samuel 15:8). Mordecai's story is a story that teaches us all, even generations later, about the great perils and the great promise of loyalty. Others bowed he could not. Rahab In the city of Shushan How long did Ahasuerus' feast last? He was observant, active, and loyal. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity . Esther 3:1-6. Interestingly, Rav Meidan writes that the destruction of the statues of Lenin and Stalin in post-communist Russia constitutes partial fulfillment of the vision of the Aleinu prayer, that Haelilim Karot Yikareitoon (the foreign gods will eventually be destroyed). Indeed, the Seforno (Breishit 33:4) asserts that had the Biryonim (Zealots) of the late Second Temple period followed the example of Yaakov Avinu, the second Beit HaMikdash would not have been destroyed (see Gittin 56a). He Told Esther to Speak to the King. Do you think this commandment applies to bowing down to kings/rulers out of reverence? Ahasuerus Who was Esther's cousin? So why did Mordechai imperil the entire Jewish people by refusing to bow to Haman? If that's who he is, he never goes out into the street on parade, and there's no salvation. However, my cousin Binyamin refused to kneel. kind of respect for haman. A Religious Confrontation Midrash Esther 7:6. Satan says check and all the bystanders ooh and aah and nod in amazement at his brilliant move. Like you said he was a descendant of king Agag, Agag was excecuted by Samuel (1 Samuel 15:33.) Esther denouncing Haman by Ernest Normand As described in the Book of Esther, Haman was the son of Hammedatha the Agagite. cit., Esther Rabbah 7:6, PRE 50, and theTargum Rishon. Haman wanted to kill Mordecai and end the disobedience, but could not ask the king to kill Mordecai because the king did not make the order that the leaders at the king's gate must bow. He obtains by false accusations a decree of the king to put the Jews to death. The Pope happened to pass by and everyone kneeled to the ground. Trust in God because His purposes will stand. This is what happens when someone disobeys an egomaniac. Daniel window.location.replace("");
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