Megillas Esther - Summary and Commentaries

 Historical Context

The events described in Megillas Esther took place during the first exile of the Jewish people. In the year 3338 from the creation of the world (422 BCE) the Babylonian emperor Nevuchadnetzar destroyed the Holy Temple of Jerusalem and exiled the Jews. This exile had been predicted by the prophet Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah) who also prophesied that the exile would last for seventy years.

Nevuchadnetzar ruled the Babylonian empire till his death in the year 3364 (396 BCE). He was succeeded by his son Eveel Merodach. He was followed by his son Bal'shatzar. Then Babylon was conquered by Dar'yavesh (Darius) king of Madai. When Dar'yavesh died he was succeeded by Coresh (Cyrus) king of Persia. Daryavesh and Coresh were followed by Achashveirosh. Achashveirosh married Vashti, the daughter of Bal'shatzar.

This was the situation at the opening of the Megillah.

Chapter 1

The Feast

Why did Achashveirosh make the feast in the third year of his reign? Our Sages teach us that Achashveirosh knew of the prophecy that the Jewish exile would only last seventy years. Achashveirosh was afraid of this, apparently because of the erosive effect it might have on his empire. According to Achashveirosh's accounting the 70 years ended on the third year of his reign. Believing this to prove that the prophecy would never be fulfilled, he celebrated. However, Achashveirosh was in error, he had begun counting from too early a point.

Other explanations given for the feast are:

• Achashveirosh had finally succeeded in solidifying his hold on the empire.

• It was in celebration of his marriage to Vashti.

Vashti's party

Vashti also made a party for the women, but, instead of having the party in her own palace, she had it in the palace of Achashveirosh, where the other party was. Why did she do this? Our Sages teach us that her intent was that the men and women would see each other and behave immorally.

Vashti's Refusal

Vashti refused to display her beauty to the men. This is somewhat surprising since Vashti had never shown any real distaste for immoral behavior. Why did she refuse? Our Sages teach us that she had an outbreak of leprosy and was embarrassed. Some commentaries say that the leprosy was an hallucination and no one else could understand what she was talking about.

Vashti's Guilt

Vashti was an extremely wicked person. The granddaughter of Nevuchadnetzar and the daughter of Bal'shatzar, she had a fiery hatred for the Jewish people. She would take Jewish girls and force them to perform forbidden labors on Shabbos and to serve her naked. This is why she was punished in this manner, she was summoned to display her naked body, and when she refused she was executed on the seventh day of the party, which was Shabbos.

Memuchan

Achashveirosh summoned his seven chief advisors to discuss what to do with Vashti. Memuchan was the lowest ranking of the seven. Nevertheless, he alone immediately jumped forward with the advice to kill Vashti. What happened here? Our Sages identify Memuchan as Haman. While many explanations can be given as to why Haman gave the advice he did, Our Sages teach us that we see from here that those who are less thoughtful tend to speak first. The other advisors, who were wiser than Haman, were not as quick to jump to a conclusion.

Chapter 2

Later, when Achashveirosh's anger had subsided, he regretted what he had done to Vashti. Then Achashveirosh's young servants advised him to gather all the beautiful young women from throughout the kingdom, and the one who pleased him most could be Vashti's replacement. Achashveirosh was pleased with this advice and followed it.

In the city of Shushan dwelt a Jewish man named Mordechai. Mordechai had an orphaned cousin named Esther, whom he adopted as a daughter (or married). Esther was very beautiful, so when the king's decree went into effect she was taken to the king's palace. Esther found favor in the eyes of Hagai, the King's chamberlain, and he placed her in the best quarters and provided her with seven special maids. Esther told nothing of her origins, for Mordechai had instructed her to not reveal that she was a Jew. Every day, Mordechai would visit the courtyard of the harem to find out about Esther's well-being.

Mordechai

The Megillah introduces Mordechai to us as "a Jewish man... named Mordechai... a Benjaminite." The word for Jewish is Yehudi, which literally means "from the tribe of Yehudah". Our Sages ask, which tribe was Mordechai from, Benjamin (Binyamin) or Yehudah? They answer that he was from Benjamin but he is also called a Yehudi because he denied foreign gods and anyone who denies foreign gods is called Yehudi.

Esther

Esther is introduced to us as "Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter" [in other words, Mordechai's cousin]. Which was her real name? Some of the Sages say her real name was Esther but she was called Hadassah, which means myrtle branch, because the righteous are called myrtles.

Secret Identity

The commentaries give several explanations for why Mordechai instructed Esther to keep her origins secret:

• Because Mordechai had prophetic knowledge that keeping her identity secret would enable her to save the Jewish people.

• So the king would think she was from a lowly family and not marry her.
• So that they would not deliberately force her to violate Jewish laws.

How Did She Keep it Secret?

The commentators ask, How was it possible for Esther to keep her origin secret? Surely there were many Jews who knew who she was and at least one of them would have revealed the secret. They explain that Esther was so popular that every nation tried to claim that she was theirs, and it was impossible to know who was telling the truth.

Every girl followed the same procedure, for twelve months she would receive an extensive beauty treatment, then she was brought before the king. She was given whatever adornments she desired for the meeting. She would be brought in the evening, and in the morning she would be taken to the second harem, where she would remain unless the king specifically requested her.

In the seventh year of Achashveirosh's reign, Esther's turn to go to the king arrived. She took with her only those adornments which Hagai told her to take. Nevertheless, the king immediately fell in love with her and he made her his new queen. He threw a big celebration and granted tax reductions throughout the kingdom. He then started a second collection of women. Through all this, Esther continued to keep her origins secret and Mordechai sat at the king's gate.

It was during this period, while Mordechai was sitting at the king's gate, that two of Achashveirosh's servants, named Bigsan and Seresh, plotted to assassinate the king. This became known to Mordechai who informed Esther and she informed the king. The king had this investigated and found the accusation to be true. Bigsan and Seresh were executed and Mordechai's service to the king was written in the king's official history.

How did Mordechai Know?

Bigsan and Seresh only spoke of their plot in the language of Tarsi, which they thought would not be understood. Mordechai, however, did understand them, because he had been a member of the Sanhedrin who were all required to understand seventy languages.

Chapter 3

Now, after these events had occurred, Achashveirosh elevated Haman the Agagite to a very high position, making him the superior over all the officers of his court. All of Achashveirosh's servants were required to bow down to Haman according to the king's decree. However, Mordechai refused to do so. When this was brought to Haman's attention, he became enraged. In his anger, it was insufficient for him to simply punish Mordechai, he decided to destroy all the Jews in the kingdom of Achashveirosh. He threw a lot (called a pur in Persian) to determine when to fulfill his plot and the lot fell on the twelfth month, Adar.

The Cure Before The Injury

Haman did not come into power until Esther had already become queen. Our Sages teach us that this shows how HaShem protects the Jewish people. He puts in the solution in motion before He introduces the problem.

Haman

Haman was a descendant of King Agag of the nation of Amalek. The Amalekites were ancient enemies of the Jews. King Sha'ul, the first king of the Jews, had fought a war with the Amalekites and wiped out the entire nation. However, instead of killing King Agag as well, he took him captive. This was a serious error, for Agag managed to father a child during his imprisonment and it was from this child that Haman descended.

Mordechai's Refusal

Why did Mordechai refuse to obey the king's command to bow down to Haman? Our Sages explain that Haman had idols sewn into his clothes so that anyone who bowed down to him was also bowing down to his idols. Some commentaries say that Haman claimed to be a god himself and this is why he wanted people to bow down to him.

The Month of Adar

Our Sages teach us that when Haman's lot fell on the month of Adar he rejoiced, because Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses) died in the month of Adar. He was unaware that Moshe had been born in the month of Adar as well.

Haman approached Achashveirosh to get his consent to his plan. He told the king, "There is a certain people scattered and dispersed amongst the peoples in all the countries of your empire. Their laws are different from every other people's and they do not observe the king's laws. Therefore it is not befitting for the king to allow them to remain. If it pleases the king, let it be written that they be destroyed; and I will pay ten thousand silver talents to the workers, for deposit in the king's treasuries." Achashveirosh then gave over his signet ring to Haman and told him that he could keep his money and do with the people as he wished.

Haman's Accusations

Haman accused the Jews of not observing the king's laws. Our Sages teach us that he was pointing out that the Jewish nation refused to assimilate with the rest of the peoples in the empire. The Jewish people refused to marry with the non-Jews, or to eat non-Jewish food. They observed their own holidays, but would not observe the king's religious holidays. When they get up in the morning they do not first go to serve the king, but instead they go to pray to their god. One day out of every week (Shabbos) they refuse to work altogether. He finished off by saying that they disrespect the king, since they would not drink wine which the king touched, but if a fly fell into the wine they would just remove the fly.

Ten Thousand Talents

This was an astonishing amount of silver, equal to about 562,000 pounds. Our Sages teach us that, here too, HaShem had prepared the cure before the injury, for HaShem had commanded the Jews to give their shekalim (money) for sacrifices in the Beis HaMikdash (the Holy Temple) so that their generosity would counterbalance Haman's generosity for his evil plans.

The Giving of the Ring

Our Sages teach us, "This removal of [Achashveirosh's] ring was greater than 48 prophets and 7 prophetesses who prophesied to the Jewish people, for none of them were successful in returning the Jewish people to the good; but the removal of the ring did return them to the good." The threat of destruction under Haman had such a powerful impact that the Jewish people were inspired to truly and wholly repent and return to HaShem, something which none of the prophets had ever been fully successful at doing.

Our Sages also tell us that Achashveirosh's generosity in giving over his ring and refusing Haman's money demonstrates that he hated the Jews as much as Haman did.

So, on the thirteenth day of the first month, Nisan, the decree was issued to all the countries in Achashveirosh's kingdom, that on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, all of the Jews, young and old, women and children, were to be slaughtered and their property to be plundered. After the decree had been sent out, the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the (Jewish population of the) city of Shushan was bewildered.

Chapter 4

Mordechai knew of all that had happened and he put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city crying loudly and bitterly. He walked in this manner till he came to the king's gate, for it was forbidden to enter the king's gate dressed in sackcloth. Throughout the empire the Jews were fasting and weeping, and dressing in sackcloth and ashes as soon as they heard of the decree.

Mordechai's Knowledge

The commentaries explain that the reason for this terrible decree was revealed to Mordechai by Eliyahu HaNavi (the prophet Elijah). The decree was because of two sins which had been committed by the Jewish people. One was when they had bowed down to Nevuchadnetzar's idol, the other was when the Jews attended Achashveirosh's party.

When Esther was told about Mordechai's behavior she was very disturbed and she sent clothes out to Mordechai so that he could change, but he refused. So Esther sent out Hasach, one of the king's servants, to speak to Mordechai and find out why he was doing this. Mordechai told Hasach about everything which had occurred and told him to tell Esther to go before the king and plead with him for the Jewish people. Hasach reported Mordechai's information and instructions to Esther and Esther sent back a message that it was impossible for her to go before the king, because anyone who approaches the king's inner courtyard without being summoned is executed, unless the king extends his scepter. And the king had not summoned her for thirty days.

Hasach

Our Sages tell us that Hasach was the prophet Daniel.

Esther's Refusal

Esther was a very righteous woman. Why did she initially refuse to go to Achashveirosh? The commentaries explain that Esther was a Jewish woman married, against her will, to a non-Jew. She knew that to go to Achashveirosh willingly was a sin. Until this time, she had only gone when Achashveirosh summoned her and she had no choice. She was not initially willing to go voluntarily. This was particularly true since, if she waited, Achashveirosh would probably summon her sometime soon. This is an explanation for why she mentioned that Achashveirosh had not summoned her for thirty days, it had been a while and he would probably summon her soon.

Esther was also afraid that if she got killed then she would not get another chance to approach Achashveirosh to plead with him.

When Esther's words were reported to Mordechai he sent back the message, "Don't think that you will survive in the palace more than the rest of the Jews. For if you keep silent at this time then relief and rescue will come to the Jews from another place; while you and your father household will perish. Who knows if it was for this very time that you were brought into the royalty!"

Her Father's House

Esther was a descendant of King Sha'ul, who had sinned by not immediately killing Agag, the ancestor of Haman. Esther now had an opportunity to atone for her ancestor's sin by working to stop Haman. If she failed to do so then she would remove any chance that Sha'ul had for atonement.

Esther then responded to Mordechai, instructing him to gather all the Jews in Shushan for a three day fast, and she and her servants would also fast. At the end of the three days she would go before Achashveirosh, and "if I am lost, I am lost". Mordechai then went and followed Esther's instructions.

Chapter 5

On the third day Esther dressed herself in royal garments and went to the inner courtyard of the palace where the king sat on his throne. When the king saw her, she found favor in his eyes and he stretched out his scepter to her and Esther touched the tip of the scepter. The king said to Esther, "What do you want, Esther? What is your request? Even half the kingdom and it shall be given to you." Esther responded by inviting the king and Haman to attend a banquet she had prepared for him that day. Achashveirosh commanded that Haman be hurried to the banquet. At the banquet, Achashveirosh repeated his offer to Esther, "even half the kingdom and it shall be done." Esther then requested that the king and Haman attend another banquet the next day and at that banquet she would do as the king requested (to reveal her origins).

"Until Half the Kingdom"

Our Sages explain that when Achashveirosh said "until half the kingdom", he meant that he would not give her anything which could divide and weaken his empire. His specific intent was to refuse to allow the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash (Holy Temple) because he thought the Jews would rebel if they were allowed to rebuild it.

Haman's Invitation

Why did Esther invite Haman to the banquet? Our Sages give several explanations. Among them:

• She invited Haman to make the Jews think she was abandoning them so that they would pray to HaShem instead of just waiting for Esther to save them.

• She wanted to make the king jealous of Haman. She also wanted the other officers of the court to be jealous of Haman so that no one would protect him.

• So that Achashveirosh would not suspect that she was a Jew. (See below.)

• Perhaps an opportunity would arise to make Haman look bad in front of the king.

• So HaShem would see her suffering because she had to be friendly to such an evil man and He would have mercy on her.

• Achashveirosh was a fickle man and changed his mind frequently. So she wanted Haman available so that as soon as Achashveirosh decided to kill him he would be able to do so immediately, before he changed his mind.

• She wanted to keep Haman busy so that he wouldn't rebel against Achashveirosh and make himself the king.

The Delay

Why did Esther push off making her request till the next day? The commentaries explain that she was waiting for a sign that HaShem had accepted the repentance of the Jewish people. That sign came the next day with the incident of Haman leading Mordechai on the king's horse.

Achashveirosh's Offer

Achashveirosh changed the language of his offer to Esther. At first he offered to give to her what she wanted, but at the feast he said he would do what she asked. The commentators explain that at first he suspected that she might be Jewish, for why else would she risk her life to approach him? He therefore told her that he would give her anything she desired for herself, but he would not help anyone else for her. However, after he saw that she had invited Haman to the party as well, he assumed that she must also hate the Jews and he therefore felt safe offering to fulfill any request.

Haman left the banquet in a very joyful mood, but, as he passed the king's gate he once again saw Mordechai and noticed that he did not bow down to him. Haman's good mood evaporated and he was filled with rage towards Mordechai. He went home and summoned his wife, Zeresh, and his friends. Haman told them about all his accomplishments, his great wealth, his many sons, and his phenomenal political successes. He bragged that he was so important that when the queen invited her husband to a special private banquet she invited Haman too. Furthermore, he was invited to another such feast the next day. Then Haman said, "But all this is worth nothing to me whenever I see that Jew, Mordechai, sitting in the king's gate." So Haman's wife, Zeresh, and his friends advised him to build a gallows (or crucifix) fifty cubits high (about 88 feet) and to get the king's permission to hang Mordechai on it the next morning. That way he would be able to attend the banquet in a good mood. Haman was pleased with this advice and had the gallows built.

"But all this is worth nothing..."

Haman's anger tells us a lot about his character. Haman had just reached the pinnacle of prestige and power. He was so important that the queen invited him to her private parties with the king. He was phenomenally wealthy. He had many children (commentaries say from 30 to 108 sons). Yet, one man - a man who, if Haman's plans were successful, would be dead in less than a year - refused to give him the absurd degree of honor which he desired and all of Haman's accomplishments became worthless to him.

Chapter 6

That night the king was unable to sleep. The king ordered that the royal history book be brought and read before him. They read to him about the incident when Mordechai saved the king from the assassination plot of Bigsan and Seresh. The king asked what he had done to reward Mordechai, but his servants answered that no reward had been given. Achashveirosh then asked, "Who is in the courtyard?" and his servants told him that Haman was standing in the courtyard. (Haman had just arrived to ask the king for permission to kill Mordechai.) The king ordered that Haman be brought before him.

The King's Sleeplessness

Our Sages explain that the king was unable to sleep because he was suspicious of Haman's relationship with Esther. Why had she invited Haman to her banquet? Perhaps they were plotting to kill him? But, if so, why had no one informed him of such a plot? Surely there were people who knew. Perhaps sometime in the past someone had done him a similar kindness and he had not rewarded him. Once people saw that he did not reward such favors then they would no longer help him. So he called for the royal history book and discovered that he had never rewarded Mordechai.

When Haman came before the king, the king asked him, "What should be done for a man whom the king wishes to honor?" Haman, thinking that the man Achashveirosh was referring to was himself, said that he should be dressed in the king's royal garments by one of the king's highest officers, placed upon the king's horse, and led through the streets of the city, and they shall cry out before him, "Thus shall be done to the man whom the king wishes to honor!"

The king then ordered Haman to hurry and do all these things to Mordechai. So Haman hurried to dress Mordechai in the royal garments, and to lead him through the city on the royal horse, calling out, "Thus shall be done to the man whom the king wishes to honor!"

Afterwards, Mordechai returned to the king's gate, and Haman hurried home in mourning. When Haman told his wife and his friends all that happened, they told him, "If Mordechai, before whom you have begun to fall, is a Jew, then you will not have victory against him, for you will surely fall before him." As they were talking, the kings soldiers arrived and rushed Haman off to Esther's banquet.

Mourning

Why was Haman "mourning"? Our Sages tell us that while Haman was leading Mordechai they passed by Haman's home. When Haman's daughter saw them coming from the rooftop, she assumed that the person on the horse was her father and that it was Mordechai who was leading. She took the container from the toilet - they didn't have indoor plumbing - and dumped it on the man in front. But, when he looked up she saw that she had poured the filth onto her father. Realizing what she had done, she jumped off the roof to her death.

The Dust and the Stars

Haman's friends told him that the Jews are compared to the dust and to the stars. When they fall, they fall all the way to the dust, but when they rise, they rise all the way to the stars. Now that Mordechai had begun to rise, there was no hope that Haman would ever succeed against him.

Chapter 7

So the king and Haman both arrived at the queen's banquet. The king again repeated his offer to Esther, "until half the kingdom and it shall be done". Esther answered, "If I have found favor in your eyes, O king, and if it pleases the king, give me my life as my request, and my nation as my entreaty. For I and my nation have been sold to be destroyed, killed, and wiped out. If we had only been sold as slaves and maidservants I would have kept quiet. But our oppressor does not care about the loss to the king."

The King's Loss

Esther pointed out that if Haman had really been interested in benefiting Achashveirosh, he would have advised him to sell the Jews as slaves and keep the money. Or simply enslave them for his own use. By advising him to exterminate the Jews, Haman showed that he was not concerned with the tremendous loss that this would cause the king, nor did he care that Achashveirosh would make himself look like a foolish and wicked king, who wiped out an entire nation because one of them did not bow down to Haman.

Achashveirosh asked, "Who is this? Where is this one who tries to do such a thing?" Esther responded, "A man who is an oppressor and enemy, this wicked Haman!" And Haman trembled in fear. The king rose up in his anger and went to walk in his gardens. Haman saw that the king was determined to do evil to him, so he begged Esther for mercy. As the king returned from the gardens Haman fell upon Esther's couch (they ate while reclining upon couches). When the king saw this, he said, "Does he even try to assault the queen with me in the house?" When these words left the kings mouth, the servants covered Haman's face.

The King's Gardens

Our Sages tell us that when Achashveirosh went to walk in the gardens he encountered angels in the form of men chopping down his trees. When he demanded to know why they were doing this, they responded that they were following Haman's orders.

Haman's Fall

Our Sages teach us that an angel came and pushed Haman on top of Esther.

Then Charvonah, one of the king's chamberlains, said, "Not only that! Behold the gallows which Haman built for Mordechai, who spoke good for the king, is standing in Haman's house. It is fifty cubits high". So the king ordered, "Hang him upon it." So they hanged Haman upon the gallows which he had built for Mordechai. And the king's anger subsided.

Charvonah

Charvonah was a friend of Haman's and had actually been part of Haman's plot to kill Mordechai, but when he saw that Haman was being defeated, he immediately changed sides.

Chapter 8

That day, the king gave the estates of Haman to Esther. The king also met with Mordechai, because Esther had informed the king that Mordechai was related to her. The king gave to Mordechai his ring, the same ring which he had previously given to Haman. Esther appointed Mordechai over Haman's estate.

Esther then approached Achashveirosh a second time, falling at his feet, crying and begging that he undo Haman's evil plot. She asked him to call back the scrolls which had been sent out by Haman ordering the extermination of the Jews. She told him that she could not bear to see her people suffer. So King Achashveirosh told Mordechai and Esther that he had already given the estates of Haman to them and had executed Haman because of his attempt to harm the Jews. Achashveirosh then gave them permission to issue a new decree regarding the Jews. So, on the twenty-third day of Sivan, they issued a new decree that the king permitted the Jews to attack and destroy all their enemies on the thirteenth day of Adar.

The New Decree

Persian law stated that any decree which had been issued by the king and sealed with the king's ring could never be revoked. It was therefore not possible to officially retract the previous decree. For this reason, Achashveirosh instructed Mordechai and Esther to issue a new decree. The commentaries tell us that Achashveirosh's intent was rather complex. By issuing a new decree which was the precise opposite of the old, he made it appear that this had been the king's original decree, but Haman had disobeyed and changed the decree. Therefore the original decree was really a forgery and null and void. This claim (which was not actually true) was supported by the fact that Haman had been executed, supposedly for his disobedience.

Mordechai then left the presence of the king dressed in royal finery, and the city of Shushan rejoiced. "For the Jews there was light, happiness, rejoicing, and honor". Throughout the kingdom, when the news arrived of the new decree the Jews rejoiced and made a feast and a holiday. Many non-Jews became Jews, for the fear of the Jewish people was upon them.

Light, Happiness, Rejoicing, and Honor

Our Sages teach us, "Light refers to Torah, Happiness refers to Yom Tov (the holidays), Rejoicing refers to circumcision, and Honor refers to tefillin". In addition to Haman's genocidal plans, he had also begun an intensive oppression of Judaism, forbidding all of these practices.

Chapter 9

So it happened, that on the 13^th of Adar, the day when the enemies of the Jews had planned to exterminate them, the Jews instead vanquished their enemies. In all the province of Achashveirosh, the Jews rallied in the cities to attack those who would have killed them, and no one stood against them, for the fear of the Jews had fallen upon all the nations. And the officers nobility of the king's court, aided the Jews for they were afraid of Mordechai.

The Jews attacked their enemies with deadly force. In the city of Shushan, the Jews killed 500 men. They also killed ten sons of Haman. Despite these victories, the Jews did not take any of the spoils.

That day, when a count of the dead was brought to the king, he said to Esther, "In Shushan, the capital, the Jews have killed 500 and the ten sons of Haman. What have they done in the other provinces? What do you request? It shall be given to you. What more do you wish? It shall be done." Esther requested that the Jews be permitted to continue the fighting for another day, and to hang the ten dead sons of Haman. So Achashveirosh decreed that this shall be done.

So on the 14^th of Adar, the Jews of Shushan again rallied and killed 300 men, but they did not touch the spoils. The Jews in the other provinces had rallied and killed 75,000 of their enemies on the 13^th, and on the 14^th they rested and made a day of rejoicing. The Jews of Shushan rested on the 15^th and made it a day of rejoicing. Therefore, in the open, unwalled, cities the Jews keep the 14^th day as a holiday for rejoicing, feasting, and sending gifts to one's fellow and gifts to the poor (whereas, the Jews who live in ancient walled cities celebrate Purim on the 15^th of Adar in memory of Shushan). So Mordechai wrote scrolls (containing this Megillah) describing all the events which had taken place and sent it to all the provinces of Achashveirosh's kingdom. So the Jews would accept upon themselves the 14^th and 15^th of Adar in every year as days of celebration. For on these days the Jews had been relieved of their enemies and their situation had been turned around from sadness to happiness, from mourning to a holiday. And the Jews accepted what Mordechai had written. These days were called Purim, for Haman had cast a pur to determine when to kill the Jews. The Jews accepted upon themselves and all their descendants and anyone who would join them in the future (meaning converts) to keep these days as a holiday through all generations.

The Jews Accepted Upon Themselves

Our Sages teach us that the Jews accepted more than just Purim at this time, they reaccepted the entire Torah.

Mordechai and Esther then wrote a second letter emphasizing the significance of this miracle. And Esther's statement established the history of Purim and it was written in a book (and included in the TaNaCh).

Chapter 10

After this, the king set a tax on his entire kingdom. The entire incident is written in the royal history books of Madai and Paras (Persia). For Mordechai the Jew, was viceroy to the king and a great leader of the Jews. He was liked by most of his brothers (the Jews). "He sought the good for his people and he spoke peace to all it's children."

By Most of His Brothers

Mordechai was liked by most of the Jews, but not all. Why? Some commentaries say that this is just the way the world is, it is never possible to get everyone to like you, no matter how good you are. Others say that Mordechai fell somewhat out of favor with some his colleagues in the Sanhedrin (Jewish Supreme Court) because he was so heavily involved in governmental affairs that he was unable to properly maintain his learning.