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Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.81	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.81", "sections": [ "Megillah.14b.3", "Megillah.14b.4" ] }	Apropos Abigail, the Gemara explains additional details in the story. Abigail said to David: Yet the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bond of life with the Lord your God (I Samuel 25: 29) , and when she parted from him she said to him: And when the Lord shall have dealt well with my lord, and you shall remember your handmaid (I Samuel 25: 31) . Rav Nahman said that this explains the folk saying that people say: While a woman is engaged in conversation she also holds the spindle, i.e., while a woman is engaged in one activity she is already taking steps with regard to another. Abigail came to David in order to save her husband Nabal, but at the same time she indicates that if her husband dies, David should remember her and marry her. And indeed, after Nabals death David took Abigail for his wife. Some say that Rav Nahman referred to a different saying: The goose stoops its head as it goes along, but its eyes look on from afar to find what it is looking for. So too, Abigail acted in similar fashion.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.82	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.82", "sections": [ "Megillah.14b.5", "Megillah.14b.6", "Megillah.14b.7" ] }	Huldah was a prophetess, as it is written: So Hilkiah the priest and Ahikam and Achbor and Shaphan and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess (II Kings 22: 14) as emissaries of King Josiah. The Gemara asks: But if Jeremiah was found there, how could she prophesy? Out of respect for Jeremiah, who was her superior, it would have been fitting that she not prophesy in his presence. The Sages of the school of Rav say in the name of Rav: Huldah was a close relative of Jeremiah, and he did not object to her prophesying in his presence. The Gemara asks: But how could Josiah himself ignore Jeremiah and send emissaries to Huldah? The Sages of the school of Rabbi Sheila say: Because women are more compassionate, and he hoped that what she would tell them would not be overly harsh. Rabbi Yohanan said a different answer: Jeremiah was not there at the time, because he went to bring back the ten tribes from their exile. And from where do we derive that he brought them back? As it is written: For the seller shall not return to that which he has sold (Ezekiel 7: 13) , i.e., Ezekiel prophesied that in the future the Jubilee Year would no longer be in effect. Now is it possible that the Jubilee had already been annulled? The halakhot of the Jubilee Year apply only when all of the tribes of Israel are settled in their respective places, which could not have happened since the exile of the ten tribes more than a century earlier, but the prophet is prophesying that it will cease only in the future. Rather, this teaches that Jeremiah brought back the ten tribes from their exile.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.83	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.83", "sections": [ "Megillah.14b.7", "Megillah.14b.8" ] }	Rabbi Yohanan said a different answer: Jeremiah was not there at the time, because he went to bring back the ten tribes from their exile. And from where do we derive that he brought them back? As it is written: For the seller shall not return to that which he has sold (Ezekiel 7: 13) , i.e., Ezekiel prophesied that in the future the Jubilee Year would no longer be in effect. Now is it possible that the Jubilee had already been annulled? The halakhot of the Jubilee Year apply only when all of the tribes of Israel are settled in their respective places, which could not have happened since the exile of the ten tribes more than a century earlier, but the prophet is prophesying that it will cease only in the future. Rather, this teaches that Jeremiah brought back the ten tribes from their exile. And Josiah the son of Amon ruled over the ten tribes, as it is written: Then he said: What monument is that which I see? And the men of the city told him, It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things that you have done against the altar of Bethel (II Kings 23: 17) . Now what connection did Josiah, king of Judea, have with the altar at Bethel, a city in the kingdom of Israel? Rather, this teaches that Josiah ruled over the ten tribes of Israel. Rav Nahman said: Proof that the tribes returned may be adduced from the verse here: Also, O Judah, there is a harvest appointed for you, when I would return the captivity of My people (Hosea 6: 11) , which indicates that they returned to their places.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.84	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.84", "sections": [ "Megillah.14b.10", "Megillah.14b.9" ] }	An additional point is mentioned with regard to the prophetesses. Rav Nahman said: Haughtiness is not befitting a woman. And a proof to this is that there were two haughty women, whose names were identical to the names of loathsome creatures. One, Deborah, was called a hornet, as her Hebrew name, Devorah, means hornet; and one, Huldah, was called a marten, as her name is the Hebrew term for that creature. From where is it known that they were haughty? With regard to Deborah, the hornet, it is written: And she sent and called Barak (Judges 4: 6) , but she herself did not go to him. And with regard to Huldah, the marten, it is written: Say to the man that sent you to me (II Kings 22: 15) , but she did not say: Say to the king. 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.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.85	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.85", "sections": [ "Megillah.14b.11", "Megillah.14b.12", "Megillah.14b.13" ] }	Furthermore, Rav Nahman said: Huldah was a descendant of Joshua. An allusion to this is written here: Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas [harhas] (II Kings 22: 14) , and it says elsewhere with regard to Joshua: And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-heres [heres] (Judges 2: 9) , therefore intimating that there is a certain connection between them. Rav Eina the Elder raised an objection from a baraita to Rav Nahmans teaching. The baraita indicates that Huldah was in fact a descendant of Rahab, and seemingly not of Joshua: Eight prophets, who were also priests, descended from Rahab the prostitute, and they are: Neriah; his son Baruch; Seraiah; Mahseiah; Jeremiah; his father, Hilkiah; Jeremiahs cousin Hanamel; and Hanamels father, Shallum. Rabbi Yehuda said: So too, Huldah the prophetess was a descendant of Rahab the prostitute, as it is written here with regard to Huldah: The son of Tikvah, and it is written elsewhere in reference to Rahabs escape from the destruction of Jericho: This cord of [tikvat] scarlet thread (Joshua 2: 18) . Rav Nahman responded to Eina the Elder and said to him: Eina the Elder, and some say that he said to him: Blackened pot, i.e., my colleague in Torah, who has toiled and blackened his face in Torah study, from me and from you the matter may be concluded, i.e., the explanation lies in a combination of our two statements. For Rahab converted and married Joshua, and therefore Huldah descended from both Joshua and Rahab. The Gemara raises a difficulty: But did Joshua have any descendants? But isnt it written in the genealogical list of the tribe of Ephraim: Nun his son, Joshua his son (I Chronicles 7: 27) ? The listing does not continue any further, implying that Joshua had no sons. The Gemara answers: Indeed, he did not have sons, but he did have daughters.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.86	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.86", "sections": [ "Megillah.15a.13", "Megillah.15b.13" ] }	The verse states: And they told Esthers words to Mordecai (Esther 4: 12) , but he, Hathach himself, did not go to tell him directly. The Gemara explains: From here we see that one does not bring back a sad report. If one has nothing positive to say, it is best for him to remain silent. This explains why Hathach himself did not report the information to Mordecai, and Esthers words had to be delivered by other messengers. Rabbi Yehoshua says: She learned to do this from the Jewish teachings of her fathers house, as it is stated: If your enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat (Proverbs 25: 21) . Rabbi Meir says: She invited him in order that he be near her at all times, so that he would not take counsel and rebel against Ahasuerus when he discovered that the king was angry with him.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.87	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.87", "sections": [ "Megillah.15a.13" ] }	The verse states: And they told Esthers words to Mordecai (Esther 4: 12) , but he, Hathach himself, did not go to tell him directly. The Gemara explains: From here we see that one does not bring back a sad report. If one has nothing positive to say, it is best for him to remain silent. This explains why Hathach himself did not report the information to Mordecai, and Esthers words had to be delivered by other messengers.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.88	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.88", "sections": [ "Megillah.15a.13" ] }	The verse states: And they told Esthers words to Mordecai (Esther 4: 12) , but he, Hathach himself, did not go to tell him directly. The Gemara explains: From here we see that one does not bring back a sad report. If one has nothing positive to say, it is best for him to remain silent. This explains why Hathach himself did not report the information to Mordecai, and Esthers words had to be delivered by other messengers.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.89	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.89", "sections": [ "Megillah.15a.13" ] }	The verse states: And they told Esthers words to Mordecai (Esther 4: 12) , but he, Hathach himself, did not go to tell him directly. The Gemara explains: From here we see that one does not bring back a sad report. If one has nothing positive to say, it is best for him to remain silent. This explains why Hathach himself did not report the information to Mordecai, and Esthers words had to be delivered by other messengers.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.90	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.90", "sections": [ "Megillah.15a.13" ] }	The verse states: And they told Esthers words to Mordecai (Esther 4: 12) , but he, Hathach himself, did not go to tell him directly. The Gemara explains: From here we see that one does not bring back a sad report. If one has nothing positive to say, it is best for him to remain silent. This explains why Hathach himself did not report the information to Mordecai, and Esthers words had to be delivered by other messengers.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.91	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.91", "sections": [ "Megillah.15a.13", "Megillah.15a.14" ] }	The verse states: And they told Esthers words to Mordecai (Esther 4: 12) , but he, Hathach himself, did not go to tell him directly. The Gemara explains: From here we see that one does not bring back a sad report. If one has nothing positive to say, it is best for him to remain silent. This explains why Hathach himself did not report the information to Mordecai, and Esthers words had to be delivered by other messengers. Esther sent a message to Mordecai: Go, gather together all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night and day; I also and my maidens will fast likewise, and so will I go in to the king, not according to the custom (Esther 4: 16) . Rabbi Abba said: It will not be according to my usual custom, for every day until now when I submitted myself to Ahasuerus it was under compulsion, but now I will be submitting myself to him of my own free will. And Esther further said: And if I perish, I perish (Esther 4: 16) . What she meant was: Just as I was lost to my fathers house ever since I was brought here, so too, shall I be lost to you, for after voluntarily having relations with Ahasuerus, I shall be forever forbidden to you.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.92	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.92", "sections": [ "Megillah.15a.15", "Megillah.15a.16" ] }	There is a dispute with regard to the meaning of the verse: So Mordecai passed [vayaavor] (Esther 4: 17) . Rav said: This means that he passed the first day of Passover as a fast day, understanding the word vayaavor in the sense of sin [aveira] , as by doing so he transgressed the obligation to rejoice on the Festival. And Shmuel said: It means that he crossed over [avar] a stream in order to bring the message to all. The verse states: And it came to pass on the third day, that Esther clothed herself in royalty (Esther 5: 1) . The Gemara asks: It should have said: Esther clothed herself in royal garments. Rabbi Elazar said that Rabbi Hanina said: This teaches that she clothed herself with a divine spirit of inspiration, as 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 the spirit of divine inspiration, so too here, the term royalty is referring to the spirit of divine inspiration.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.93	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.93", "sections": [ "Megillah.15a.17", "Megillah.15a.18" ] }	Apropos a statement that Rabbi Elazar said that Rabbi Hanina said, the Gemara records other such statements: And Rabbi Elazar further said that Rabbi Hanina said: One should never regard the blessing of an ordinary person [hedyot] as light in your eyes, as two of the great men of their generations received blessings from ordinary people and those blessings were fulfilled in them. And they were David and Daniel. David, for Araunah blessed him, as it is written: And Araunah said to the king, May the Lord your God accept you (II Samuel 24: 23) , and it was fulfilled. Daniel, for Darius blessed him, as it is written: Your God Whom you serve continually, He will rescue you (Daniel 6: 17) , and this too was fulfilled when Daniel was saved from the lions den. And Rabbi Elazar further said that Rabbi Hanina said: One should not regard the curse of an ordinary person as light in your eyes, for Abimelech cursed Sarah, saying: Behold, it is to you a covering of the eyes to all that are with you (Genesis 20: 16) , and indeed this was fulfilled in her descendant, as it is stated: And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see (Genesis 27: 1) . Abimelechs curse of covered eyes was fulfilled through her son Isaacs blindness.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.94	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.94", "sections": [ "Megillah.15a.19", "Megillah.15a.20", "Megillah.15a.21" ] }	And Rabbi Elazar further said that Rabbi Hanina said: Come and see that the attribute of the Holy One, Blessed be He, is unlike the attribute of a man of flesh and blood; for it is the attribute of flesh and blood that a man places the pot on the fire and then puts in the water. However, the Holy One, Blessed be He, first puts in the water and then places the pot on the fire, to fulfill that which is stated: At the sound of His giving a multitude of waters in the heavens (Jeremiah 10: 13) , which he explains as follows: First God set the multitudes of water in place, and afterward He created the heavens to hold the water. And Rabbi Elazar further said that Rabbi Hanina said: Whoever reports a saying in the name of he who said it brings redemption to the world. As it is stated with respect to the incident of Bigthan and Teresh: And Esther reported it to the king in the name of Mordecai (Esther 2: 22) , and this eventually brought redemption, as Mordecai was later rewarded for saving the kings life, paving the way for the miraculous salvation. And Rabbi Elazar further said that Rabbi Hanina said: When a righteous man passes from this earth and is lost, he is lost only for the rest of his generation, who is now deprived of him, not for the righteous individual himself. This is similar to a man who has lost a pearl. The pearl does not care if it is lost, as wherever it is found, it is still a pearl; it is lost only to its owner.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.95	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.95", "sections": [ "Megillah.15a.1", "Megillah.15a.22", "Megillah.15b.1", "Megillah.15b.2" ] }	The Gemara asks in reference to the eight prophets descended from Rahab: Granted, with regard to them, it is explicit, i.e., the four sons recorded in the list were certainly prophets, as the Bible states this explicitly: Jeremiah was a prophet, his student Baruch was one of the sons of the prophets, his cousin Hanamel came to him at the word of God (see Jeremiah, chapter 32) , and Seraiah was his student. But as for their fathers, Hilkiah, Neriah, Shallum, and Mahseiah, from where do we derive that they were prophets? Haman said: Yet all this avails me nothing (Esther 5: 13) . Rabbi Elazar said that Rabbi Hanina said: When Haman saw Mordecai sitting at the kings gate he said: Yet all this avails me nothing. This may be understood as was suggested by Rav Hisda, for Rav Hisda said: This one, Mordecai, came as one with the heritage of a rich man [perozebuli] , whereas that one, Haman, came as one with the heritage of a poor man [perozeboti] , as Mordecai had been Hamans slave master and was aware of Hamans lowly lineage. Rav Pappa said: And he was called: The slave who was sold for a loaf of bread. Hamans previously quoted statement: Yet all this avails me nothing (Esther 5: 13) , teaches that all the treasures of that wicked one were engraved on his heart, and when he saw Mordecai sitting at the kings gate, he said: As long as Mordecai is around, all this that I wear on my heart avails me nothing.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.96	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.96", "sections": [ "Megillah.15b.3", "Megillah.15b.4" ] }	And Rabbi Elazar further said that Rabbi Hanina said: In the future, the Holy One, Blessed be He, will be a crown on the head of each and every righteous man. As it is stated: In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, to the residue of His people (Isaiah 28: 5) . What is the meaning of for a crown of glory [tzevi] , and for a diadem [velitzefirat] of beauty? A crown for those that do His will [tzivyono] and a diadem for those that await [velamtzapin] His glory. One might have thought that this extends to all such individuals. Therefore, the verse states: To the residue of his people, to whoever regards himself as a remainder, i.e., small and unimportant like residue. But whoever holds himself in high esteem will not merit this. Apropos the quotation from Isaiah, the Gemara explains the following verse, which states: And for a spirit of justice to him that sits in judgment and for strength to them that turn back the battle to the gate (Isaiah 28: 6) . And for a spirit of justice; this is referring to one who brings his evil inclination to trial and forces himself to repent. To him that sits in judgment; this is referring to one who judges an absolutely true judgment. And for strength; this is referring to one who triumphs over his evil inclination. Them that turn back the battle; this is referring to those that give and take in their discussion of halakha in the battle of understanding the Torah. To the gate; this is referring to the Torah scholars who arrive early and stay late at the darkened gates of the synagogues and study halls.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.97	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.97", "sections": [ "Megillah.15b.5", "Megillah.15b.6" ] }	The Gemara continues with an episode associated with a verse in Isaiah. The Attribute of Justice said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, how are these, referring to the Jewish people, different from those, the other nations of the world, such that God performs miracles only on behalf of the Jewish people? The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to it: The Jewish people occupied themselves with Torah, whereas the other nations of the world did not occupy themselves with Torah. The Attribute of Justice said to Him: These also reel through wine, and stagger through strong drink; the priest and the prophet reel through strong drink, they are confused because of wine, they stagger because of strong drink; they reel in vision, they stumble [paku] in judgment [peliliyya] (Isaiah 28: 7) . The word paku in this context is referring only to Gehenna, as it is stated: That this shall not be a cause of stumbling [puka] to you (I Samuel 25: 31) , and the word peliliyya here is referring only to judges, as it is stated: And he shall pay as the judges determine [bifelilim] (Exodus 21: 22) . The response of the Attribute of Justice was essentially that the Jewish people have also sinned and are consequently liable to receive punishment.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.98	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.98", "sections": [ "Megillah.15b.7", "Megillah.15b.8" ] }	The Gemara returns to its explanation of the verses of the Megilla. The verse states with regard to Esther: And she stood in the inner court of the kings house (Esther 5: 1) . Rabbi Levi said: Once she reached the chamber of the idols, which was in the inner court, the Divine Presence left her. She immediately said: My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? (Psalms 22: 2) . Perhaps it is because You judge an unintentional sin as one performed intentionally, and an action done due to circumstances beyond ones control as one done willingly. Or perhaps You have left me because in my prayers I called Haman a dog, as it is stated: Deliver my soul from the sword; my only one from the hand of the dog (Psalms 22: 21) . She at once retracted and called him in her prayers a lion, as it is stated in the following verse: Save me from the lions mouth (Psalms 22: 22) .
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.99	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.99", "sections": [ "Megillah.15b.10", "Megillah.15b.9" ] }	How much was it stretched? Rabbi Yirmeya said: The scepter was two cubits, and he made it twelve cubits. And some say that he made it sixteen cubits, and yet others say twenty-four cubits. It was taught in a baraita: He made it sixty cubits. And similarly you find with the arm of Pharaohs daughter, which she stretched out to take Moshe. And so too, you find with the teeth of the wicked, as it is written: You have broken the teeth of the wicked (Psalms 3: 8) , with regard to which Reish Lakish said: Do not read it as You have broken [shibbarta] , but as: You have enlarged [sheribavta] . Rabba bar Oferan said in the name of Rabbi Elazar, who heard it from his teacher, who in turn heard it from his teacher: The scepter was stretched two hundred cubits. 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 Yohanan 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 kings scepter.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.100	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.100", "sections": [ "Megillah.15b.11", "Megillah.15b.12", "Megillah.15b.13", "Megillah.15b.14" ] }	The verse states: Then the king said to her (Esther 5: 3) , to Esther the queen, What is your wish, even to half the kingdom, it shall be performed (Esther 5: 6) . The Gemara comments that Ahasuerus intended only a limited offer: Only half the kingdom, but not the whole kingdom, and not something that would serve as a barrier to the kingdom, as there is one thing to which the kingdom will never agree. And what is that? The building of the Temple; if that shall be your wish, realize that it will not be fulfilled. The verse states that Esther requested: If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him (Esther 5: 4) . The Sages taught in a baraita: What did Esther see to invite Haman to the banquet? Rabbi Elazar says: She hid a snare for him, as it is stated: Let their table become a snare before them (Psalms 69: 23) , as she assumed that she would be able to trip up Haman during the banquet. Rabbi Yehoshua says: She learned to do this from the Jewish teachings of her fathers house, as it is stated: If your enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat (Proverbs 25: 21) . Rabbi Meir says: She invited him in order that he be near her at all times, so that he would not take counsel and rebel against Ahasuerus when he discovered that the king was angry with him. Rabbi Yehuda says: She invited Haman so that it not be found out that she was a Jew, as had she distanced him, he would have become suspicious. Rabbi Nehemya says: She did this so that the Jewish people would not say: We have a sister in the kings house, and consequently neglect their prayers for divine mercy. Rabbi Yosei says: She acted in this manner, so that Haman would always be on hand for her, as that would enable her to find an opportunity to cause him to stumble before the king. Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya said that Esther said to herself: Perhaps the Omnipresent will take notice that all are supporting Haman and nobody is supporting the Jewish people, and He will perform for us a miracle.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.101	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.101", "sections": [ "Megillah.15b.14", "Megillah.15b.15" ] }	Rabbi Yehuda says: She invited Haman so that it not be found out that she was a Jew, as had she distanced him, he would have become suspicious. Rabbi Nehemya says: She did this so that the Jewish people would not say: We have a sister in the kings house, and consequently neglect their prayers for divine mercy. Rabbi Yosei says: She acted in this manner, so that Haman would always be on hand for her, as that would enable her to find an opportunity to cause him to stumble before the king. Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya said that Esther said to herself: Perhaps the Omnipresent will take notice that all are supporting Haman and nobody is supporting the Jewish people, and He will perform for us a miracle. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korha says: She said to herself: I will act kindly toward him and thereby bring the king to suspect that we are having an affair; she did so in order that both he and she would be killed. Essentially, Esther was willing to be killed with Haman in order that the decree would be annulled. Rabban Gamliel says: Ahasuerus was a fickle king, and Esther hoped that if he saw Haman on multiple occasions, eventually he would change his opinion of him. Rabban Gamliel said: We still need the words of Rabbi Eliezer HaModai to understand why Esther invited Haman to her banquet. As it is taught in a baraita: Rabbi Eliezer HaModai says: She made the king jealous of him and she made the other ministers jealous of him, and in this way she brought about his downfall.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.102	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.102", "sections": [ "Megillah.15b.15", "Megillah.15b.16" ] }	Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korha says: She said to herself: I will act kindly toward him and thereby bring the king to suspect that we are having an affair; she did so in order that both he and she would be killed. Essentially, Esther was willing to be killed with Haman in order that the decree would be annulled. Rabban Gamliel says: Ahasuerus was a fickle king, and Esther hoped that if he saw Haman on multiple occasions, eventually he would change his opinion of him. Rabban Gamliel said: We still need the words of Rabbi Eliezer HaModai to understand why Esther invited Haman to her banquet. As it is taught in a baraita: Rabbi Eliezer HaModai says: She made the king jealous of him and she made the other ministers jealous of him, and in this way she brought about his downfall. Rabba says: Esther invited Haman to her banquet in order to fulfill that which is stated: Pride goes before destruction (Proverbs 16: 18) , which indicates that in order to destroy the wicked, one must first bring them to pride. It can be understood according to Abaye and Rava, who both say that she invited Haman in order to fulfill the verse: When they are heated, I will make feasts for them, and I will make them drunk, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep (Jeremiah 51: 39) . The Gemara relates that Rabba bar Avuh once happened upon Elijah the Prophet and said to him: In accordance with whose understanding did Esther see fit to act in this manner? What was the true reason behind her invitation? He, Elijah, said to him: Esther was motivated by all the reasons previously mentioned and did so for all the reasons previously stated by the tannaim and all the reasons stated by the amoraim.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.103	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.103", "sections": [ "Megillah.15b.17", "Megillah.15b.18", "Megillah.15b.19" ] }	The verse states: And Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his sons (Esther 5: 11) . The Gemara asks: And how many sons did he in fact have that are referred to as the multitude of his sons? Rav said: There were thirty sons; ten of them died in childhood, ten of them were hanged as recorded in the book of Esther, and ten survived and were forced to beg at other peoples doors. And the Rabbis say: Those that begged at other peoples doors numbered seventy, as it is written: Those that were full, have hired themselves out for bread (I Samuel 2: 5) . Do not read it as: Those that were full [seveim] ; rather, read it as seventy [shivim] , indicating that there were seventy who hired themselves out for bread. And Rami bar Abba said: All of Hamans sons together numbered two hundred and eight, as it is stated: And the multitude [verov] of his sons. The numerical value of the word verov equals two hundred and eight, alluding to the number of his sons. The Gemara comments: But in fact, the numerical value [gimatriyya] of the word verov equals two hundred and fourteen, not two hundred and eight. Rav Nahman bar Yitzhak said: The word verov is written in the Bible without the second vav, and therefore its numerical value equals two hundred and eight.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.104	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.104", "sections": [ "Megillah.15b.1", "Megillah.15b.20", "Megillah.15b.21", "Megillah.15b.22", "Megillah.16a.1" ] }	as one with the heritage of a poor man [perozeboti] , as Mordecai had been Hamans slave master and was aware of Hamans lowly lineage. Rav Pappa said: And he was called: The slave who was sold for a loaf of bread. The verse states: On that night the sleep of the king was disturbed (Esther 6: 1) . Rabbi Tanhum said: The verse alludes to another king who could not sleep; the sleep of the King of the universe, the Holy One, Blessed be He, was disturbed. And the Sages say: The sleep of the higher ones, the angels, was disturbed, and the sleep of the lower ones, the Jewish people, was disturbed. Rava said: This should be understood literally: The sleep of King Ahasuerus was disturbed. And this was the reason Ahasuerus could not sleep: A thought occurred to him and he said to himself: What is this before us that Esther has invited Haman? Perhaps they are conspiring against that man, i.e., against me, to kill him. He then said again to himself: If this is so, is there no man who loves me and would inform me of this conspiracy? He then said again to himself: Perhaps there is some man who has done a favor for me and I have not properly rewarded him, and due to that reason people refrain from revealing to me information regarding such plots, as they see no benefit for themselves. Immediately afterward, the verse states: And he commanded the book of remembrances of the chronicles to be brought (Esther 6: 1) . The verse states: And they were read before the king (Esther 6: 1) . The Gemara explains that this passive form: And they were read, teaches that they were read miraculously by themselves. It further says: And it was found written [katuv] (Esther 6: 2) . The Gemara asks: Why does the Megilla use the word katuv, which indicates that it was newly written? It should have said: A writing [ketav] was found, which would indicate that it had been written in the past. The Gemara explains: This teaches that Shimshai, the kings scribe who hated the Jews (see Ezra 4: 17) , was erasing the description of Mordecais saving the king, and the angel Gavriel was writing it again. Therefore, it was indeed being written in the present. Rabbi Asi said: Rabbi Sheila, a man of the village of Timarta, taught: If something written down below in this world that is for the benefit of the Jewish people cannot be erased, is it not all the more so the case that something written up above in Heaven cannot be erased?
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.105	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.105", "sections": [ "Megillah.16a.2", "Megillah.16a.3", "Megillah.16a.4", "Megillah.16a.5" ] }	The verse states that Ahasuerus was told with regard to Mordecai: Nothing has been done for him (Esther 6: 3) . Rava said: It is not because they love Mordecai that the kings servants said this, but rather because they hate Haman. The verse states: Now Haman had come into the outer court of the kings house, to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him (Esther 6: 4) . A Sage taught in a baraita: This should be understood to mean: On the gallows that he had prepared for himself. The verse relates that Ahasuerus ordered Haman to fulfill his idea of the proper way to honor one who the king desires to glorify by parading him around on the kings horse while wearing the royal garments: And do so to Mordecai the Jew who sits at the kings gate, let nothing fail of all that you have spoken (Esther 6: 10) . The Gemara explains that when Ahasuerus said to Haman: And do so to Mordecai, Haman said to him in an attempt to evade the order: Who is Mordecai? Ahasuerus said to him: The Jew. Haman then said to him: There are several men named Mordecai among the Jews. Ahasuerus then said to him: I refer to the one who sits at the kings gate. Haman said to him: Why award him such a great honor? It would certainly be enough for him to receive one village [disekarta] as an estate, or one river for the levy of taxes. Ahasuerus said to him: This too you must give him. Let nothing fail of all that you have spoken, i.e., provide him with all that you proposed and spoke about in addition to what I had said.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.106	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.106", "sections": [ "Megillah.16a.6" ] }	The Gemara describes what occurred as Haman went to follow the kings orders, as the verse states: Then Haman took the apparel and the horse (Esther 6: 11) . When he went, he found Mordecai as the Sages were sitting before him, and he was demonstrating to them the halakhot of the handful, i.e., the scooping out of a handful of flour from the meal-offering in order to burn it on the altar. Once Mordecai saw him coming toward him with his horses reins held in his hands, he became frightened, and he said to the Sages: This evil man has come to kill me. Go away from him so that you should not get burnt from his coals, i.e., that you should not suffer harm as well. At that moment Mordecai wrapped himself in his prayer shawl and stood up to pray. Haman came over to where they were and sat down before them and waited until Mordecai finished his prayer.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.107	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.107", "sections": [ "Megillah.16a.7" ] }	In the interim, as he waited, Haman said to the other Sages: With what were you occupied? They said to him: When the Temple is standing, one who pledges a meal-offering would bring a handful of fine flour and achieve atonement with it. He said to them: Your handful of fine flour has come and cast aside my ten thousand pieces of silver, which I had pledged toward the destruction of the Jewish people. When Mordecai finished praying, he said to Haman: Wicked man, when a slave buys property, to whom belongs the slave and to whom belongs the property? As I once bought you as a slave, what silver can be yours?
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.108	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.108", "sections": [ "Megillah.16a.8", "Megillah.16a.9" ] }	Haman said to him: Stand up, put on these garments and ride on this horse, for the king wants you to do so. Mordecai said to him: I cannot do so until I enter the bathhouse [bei vanei] and trim my hair, for it is not proper conduct to use the kings garments in this state that I am in now. In the meantime, Esther sent messengers and closed all the bathhouses and all the shops of the craftsmen, including the bloodletters and barbers. When Haman saw that there was nobody else to do the work, he himself took Mordecai into the bathhouse and washed him, and then he went and brought scissors [zuza] from his house and trimmed his hair. While he was trimming his hair he injured himself and sighed. Mordecai said to him: Why do you sigh? Haman said to him: The man whom the king had once regarded above all his other ministers is now made a bathhouse attendant [balanei] and a barber. Mordecai said to him: Wicked man, were you not once the barber of the village of Kartzum? If so, why do you sigh? You have merely returned to the occupation of your youth. It was taught in a baraita: Haman was the barber of the village of Kartzum for twenty-two years.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.109	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.109", "sections": [ "Megillah.16a.10" ] }	After Haman trimmed his hair, Haman dressed Mordecai in the royal garments. Haman then said to him: Mount the horse and ride. Mordecai said to him: I am unable, as my strength has waned from the days of fasting that I observed. Haman then stooped down before him and Mordecai ascended on him. As he was ascending the horse, Mordecai gave Haman a kick. Haman said to him: Is it not written for you: Do not rejoice when your enemy falls (Proverbs 24: 17) ? Mordecai said to him: This statement applies only to Jews, but with regard to you it is written: And you shall tread upon their high places (Deuteronomy 33: 29) .
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.110	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.110", "sections": [ "Megillah.16a.11", "Megillah.16a.12" ] }	The verse states: And he proclaimed before him: Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor (Esther 6: 11) . As Haman was taking Mordecai along the street of Hamans house, Hamans daughter was standing on the roof and saw the spectacle. She thought to herself that the one who is riding on the horse must be her father, and the one walking before him must be Mordecai. She then took a chamber pot full of feces and cast its contents onto the head of her father, whom she mistakenly took as Mordecai. When Haman raised his eyes in disgust afterward, and looked up at his daughter, she saw that he was her father. In her distress, she fell from the roof to the ground and died. And this is as it is written: And Mordecai returned to the kings gate (Esther 6: 12) . Rav Sheshet said: This means that he returned to his sackcloth and his fasting over the troubles of the Jewish people. Simultaneously, but Haman hastened to his house, mourning, and having his head covered (Esther 6: 12) . Mourning; over the death of his daughter. And having his head covered; due to what had happened to him, as his head was full of filth.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.111	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.111", "sections": [ "Megillah.16a.13", "Megillah.16a.14", "Megillah.16a.15" ] }	The following verse states: And Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and to all his friends everything that had befallen him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him: If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, be of the seed of the Jews, then you will not prevail over him, but you shall fall before him (Esther 6: 13) . The Gemara comments: At the beginning of the verse it calls them his friends, and in the continuation of the verse it calls them his wise men. Rabbi Yohanan said: Whoever says something wise, even if he is from the nations of the world, is called a wise man. The Gemara explains that their wise remark, which earned them their distinction, is contained in their advice: If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews [Yehudim] , then you will not prevail over him (Esther 6: 13) . The word Yehudim can also refer to people from the tribe of Judah. Hamans wise men thereby said to him: If he descends from the other tribes, you can still prevail over him, but if he descends from the tribe of either Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, or Manasseh, you cannot prevail over him. With regard to Judah, the proof of this is as it is written: Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies (Genesis 49: 8) , indicating that Judah will emerge victorious over his enemies. And the proof that Haman cannot prevail over the others that were mentioned is as it is written with regard to them: Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up Your might (Psalms 80: 3) . The wise men continued: But you shall fall [nafol tippol] before him (Esther 6: 13) . Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai interpreted a verse homiletically: Why are these two fallings, nafol and tippol, mentioned here? The wise men said to Haman: This Jewish nation is compared in the Bible to the dust of the earth and it is also compared to the stars in heaven. This teaches you that when they descend, they descend to the dust, and when they rise, they rise to the stars. Accordingly, when Mordecai is on the rise, you will be utterly incapable of prevailing over him.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.112	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.112", "sections": [ "Megillah.16a.16", "Megillah.16a.17", "Megillah.16a.18" ] }	The next verse states: The kings chamberlains came, and they hastened [vayavhilu] to bring Haman (Esther 6: 14) . This teaches that they brought him in disarray [behala] , not even giving him a chance to wash himself from the filth. During the banquet Esther said to Ahasuerus: For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to be annihilated. But if we had been sold merely for bondmen and bondwomen, I would have held my tongue, since the affliction [tzar] would not have been worth [eino shoveh] the damage to the king (Esther 7: 4) . The Gemara explains that she said to him: This adversary [tzar] is not concerned [eino shoveh] about the damage that he is constantly causing to the king. First he was jealous of Vashti and killed her, as it has been explained that Memucan, who suggesting killing Vashti, was Haman; now he is jealous of me and desires to kill me. The verse states: Then said the king Ahasuerus and said to Esther the queen (Esther 7: 5) . The Gemara asks: Why do I need it to say said and again said? Rabbi Abbahu said: At first he spoke to her through the translator, who would interpret on his behalf, because he thought that she was a common woman of lowly ancestry. Once she told him that she came from the house of Saul, immediately it says: And said to Esther the queen. Ahasuerus himself spoke to her, as if she had royal lineage, she was a woman befitting his status.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.113	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.113", "sections": [ "Megillah.16a.19", "Megillah.16a.20", "Megillah.16a.21" ] }	The next verse states: And Esther said: An adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman (Esther 7: 6) . Rabbi Elazar said: This teaches that she was in fact pointing toward Ahasuerus, indicating that in fact he was an adversary and enemy, and an angel came and pushed her hand toward Haman. The verse states: And the king arose from the banquet of wine in his wrath and went into the palace garden (Esther 7: 7) , and the next verse states: Then the king returned out of the palace garden to the place of the wine drinking (Esther 7: 8) . The Gemara comments: The verses here compare his returning to his arising: Just as his arising was in wrath, so too, his returning was in wrath. And why did he return in wrath? For when he went out he found ministering angels who appeared to him as people and they were uprooting trees from the garden, and he said to them: What are you doing? They said to him: Haman commanded us to do this. And when he entered his house he saw that Haman was falling upon the bed (Esther 7: 8) . The Gemara asks: Why does it say was falling [nofel] in the present tense, implying that he was currently falling? It should have said fell [nafal] in the past tense. Rabbi Elazar said: This teaches that an angel came and pushed him down on it, and every time he would try to stand up, the angel would push him down again. Ahasuerus said: Woe unto me in the house and woe unto me outside, as the verse continues: Then the king said: Will he even force the queen before me in the house? (Esther 7: 8) .
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.114	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.114", "sections": [ "Megillah.16a.22", "Megillah.16a.23" ] }	And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman has made for Mordecai, who spoke good for the king, stands in the house of Haman (Esther 7: 9) . Rabbi Elazar said: Harbonah was also wicked and involved in that plot, as he too wanted Mordecai executed. Once he saw that his plot had not succeeded, he immediately fled and joined Mordecais side. And this is the meaning of that which is written: It hurls itself at him, and does not spare; he would fain flee out of its hand (Job 27: 22) , indicating that when God sends calamity upon a wicked person, his friends immediately flee from him. The verse states: Then the kings wrath was assuaged [shakhakha] (Esther 7: 10) . The Gemara asks: Why are there two assuagings here? The term shakhakha is used rather than shaka and indicates doubled wrath. There was one assuaging of the wrath of the King of the universe, and one of the wrath of Ahasuerus. And some say: Ahasueruss wrath burned within him for two reasons; one due to Hamans involvement with Esther, and one due to his involvement with Vashti, and now they were both assuaged.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.115	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.115", "sections": [ "Megillah.16a.1", "Megillah.16a.24", "Megillah.16b.1", "Megillah.16b.2" ] }	that Shimshai, the kings scribe who hated the Jews (see Ezra 4: 17) , was erasing the description of Mordecais saving the king, and the angel Gavriel was writing it again. Therefore, it was indeed being written in the present. Rabbi Asi said: Rabbi Sheila, a man of the village of Timarta, taught: If something written down below in this world that is for the benefit of the Jewish people cannot be erased, is it not all the more so the case that something written up above in Heaven cannot be erased? Before continuing its midrashic interpretation of the rest of the book of Esther, the Gemara expounds a verse concerning Joseph that relates to the Megilla: To all of them he gave each man changes of clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of clothing (Genesis 45: 22) . The Gemara asks: Is it possible that in the very thing from which that righteous man Joseph had suffered, as his fathers show of favoritism toward him aroused the enmity of his brothers, he himself should stumble by showing favoritism to Benjamin? As Rava bar Mehaseyya said that Rav Hama bar Gurya said that Rav said: Due to the weight of two sela of fine wool that Jacob gave to Joseph, which he added to what he gave Joseph beyond what he gave the rest of his brothers, as he made him his special coat, the story progressed and our forefathers went down to Egypt. How then could Joseph have displayed similar favoritism toward Benjamin? Rabbi Binyamin bar Yefet said: He was not showing favoritism. Rather, he intimated to him that a descendant was destined to issue from him who would go out from the presence of the king wearing five royal garments, as it is stated: And Mordecai went forth from the presence of the king in royal apparel of sky blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a wrap of fine linen and purple (Esther 8: 15) . The Gemara elaborates on certain elements in the story of Joseph and his brothers. The verse states with regard to Joseph: And he fell on his brother Benjamins neck [tzavarei] and wept (Genesis 45: 14) . The wording of the verse gives rise to a question, as the word tzavarei is plural, meaning necks: How many necks did Benjamin have, such that the verse should use the plural tzavarei rather than the singular tzavar? Rabbi Elazar said: This intimates that Joseph cried over the two Temples that were destined to be in the tribal territory of Benjamin and were destined to be destroyed. The same verse continues: And Benjamin wept on his neck (Genesis 45: 14) ; he cried over the tabernacle of Shiloh that was destined to be in the tribal territory of Joseph and was destined to be destroyed.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.116	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.116", "sections": [ "Megillah.16b.3", "Megillah.16b.4" ] }	The verse states: And behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin (Genesis 45: 12) . Rabbi Elazar said: Joseph said to his brothers as follows: Just as I certainly harbor no resentment in my heart toward my brother Benjamin, for he was not even present when I was sold, so too, I harbor no resentment toward you. The verse continues: That it is my mouth [ki fi] that speaks to you (Genesis 45: 12) , i.e., As my mouth [kefi] is, so is my heart. The verse states: And to his father he sent after this manner ten donkeys laden with the good things of Egypt (Genesis 45: 23) . The Gemara asks: What are the good things of Egypt that are mentioned but not specified here? Rabbi Binyamin bar Yefet said that Rabbi Elazar said: He sent him aged wine, which the elderly find pleasing.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.117	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.117", "sections": [ "Megillah.16b.5", "Megillah.16b.6", "Megillah.16b.7" ] }	Following Jacobs death, it states concerning Joseph: And his brothers even went and fell down before him (Genesis 50: 18) . Rabbi Binyamin bar Yefet said that Rabbi Elazar said: This explains the folk saying that people say: When the fox is in its hour, bow down to it, i.e., if a fox is appointed king, one must bow down before and submit oneself to it. The Gemara expresses astonishment at the use of this parable: Are you calling Joseph a fox? What, was he inferior to his brothers such that in relation to them you call him a fox? Rather, if such a statement was stated, it was stated as follows, not in connection with this verse, but rather in connection with a different verse. The verse states: And Israel bowed himself upon the head of the bed (Genesis 47: 31) . With regard to this, Rabbi Binyamin bar Yefet said that Rabbi Elazar said: When the fox is in its hour, bow down to it, as Jacob had to bow down before his son Joseph, who had reached greatness. It says with regard to Josephs remarks to his brothers: And he comforted them and spoke to their hearts (Genesis 50: 21) . Rabbi Binyamin bar Yefet said that Rabbi Elazar said: This teaches that he spoke to them words that are acceptable to the heart, and alleviated their fears. This is what he said: If ten lights could not put out one light, as all of you were unable to do me harm, how can one light put out ten lights?
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.118	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.118", "sections": [ "Megillah.16b.8", "Megillah.16b.9" ] }	The Gemara returns to its explanation of the Megilla. The verse states: The Jews had light and gladness, and joy and honor (Esther 8: 16) . Rav Yehuda said: Light; this is referring to the Torah that they once again studied. And similarly it says: For the mitzva is a lamp and the Torah is light (Proverbs 6: 23) . Gladness [simha] ; this is referring to the Festivals that they once again observed. And similarly it says: And you shall be glad [vesamakhta] on your Festival (Deuteronomy 16: 14) . Joy [sasson] ; this is referring to circumcision, as they once again circumcised their sons. And similarly it says: I rejoice [sas] at Your word (Psalms 119: 162) , which the Sages understood as referring to Davids rejoicing over the mitzva of circumcision. Honor; this is referring to phylacteries, which they once again donned. And similarly it says: And all peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord; and they will be afraid of you (Deuteronomy 28: 10) . And it was taught in a baraita: Rabbi Eliezer the Great said: This is referring to the phylacteries worn on the head. Haman had banned the fulfillment of all the mitzvot mentioned, but upon Hamans demise the Jews returned to their observance.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.119	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.119", "sections": [ "Megillah.16b.10", "Megillah.16b.11", "Megillah.16b.12" ] }	The verse states: And in Shushan the capital the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men. And Parshandatha...and Vaizatha, the ten sons of Haman (Esther 9: 610) . Rav Adda from Jaffa said: When reading the Megilla, the names of the ten sons of Haman and the word ten must be said in one breath. What is the reason for this? It is that their souls all departed together. Rabbi Yohanan said: The letter vav in the name Vaizatha is a lengthened vav and must be elongated as a pole, like a steering oar of a ship [liberot] . What is the reason for this? To indicate that they were all hanged on one pole. Rabbi Hanina bar Pappa said that Rabbi Sheila, a man of the village of Timarta, interpreted a verse homiletically: All of the songs in the Bible are written in the form of a half brick arranged upon a whole brick and a whole brick arranged upon a half brick, i.e., each line of the song is divided into a stitch of text, referred to as a half brick, which is separated by a blank space, referred to as a whole brick, from the concluding stitch of that line of text. The next line of the song inverts the sequence. This is the principle for all songs in the Bible except for this song, referring to the list of Hamans sons, and the song listing the kings of Canaan who were defeated by Joshua. These two songs are written in the form of a half brick arranged upon a half brick and a whole brick arranged upon a whole brick, i.e., one stitch of text over another, and one blank space over another. What is the reason that these two songs are written in this anomalous fashion? So that they should never rise from their downfall. Just as a wall that is built in this manner will not stand, so too, these individuals should have no resurgence.
Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.120	{ "sugya": "Talmud.Bavli_and_Mishnah.Moed.Megillah.Bavli.1.g.14.120", "sections": [ "Megillah.16b.13", "Megillah.16b.14", "Megillah.16b.15", "Megillah.16b.16" ] }	The verse states: And the king said to Esther the queen: The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the capital, and also the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the kings provinces? Now what is your petition and it shall be granted to you; and what more do you request, and it shall be done (Esther 9: 12) . Rabbi Abbahu said: This teaches that an angel came and slapped him on his mouth, so that he was unable to finish what he was saying; he started with a complaint about what the Jews were doing, but ended on an entirely different note. The verse states: But when she came before the king, he said with a letter (Esther 9: 25) . Why does it say: He said? It should have said: She said, as it was Esther who changed the decree. Rabbi Yohanan said: She said to Ahasuerus: Let it be said by word of mouth, indicating that that which is written in the letter should also be ordered verbally. With regard to what is stated: Words of peace and truth (Esther 9: 30) , Rabbi Tanhum said, and some say that Rabbi Asi said: This teaches that a Megilla scroll requires scoring, i.e., that the lines for the text must be scored onto the parchment, as the Torah itself, i.e., as is done in a Torah scroll. The verses say: The matters of the fasts and their cry. And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim (Esther 9: 3132) . The Gemara asks: Should we say that the decree of Esther indeed confirmed these matters of Purim, but the matters of the fasts did not? But didnt the fasts also contribute to the miracle? Rabbi Yohanan said: These two verses, The matters of the fasts and their cry. And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim, should be read as one.