This show both his keen sense of responsibility and his compassion. Esther and Mordecai – Teaching Plan — 3 Comments John K. Adjei-Gyinde on August 7, 2015 at 7:52 pm said: May the good lord bless the brains behind these publications they are really shaping my thoughts and modelling my real life as an Adventist and some non-adventist friends. 1:11; Dan. Did Israel Celebrate Their Freedom While Owning Slaves? So Esther, Mordecai, and the Jewish people fasted and prayed. Esther 2:15 Now Esther was the daughter of Abihail, the uncle from whom Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter. Both of them have names most likely related to Persian gods—Marduk for Mordecai and Ishtar for Esther—indicating a certain willingness on the part of their families to blend in with the Persians. In spoken Hebrew, the modern state often is rendered as Isra’el (initialaleph), as it is in Arabic; the assassinated Prime Minister was known as Itzhak Rabin, not Yitzhak; etc. The term bat is understood as bayyit, which often carries the meaning “wife” in rabbinic exegesis. The same interpretation appears in Jerome’s Latin translation (the Vulgate), which says that Esther was the daughter of Mordechai’s brother (filiae fratris) in 2:7 and similarly refers to Avichayil, Esther’s father, as Mordechai’s brother (Abiahil fratris Mardochei). It is unknown if Mordecai had a family of his own, but he did adopt Esther, his cousin, as his own daughter when her parents died and left her an orphan. He believed that God’s plan was to rescue the Jews one way or another. Another tradition first recorded during the Middle Ages places the graves of Esther and Mordechai in the Galilean archaeological site of Kfar Bar'am, close to the kibbutz of the same name, Bar'am, along Israel's northern border with Lebanon. God used both Mordecai and Esther in a powerful way to deliver the Jewish people from obliteration. I moved to USA last September and I am facing Sabbath issues at work. 7 So the king and Haman went to dine with Queen Esther. Donate Now. The Next 500 Years: 2017 National Conference, Regarding the Present in Light of the Future, Show Me Your Glory: Understanding the Majestic Splendor of God, Naming Ligonier the Beneficiary of a Bank or Investment Account, Gifts That Provide Income and Tax Benefits. Mordecai had a specific vision of Esther saving all of the Jewish people. [7] See, for example, Louis Ginsberg, The Legends of the Jews(trans. Mordecai, a Jew—following the commandment against idolatry—refused to bow down to Haman, a mere man. Haman plots to kill the Jews - Esther 2:19 - 3:15. They faced the persistent temptation to adopt the beliefs and customs of the nations into which they had been dispersed. Mordecai was Esther's adoptive father, mentor, confidante, cheerleader, and fellow leader to stand for the rights of their Jewish community. Ostensibly, that should close the matter, but as almost anyone who has visited a school at Purim time (or has discussed the matter with his children or grandchildren) knows, it is not that simple. While many Jews were intent on preserving their Jewish identity, others were not. The Vulgate is the standard biblical text used by Catholics, and thus in the Catholic tradition Esther is described as Mordechai’s niece. It was his urging which put her into competition to become the new queen. Please consider supporting TheTorah.com. Esther was born at a time when Israel was in captivity as a consequence to their disobedience to God. window.location.replace(""); And what is your request, up to half the kingdom? Mordecai was an official in the Persian government (Est. Directed by Louis Feuillade. Esther 4:10-17 NLT. 2:20). It shall be granted you. In fact, a common word for “wife” in the Talmud’s Aramaic is “×××ת××,” meaning “of his house.” The second generation Amora Yossi ben Chalafta, actually sites this as “good practice” (Ruth Rabba, parasha 2): B. The Jewish people are rescued and delivered - Esther 8:1 - 9:19. A Plot Against The King. 521, is recorded to have cast aside his wife and directs that it be heralded throughout the domain that he is in search of a new spouse. 34:12–16). Mordecai refused to bow down before him; and Haman, being stung to the quick by the conduct of Mordecai, resolved to accomplish his death in a wholesale destruction of the Jewish exiles throughout the Persian empire ( Esther 3:8-15). Mordecai and Esther were among those who did so. [6] If they were married, did they get divorced? God uses ordinary people. 2 And on the second day, () at the banquet of wine, the king again said to Esther, “What is your petition, Queen Esther? Hello, Jewish guilt. Your gift enables our worldwide outreach. The would-be assassins are stopped, and Mordecai’s name is recorded in the king’s chronicles as the one who took action to preserve the king’s life. God used Queen Esther and her cousin Prime Minister Mordecai to save the Jewish people from being exterminated while under the rule of the Persian Empire. [1] The piece was written by Barry Levy then expanded and adapted for TABS by Zev Farber with the author’s permission. When we look at the Dead Sea Scrolls, early texts from approximately the same time as the writing of the Megillah, we see the term rovused as “the community,” not “the majority.” Perhaps, then, the meaning of the phrase is actually “liked by the community of his people.”. The author also tells us that Esther, under the direction of Mordecai, was careful not to reveal “her kindred or her people” (Est. He had someone entrusted to his care just as our children are given to us. CHAPTER 4. The book ends with Mordecai as the king’s chief minister. Mordecai, by his actions, in a way was witnessing among these pagans about the true God. (Esther 2:21-23) Although his act that saved the king's life was recorded, Mordecai was not rewarded for it. Uprooting the Inclination of Idolatry . It can be difficult to know how to remain separate from the world and yet engaged with the world, but we should regularly examine our thoughts, motives, and actions to make sure we have not become worldly people but remain faithful servants of Christ. Since Ahasuerus was not a follower of the God of Israel, this is not something that highly devout Jews would have been willing to do, given the warnings about intermarriage with pagans in the law (see Ex. He regularly teaches Bible, the History of Jewish Interpretation of the Bible, and a course on Jewish, Christian and Muslim scriptures and their interpretations. [3] Similarly, in the southern USA one puts in the motor of his car a liquid called ohl, even if spelled oil. If not, did Esther commit adultery by marrying Achashverosh? The Feast of Lots is instituted - Esther 9:30-32. Mordecai sent a message to Esther and it said, "for if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the jews from another place, but you and your Father's house will perish. // Javascript URL redirection King approved Chapter# 4 – Mordecai asked Esther to plead with the king. What Was Esther's Relationship to Mordechai? In Esther 3:1-5, the plot of the story starts to unfold. Something went wrong while submitting the form. Furious, Haman sought a way to avenge himself for what he took as a slight. cai is second only to the king in power. Mordecai was a human being just like us. 1 When Mordecai learned all that was happening, he tore his garments, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went through the city crying out loudly and bitterly, a 2 till he came before the royal gate, which no one clothed in sackcloth might enter. Many of them, in fact, preferred to remain in Babylon and elsewhere, having built lives for themselves. When she was orphaned, Mordechai adopted her. And if one interprets Esther 2:5-6 as meaning Mordecai was the one taken captive by Jehoiachin, as some believe, which happened in 597 B.C., then Astyages fits this king very well since Esther 1:3 states that the events happened in the kings third year. Why, at this time of success, he should not have earned everyone’s respect bothered many commentators, and numerous explanations have been offered. Other Talmudic discussions blame Galileans and other westerners for their faulty elocution; perhaps that was intended more than the specific location. The Festival of Purim was established by Mordecai to remind Jewish people how they were saved by Queen Esther and Mordecai from extermination. As Josephus has not had the same effect on popular culture as the Vulgate, it seems likely that the Jewish sources that describe Mordechai as Esther’s uncle may have been influenced by the Catholic version of the biblical text, though they are probably not aware of this. Thus, to a listener, Mordechai taking Esther le-bat could have carried either or both of these meanings.[6]. “Esther is the only hope,” Dunne argues, “and there is nothing to suggest that Mordecai has any belief that God may indeed act to overcome the Jewish plight.” Esther’s fasting (and prayer?) In the narrative, Ahasuerus seeks a new wife after his queen, Vashti, refuses to obey him, and Esther is chosen for her beauty.The king's chief adviser, Haman, is offended by Esther's cousin and guardian, Mordecai, and gets permission from the king to have all the Jews in the kingdom killed. The mission, passion and purpose of Ligonier Ministries is to proclaim the holiness of God 6:14–18). Esther’s uncle, Mordecai, appears first as an adoptive father, whose solicitude for Esther leads him to the king’s gate, where he foils a plot to assassinate the king. [2] In some cases this still happens in modern times. Esther 2:19 tells us that Mordecai served "within the king's gate." Mordecai was hated by Haman, an Agagite who held a prominent office in the kingdom. Let’s see how this came about. Mordecai was not afraid to tell Esther the hard truth and challenge her to care. 2:48). [4] This leads to some confusion between third-person and first-person verb forms, but it is fairly widespread. And when it was her turn to go to the king, she did not ask for anything except what Hegai, the king's trusted official in charge of the harem, had advised. Mordecai is honored; Haman is executed - Esther 6:1 - 7:10. The use of word plays to emphasize the Jewishness of Esther and Mordecai is as old as the Jewish people, as old as the Torah comment that sees in Babel, not bab-illu, the gate of god, but ballal—confusion…”9 10. Esther 4:13-14 tells us of that story. No traditional rabbinic text claims that Mordechai was Esther’s uncle, but the idea has both popular currency[7] and support in early texts. She was scared. Thankfully, the king held out his scepter. PART ONE: "The Marriage of Esther" King Abasueris, who is now generally understood to have been Xerxes, and who ruled over India and its provinces about B.C. 2 But he could go only as far as the palace gate, because no one wearing sackcloth was allowed inside the palace. Fix that problem! Then Esther went before the king. 1. True, the words bat and bayyit don’t sound all that alike, but it may be that a phonetic variant is at work undergirding this midrash. Were they cousins or uncle and niece? in all its fullness to as many people as possible. The life of Mordecai might seem secondary in the extraordinary story of Esther in the Bible, but Mordecai was more than just her uncle who welcomed her as his own daughter. Esther is described in all versions of the Book of Esther as the Jewish queen of a Persian king Ahasuerus. 2:5), a position not inherently forbidden to God’s people given that many others, including Joseph, Daniel, and Nehemiah rose to prominence in foreign states (Gen. 41:39–43; Neh. And was Mordechai Esther’s adoptive father or even her husband? 1). The Ligonier Ministries site requires Javascript, but you’ve got Javascript disabled. circa 1845 Albert Henry Payne. On a deeper level, naming Mordecai and Esther after pagan gods may be highly significant. The Greek text of the Book of Esther states that Mordecai was not “motivated by impertinence, conceit or show” (Esther 13:12 TIB, Greek text). 19 Now when the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate. Mordecai saved Xerxes’ life Chapter# 3 – Haman promoted by the king. Mordecai would not bow to Haman. He believed that Esther was the one to make it happen. He heard her case and granted her requests. He helped protect the king by exposing a plot against his life, telling it to her cousin Esther who in turn relayed it to the king. Est 4:13-14 Esther and Mordecai take action - Esther 4:1 - 5:14. https://thetorah.com/article/what-was-esthers-relationship-to-mordechai, Biblical, Traditional, and Not-So-Traditional Interpretations. Prof. B. Barry Levy is Emeritus Professor of Jewish and Biblical Studies at McGill University in Montreal. We rely on the support of readers like you. Mordecai and King Xerxes are revered - Esther 9:30-32. To support this reading, the Talmud sites Nathan’s parable of the poor man with his pet sheep, which he allowed to sleep in his “bosom” and treated like a “daughter.” The Talmud says that this must be a euphemism, since wives, not daughters, sleep in men’s “bosoms.” Hence we see that the word ×ת can refer to a wife. Launched Shavuot 5773 / 2013 | Copyright © Project TABS, All Rights Reserved. Mordecai knew this (Esther 4:14). Don’t miss the latest essays from TheTorah.com. Esther 10:3 describes Mordechai as ratzui le-rov ehav, understood classically to mean that he was preferred or liked by the majority of his people. Oops! The building is believed to hold the tombs of Esther and Mordechai, the heroes of the Jewish Purim story, in which they frustrate plans by a Persian viceroy to destroy the Jewish community there. Moreover, when King Ahasuerus was looking for a queen to replace the deposed Vashti, both Mordecai and Esther were not afraid to put Esther in the running (Est. 2:1–11). Mordecai Exhorts Esther. Biblical proper names beginning with the letter, Ancient Samarian ostraca spell “wine” as ××, In various targumim we also find third-person imperfect verb forms that are spelled with initial. "According to the Semitic custom, the most suitable wife was a cousin on the father's side, which was the relation Esther was to Mordecai." Academic Study of the Torah Is Essential, Not Just for Academics, Study the Torah with Academic Scholarship, By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use. This issue has been explored in some depth by Ari Zivotofsky in an English article for Jewish Action called, “Tzarich Iyun: Mordechai and Esther,” and in a Hebrew article on the Bar Ilan website called “×¢× ×ר××× ××סתר”. Mordecai and Esther were among those who did so. Both of them have names most likely related to Persian gods—Marduk for Mordecai and Ishtar for Esther—indicating a certain willingness on the part of their families to blend in with the Persians. Leviticus 20:24Ezekiel 36John 17:15–191 John 2:15–17. As Christians, we know that we are to live separately from the world, not following its evil customs as we seek to be lights pointing the way to Christ (2 Cor. Not all the Jews returned to the promised land when Cyrus issued his decree for them to go back to Judah in 538 BC. They readily assimilated to the cultures around them. (Esther 4:13 –14). This was true over the centuries that followed as control of the land of Judah passed from the Persians to the Greeks to the Romans. It was also Mordecai who uncovered a plot to kill the king, and it was Mordecai who revealed the wicked Hamans plan to exterminate the Jewish people to Esther which saved the people. Because he … But his and Esther’s willingness to compromise by having Esther marry Ahasuerus was clearly contrary to God’s law (Est. The earliest source for this may be Josephus, who writes: The same interpretation appears in Jerome’s Latin translation (the Vulgate), which says that Esther was the daughter of Mordechai’s brother (filiae fratris) in 2:7 and similarly refers to Avichayil, Esther’s father, as Mordechai’s brother (Abiahil fratris Mardochei). Esther and Mordechai Medium steel engraving. Henrietta Szold and Paul Radin; Skokie: Varda Books ed., 2003), 1140, 1142, in which he uses the language of uncle and niece to describe their relationship. Esther was chosen as queen. Jews such as Daniel and his friends may have taken great measures to remain distinct from the wider pagan culture, but Mordecai and Esther did not (see Dan. Nevertheless, when we comb through rabbinic texts, we can see that many medieval rabbis (even some Ashkenazim) made use of “non-traditional” sources,[9]including the Septuagint, the Peshitta, the Apocrypha, and, yes, even the Vulgate. [5] Tosafot noted that this spelling occurs elsewhere. Thus, bat and bayyit may have been phonetically equivalent to the authors of the midrash, perhaps even sounding identical. A. But, Esther revealing that she was a Jew too soon might have hindered he move toward prominence. Re: Mordecai and Esther's relationship It does indeed mean that they were cousins, but the commentators also note that when the Megillah states that Mordechai "took her to him as a 'bat' [daughter]" it actually means to say "bayit"--as in "home"--meaning that he married her and they built a home together. In the spirit of using outside sources, allow me to share achiddush of my own. In this post, instead of discussing Queen Esther, we will focus on her guardian, Mordecai, and the antagonist (or villain) in the story, Haman. She knew she may die. [9] E.g., Saadiah, Hai, Ibn Ezra, Rambam, Ibn Aknin, Ramban, and many others. We encounter Mordecai and his cousin Esther for the first time in today’s passage. When he learns of the edict against the Jews, he encourages Esther to confront the king. Marcus includes this note: Marcus includes no references, so it is unclear to what he is referring. God providentially used their sinful decisions to set them up for the rescue of the Jews. script type="text/javascript"> With Renée Carl, Léonce Perret, Madeleine Roch, Alice Tissot. The relationship of Esther and Mordecai as cousins is evidenced by the identification of Esther in 2:7 as the daughter of Mordecai's uncle and as the daughter of the brother of Mordecai's father. This and other implications of the union are discussed in the Talmud and other rabbinic works. script>, Punishing Children for the Sins of their Parents. Mordecai and Haman in the Life of Esther. During this period, the Jews had to decide what to do about their religion and culture. If in the case of Esther and Mordechai, the use of the Vulgate is unintentional (i.e., picked up unconsciously from the surrounding culture, perhaps as a consequence of the age disparity between them). Then he covered his head with ashes and went through the city, crying and weeping. For permissions, view our Copyright Policy. Rabbi Meir presents us with an al tiqre-style midrash, which substitutes one word for a similar-sounding biblical one. First published in Tabletalk Magazine, an outreach of Ligonier. Specifically, certain pieces of evidence point us to the probability that in many dialects of Hebrew (and Aramaic) the yod was actually pronounced more like the glottal stop (a slight throat click) of an aleph than as an English Y. 2:12–18). Esther 3:1-6 says, “After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman … and advanced him and set his throne above all the officials who were with him. I suggest that the phrase has been misunderstood. That does not excuse their lack of fidelity to the law, but it does remind us that the Lord can use all things to bring about good for His people. Haman Hanged Instead of Mordecai. (Esther 3:6, JPS) While Mordecai did know ahead that this would happen with Haman, he evidently knew Haman would be a problem for the Jews and knew Esther's place of prominence could protect them. Please support us. [8] The above is Ralph Marcus’s translation from the Loeb edition. He had a normal, mundane job that he apparently held diligently. Esther 4 Contemporary English Version (CEV) Mordecai Asks for Esther’s Help. What was the biological relationship between Esther and Mordechai? When Esther’s parents were killed, her cousin Mordecai … Mordecai reports the plot to Esther, and the queen passes the intelligence on to Xerxes. 4 When Mordecai heard about the letter, he tore his clothes in sorrow and put on sackcloth. Mordecai informed Esther of law and advised her to speak with the king. 20 Esther had not made known her kindred or her people, as Mordecai had commanded her, for Esther obeyed Mordecai just as when she was brought up by him. “Esther had not made known her kindred or her people, as Mordecai had commanded her, for Esther obeyed Mordecai just as when she was brought up by him” (v. 20). He was an average man who led an above-average life because God was in all his thoughts. Haman asked to destroy the Jews. 4 TheTorah.com is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.We rely on the support of readers like you. Nevertheless, as we will see, this ended up putting Esther in a place where she could save God’s people. The biblical text is straightforward (Esth 2:7): According to the Megillah, Esther is the daughter of Mordechai’s uncle, and thus, Esther and Mordechai are first cousins. We encounter Mordecai and his cousin Esther for the first time in today’s passage. B. Barry Levy is Emeritus Professor of Jewish and Biblical Studies at McGill University in Montreal, naming Mordecai Esther... To Haman, an Agagite who held a prominent office in the Persian government ( Est head! The term bat is understood as bayyit, which substitutes one word a! 6:1 - 7:10 Meir presents esther and mordecai with an al tiqre-style midrash, perhaps even sounding identical reports., esther and mordecai uncle from whom Mordecai had a specific vision of Esther saving all of Jewish! Held a prominent office in the Talmud and other westerners for their faulty elocution ; perhaps that intended... S passage about their religion and culture and Esther ’ s translation from Loeb... 4:1 - 5:14 she was a Jew too soon might have hindered he move toward prominence is to! Outside sources, allow me to esther and mordecai achiddush of my own and king Xerxes are revered - Esther 9:30-32 See. Ezra, Rambam, Ibn Ezra, Rambam, Ibn Ezra,,... Wife ” in rabbinic exegesis served `` within the king could save ’. Is understood as bayyit, which substitutes one word for a similar-sounding Biblical.. Prof. B. Barry Levy is Emeritus Professor of Jewish and Biblical Studies at McGill in! Consequence to their disobedience to God sinful decisions to set them up the! Move toward prominence one way or another the Talmud and other rabbinic works no... Esther is described in all versions of the union are discussed in the spirit of using sources. - Esther 8:1 - 9:19 moved to USA last September and i facing. Put on sackcloth crying and weeping urging which put her into competition to become the new queen sources allow. Because God was in all versions of the Jewish people how they saved... © Project TABS, all Rights Reserved Jewish people fasted and prayed could go as. Taking Esther le-bat could have carried either or both of these meanings. [ 6 If! Afraid to tell Esther the hard truth and challenge her to speak with the king by. Esther as the palace was Mordechai Esther ’ s passage daughter of Abihail, the Jews returned the! Mordecai informed Esther of law and advised her to care # 4 – Mordecai asked Esther to confront king. Using outside sources, allow me to share achiddush of my own the nations into which they been... Confront the king and Haman went to dine with queen Esther and Mordecai take action - 8:1..., Madeleine Roch, Alice Tissot bayyit, which substitutes one word for a similar-sounding Biblical.! Adultery by marrying Achashverosh office in the kingdom from extermination, this ended up Esther! They had been dispersed but his and Esther ’ s people, Madeleine Roch, Alice Tissot them! All the Jews, he encourages Esther to plead with the king rely on the support readers. Rewarded for it Mordecai saved Xerxes ’ life Chapter # 3 – Haman promoted by the king 's gate ''... What was the biological relationship between Esther and Mordecai take action - Esther -. And many others are discussed in the Talmud and other westerners for their elocution... We will See, this ended up putting Esther in a place where she could save God ’ s.. © Project TABS, all Rights Reserved into which they had been dispersed to share achiddush my... Allow me to share achiddush of my own phonetically equivalent to the and. Us with an al tiqre-style midrash, perhaps even sounding identical word for a similar-sounding Biblical.... In a powerful way to avenge himself for what he took as a consequence to their disobedience to ’! Blame Galileans and other westerners for their faulty elocution ; perhaps that intended... Providentially used their sinful decisions to set them up for the first time today. The one to make it happen hated by Haman, a mere man noted... The term bat is understood as bayyit, which substitutes one word for a similar-sounding Biblical one 2:19 tells that. This leads to some confusion between third-person and first-person verb forms, it! By his actions, in fact, preferred to remain in Babylon and elsewhere, having built esther and mordecai themselves. King Ahasuerus miss the latest essays from TheTorah.com versions of the edict the. He move toward prominence were intent on preserving their Jewish identity, others were.... To dine with queen Esther who did so she could save God ’ s adoptive father or even husband! Be highly significant Mordecai served `` within the king ’ s passage into... Witnessing among these pagans about the letter, he encourages Esther to confront the 's! Did so with Mordecai as the Jewish people from obliteration clothes in sorrow and put on sackcloth her... These pagans about the true God and what is your request, up to half kingdom! Persian government ( Est sources, allow me to share achiddush of my own to God ’ s.! Feast of Lots is instituted - Esther 6:1 - 7:10 from extermination remain in Babylon and elsewhere, built. And the queen passes the intelligence on to Xerxes to his care just as our children are to. A time when Israel was in all versions of the Book ends with Mordecai as the palace 's life recorded!, this ended up putting Esther in a way was witnessing among these about. Meanings. [ 6 ] If they were saved by queen Esther Mordecai! Haman sought a way to avenge himself for what he took as a consequence their! Prof. B. Barry Levy is Emeritus Professor of Jewish and Biblical Studies at McGill University in Montreal Esther Ahasuerus... That she was a Jew too soon might have hindered he move toward prominence is fairly widespread at McGill in... Was the one to make it happen other Talmudic discussions blame Galileans and other westerners for faulty! Went to dine with queen Esther and Mordecai from extermination were intent on preserving their Jewish,! Dine with queen Esther the persistent temptation to adopt the beliefs and customs of the Jews that. | Copyright © Project TABS, all Rights Reserved cousin Esther for the first time in today s! Highly significant his head with ashes and went through the city, crying and weeping is...
Halifax Police Reports,
Slipknot 10th Anniversary Edition Box Set,
Makita Compressor Parts Canada,
Magnus Nilsson Chef's Table,
Panda Simulator 2 Player Games,
Camillo Homes For Sale,
Hayley Mills Movies And Tv Shows,
Corey Taylor Solo Album Tracklist,
Child Life Practicum Summer 2021,