וּמָרְדֳּכַי יָדַע אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה וַיִּקְרַע מָרְדֳּכַי אֶת בְּגָדָיו (אסתר ד, א), בִּנְיָמִין גָּרַם לַשְּׁבָטִים לִקְרֹעַ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית מד, יג): וַיִּקְרְעוּ שִׂמְלֹתָם, וְהֵיכָן גָּרְמָה לוֹ קְרִיעָה, בְּשׁוּשַׁן הַבִּירָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וַיִּקְרַע מָרְדֳּכַי אֶת בְּגָדָיו, וְהוּא אִישׁ יְמִינִי. וַיִּלְבַּשׁ שַׂק וָאֵפֶר, אָמַר רַבִּי אַיְּבוּ מִשֶּׁתָּפַס יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ אֶת הַשַֹּׂק, דִּכְתִיב (בראשית לז, לד): וַיָּשֶׂם שַׂק בְּמָתְנָיו, שׁוּב לֹא זָז מִבָּנָיו, אַחְאָב כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ (מלכים א כא, כז): וַיָּשֶׂם שַׂק עַל בְּשָׂרוֹ. יוֹרָם בְּנוֹ (מלכים ב ו, ל): וַיַּרְא הָעָם וְהִנֵּה הַשַֹּׂק עַל בְּשָׂרוֹ. מָרְדֳּכַי, וַיִּלְבַּשׁ שַׂק וָאֵפֶר וַיִּזְעַק זְעָקָה גְּדוֹלָה וּמָרָה. וְהֵיכָן נִפְרַע לוֹ בְּשׁוּשָׁן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּזְעַק זְעָקָה גְדוֹלָה וּמָרָה. אָמַר רַבִּי חָנִין מַאן דְּאָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וַתְּרָן הוּא יִתְוַתְּרוּן בְּנֵי מְעוֹהִי, אֶלָּא מַאֲרִיךְ רוּחֵיהּ וְגָבֵי דִילֵיהּ, תֵּדַע שֶׁהֲרֵי זְעָקָה אַחַת הִזְעִיק יַעֲקֹב לְעֵשָׂו, דִּכְתִיב (בראשית כז, לד): וַיִּצְעַק צְעָקָה גְדֹלָה וּמָרָה. “Mordekhai knew everything that had been done, and Mordekhai rent his garments and donned sackcloth and ashes. He went out in the midst of the city and cried a loud and bitter cry” (Esther 4:1).
“Mordekhai knew everything that had been done, and Mordekhai rent his garments.” Benjamin caused the tribes [his brothers] to rend; that is what is written: “They rent their garments” (Genesis 44:13). Where was he caused to rend? It was in Shushan the citadel; that is what is written: “Mordekhai rent his garments,” and he was from the tribe of Benjamin.1The midrash is stating that the fact that Mordekhai had to rend his garments is in some respects a punishment for Binyamin having caused his brothers to have to rend their garments. This is because he was not careful enough and did not notice that the silver goblet had been placed in his sack (Etz Yosef).
“He donned sackcloth and ashes.” Rabbi Aivu said: Once Jacob our patriarch adopted sackcloth, as it is written: “He placed sackcloth on his loins” (Genesis 37:34), it never again left his descendants. It is written about Ahab: “He placed sackcloth on his flesh” (I Kings 21:27); his son Yoram: “The people saw, and behold, the sackcloth was on his flesh” (II Kings 6:30); Mordekhai, “He donned sackcloth and ashes.”
“He [Esau] cried a loud and bitter cry” (Genesis 27:34). Where was he repaid? In Shushan, as it is stated: “[Mordekhai] cried a loud and bitter cry.” Rabbi Ḥanin said: Anyone who says that the All-Merciful is One who forgoes, his innards will be forgone. He is forbearing, but then collects His due. Know that Jacob caused Esau to cry one cry, as it is written: “He cried a loud and bitter cry” [and as a result, Jacob’s descendant, Mordekhai, cried a loud and bitter cry].
וּבְכָל מְדִינָה וּמְדִינָה מְקוֹם אֲשֶׁר דְּבַר הַמֶּלֶךְ וְדָתוֹ מַגִּיעַ אֵבֶל גָּדוֹל לַיְּהוּדִים (אסתר ד, ג), וְכִי יֵשׁ אֵבֶל גָּדוֹל וְיֵשׁ אֵבֶל קָטָן, אֶלָּא בְּנֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם כָּל הָאֲבֵלִים אֶבְלָן מִתְמָעֵט וְהוֹלֵךְ עַד לְשִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים, תָּקְפּוֹ יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן, וְכָל שֶׁהוּא הוֹלֵךְ הוּא תָּשֵׁשׁ, עַד שֶׁהוּא שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ, אֲבָל זֶה דְּהָמָן כָּל מַה שֶּׁהוּא הוֹלֵךְ מִתְגַּבֵּר, שֶׁכָּל יוֹם שֶׁהוּא הוֹלֵךְ וְיוֹצֵא הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים כְּבָר יָצָא יוֹם אֶחָד מֵחַיֵּינוּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אֵבֶל דְּעָלְמָא כְּשֶׁמֵּת לוֹ בֵּן אוֹמְרִין לוֹ הַמְנַחֲמִין יִחְיֶה בִּנְךָ הָאַחֵר הַנִּשְׁאָר לְךָ, וְאִם לֹא הָיָה לוֹ אַחֵר, אוֹמְרִים לוֹ הַאֲרֵךְ יָמִים, אֲבָל כָּאן הַכֹּל לְקוּחִין לְמִיתָה, לְהַשְׁמִיד לַהֲרֹג וּלְאַבֵּד. “And in each and every province, any place where the word of the king and his decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews” (Esther 4:3).
Is there great mourning and minor mourning? Rather, the way of the world is that all mourners, their mourning gradually diminishes during the seven days [of mourning]. It is greatest on the first day, and the more it progresses it weakens, until twelve months [have passed]. However, in this case of Haman it continuously intensified, as with each day that passed they would say: One day of [the short time we have left in] our lives is already gone.
Alternatively: A standard mourner, when his son dies, the comforters say to him: May your remaining son live. If he did not have another, they say to him: Live long. But here, everyone is being taken to die, “to destroy, to kill, and to eliminate.”
וַתָּבוֹאנָה נַעֲרוֹת אֶסְתֵּר וְסָרִיסֶיהָ וַיַּגִּידוּ לָהּ וַתִּתְחַלְחַל הַמַּלְכָּה מְאֹד (אסתר ד, ד), רַבָּנָן דְּתַמָּן אָמְרִין שֶׁפֵּרְסָה נִדָּה, וְרַבָּנָן דְּהָכָא אָמְרִין הִפִּילָה עֻבָּרָהּ, וּמִשָּׁעָה שֶׁהִפִּילָה שׁוּב לֹא יָלְדָה. רַבִּי יוּדָן בְּרַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר בְּמוֹךְ הָיְתָה מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת. אָמַר רַבִּי יוּדָן בְּרַבִּי סִימוֹן דָּרְיָוֶשׁ הָאַחֲרוֹן בְּנָהּ שֶׁל אֶסְתֵּר הָיָה, טָהוֹר מֵאִמּוֹ וְטָמֵא מֵאָבִיו. “Esther’s young women and her chamberlains came and told her, and the queen was greatly shocked” (Esther 4:4).
The Rabbis from there2From Babylonia. say: She menstruated. The Rabbis from here3From the Land of Israel. say: She miscarried her fetus, and once she miscarried, she never gave birth again. Rabbi Yudan son of Rabbi Simon said: With an absorbent cloth4This was a form of birth control. she would engage in relations. Rabbi Yudan son of Rabbi Simon said: The last Darius was the son of Esther; he was pure from his mother’s side and impure from his father’s side.
וַתִּקְרָא אֶסְתֵּר לַהֲתָךְ (אסתר ד, ה), רַבָּנִין דְּתַמָּן אָמְרִין הֲתָךְ זֶה דָּנִיֵּאל, וּלְפִי שֶׁחֲתָכוּהוּ מִגְּדֻלָּתוֹ נִקְרָא הֲתָךְ, חֲתָךְ. וְרַבָּנָן דְּהָכָא אָמְרִין שֶׁחָתַךְ אֶת הַדְּבָרִים. לָדַעַת מַה זֶּה וְעַל מַה זֶּה, אָמְרָה לוֹ לֵךְ אֱמֹר לוֹ, מִימֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא בָאוּ לְצָרָה כָּזֹאת, שֶׁמָּא כָּפְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל (שמות טו, ב): בְּזֶה אֵלִי וְאַנְוֵהוּ, וְשֶׁמָּא כָּפְרוּ בַּלּוּחוֹת, דִּכְתִיב בָּהֶן (שמות לב, טו): מִזֶּה וּמִזֶּה הֵם כְּתֻבִים. “Esther summoned Hatakh, one of the king’s chamberlains whom he had set before her, and commanded him to go to Mordekhai to know what this is and why this is” (Esther 4:5).
“Esther summoned Hatakh” – The Rabbis from there say: Hatakh is Daniel; because they demoted him [ḥatakhuhu] from his prominence5Daniel was a high ranking advisor in the Babylonian government. he was called Hatakh, [similar to] ḥatakh. The Rabbis from here say: [He was called Hatakh] because he decided [ḥatakh] matters [of state].
“To know what this is [ma zeh], and why this is [ma zeh]” (Esther 4:5). She said to him: ‘Go and say to him: In all the days of Israel they never encountered trouble like this. Perhaps Israel has denied “this [zeh] is my God and I exalt Him” (Exodus 15:2), or perhaps they denied the tablets, in whose regard it is written: “From this side [mizeh] and from that side [umizeh] they were inscribed”’ (Exodus 32:15).
וַיַּגֶּד לוֹ מָרְדֳּכַי אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר קָרָהוּ (אסתר ד, ז), אָמַר לַהֲתָךְ לֵךְ אֱמֹר לָהּ בֶּן בְּנוֹ שֶׁל קָרָהוּ בָּא עֲלֵיכֶם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דברים כה, יח): אֲשֶׁר קָרְךָ בַּדֶּרֶךְ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אֲשֶׁר קָרָהוּ בַּחֲלוֹם, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהִזְכִּיר לָהּ אֶת הַחֲלוֹם אֲשֶׁר חָלַם כְּעִנְיָן זֶה, בַּשָּׁנָה הַשֵּׁנִית לַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ, וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה רַעַשׁ גָּדוֹל וְחָזָק וּבֶהָלָה עַל הָאָרֶץ וּפַחַד וְרַעַד לְכָל יוֹשְׁבֶיהָ, וְהִנֵּה שְׁנֵי תַּנִּינִים גְּדוֹלִים וַיָּרִיעוּ זֶה לִקְרַאת זֶה וַיַּעַרְכוּ מִלְחָמָה, וַיָּנוּסוּ לְקוֹלָם כָּל גּוֹיֵי הָאָרֶץ. וְהָיָה בֵּינֵיהֶם גּוֹי אֶחָד קָטָן וַיָּקוּמוּ כָּל הַגּוֹיִם עַל הַגּוֹי הַקָּטָן לְאַבֵּד זִכְרוֹ מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ, וַיְהִי הַיּוֹם הַהוּא חשֶׁךְ לְכָל הָעוֹלָם, וַיֵּצֶר לַגּוֹי הַקָּטָן מְאֹד וַיִּזְעֲקוּ אֶל ה'. וְהַתַּנִּינִים נִלְחָמִים בְּאַכְזָרִיּוּת חֵמָה וְאֵין מַפְרִיד בֵּינֵיהֶם, וַיַּרְא מָרְדֳּכַי וְהִנֵּה מַעְיַן מַיִם אֶחָד קָטָן עָבַר בֵּין שְׁנֵי הַתַּנִּינִים הָאֵלֶּה וַיַּפְרִיד בֵּינֵיהֶם מִן הַמִּלְחָמָה אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ נִלְחָמִים, וְהַמַּעְיָן גָּבַר [נגר] וַיְהִי לְנַחַל שׁוֹטֵף כְּשֶׁטֶף יַם הַגָּדוֹל וְהוֹלֵךְ וְשׁוֹטֵף בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ, וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה זָרְחָה הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לְכָל הָאָרֶץ וַיֵּאוֹר הָעוֹלָם, וַיִּתְרוֹמֵם הַגּוֹי הַקָּטָן וְהַגְּבוֹהִים הֻשְׁפְּלוּ, וַיְהִי שָׁלוֹם וֶאֱמֶת בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ. וַיְהִי מֵהַיּוֹם הַהוּא וָמַעְלָה וַיִּנְצֹר מָרְדֳּכַי אֶת הַחֲלוֹם אֲשֶׁר חָלַם, וּבְעֵת אֲשֶׁר הֵצֵר לוֹ הָמָן אָמַר לְאֶסְתֵּר עַל יְדֵי שְׁלוּחָהּ, הִנֵּה הַחֲלוֹם אֲשֶׁר סִפַּרְתִּי לָךְ בִּימֵי נְעוּרַיִךְ, וְעַתָּה קוּמִי וּבַקְשִׁי רַחֲמִים מֵאֵת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּבוֹאִי לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהִתְחַנְּנִי עַל עַמֵּךְ וְעַל מוֹלַדְתֵּךְ. “Mordekhai told him everything that had befallen him [karahu]” (Esther 4:7). He said to Hatakh: ‘Tell her that the descendant of karahu6Amalek, the subject of the verse in Deuteronomy 25:18. has come against you; that is what is written: “That he encountered you [kareḥa] on the way”’ (Deuteronomy 25:18).
Alternatively, “that had befallen him” in a dream, indicating that he reminded her of a dream that he had dreamed along these lines during the second year of the reign of Aḥashverosh. He saw, and behold, a great and powerful earthquake, panic in the world, and fear and trembling for all its residents. And behold, two great serpents each bellowing toward the other and they waged a war, and all the nations of the world fled due to their noise. There was among them a certain small nation, and all the nations attacked the small nation to eliminate any memory of it from the earth. On that day there was darkness for the entire world, and that small nation was very distressed and they cried to God. The serpents were waging war furiously and there was no one to separate between them.
Mordekhai saw, and behold, there was a certain spring of water that passed between these serpents and it separated between them, preventing the war they had been waging. The spring swelled and became a raging stream, like the flow of the Mediterranean Sea, that gradually inundated the land. He saw and the sun shone for the entire land and the world was illuminated. The small nation was elevated, the dominant were lowered, and peace and truth were found throughout the land.
It was from that day forward, Mordekhai kept that dream that he had dreamt, and when Haman was causing him distress, he said to her [Esther] by means of her emissary: ‘This is the dream that I told you in your youth. Now, arise and ask for mercy from the Holy One blessed be He, and come before the king and entreat him on behalf of your people and your family.’
כִּי אִם הַחֲרֵשׁ תַּחֲרִישִׁי (אסתר ד, יד), אִם תִּשְׁתְּקִי עַכְשָׁו שֶׁלֹא לְלַמֵּד סָנֵיגוֹרְיָא עַל אֻמָּתֵךְ, סוֹפֵךְ לִשְׁתֹּק לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא וְאֵין לָךְ פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה, לָמָּה, שֶׁאַתְּ יְכוֹלָה לַעֲשׂוֹת טוֹבָה בְּיָמַיִךְ וְלֹא עָשִׂית. וּמָה אַתְּ סְבוּרָה שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַנִּיחַ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִכָּל מָקוֹם מַעֲמִיד לָהֶם גּוֹאֵל, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: רֶוַח וְהַצָּלָה יַעֲמוֹד לַיְּהוּדִים מִמָּקוֹם אַחֵר. “For if you are silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish; who knows if it was for a time like this that you attained royalty?” (Esther 4:14).
“For if you are silent” – if you [Esther] are silent now and refrain from advocating on behalf of your nation, ultimately you will be silent in the future and you will have no claim. Why? Because you have the opportunity to perform good during your life and you [will have] failed to do so. What, do you think that the Holy One blessed be He will abandon Israel? In any case, he will provide them with a redeemer; that is what is written: “Relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place.”
וַתֹּאמֶר אֶסְתֵּר לְהָשִׁיב אֶל מָרְדֳּכָי (אסתר ד, טו), אָמְרָה לוֹ לֵךְ כְּנוֹס אֶת כָּל הַיְּהוּדִים הַנִּמְצְאִים בְּשׁוּשָׁן וְצוּמוּ עָלַי וְאַל תֹּאכְלוּ וְאַל תִּשְׁתּוּ שְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים, אֵלּוּ הֵן י"ג וְי"ד וְט"ו בְּנִיסָן. שָׁלַח לָהּ וַהֲרֵי בָּהֶם יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל פֶּסַח, אָמְרָה לוֹ זָקֵן שֶׁבְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, לָמָּה הוּא פֶּסַח. מִיָּד שָׁמַע מָרְדֳּכַי וְהוֹדָה לִדְבָרֶיהָ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וַיַּעֲבֹר מָרְדֳּכָי וַיַּעַשׂ כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר צִוְתָה עָלָיו אֶסְתֵּר. תַּמָּן אָמְרִין שֶׁהֶעֱבִיר יוֹם טוֹב שֶׁל פֶּסַח בְּתַעֲנִית. וְעַל אוֹתָהּ צָרָה וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל מָרְדֳּכַי אֶל ה' וַיֹּאמֶר גָּלוּי וְיָדוּעַ לִפְנֵי כִסֵּא כְבוֹדֶךָ אֲדוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים כִּי לֹא מִגַּבְהוּת לֵב וּמֵרוּם עַיִן עָשִׂיתִי אֲשֶׁר לֹא הִשְׁתַּחֲוֵיתִי לְהָמָן, כִּי אִם מִיִּרְאָתְךָ פָּעַלְתִּי זֹאת, לְבִלְתִּי הִשְׁתַּחֲווֹת לוֹ, כִּי יָרֵאתִי מִפָּנֶיךָ לְבִלְתִּי תֵּת כְּבוֹדְךָ לְבָשָׂר וָדָם, וְלֹא רָצִיתִי לְהִשְׁתַּחֲווֹת לְזוּלָתֶךָ, כִּי מִי אֲנִי אֲשֶׁר לֹא אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לְהָמָן עַל תְּשׁוּעַת עַמְךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי לוֹחֵךְ הָיִיתִי מִנְעַל רַגְלָיו. וְעַתָּה אֱלֹהֵינוּ הַצִּילֵנוּ נָא מִיָּדוֹ, וְיִפֹּל בַּשַּׁחַת אֲשֶׁר כָּרָה וְיִלָּכֵד בָּרֶשֶׁת אֲשֶׁר טָמַן לְרַגְלֵי חֲסִידֶיךָ, וְיֵדַע הַמַּרְגִּיז הַזֶּה כִּי לֹא שָׁכַחְתָּ הַהַבְטָחָה שֶׁהִבְטַחְתָּנוּ (ויקרא כו, מד): וְאַף גַּם זֹאת בִּהְיוֹתָם בְּאֶרֶץ אֹיְבֵיהֶם לֹא מְאַסְתִּים וְלֹא גְּעַלְתִּים לְכַתָם לְהָפֵר בְּרִיתִי אִתָּם כִּי אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹהֵיהֶם. מֶה עָשָׂה מָרְדֳּכַי, קִבֵּץ אֶת הַתִּינוֹקוֹת וְעִנָּה אוֹתָם מִלֶּחֶם וּמַיִם, וְהִלְבִּישָׁן שָׂק וְהוֹשִׁיבָם בָּאֵפֶר, וְהָיוּ צוֹעֲקִים וּבוֹכִין וְעוֹסְקִין בַתּוֹרָה. וּבָעֵת הַהִיא הָיְתָה אֶסְתֵּר נִפְחֶדֶת מְאֹד מִפְּנֵי הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר צָמְחָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וַתִּפְשֹׁט בִּגְדֵּי מַלְכוּתָהּ וְאֶת תִּפְאַרְתָּהּ, וַתִּלְבַּשׁ שַׂק, וַתִּפְרַע שְׂעַר רֹאשָׁהּ וַתְּמַלֵּא אוֹתוֹ עָפָר וָאֵפֶר, וַתְּעַנֶּה נַפְשָׁהּ בְּצוֹם, וַתִּפֹּל עַל פָּנֶיהָ לִפְנֵי ה' וַתִּתְפַּלֵל, וַתֹּאמַר, ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר מָשַׁלְתָּ מִימֵי קֶדֶם, וּבָרָאתָ אֶת הָעוֹלָם, עֲזֹר נָא אֲמָתְךָ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁאַרְתִּי יְתוֹמָה בְּלִי אָב וָאֵם, וּמְשׁוּלָה לַעֲנִיָּה שׁוֹאֶלֶת מִבַּיִת לְבַיִת, כֵּן אָנֹכִי שׁוֹאֶלֶת רַחֲמֶיךָ מֵחַלּוֹן לְחַלּוֹן בְּבֵית אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ, וְעַתָּה ה' הַצְלִיחָה נָא לַאֲמָתְךָ הָעֲנִיָּה הַזֹּאת וְהַצִּילָה אֶת צֹאן מַרְעִיתֶךָ מִן הָאוֹיְבִים הָאֵלּוּ אֲשֶׁר קָמוּ עָלֵינוּ, כִּי אֵין לְךָ מַעֲצֹר לְהוֹשִׁיעַ בְּרַב אוֹ בִמְעָט. וְאַתָּה אֲבִי יְתוֹמִים עֲמֹד נָא לִימִין הַיְתוֹמָה הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר בְּחַסְדְּךָ בָטְחָה, וּתְנָה אוֹתִי לְרַחֲמִים לִפְנֵי הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה כִּי יְרֵאתִיו, וְהַשְׁפִּילֵהוּ לְפָנַי כִּי אַתָּה מַשְׁפִּיל גֵּאִים.
“Esther said, to respond to Mordekhai” (Esther 4:15). She said to him: “Go, assemble all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast on my behalf; do not eat and do not drink for three days” (Esther 4:16). These were the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth of Nisan. He sent her [in response]: ‘But isn’t the first day of Passover among them?’ She said to him: ‘Elder of Israel, why is it Passover?’7The festival of Passover was given to the Jewish people; if they are destroyed, of what value is the festival of Passover? It is better to desecrate Passover once so that it may be observed forever more (Etz Yosef). Immediately Mordekhai heard and conceded to her contention; that is what is written: “Mordekhai went on [vaya’avor] and acted in accordance with everything that Esther had commanded him” (Esther 4:17). There they say: That he violated [shehe’evir] the first day of Passover with a fast.
Regarding that same trouble, Mordekhai prayed to God and he said: ‘It is revealed and known before Your Throne of Honor, Master of the universe, that it is not due to haughtiness or arrogance that I did not prostrate myself to Haman; rather, it is due to my fear of You that I acted in this way, and did not prostrate myself to him. It is because I feared You, and did not wish to grant the honor due to You, to flesh and blood, and I did not want to prostrate myself to anyone other than You. For who am I not to prostrate myself to Haman at the expense of the salvation of Your people Israel? For that, I would be prepared to lick the shoes on his feet.
Now, God, rescue us from his hand, and let him fall into the grave that he dug, and let him be ensnared in the net that he concealed at the feet of your pious ones. And let this instigator know that You have not forgotten the promise that You promised us: “And despite this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not have spurned them and will not have rejected them, to destroy them, to violate My covenant with them, as I am the Lord their God”’ (Leviticus 26:44).
What did Mordekhai do? He assembled the children and deprived them of bread and water, he dressed them in sackcloth and sat them in ashes. They were shouting, weeping, and engaging in Torah study.
At that time, Esther was very frightened due to the evil that had developed for Israel. She removed her royal garments and her glory, donned sackcloth, loosened her hair and filled it with dirt and ashes, afflicted herself in a fast, and fell on her face before God and prayed. She said: ‘Lord, God of Israel, who has ruled since the days of yore and created the world, please help your maidservant, as I have remained an orphan from my father and my mother, and am comparable to a poor woman begging from house to house. So, I am requesting Your mercy from window to window in the palace of Aḥashverosh.
Now, Lord, please grant success to this poor maidservant of yours, and deliver the sheep of Your flock from these enemies who have arisen against us, as You have “no restraint to save by many or by few” (I Samuel 14:6). You, father of orphans, please stand to the right of this orphan, who has relied on your mercy, and let me be viewed mercifully by this man, for I fear him. Lower him before me because You lower the haughty.’