וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וַתִּלְבַּשׁ אֶסְתֵּר (אסתר ה, א): בִּגְדֵי יָפְיָהּ וְאֶת עֲדִי תִּפְאַרְתָּהּ, וַתִּקַּח עִמָּהּ אֶת שְׁתֵּי נַעֲרוֹתֶיהָ, וַתָּשֶׂם יַד יְמִינָהּ עַל הַנַּעֲרָה הָאַחַת, וַתִּסָּמֵךְ עָלֶיהָ כְּחֹק הַמַּלְכוּת, וְהַנַּעֲרָה הַשֵּׁנִית הוֹלֶכֶת אַחֲרֵי גְּבִרְתָּהּ וְסוֹמֶכֶת עֶדְיָהּ, לְבִלְתִּי נְגֹעַ הַזָּהָב אַרְצָה אֲשֶׁר עָלֶיהָ, וַתַּצְהִיל פָּנֶיהָ וַתְּכַס הַדְּאָגָה אֲשֶׁר בְּלִבָּהּ, וַתָּבוֹא בֶּחָצֵר הַפְּנִימִית נֹכַח הַמֶּלֶךְ וַתַּעֲמֹד לְפָנָיו, וְהַמֶּלֶךְ יוֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסֵּא מַלְכוּתוֹ בִּלְבוּשׁ זָהָב וְאֶבֶן יְקָרָה, וַיִּשָֹּׂא עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא אֶסְתֵּר עוֹמֶדֶת לְמוּל פָּנָיו, וַתִּבְעַר בּוֹ חֲמָתוֹ מְאֹד עַל אֲשֶׁר הֵפֵרָה תּוֹרָתוֹ וַתָּבוֹא לְפָנָיו בְּלֹא קְרִיאָה. וַתִּשָֹּׂא אֶסְתֵּר אֶת עֵינֶיהָ וַתֵּרֶא אֶת פְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהִנֵּה עֵינָיו כָּאֵשׁ בּוֹעֲרוֹת מֵרֹב הַחֵמָה אֲשֶׁר בְּלִבּוֹ, וַתַּכֵּר הַמַּלְכָּה אֶת קֶצֶף הַמֶּלֶךְ וַתִּתְבַּהֵל מְאֹד וַתָּפָג רוּחָה, וַתָּשֶׂם רֹאשָׁהּ עַל הַנַּעֲרָה הַסּוֹמֶכֶת יְמִינָהּ, וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהֵינוּ וַיַּחֲמֹל עַל עַמּוֹ, וַיִּפֶן לְצַעַר הַיְתוֹמָה אֲשֶׁר בָּטְחָה בוֹ, וַיִּתֵּן לָהּ חֵן לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ, וַיּוֹסֶף יֹפִי עַל יָפְיָהּ, וְהָדָר עַל הֲדָרָהּ. וַיָּקָם הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּבֶהָלָה מִכִּסְּאוֹ וַיָּרָץ אֶל אֶסְתֵּר וַיְחַבְּקָהּ וַיְנַשְׁקָהּ וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ זְרוֹעוֹ עַל צַוָּארָהּ, וַיֹּאמֶר לָהּ הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶסְתֵּר הַמַּלְכָּה לָמָּה תִּפְחֲדִי, כִּי הַדָּת הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר סִדַּרְנוּ אֵינֶנָּה מֻטֶּלֶת עָלַיִךְ, בַּאֲשֶׁר אַתְּ רַעֲיָתִי וַחֲבֶרְתִּי. וַיֹּאמֶר לָהּ מַדּוּעַ כַּאֲשֶׁר רְאִיתִיךְ לֹא תְדַבְּרִי אֵלַי, וַתֹּאמֶר אֶסְתֵּר אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ כַּאֲשֶׁר רְאִיתִיךָ נִבְהֲלָה נַפְשִׁי מִפְּנֵי כְּבוֹדֶךָ. “It was on the third day, Esther donned royalty and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, facing the king’s palace, while the king was sitting on his royal throne in the throne room facing the entrance of the palace” (Esther 5:1).
“It was on the third day, Esther donned” – the garments of her beauty and the jewels of her glory. She took her two young women with her; she placed her right hand on one young woman and leaned on her in accordance with the royal custom, and the second young woman walked behind her mistress supporting her jewels, so that the gold would not touch the ground. She put on a joyful face, masked the worry in her heart, and came to the inner courtyard facing the king, and she stood before him.
The king was sitting on his royal throne in garments of gold and jewels. He lifted his eyes and saw Esther standing before him, and his wrath was greatly enflamed because she had violated his protocol and she came before him without being summoned. Esther lifted her eyes and saw the king’s face, and his eyes were like fire, blazing from the great fury in his heart.
Esther recognized the king’s anger and she was greatly panicked, and her spirit grew faint. She placed her head on the young woman supporting her on the right. Our God saw and took pity on His people, recognized the suffering of the orphan who had placed her trust in Him, invested her with grace before the king, and added beauty to her beauty and magnificence to her magnificence. The king rose from his throne in a frenzy, ran to Esther, hugged and kissed her, and placed his arm around her neck. The king said to her: ‘Queen Esther, why are you afraid? This protocol that we instituted is not incumbent upon you, as you are my beloved and my companion.’ He said to her: ‘Why, when I saw you, did you not speak to me?’ Esther said: ‘My lord the king, when I saw you, my soul was startled due to your greatness.’
וַיֹּאמֶר לָהּ הַמֶּלֶךְ מַה לָּךְ אֶסְתֵּר הַמַּלְכָּה וּמַה בַּקָּשָׁתֵךְ וגו' וַתֹּאמֶר אֶסְתֵּר אִם עַל הַמֶּלֶךְ טוֹב יָבוֹא הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהָמָן הַיּוֹם אֶל הַמִּשְׁתֶּה וגו' וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ מַהֲרוּ אֶת הָמָן וגו' וַיָּבֹא הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהָמָן אֶל הַמִּשְׁתֶּה אֲשֶׁר עָשְׂתָה אֶסְתֵּר וגו' וַיֵּצֵא הָמָן בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא שָׂמֵחַ וְטוֹב לֵב וְכִרְאוֹת הָמָן אֶת מָרְדֳּכַי בְּשַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ וְלֹא קָם וְלֹא זָע מִמֶּנּוּ וַיִּמָּלֵא הָמָן חֵמָה, וַיִּתְאַפַּק הָמָן וגו' וַיָּבֵא אֶת אֹהֲבָיו וְאֶת זֶרֶשׁ אִשְׁתּוֹ וגו' (אסתר ה, ג י), וּבְכֻלָּם לֹא הָיוּ יוֹדְעִים לָתֵת עֵצָה כְּזֶרֶשׁ אִשְׁתּוֹ, שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ שְׁלשׁ מֵאוֹת וְשִׁשִּׁים וַחֲמִשָּׁה בַּעֲלֵי עֵצָה, כְּמִנְיַן יְמוֹת הַחַמָּה, אָמְרָה לוֹ אִשְׁתּוֹ אָדָם זֶה שֶׁאַתָּה שׁוֹאֵל עָלָיו אִם מִזֶּרַע הַיְּהוּדִים הוּא, לֹא תוּכַל לוֹ, אִם לֹא תָבוֹא עָלָיו בְּחָכְמָה בַּמֶּה שֶׁלֹא נִסָּה אֶחָד מִבְּנֵי אֻמָּתוֹ, שֶׁאִם תַּפִּילוֹ לְכִבְשַׁן הָאֵשׁ, כְּבָר הֻצְּלוּ חֲנַנְיָה וַחֲבֵרָיו. וְאִם לְגֹב אֲרָיוֹת, כְּבָר עָלָה דָּנִיֵּאל מִתּוֹכוֹ. וְאִם תַּאַסְרֵהוּ בְּבֵית הָאֲסוּרִים, כְּבָר יָצָא יוֹסֵף מִתּוֹכוֹ. וְאִם בְּמוּלֵי תַּסִיק תַּחְתָּיו, כְּבָר הִתְחַנֵּן מְנַשֶּׁה וְנֶעְתַּר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְנָפַק מִינֵּיהּ. וְאִם בְּמַדְבְּרָא תַּגְלוּנֵיהּ, כְּבָר פָּרוּ וְרָבוּ אֲבוֹתָיו בַּמִּדְבָּר, וְכַמָּה נִסְיוֹנוֹת נִתְנַסּוּ וּבְכֻלָּן עָמְדוּ וְנִצְּלוּ. וְאִם עֵינָיו תְּעַוֵּר הֲרֵי שִׁמְשׁוֹן דִּקְטַל כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה נַפְשָׁתָא מִפְּלִשְׁתָּאֵי כַּד עֲוֵיר. אֶלָּא צְלוֹב יָתֵיהּ עַל צְלִיבָא, דְּלָא אַשְׁכְּחִינַן חַד מִן עַמּוֹי דְּאִשְׁתְּזֵיב מִנֵּיהּ, מִיָּד וַיִּיטַב הַדָּבָר לִפְנֵי הָמָן וַיַּעַשׂ הָעֵץ. מֵאֵיזֶה עֵצִים הָיָה אוֹתוֹ הָעֵץ, אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּא לְהָכִינוֹ, קָרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְכָל עֲצֵי בְּרֵאשִׁית, מִי יִתֵּן וְיִתָּלֶה רָשָׁע זֶה עָלָיו, תְּאֵנָה אָמְרָה אֲנִי אֶתֵּן אֶת עַצְמִי, שֶׁמִּמֶּנִּי מְבִיאִין יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּכּוּרִים, וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁנִּמְשְׁלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּבִכּוּרָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (הושע ט, י): כְּבִכּוּרָה בִתְאֵנָה בְּרֵאשִׁיתָהּ. גֶּפֶן אָמְרָה אֲנִי אֶתֵּן אֶת עַצְמִי, שֶׁבִּי נִמְשְׁלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים פ, ט): גֶּפֶן מִמִצְרַיִם תַּסִּיעַ. רִמּוֹן אָמַר אֲנִי אֶתֵּן אֶת עַצְמִי, שֶׁבִּי נִמְשְׁלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שיר השירים ד, ג): כְּפֶלַח הָרִמּוֹן רַקָּתֵךְ. אֱגוֹז אָמַר אֲנִי אֶתֵּן אֶת עַצְמִי, שֶׁבִּי נִדְּמוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שיר השירים ו, יא): אֶל גִּנַּת אֱגוֹז יָרַדְתִּי. אֶתְרוֹג אָמַר אֲנִי אֶתֵּן אֶת עַצְמִי, שֶׁמִּמֶּנִּי נוֹטְלִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמִצְוָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ויקרא כג, מ): וּלְקַחְתֶּם לָכֶם בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר וגו'. הֲדַס אָמַר אֲנִי אֶתֵּן אֶת עַצְמִי, שֶׁנִּמְשְׁלוּ בִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (זכריה א, ח): וְהוּא עֹמֵד בֵּין הַהֲדַסִּים אֲשֶׁר בַּמְצֻלָה. זַיִת אָמַר אֲנִי אֶתֵּן אֶת עַצְמִי, שֶׁבִּי נִמְשְׁלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה יא, טז): זַיִת רַעֲנָן יְפֵה פְרִי תֹאַר קָרָא ה' שְׁמֵךְ. תַּפּוּחַ אָמַר אֲנִי אֶתֵּן אֶת עַצְמִי, שֶׁבִּי נִמְשְׁלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שיר השירים ב, ג): כְּתַפּוּחַ בַּעֲצֵי הַיַּעַר כֵּן דּוֹדִי בֵּין הַבָּנִים, וּכְתִיב (שיר השירים ז, ט): וְרֵיחַ אַפֵּךְ כַּתַּפּוּחִים, דֶּקֶל אָמַר אֲנִי אֶתֵּן אֶת עַצְמִי, שֶׁבִּי נִמְשְׁלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שיר השירים ז, ח): זֹאת קוֹמָתֵךְ דָּמְתָה לְתָמָר. עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים וַעֲצֵי בְּרוֹשִׁים אָמְרוּ אָנוּ נִתֵּן עַצְמֵנוּ, שֶׁמִּמֶּנוּ נַעֲשָׂה הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְנִבְנָה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ. אֶרֶז וְתָמָר אָמְרוּ אָנוּ נִתֵּן עַצְמֵנוּ, שֶׁאָנוּ נִמְשָׁלִים לְצַדִּיק, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים צב, יג): צַדִּיק כַּתָּמָר יִפְרָח כְּאֶרֶז בַּלְּבָנוֹן יִשְׂגֶּה. עֲרָבָה אָמְרָה אֲנִי אֶתֵּן אֶת עַצְמִי, שֶׁבִּי נִמְשְׁלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה מד, ד): כַּעֲרָבִים עַל יִבְלֵי מָיִם, וּמִמֶּנִּי נוֹטְלִין לְמִצְוָה לְאַרְבַּעַת הַמִּינִין שֶׁבַּלּוּלָב. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אָמַר הַקּוֹץ לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אֲנִי שֶׁאֵין לִי [במה] [על מה] לִתְלוֹת אֶתֵּן אֶת עַצְמִי וְיִתָּלֶה טָמֵא זֶה, שֶׁאֲנִי נִקְרָא שְׁמִי קוֹץ, וְהוּא קוֹץ מַכְאִיב, וְנָאֶה שֶׁיִּתָּלֶה קוֹץ עַל קוֹץ, וּמִמֶּנּוּ מָצְאוּ וַעֲשָׂאוֹ, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהֵבִיאוּהוּ לְפָנָיו הֱכִינוֹ עַל פֶּתַח בֵּיתוֹ וּמָדַד עַצְמוֹ עָלָיו לְהַרְאוֹת עֲבָדָיו הֵיאַךְ יִתָּלֶה מָרְדֳּכַי עָלָיו. הֱשִׁיבַתּוּ בַּת קוֹל, נָאֶה לְךָ הָעֵץ, מְתֻקָּן לְךָ הָעֵץ מִשֵּׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית. רַבָּנָן דְּתַמָּן אָמְרִין, מִנַּיִן לְהָמָן מִן הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ג, יא): הֲמִן הָעֵץ. דָּרִישׁ לֵיהּ הָמָן הָעֵץ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי, לְעוֹלָם אֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל נְתוּנִין בְּצָרָה יוֹתֵר מִשְּׁלשָׁה יָמִים, שֶׁהֲרֵי בְּאַבְרָהָם כְּתִיב (בראשית כב, ד): בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וַיִּשָֹּׂא אַבְרָהָם אֶת עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא אֶת הַמָּקוֹם מֵרָחֹק. הַשְּׁבָטִים (בראשית מב, יז): וַיֶּאֱסֹף אֹתָם אֶל מִשְׁמָר שְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים. יוֹנָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יונה ב, ב): וַיְהִי יוֹנָה בִּמְעֵי הַדָּג שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים וּשְׁלשָׁה לֵילוֹת. וְהַמֵּתִים אֵינָן חַיִּים אֶלָּא לִשְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (הושע ו, ב): בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי יְקִימֵנוּ וְנִחְיֶה לְפָנָיו. וְגַם הַנֵּס הַזֶּה נַעֲשָׂה בְּסוֹף שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים לְתַעֲנִיתָם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וַתִּלְבַּשׁ אֶסְתֵּר מַלְכוּת. וְשָׁלְחָה וְקָרְאָה לְהָמָן בַּסְּעוּדָה עִם הַמֶּלֶךְ בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר בְּנִיסָן, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁאָכְלוּ וְשָׁתוּ אָמַר הָמָן, הַמֶּלֶךְ מְגַדֵּל אוֹתִי, וְאִשְׁתּוֹ מְכַבֶּדֶת אוֹתִי, וְאֵין בְּכָל הַמַּלְכוּת גָדוֹל מִמֶּנִּי, וְשָׂמַח בְּלִבּוֹ מְאֹד, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וַיֵּצֵא הָמָן בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא שָׂמֵחַ וְטוֹב לֵב. “The king said to her: What troubles you, Queen Esther, and what is your request… Esther said: If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet… The king said: Hasten Haman…The king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared…Haman emerged on that day joyful and glad of heart, but upon Haman’s seeing Mordekhai at the king’s gate, and he did not stand, and he did not move on his account, Haman became filled with fury…Haman restrained himself…and brought his supporters and Zeresh his wife, etc.” (Esther 5:3–5; 8–10).
Among all of them, there was no one capable of giving counsel like Zeresh his wife. He [Haman] had three hundred and sixty-five advisers, corresponding to the days of the solar year. His wife said to him: The person [Mordekhai] about whom you are asking, “If he is of the progeny of the Jews…you will not prevail against him” (Esther 6:13) – unless you approach him with cleverness, with [a strategy] that has never been attempted against members of his nation. If you drop him into a fiery furnace, Ḥananya and his cohorts have already been rescued [from it]; if [you place him in] the lions’ den, Daniel already emerged from it. If you incarcerate him in prison, Joseph already emerged from it. If you ignite a fire in a vat beneath him, Menashe [king of Judah] already pleaded, and the Holy One blessed be He acceded to his plea and he emerged from it. If you exile him to the wilderness, his ancestors already procreated in the wilderness, and they were confronted with numerous ordeals and passed them all and were rescued. If you blind his eyes, Samson took numerous Philistine lives when he was blind. Rather, hang him on a gibbet, as no member of his people has survived it.
Immediately, “the matter was pleasing to Haman and he prepared the gibbet” (Esther 5:14). From what tree was that gibbet crafted? The Rabbis said: When he came to prepare it, the Holy One blessed be He called to all the trees of Creation: ‘Who will give [of its wood] so this wicked one [Haman] will be hanged on it?’
The fig said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel brings first fruits from me. Moreover, Israel was likened to the first fruits [of a fig]; that is what is written: “Like a first fruit on a fig tree in its first season”’ (Hosea 9:10).
The grapevine said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me; that is what is written: “You transported a vine from Egypt”’ (Psalms 80:9).
The pomegranate said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me; as it is stated: “Your temple is like a pomegranate slice”’ (Song of Songs 4:3).
The nut said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was likened to me; that is what is written: “I have descended to the nut garden”’ (Song of Songs 6:11).
The citron said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel takes from me for a mitzva; that is what is written: “You shall take for you on the first day the fruit of a pleasant tree…”’1This verse refers to the mitzva to take the four species on Sukkot. Rabbinic tradition identifies the “pleasant tree” as the citron. (Leviticus 23:40).
The myrtle said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me; as it is stated: “And he was standing among the myrtles”’ (Zechariah 1:8).
The olive said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me; as it is stated: “The Lord called your name a flourishing olive-tree, fair of fruit and form”’ (Jeremiah 11:16).
The apple said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me; as it is stated: “Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my beloved among the boys” (Song of Songs 2:3), and as it is written: “And the fragrance of your face like apples”’ (Song of Songs 7:9).
The palm said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me; that is what is written: “This, your stature, is likened to a palm”’ (Song of Songs 7:8).
Acacia trees and cypress trees said: ‘We will give of ourselves, as the Sanctuary was crafted and the Temple was constructed from us.’
The cedar and the date said: ‘We will give of ourselves, as we are analogized to the righteous, as it is stated: “The righteous man flourishes like a palm tree; like a cedar in Lebanon he grows tall”’ (Psalms 92:13).
The willow says: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me, as it is stated: “Like willows by streams of water” (Isaiah 44:4); and they take from me for the mitzva of the four species in the lulav.’
At that moment, the thorn said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, I, who have nothing to ascribe [litlot] to myself, I will give of myself, and that impure one will be hanged [veyitaleh]. My name is thorn, and he [Haman] is a painful thorn; it is appropriate for a thorn to be hanged on a thorn.’ They found [suitable wood from a thorn] and erected [the gibbet].
When they brought it before Haman, he prepared it at the entrance to his house and measured himself on it to show his servants how Mordekhai should be hanged on it. A divine voice replied to him: ‘The tree is suitable for you; this tree has been prepared for you since the six days of Creation.’ The Rabbis there [i.e. Babylonia] say: Where in the Torah is there [an allusion] to Haman? It is, as it is stated: “Was it from the tree [hamin haetz]” (Genesis 3:11), which is expounded to read: Haman haetz.
Another matter: “it was on the third day” (Esther 5:1). Israel is never subject to trouble for more than three days, as in Abraham’s regard it is written: “On the third day, Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place from a distance” (Genesis 22:4). The tribes, “he gathered them into custody for three days” (Genesis 42:17). Jonah, as it is stated: “Jonah was in the innards of the fish three days and three nights” (Jonah 2:1). And the dead will live only after three days, as it is stated: “On the third day He will raise us” (Hosea 6:2).2At the resurrection of the dead, all will be revived for the day of judgement, when some will be granted “eternal life,” and others will receive “reproaches and everlasting abhorrence” (Daniel 12:2). The midrash here is stating that the righteous will experience the anxiety of the impending judgement for three days before they are granted eternal life. This miracle, too, transpired after three days of their fasting; that is what is written: “It was on the third day, that Esther donned royalty” (Esther 5:1). She sent and invited Haman to a banquet with the king on the fifteenth of Nisan. Once they ate and drank, Haman said: ‘The king promotes me, his wife honors me, and there is no one in the kingdom greater than I am,’ and his heart was overjoyed; that is what is written: “Haman emerged on that day joyful and glad of heart” (Esther 5:9).
וַיֹּאמֶר הָמָן אַף לֹא הֵבִיאָה אֶסְתֵּר הַמַּלְכָּה וגו' (אסתר ה, יב), אַרְבָּעָה הֵם שֶׁפָּתְחוּ בְּאַף וְאָבְדוּ בְּאַף, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: נָחָשׁ, וְשַׂר הָאוֹפִים, וַעֲדַת קֹרַח, וְהָמָן. נָחָשׁ, דִּכְתִיב (בראשית ג, א): אַף כִּי אָמַר אֱלֹהִים. שַׂר הָאוֹפִים, דִּכְתִיב (בראשית מ, טז): אַף אֲנִי בַּחֲלוֹמִי. עֲדַת קֹרַח, דִּכְתִיב (במדבר טז, יד): אַף לֹא אֶל אֶרֶץ. הָמָן, דִּכְתִיב: אַף לֹא הֵבִיאָה אֶסְתֵּר הַמַּלְכָּה. “Haman said: ‘Indeed, Queen Esther gave a feast and besides the king she did not bring anyone but me. And tomorrow too I am invited by her along with the king” (Esther 5:12).
“Haman said: Indeed [af], Queen Esther…did not bring anyone.” Four began with af and were eliminated with af,3One of the meanings of the word af is anger. The midrash is saying that these four individuals or groups, who used the word af, were eliminated by divine anger due to their sins. and they are: The snake, the baker, the congregation of Koraḥ, and Haman. The snake, as it is written: “Did God actually [af] say” (Genesis 3:1); the baker, as it is written: “I, too [af], in my dream” (Genesis 40:16); the congregation of Koraḥ, as it is written: “Yet [af] [you did not take us] to a land flowing with milk and honey” (Numbers 16:14); Haman, as it is written: “Indeed [af], Queen Esther did not bring anyone.”
לְאַחַר שֶׁעָשָׂה הָעֵץ, הָלַךְ אֵצֶל מָרְדֳּכַי וּמְצָאוֹ שֶׁהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ וְהַתִּינוֹקוֹת יוֹשְׁבִים לְפָנָיו וְשַׂקִּים בְּמָתְנֵיהֶם וְעוֹסְקִים בַּתּוֹרָה, וְהָיוּ צוֹעֲקִים וּבוֹכִים, וּמָנָה אוֹתָם וּמָצָא שָׁם [שנים עשר] [שנים ועשרים אלף] תִּינוֹקוֹת, הִשְׁלִיךְ עֲלֵיהֶם שַׁלְשְׁלָאוֹת שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל וְהִפְקִיד עֲלֵיהֶם שׁוֹמְרִים, וְאָמַר לְמָחָר אֶהֱרֹג אֵלּוּ הַתִּינוֹקוֹת תְּחִלָּה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ אֶתְלֶה אֶת מָרְדֳּכָי. וְהָיוּ אִמּוֹתֵיהֶם מְבִיאוֹת לָהֶם לֶחֶם וּמַיִם וְאוֹמְרוֹת לָהֶם בָּנֵינוּ אִכְלוּ וּשְׁתוּ קֹדֶם שֶׁתָּמוּתוּ לְמָחָר וְאַל תָּמוּתוּ בָּרָעָב, מִיָּד הָיוּ מַנִּיחִין יְדֵיהֶם עַל סִפְרֵיהֶם וְנִשְׁבָּעִים בְּחַיֵּי מָרְדֳּכַי רַבֵּנוּ לֹא נֹאכַל וְלֹא נִשְׁתֶּה, אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ תַּעֲנִיתֵנוּ נָמוּת, גָּעוּ כֻּלָּם בִּבְכִיָּה עַד שֶׁעָלְתָה שַׁוְעָתָם לַמָּרוֹם וְשָׁמַע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא קוֹל בְּכִיָּתָם כְּבִשְׁתֵּי שָׁעוֹת בַּלַּיְלָה, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה נִתְגַּלְגְּלוּ רַחֲמָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְעָמַד מִכִּסֵּא דִּין וְיָשַׁב בְּכִסֵּא רַחֲמִים, וְאָמַר מַה קּוֹל גָּדוֹל הַזֶּה שֶׁאֲנִי שׁוֹמֵעַ כִּגְדָיִים וּטְלָאִים, עָמַד משֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְאָמַר, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם לֹא גְדָיִים וְלֹא טְלָאִים הֵם אֶלָּא קְטַנֵּי עַמְךָ שֶׁהֵם שְׁרוּיִים בְּתַעֲנִית הַיּוֹם שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים וּשְׁלשָׁה לֵילוֹת, וּלְמָחָר רוֹצֶה הָאוֹיֵב לְשָׁחֲטָם כִּגְדָיִים וּטְלָאִים. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה נָטַל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹתָן אִגְרוֹת שֶׁגָּזַר עֲלֵיהֶם שֶׁהָיוּ חֲתוּמוֹת בְּחוֹתָם שֶׁל טִיט, וּקְרָעָם, וְהִפִּיל עַל אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ בֶּהָלָה בְּאוֹתוֹ לַיְלָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא וגו'.
After he erected the gibbet, he went to Mordekhai and found that he was sitting in the study hall with the children sitting before him, with sackcloth on their waists, engaging in the study of Torah, and they were screaming and weeping. He counted them and found there twenty-two thousand children. He cast iron chains on them and deployed guards over them. He said: ‘Tomorrow, I will kill these children first and then I will hang Mordekhai.’ Their mothers were bringing them food and water and saying to them: ‘Our children, eat and drink before you die and don’t die hungry.’ Immediately, they placed their hands on their books and took an oath: ‘By the life of Mordekhai our master, we will not eat and drink, but will die while fasting.’ All of them began weeping loudly until their cries reached the heavens. The Holy One blessed be He heard the sound of their weeping approximately two hours into the night.
At that moment, the compassion of the Holy One blessed be He was aroused, and He stood up from His throne of justice and sat down on His throne of mercy, and said: ‘What is that loud sound I hear that sounds like goats and lambs?’ Moses our master stood before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe, they are neither goats nor lambs, but rather the children of Your people, who are fasting today [and have already been fasting for] three days and three nights, and tomorrow their enemy seeks to slaughter them like goats and lambs.’ At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He took those letters that He had decreed against them that were sealed with mortar seals and He ripped them.4See Esther Rabba 7:14. He brought fear upon Aḥashverosh that night; that is what is written: “On that night [sleep deserted the king, and he ordered the book of records, the annals to be brought; and it was read to the king] (Esther 6:1).