A Midrash on Threat Levels & Risk Management
(Text of Midrash listed below)
Summary: The homiletical work Esther Rabbah (part of the Midrash Rabbah collection) distills the sermons from Talmudic Sages on the Book of Esther. These distilled sermons are represented as part of new text which may feature "debates" between Sages. [These debates may have actually taken place at some point in time, or they are imagined by the editors of the collection as the distilled messages are placed alongside other points of view. In the Midrash's introductory section, the seemingly isolated debates between Sages on the meaning of various biblical verses appear to produce a complex schema of threat assessment. The threat assessment levels conceived by the Midrashic authors appear to be the following:
- The Doomsday Clock: A debate appears concerning three threat level assessments, each threat level producing a greater level of fear and terror as the eventuality of destruction seems more certain. Nevertheless, in this scenario, it is possible to mitigate the risk. A key phrase is "the Torah does not speak of the dead" (in reference to someone who has very little food security and must purchase bread from the baker). According to this principle, the risk associated with troubling times of this nature are not entirely hopeless.
- The Rise and Fall of the Empire: Threats to Jewish survival never cease, and as the various empires rise and fall, the threat never goes away. It simply changes appearance in the new era.
- Exile and Forced Migration: For the Talmudic Sages, the Land of Israel was not only holy but its essential setting could assure Jewish survival. Similarly, Babylon held such capacity for Jewish life that survival seemed possible. Egypt, however, was seen as the terrible choice for exile. Jewish life in Egypt seemed to represent an absolute failure on the part of Jewish Diaspora, although it is described as a refuge of last resorts. The renewed exile to Egypt is seen as three events that take place over a span of several centuries. It also seems that the Midrash resorts to a special narrative (see below) to describe the most painful event in this trio: the persecutions of the Jews by Emperor Trajan.
- The Worst Kind of Slavery: Persecution is one thing, genocide is another. What happens if the civilisation which has come to dominate the Jewish People is not interested in tolerance, nor governance through persecution, but only in the utter annihilation of the Jews. Furthermore, slavery may become a pretext for annihilation. First the Jews are sold, then they are destroyed. This description of a slavery which results not in servitude but in destruction is the worst slavery of all.
The Opening of the Midrash
Section #1 - The Doomsday Clock
Megilat Esther begins with "Va'yehi" ("And it was") which is typically understood in the Talmud and Midrashic writings as an expression of woe ("va'y").
Rav would discuss this theme by introducing a debate between Rabbi Berakhia and the Sages concerning the curse of insecurity (Deut. 28:66). The debate centres on the curse as manifest in three form of food insecurity.
- The Sages: These insecurities relate to the wholesale customer who buys one year's worth of wheat supply, the retail customer, and the bakery customer. The common theme here is that without land, these individuals are reliant on others for their food supply.
- Rabbi Berakhia: These insecurities relate to the wholesale customer who buys three years' worth of wheat supply, the wholesale customer who buys one year's worth of wheat, and the retail customer. Rabbi Berakhia views the bakery customer as a "deadman" who has no hope for food security.
For Rav, these threat levels are reflected in the Purim story, in the style of the Doomsday Clock, as the threat of destruction becomes more certain, the terror on the part of the Jews increases and increases.
Section #2 - The Rise and Fall of Empires
The cycle of civilisations is a popular theme for Talmudic preachers. There seems to be no shortage of biblical verses to map onto the theme of the "Four Exiles" (Babylon, Persia/Media, Greece, Rome).
Section #3 - Exile and Forced Migration
The theme of the "return to Egypt" is a prospect that seems to haunt the Talmudic Sages. While the exile to Babylon is tragic, it could be seen as somehow in accordance with the Divine Will. However, the return to Egypt is viewed as an utter failing of the Jewish People. Perhaps this reflects a rivalry between Babylon and Egypt as two models for Diaspora Judaism. This theme is linked to three historical migrations to Egypt.
- The migration to Egypt following the defeat of the Northern Kingdom of Israel at the hands of Sennacherib, King of Assyria, results in an early Jewish settlement in Egypt (perhaps this is linked to the Jewish temple in Elephantine).
- The reference to Yochanan ben Koreach is from the Book of Jeremiah (Chapters 40-44) which tells of a Jewish migration to Egypt following the assassination of Gedaliah, the Governor of Judah.
In this Midrash, the most elaborate story concerns the persecution of the Jews during the reign of Emperor Trajan. Trajan reigned from 98-117 CE, during which the Kitos War occured resulting in the death of entire Jewish communities. In this section, the object of criticism is the choice of some Jews who left the Holy Land for Egypt following the persecutions.
There is a special narrative used in this passage, one that reflects a dark style of drama with the Jews being victim of the most unfortunate series of events.
First, in this narrative we must assume that both Emperor Trajan and his wife, Pompeia Plotina, dislike the Jews. Next, Plotina gives birth on the Ninth of Av, a day of national mourning for the Jews. This coincidence goes unnoticed until later in the story. Next, royal infant dies on the holiday of Hanukkah. The Jews are conflicted: Shall the Jews celebrate Hanukkah with the lighting of lamps, or not? To celebrate on a day of mourning for the royal couple could prove risky. The Jews miscalculate and insist that the celebrations go ahead unchanged despite the danger. As expected, word gets to Plotina: The Jews marked the birth with mourning and the baby's death with celebration. Furious, Plotina writes to Trajan who is off battling the Partians to return to Judea and deal with the Jewish revolt. A miracle occurs and Trajan's journey is halved (this is known as kefitzat haderech, an old idea of teleportation/warp/fast travel). Trajan is unsure of the meaning of the miracle and seeks out a Jewish study house where he finds the school engaged in a verse which he interprets according to his situation. Finally, Trajan's legions surround the Jews and kill them.
Section #4 - The Worst Kind of Slavery
The prospect of slavery in the Jewish imagination is one which seems very real. Here the Midrashic Sages distinguish between the standard form of slavery which results in subjugation and servitude. In such a case, redemption is still possible. On the other hand, another form of slavery appears here and is thought of as a kind of pretense for genocide. This more frightening prospect is viewed as the setting for the Purim Story.
(א) וַיְהִי בִּימֵי אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ
רַב פָּתַח (דברים כח, סו): וְהָיוּ חַיֶּיךָ תְּלֻאִים לְךָ מִנֶּגֶד, רַבָּנָן וְרַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה, רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי וְהָיוּ חַיֶּיךָ תְּלֻאִים לְךָ, זֶה שֶׁהוּא לוֹקֵחַ חִטִּים לְשָׁנָה. (דברים כח, סו): וּפָחַדְתָּ לַיְלָה וְיוֹמָם, זֶה שֶׁהוּא לוֹקֵחַ חִטִּין מִן הַסִּידְקִי. וְלֹא תַאֲמִין בְּחַיֶּיךָ, זֶה שֶׁהוּא לוֹקֵחַ לוֹ מִן הַפַּלְטֵר. וְרַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה אָמַר: וְהָיוּ חַיֶּיךָ תְּלֻאִים לְךָ, זֶה שֶׁהוּא לוֹקֵחַ לוֹ חִטִּים לְשָׁלשׁ שָׁנִים. וּפָחַדְתָּ לַיְלָה וְיוֹמָם, זֶה שֶׁהוּא לוֹקֵחַ לוֹ חִטִּים לְשָׁנָה. וְלֹא תַאֲמִין בְּחַיֶּיךָ, זֶה שֶׁהוּא לוֹקֵחַ לוֹ חִטִּים מִן הַסִּידְקִי.
מְתִיבִין רַבָּנָן לְרַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה וְהַלּוֹקֵחַ מִן הַפַּלְטֵר מַהוּ, אָמַר לָהֶם לֹא דִבְּרָה תּוֹרָה בַּמֵּתִים.
דָּבָר אַחֵר, וְהָיוּ חַיֶּיךָ תְּלֻאִים לְךָ מִנֶּגֶד, זֶה שֶׁהוּא נָתוּן בִּדְיוֹטִי שֶׁל קֵיסָרִין. וּפָחַדְתָּ לַיְלָה וְיוֹמָם, זֶה שֶׁהוּא יוֹצֵא לִדּוֹן. וְלֹא תַאֲמִין בְּחַיֶּיךָ, זֶה שֶׁהוּא יוֹצֵא לְהִצָּלֵב.
רַב פָּתַר קְרָיָיה בְּהָמָן, וְהָיוּ חַיֶּיךָ תְּלֻאִים לְךָ מִנֶּגֶד, מֵעֵת לְעֵת מֵהֲסָרַת טַבַּעַת. וּפָחַדְתָּ לַיְלָה וְיוֹמָם, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהַכְּתָבִים פּוֹרְחִין. וְלֹא תַאֲמִין בְּחַיֶּיךָ (אסתר ג, יד): לִהְיוֹת עֲתִדִים לַיּוֹם הַזֶּה.
(ב) בַּבֹּקֶר תֹּאמַר מִי יִתֵּן עֶרֶב (דברים כח, סז),
בְּבָקְרָהּ שֶׁל בָּבֶל תֹּאמַר מִי יִתֵּן עַרְבָּהּ.
בְּבָקְרָהּ שֶׁל מָדַי תֹּאמַר מִי יִתֵּן עַרְבָּהּ,
בְּבָקְרָהּ שֶׁל יָוָן תֹּאמַר מִי יִתֵּן עַרְבָּהּ,
בְּבָקְרָהּ שֶׁל אֱדוֹם תֹּאמַר מִי יִתֵּן עַרְבָּהּ.
דָּבָר אַחֵר, בַּבֹּקֶר תֹּאמַר מִי יִתֵּן עֶרֶב,
בְּבָקְרָהּ שֶׁל בָּבֶל תֹּאמַר מִי יִתֵּן עַרְבָּהּ שֶׁל מָדַי,
וּבְבָקְרָהּ שֶׁל מָדַי תֹּאמַר מִי יִתֵּן עַרְבָּהּ שֶׁל יָוָן,
וּבְבָקְרָהּ שֶׁל יָוָן תֹּאמַר מִי יִתֵּן עַרְבָּהּ שֶׁל אֱדוֹם.
לָמָּה, מִפַּחַד לְבָבְךָ אֲשֶׁר תִּפְחָד וּמִמַּרְאֵה עֵינֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר תִּרְאֶה.
(ג) וֶהֱשִׁיבְךָ יהוה מִצְרַיִם בָּאֳנִיּוֹת (דברים כח, סח). אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק בָּאֳנִיּוֹת, בַּעֲנִיּוּת מִמַּעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים. וְלָמָּה לְמִצְרַיִם, שֶׁכִּעוּר וָרַע יֵשׁ לְעֶבֶד כְּשֶׁהוּא חוֹזֵר לְרַבּוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן.
אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי בִּשְׁלשָׁה מְקוֹמוֹת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַזְהִיר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁלֹא יַחְזְרוּ לְמִצְרַיִם, הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יד, יג): כִּי אֲשֶׁר רְאִיתֶם אֶת מִצְרַיִם וגו', וְהַשֵּׁנִי כְּתִיב (דברים יז, טז): וַיהוה אָמַר לָכֶם לֹא תֹסִפוּן לָשׁוּב בַּדֶּרֶךְ הַזֶּה, וְהָדֵין שְׁלִישִׁי, דִּכְתִיב: וֶהֱשִׁיבְךָ יהוה מִצְרַיִם בָּאֳנִיּוֹת.
בִּשְׁלָשְׁתָּן כָּפְרוּ וּבִשְׁלָשְׁתָּן לָקוּ. הָרִאשׁוֹנָה בִּימֵי סַנְחֵרִיב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה לא, א): הוֹי הַיֹּרְדִים מִצְרַיִם לְעֶזְרָה, מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ: וּמִצְרַיִם אָדָם וְלֹא אֵל. שֵׁנִית, בִּימֵי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן קָרֵחַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה מב, טז): וְהָיְתָה הַחֶרֶב אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם יְרֵאִים מִמֶּנָּה וגו'. וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁית בִּימֵי טְרַכִינוּס שְׁחִיק עֲצָמוֹת, יָלְדָה אִשְׁתּוֹ בְּלֵיל תִּשְׁעָה בְּאָב וְהָיוּ כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲבֵלִים, נִשְׁחַק הַוְּלַד בַּחֲנֻכָּה, אָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל נַדְלִיק אוֹ לֹא נַדְלִיק, אָמְרוּ נַדְלִיק וְכָל מַה דְּבָעֵי לִימְטֵי עֲלָן יִמְטֵי, אַדְלִיקוּ, אֲזַלוּן וַאֲמַרוּן לִישְׁנָא בִּישׁ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁל טְרַכִינוּס, אִילֵין יְהוּדָאִין כַּד יְלֵידַתְּ הֲווֹ מִתְאַבְּלִין, וְכַד מָיֵית וַלְדָּא אַדְלִיקוּ בּוּצִינִין. שָׁלְחָה וְכָתְבָה לְבַעְלָהּ עַד דְּאַתְּ מְכַבֵּשׁ בַּרְבָּרִיִּין, בּוֹא וּכְבוֹשׁ אִילֵין יְהוּדָאִין דִּמְרָדוּ בָּךְ. סְלִיק לְאִילְפָא וַחֲשַׁב לְמֵיתֵי בַּעֲשָׂרָה יוֹמִין, וְאַיְיתֵיהּ רוּחָא בַּחֲמִשָּׁה יוֹמִין, אֲתָא וְאַשְׁכְּחִינוּן דַּהֲווֹ עֲסִיקִין בְּהָדֵין פְּסוּקָא (דברים כח, מט): יִשָֹּׂא יהוה עָלֶיךָ גּוֹי מֵרָחֹק מִקְצֵה הָאָרֶץ כַּאֲשֶׁר יִדְאֶה הַנָּשֶׁר, אֲמַר לְהוֹן אֲנָא הוּא נִשְׁרָא דַּחֲשֵׁיבִית לְמֵיתֵי בַּעֲשָׂרָה יוֹמִין וְאַיְתִיתַנִי רוּחָא בַּחֲמִשָּׁה יוֹמִין, הֵקִיפוֹן לִגְיוֹנוֹתָיו וַהֲרָגָן. וְאֵין קוֹנֶה, לָמָּה אֵין קוֹנֶה, רַב אָמַר עַל יְדֵי שֶׁלֹא הִקְנֵיתֶם דִּבְרֵי הַבְּרִית, שֶׁאֵין בָּכֶם מִי קוֹנֶה דִּבְרֵי חֲמִשָּׁה סִפְרֵי תוֹרָה, מִנְיַן שֶׁל קוֹנֶה. אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן עַל יְדֵי שֶׁחָזַרְתִּי עַל כָּל הָאֻמּוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם וְאֵין מִי קוֹנֶה דִבְרֵי תוֹרָה כַּיּוֹצֵא בָכֶם. אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר יִצְחָק אַתֶּם יֵשׁ לָכֶם קִנְיָן בְּאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כה, מה): וְגַם מִבְּנֵי הַתּוֹשָׁבִים הַגָּרִים עִמָּכֶם מֵהֶם תִּקְנוּ, אֲבָל לָאֻמּוֹת אֵין לָהֶם קִנְיָן בָּכֶם. וְלָמָּה יֵשׁ לָכֶם קִנְיָן בְּאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהִקְנֵיתֶם אֵלֶּה דִבְרֵי הַבְּרִית. וְלָמָּה אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם אֵין לָהֶן קִנְיָן בָּכֶם, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁלֹא קָנוּ אֵלֶּה דִבְרֵי הַבְּרִית. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן אַתֶּם יֵשׁ לָכֶם פַּטְרוֹנוֹת, וּמָה הֵן אֵלֶּה דִבְרֵי הַבְּרִית. אָמַר רַבִּי יוּדָא אַתֶּם טַמִּיקָא אַתֶּם, הַלּוֹקֵחַ לוֹ עֶבֶד מִן הַטַּמִּיקָא שׁוּב אֵינוֹ מִתְחַיֵּב בְּנַפְשׁוֹ, שֶׁכֵּן אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ אוֹמֵר לְאִשְׁתּוֹ (אסתר ח, ז): הִנֵּה בֵית הָמָן נָתַתִּי לְאֶסְתֵּר, וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוּדָא בַּר רַבִּי סִימוֹן עַל דְּפָשַׁט יָדֵיהּ בְּטַמִּיקָא כֵּן הֲוָה לֵיהּ. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק מַעֲשֶׂה בִּפְרוֹצֶפְּיָה בְּאִשָּׁה אַחַת שֶׁהָיְתָה פּוֹדָה אֶת הַשְּׁבוּיִים, בָּאֲתָה שְׁבוּיָה אַחַת וּפְדָאַתָּהּ, שְׁנִיָּה, וּפְדָאַתָּהּ, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁמָּטָה יָדָהּ וְלֹא הָיְתָה יְכוֹלָה לִפְדוֹת, מִיָּד הִקִּיפוּהָ לִגְיוֹנוֹת וַהֲרָגוּהָ, וְכָל כָּךְ לָמָּה, כְּדֵי לְזָרֵז הַשַּׁבָּאִים הַבָּאִים. רַבִּי לֵוִי וְרַבִּי יִצְחָק, רַבִּי לֵוִי אוֹמֵר מִי לָקַח לוֹ חָבֵר וּלְמָחָר הוּא לַהֲרִיגָה, מִי לָקַח לוֹ אִשָּׁה וּלְמָחָר הִיא לַהֲרִיגָה. רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר לַעֲבָדִים וְלִשְׁפָחוֹת אִי אַתֶּם נִקְנִין, אֲבָל אַתֶּם נִקְנִין לְהַשְּׁמִיד לַהֲרֹג וּלְאַבֵּד, שֶׁכֵּן אֶסְתֵּר אוֹמֶרֶת לַאֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ: וְאִלּוּ לַעֲבָדִים וְלִשְׁפָחוֹת נִמְכַּרְנוּ וגו'. שֶׁכֵּן כָּתַב לָנוּ משֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ בַּתּוֹרָה (דברים כח, סח): וְהִתְמַכַּרְתֶּם שָׁם לְאֹיְבֵיכֶם לַעֲבָדִים וְלִשְׁפָחוֹת וְאֵין קוֹנֶה, שֶׁמָּא לְהַשְּׁמִיד לַהֲרֹג וּלְאַבֵּד, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ הַכֹּל הִתְחִילוּ צוֹוְחִין וַוי, וַיְהִי, וַוי שֶׁהָיָה בִּימֵי אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ.
(1) “It was during the days of Aḥashverosh; that Aḥashverosh who reigned from India to Kush, over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces” (Esther 1:1).Rav began: “Your life will be suspended before you, and you will fear night and day, and you will not be assured of your life” (Deuteronomy 28:66). The Rabbis and Rabbi Berekhya; the Rabbis said: “Your life will be suspended before you,” that is one who purchases wheat for a year. “And you will fear night and day,” that is one who purchases wheat for himself from the retailer. “And you will not be assured of your life,” that is one who purchases for himself from the baker.Rabbi Berekhya said: “Your life will be suspended before you,” that is one who purchases wheat for himself for three years. “And you will fear night and day,” that is one who purchases wheat for himself for one year. “And you will not be assured of your life,” that is one who purchases wheat for himself from the retailer.The Rabbis objected to Rabbi Berekhya: What of the one who purchases from the baker? He said to them: The Torah did not speak of the dead.Alternatively, “your life will be suspended before you,” that is one who is placed in the prisons of Caesarea. “And you will fear night and day,” that is one who is taken to judgment. “And you will not be assured of your life,” that is one who is taken out to be hanged.Rav interpreted the verse as relating to Haman: “Your life will be suspended before you,” – on the day following the removal of the ring. “And you will fear night and day” – when the letters were dispatched. “And you will not be assured of your life” – “to be ready for that day” (Esther 3:14).
(2) “In the morning you will say: Would that it were evening, and in the evening you will say: Would that it were morning – from your heart’s fear that you experience and your eyes’ sight that you see” (Deuteronomy 28:67).“In the morning you will say: Would that it were evening” – in the morning of Babylonia you will say: ‘Would that it were its evening.’ In the morning of Media, you will say: ‘Would that it were its evening.’ In the morning of Greece, you will say: ‘Would that it were its evening.’ In the morning of Edom, you will say: ‘Would that it were its evening.’Alternatively, “in the morning you will say: Would that it were evening,” in the morning of Babylonia you will say: Would that it were the evening of Media. In the morning of Media, you will say: Would that it were the evening of Greece. In the morning of Greece, you will say: Would that it were the evening of Edom. Why? “From your heart’s fear that you experience and your eyes’ sight that you see” (Deuteronomy 28:67).
(3) “The Lord will return you to Egypt in ships [baoniyyot], by the route of which I said to you: You will never see it again; and you will offer yourselves for sale there to your enemies, as slaves and as maidservants, and there will be no buyer” (Deuteronomy 28:68).Rabbi Yitzḥak said: “In ships” [baoniyyot] – in poverty [baaniyyut] of good deeds. Why to Egypt? Because a slave experiences humiliation and mistreatment when he returns to his original master. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: In three places, the Holy One blessed be He cautions Israel not to return to Egypt. The first, as it is stated: “For as you saw Egypt [today, you shall not see them ever again]” (Exodus 14:13). The second, it is written: “The Lord said to you: You shall not return again on that way anymore” (Deuteronomy 17:16). This is the third, as it is written: “The Lord will return you to Egypt in ships” (Deuteronomy 28:68).They [Israel] contravened all three of them and were punished for all three of them. The first, during the reign of Sanḥeriv, as it is stated: “Woe! Those who descend to Egypt for aid” (Isaiah 31:1), and what is written thereafter: “Egypt is man, not god […and all of them will perish together]” (Isaiah 31:3). Second, during the days of Yoḥanan ben Kare’aḥ, as it is stated: “It shall be that the sword which you fear [will overtake you there in the land of Egypt]” (Jeremiah 42:16). The third, during the reign of Trajan, may his bones be crushed: His wife gave birth on the Ninth of Av when all Israel was mourning. The baby died on Hanukkah. Israel said: Shall we light [Hanukkah lamps], or not light? They said: We shall light, and anything that he seeks to inflict upon us, let him inflict. They lit. They went and slandered them to Trajan’s wife: Those Jews, when you gave birth, they were mourning, when the baby died, they lit lamps. She sent a missive to her husband: Before you conquer the barbarians, come and conquer these Jews who have rebelled against you. He boarded the ship and expected to arrive in ten days, and the wind brought him in five days. He arrived and found them engaged in this verse: “The Lord will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as the eagle will swoop” (Deuteronomy 28:49). He said to them: I am the eagle, as I expected to arrive in ten days and the wind brought me in five days. His legions surrounded them and killed them.“And there is no buyer [koneh]” (Deuteronomy 28:68). Why is there no buyer? Rav said: It is because you did not impart the words of the covenant, as there is no one among you who is a buyer [koneh] of [i.e., one who learns] the five books of the Torah, the numerical value of koneh. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: Because I went around to all the nations of the world and there was no one acquiring [no buyer of] the words of the Torah like you [Israel] did. Rabbi Shmuel bar Yitzhak said: You have acquisition of [members of] the nations of the world [i.e. the ability to buy them as slaves], as it is stated: “Also from the children of the resident aliens who reside with you, from them you shall acquire” (Leviticus 25:45); but the nations have no acquisition of you. Why do you have acquisition of the nations of the world? It is because you imparted: “These are the words of the covenant” (Deuteronomy 28:69). Why don’t the nations of the world have acquisition in you? It is because they did not acquire: “These are the words of the covenant.”Rabbi Yonatan said: You have patrons, and what are they? They are the words of the covenant. Rabbi Yuda said: You are property of the crown; Isn’t the life of one who takes a slave from the property of the crown forfeit? And so Aḥashverosh said to his wife: “Behold, I gave the house of Haman to Esther [and they hanged him on the gibbet]” (Esther 8:7), and Rabbi Yuda bar Rabbi Simon said: It is because he extended his hand to harm the property of the crown, so it befell him.Rabbi Yitzḥak said: There was an incident in Protzefya involving a certain woman who would redeem captives. One captive woman came, and she redeemed her. A second, and she redeemed her. When her means failed her and she was unable to redeem any more, soldiers immediately surrounded her and killed her. Why did they go to that extreme? In order to motivate future captors.Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Yitzḥak. Rabbi Levi said: Who acquires a friend, and the next day he is executed? Who acquires a wife, and the next day she is executed? Rabbi Yitzḥak said: You will not be acquired as slaves and maidservants, but you will be acquired to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be eliminated, as Esther said to Aḥashverosh: “For we have been sold, my people and I, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be eliminated; had we been sold as slaves and as maidservants, I would have been silent” (Esther 7:4). And so Moses wrote about us in the Torah: “And you will sell yourselves there to your enemies as slaves and as maidservants, and there will be no buyer” (Deuteronomy 28:68); perhaps to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be eliminated? When everyone saw, they began screaming: ‘Woe!’ “It was [vayhi],” woe [vai] for what transpired during the reign of Aḥashverosh.