Table of Contents
Esther 4
Esther 4
1 When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;
2 And came even before the king's gate: for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.
3 And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
4 So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not.
5 Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.
6 So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king's gate.
7 And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.
8 Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people.
9 And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.
10 Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai;
11 All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or women, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.
12 And they told to Mordecai Esther's words.
13 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.
14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
15 Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,
16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
17 So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.
Notes
Cross Reference
Concordance
Commentary
Rashi
Verse 1
<html><b>Mordechai was apprized.</b> The Master of Dreams told him1<i class=“footnote”>He was told by means of a dream and not by רוח הקדש [The Holy Spirit], a higher form of prophecy, because “Shushan was in confusion,” and רוח הקדש [The Holy Spirit] dwells only in the midst of joy. Alternatively, Eliyahu the prophet told him. </i> that the celestial beings had consented to this [decree], because they had prostrated themselves to the idol in the days of Nevuchadnetzar, and because they had enjoyed Achashveirosh’s feast.2<i class=“footnote”>See Esther Rabbah 7:13 and Maseches Megillah 12a. </i> </html>
Verse 2
<html><b>For one could not enter.</b> It is improper to enter the king’s gate dressed in sackcloth.</html>
Verse 3
<html><b>The king’s directives and bylaws.</b> When the couriers carrying the letters passed, the edict was given in the city. </html>
Verse 7
<html><b>And of the silver.</b> The explanation of the silver.3<i class=“footnote”>Mordechai wanted to make it clear to Esther that the king could not be bribed. He therefore provided her with an explanation of the silver, i.e., that Achashveirosh was reluctant to accept the 10,000 silver kikars offered by Haman. </i> </html>
Verse 13
<html><b>You had better not fantasize.</b> [I.e.,] “Do not think,” as in, “And it will be, that which I had thought.”4<i class=“footnote”>Bamidbar 33:56. </i> Do not imagine to yourself, do not think to escape in the king’s palace on the day of the massacre, and therefore you do not want to endanger yourself now5<i class=“footnote”>Esther apparently wanted to delay going to the king. Mordechai therefore emphasized to Esther that she must not hesitate, but rather she must seize the moment and go immediately before the king and beg him to spare her people. </i> by taking the risk of coming to the king without permission. </html>
Verse 14
<html><b>Who knows whether, at this time next year, you will retain your royal position.</b> [I.e.,] “And who knows whether the king will desire you next year, which is the time of the massacre.”6<i class=“footnote”>I.e., who knows whether you will be spared from the decree. </i> <b>At this time next year.</b> For he was presently in Nisan, and the time of the massacre was in Adar of the next year. <b>You will retain your royal position.</b> If you will attain the greatness which you now enjoy.</html>
Verse 16
<html><b>Even though it is unlawful.</b> For it is contrary to the law for one who has not been summoned to enter. And the Midrash Aggadah [explains], “even though it is unlawful,” [to signify], “for until now I was coerced [to live with Achashveirosh], but now [I will do so] willingly.”7<i class=“footnote”>Maseches Megillah 15a. </i> <b>And as I am bereft, so must I be further bereft.</b> [I.e.,] “And just as I have begun to go to destruction [by appearing before Achashveirosh without being summoned], I will go and die.” And the Midrash Aggadah [explains], “as I am lost [i.e., orphaned] from my father’s house, so will I be lost to you, for from now on, that I am submitting willingly to a heathen, I will be forbidden to you.”8<i class=“footnote”>Because the Torah forbids a wife to her husband if she voluntarily had relations with another man. </i> </html>
Verse 17
<html><b>Mordechai passed.</b> [I.e., he transgressed] the law9<i class=“footnote”>Otherwise, ויעבר מרדכי is apparently superfluous because the text further states that he implemented all her instructions. Alternatively, Mordechai actually went over (=ויעבר) a bridge. (Maseches Megillah 15a) </i> by fasting on the first festive day of Pesach, for he fasted on the fourteenth, the fifteenth10<i class=“footnote”>I.e., Pesach. Although the holiday feast is obligatory, Mordechai bypassed the obligation and ordered the fast, using the special authority of the Sanhedrin to suspend such obligations in times of extreme need. (Maseches Megillah 15a) </i>,11<i class=“footnote”>Midrash Esther Rabbah (8:7) is of the opinion that the three day fast was on the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth day of Nisan. </i> and the sixteenth, for the letters were written on the thirteenth day.</html>