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Questions tagged [megillat-esther]

Concerning Esther's rise to power as queen of Achashveirosh (Xerxes I) of Persia and her thwarting Haman's attempt to destroy the Jewish people during the era of exile after the Destruction of the First Beis Hamikdash

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Why is Haman vague?

In Esther 3:8, Haman describes a group of people in vague terms. He doesn't specify the Jews. Why not? Related to this, does Achashverosh have any clue to what he's referring to? Or, does it not matter to the king who it is; he's not happy with any…
DanF
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Why is Daniel called Memuchan?

There is a machlokes who Memuchan is. One opinion is that it is Haman. According to that opinion he is called Memuchan because he prepared [in hebrew: muchan] himself to be punished (Megillah 12b). According to another opinion he is Daniel (Pirkei…
Simcha
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Who was Esther's "father's house"?

Esther is warned when she resists visiting Achashverosh that, if she demures, salvation would come from another source and וְאַ֥תְּ וּבֵית־אָבִ֖יךְ תֹּאבֵ֑דוּ "you and your father's house will perish." But Esther's parents were dead and there is no…
rosends
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Friends and experts of Haman

Haman had a wife and friends. When a misfortune happened to him, the Megila doesn't speak anymore about his friends but about "chachsmav", which we can perhaps translate as his experts. Are they the same people? If yes why change their name?
kouty
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Did Achashverosh know about Haman's hatred for Mordechai?

On the one level, I might think he didn't since why would the king keep track of Haman's personal vendettas. However, when he tells Haman to go honor Mordechai, he tells him exactly where to find him - at the gate. This would imply that he keeps…
Reverend Bubbles
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Did Achashverosh (or his court) know that Mordechai was Esther's relative?

When Esther was chosen by the Persian king her uncle Mordechai told her to keep her identity a secret, which she did: Esther had not yet made known her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her; for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai,…
Monica Cellio
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What does the comment say after the end of Esther?

I see that after the text, there is a short note at the end of each book, what do these notes say?
Phillip
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What is so important about the Bigsan and Seresh subplot?

In the Megillah, Mordechai saves the king's life from Bigsan and Seresh, and by doing so, he ultimately gets paraded around the city by Haman. Let's say that this subplot never happened. How would the story have been different? Esther still would…
DonielF
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Megillat Esther - Explain the different documents issued to publish royal laws

I noticed that Megillat Esther mentions two types of documents used to proclaim royal edicts. In Esther 1:22 the term ספרים is used to inform people that every man should be the ruler of his household. In Esther 3:13 - 14 ספרים as well as פתשגן כתב…
DanF
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Difference between phrases in Esther 1:22

What is the difference between the phrases אל מדינה ומדינה ככתבה, to each country according to its writing, and אל עם ועם כלשונו, to each nation according to its tongue, found in Esther 1:22 regarding the decree to kill rebellious wives? Both…
DonielF
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Can one read the megilla in Adar rishon when traveling afar?

The Mechaber writes in 688:7 : "If one is sailing at sea or going out in a caravan and does not find a Megillah to take with, one should read on the 13th or the 12th or the 11th without a blessing. And if it is impossible to wait until those days,…
sam
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Did Mordechai bow to Achashverosh?

The Megilla makes a big deal about Mordechai not bowing to Haman. However, we don't see any reference to him bowing or not before the actual king. Did he?
Reverend Bubbles
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Kri and Ksiv in Megila

Why is it by some of the kri and ksivs in the megilla - like Memuchan and kiblu, we just say the Kri and other ones I've seen some actually say both the kri and the ksiv - the Baal Koreh reads be-amram, ki-amram (third chapter, fourth verse) or…
Draizy-Levi Pine
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What does the Megillah mean when it says Mordechai was "dover shalom" to all his seed?

Megillas Esther 10:3 tells us that Mordechai was great among the Jews and accepted of the multitude of his brethren; "seeking the good of his people and speaking peace [v'dover shalom] to all his seed." What does the Megillah mean by v'dover…
Bruce James
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Why did Ester fast right away?

B"H After hearing about the decree, Ester became very worried and she wanted to tell the king right away about nullifying it, but she wasn't allowed to see him without permission, so she asked the entire Jewish people to fast for 3 days right away…
Awtsmoos--עצמות
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