Perek Bet; Megillat EstherW

How many years passed after Vashti was kicked out? How do we know?

4 years, we know this because in Pasuk Aleph it says he was in his 3rd. once you read ahead you can see that he was in his 7th (7-4=3).

What does the unnames servant say the king should do?

To gather young, attractive, virgin women from all 127 countries and if they get selected, they must come to Shushan.

Who was the womens butler?

Haigay, he has no genitals so he cant assault the women.

What was the delima and solver in Pasuk Aleph?

Delima: Vashti disobeys king.

Solver: Memuchan

Delima and solver of Pasuk Bet

Delima: The king is lonely, and sad.

Solver: Random Servant.

Delima and solver of Pasuk Gimmel

Delima: Haman wants to kill the Queen.

Solver: Charvona

Whats something we notice about all the solvers?

None of them are the king, showing he cant think for himself.

What does Pasuk Hay say about Mordechai, when intoducing him (family etc.)

His name was Mordechai, son of Yair, son of Shimi, the son of Keesh. He was a Benyamin.

Is Mordechai a Benyamin or Yehuda according to Rashi?

He grew up in the Yehuda region, but is a Benyamin.

Is Mordechai a Benyamin or Yehuda according to the Gemara?

He’s considered both, one parent was Yehuda and the other was Benyamin.

Why do we need to know Mordechai’s whole family tree?

To bring the point he was a Benyamin because he was related to Shaul. Shaul was Keeshes son.

How did Shaul mess up when he was fighting King Agags nation?

He killed the whole nation, except Agag. Agag had kids and a descendant was Haman. Now Mordechai must kill him.

How was Mordechai exiled from Jerusalem in 597 BCE when the Purim story takes place in 485 - 465 (according to Malbim)?

It wasn’t Mordechai that got exiled, it was his anscestors.

What was Mordechai’s relation to Hadassah/Esther?

They were cousins.

Rashi believes Mordechai also married her because the pasuk says “and he TOOK her”. When it says a man took a women, it means marriage usually.

Why was it good that Esther had 7 servants?

She has a different servant every day so her servant on Saturday/shabbat doesn’t know she’s acting different.

Why does Mordechai command Esther to not talk about her nation? (According to Rashi)

If she talks about her relation to a king, they’ll like her more (Mordechai doesn’t want to loose her).

Why does Mordechai command Esther to not talk about her nation? (According to IIbn Ezra)

Mordechai is afraid that if they find out shes not a native Persian, they wont take her. Mordechai want’s her to stay because he had a prophecy that she will save the Jews.

What were the girls 3 steps to meeting the king?

1) For 6 months they’d bathe in oils and another 6 months for perfuming and cosmetics.

2) When they were done, they got sent to the king with anything they asked for.

3) The girls would go at night and leave in the morning. They go to the house for the rejects, the butler names Shashkas is in charge. The girls never go back to the king unless they have been called by him.

Why if you got rejected, you had to go to a new house? Why cant she leave? (According to Ibn Ezra)

It’s disrespectful to the king if the girls sleep with anyone else so the girls need to stay in that house, if they go home they have freedom to sleep with someone else.

What does the king do when Esther is selected as queen?

He throws a party for the workers, gives out presents and lowers taxes in all 127 countries.

Why does the king lower taxes and give out gifts? (Prof, Elisheva, and Nava)

No one knows Esther, they may trust + like Vashti more. If the king lower taxes and give out gifts, they’ll like Esther more. It was also a way to try to get them to forget Vashti.

Why does the king lower taxes and give out gifts? (Pshat)

The king is annoyed that Esther isn’t fully honest with him. The king does these things so Esther see’s he’s good and approachable.

Why does the king gather virgins at the party? He’s literally married. (Pshat)

The king is trying to make Esther jealous.

Mordechai finds out that Bigtan and Teresh want to kill the king. What does Mordechai do, and what happens?

He tells Esther, Esther tells the king and credits Mordechai for the information. The king investigates and finds out its true so he kills Bigtan and Teresh.

Why are Bigtan and Teresh mad at the king?

(Malbim, Pshat and a random)

Malbim: There was a job opening and Mordechai got it (spy), they were mad they didn’t.

Pshat: They’re mad the king made them eunics.

Random: They are relatives to Vashti, and want revenge.

How were Bigtan and Teresh going to kill the king? (Rashi)

By poisoning him.

How did Mordechai know that Bigtan and Teresh were going to kill the king? (Malbim and Rashi)

Malbim: He is a spy

Rashi: They talked about it infront of him in a language called Tarshi (Mordechai could speak it, and knew 70 other languages).

Whats Esthers dads name?

Avichayil