Megillah, Daf Tet Vav, Part 3
וכל זה איננו שוה לי, אמר רבי אלעזר אמר רבי חנינא: בשעה שראה המן את מרדכי יושב בשער המלך אמר כל זה איננו שוה לי כדרב חסדא. דאמר רב חסדא: זה בא בפרוזבולי וזה בא
בפרוזבוטי. אמר רב פפא: וקרו ליה עבדא דמזדבן בטלמי.
"Yet all this is worth nothing to me" (Esther 5:13).
R. Elazar said in the name of R. Hanina: Just because he saw Mordecai sitting in the king’s gate, was this any reason why he should say, Yet all this is worth nothing to me?" As R. Hisda said, for R. Hisda said: The one came [to the court] as with his wealth and the other with poverty. R. Papa said: They also called him: The slave that was sold for loaves of bread.
Why should Haman have been so enraged just at seeing Mordecai sitting at the gate? The answer seems to be in a midrash found elsewhere and alluded to here. According to this midrash, Ahashverosh once sent Haman and Mordecai out to war, giving them money to spend on troops. Haman spent all of his own money on himself and was left with nothing. He came to Mordecai and asked for a loan. Mordecai refused unless Haman sold himself as a slave. Haman thus became Mordecai’s slave. This is what angered Haman so much.
Again we can see here an echo of subsequent Jewish history. The Jews’ wealth and especially the indebtedness of the Gentiles to the Jews was often a grave source of anti-semitism.
וכל זה איננו שוה לי – מלמד שכל גנזיו של אותו רשע חקוקין על לבו, ובשעה שרואה את מרדכי יושב בשער המלך אמר: כל זה איננו שוה לי.
"Yet all this is worth nothing to me". This teaches us that all the treasures of that wicked one were engraved on his heart, and when he saw Mordecai sitting in the king’s gate he said, Yet all this is worth nothing to me.
All of the money that Haman once had was worth nothing, for whenever he would see Mordecai he was reminded that he had been sold into slavery to him.
ואמר רבי אלעזר אמר רבי חנינא: עתיד הקדוש ברוך הוא להיות עטרה בראש כל צדיק וצדיק, שנאמר: +ישעיהו כ"ח+ ביום ההוא יהיה ה‘ צבאות לעטרת צבי [וגו‘]. מאי לעטרת צבי ולצפירת תפארה – לעושין צביונו ולמצפין תפארתו.
R. Elazar further said in the name of R. Hanina: God will in the time to come be a crown on the head of every righteous man, as it is said, "In that day the Lord of Hosts will be for a crown of glory and for a diadem of beauty" (Isaiah 28:5) What is meant by a "crown of glory (tzvi)" and a "diadem [zefirat] of beauty"? For them that do his will [tzivyono] and who await [mezapin] his glory.
Using some wordplay on the verse from Isaiah R. Elazar says that in the world to come (or in the Messianic age) God will be a crown of glory for the righteous.
יכול לכל – תלמוד לומר לשאר עמו – למי שמשים עצמו כשירים. ולרוח משפט – זה הדן את יצרו, וליושב על המשפט – זה הדן דין אמת לאמתו. ולגבורה – זה המתגבר על יצרו.
Shall He be so to all? Scripture says, "To the residue of [lish’ar] his people," that is, to whoever makes of himself a mere residue [shirayim].
"And for a spirit of judgment" this indicates one who judges his inclination.
"To him that sits in judgment" this indicates one who gives a true verdict on true evidence.
"And for strength" this indicates one who subdues his evil passions.
The midrash continues to interpret the verse. Only those with these qualities, those who control their evil inclinations, will merit God’s crown of glory in the world to come.
משיבי מלחמה – שנושאין ונותנין במלחמתה של תורה. שערה – [אלו תלמידי חכמים] שמשכימין ומעריבין בבתי כנסיות ובבתי מדרשות.
"That turn back the battle": this indicates those who give and take in the war of the Torah. "At the gate": these are the disciples of the sages who come early and leave late in synagogues and houses of study.
The midrash interprets these righteous people as rabbis, otherwise known as "disciples of the sages."
אמרה מדת הדין לפני הקדוש ברוך הוא: רבונו של עולם! מה נשתנו אלו מאלו? אמר לה הקדוש ברוך הוא: ישראל עסקו בתורה, אומות העולם לא עסקו בתורה. אמר ליה: גם אלה ביין שגו ובשכר תעו… פקו פליליה, אין פקו אלא גיהנם, שנאמר +שמואל א‘ כ"ה+ ולא תהיה זאת לך לפוקה, ואין פליליה אלא דיינין, שנאמר +שמות כ"א+ ונתן בפללים.
The Attribute of Justice said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Why this difference between these and the others? He replied to Him, "But they also reel through wine, and stagger through strong drink," they totter in judgment [paku peliliyah]; and "paku" refers only to Gehinnom, as it says, "That this shall be no stumbling-block [pukah] for you" (I Samuel 25:31); and "peliliyah" contains a reference to the judges, as it says, "And he shall pay as the judges determine [bi-felilim]" (Exodus 21:22).
The Attribute of Justice argues before God why do you give this reward to righteous people who have the above attributes of self-control and not to everyone. The answer is that those who are righteous but still follow their appetites (wine and strong drink) are treated as if they were wicked. This midrash is heavily focused on self-control. Only those righteous who also are able to control themselves are deserving of such a great reward. Indeed, we might say that a righteous person who does not control himself is even more deserving of such a serious punishment.
There is a sentence in the Hebrew which is missing in all manuscripts. I have not translated here because it does not seem to make sense at all.