Megillah, Daf Yod Gimmel, Part 5
ואת מאמר מרדכי אסתר עשה, אמר רבי ירמיה: שהיתה מראה דם נדה לחכמים.
"For Esther did the commandment of Mordecai" (Esther 2:20). R. Jeremiah said: [This means] that she used to show her menstrual blood to the Sages.
One of the main functions the rabbis picture themselves as having is determining whether what is considered menstrual blood, and therefore makes the woman impure and forbidden to have sex with her husband. The rabbis picture Esther as observing this halakhah this is the "commandment" told to her by Mordecai.
כאשר היתה באמנה אתו – אמר רבה בר לימא (משמיה דרב🙂 שהיתה עומדת מחיקו של אחשורוש וטובלת ויושבת בחיקו של מרדכי.
"As when she was brought up with him" (ibid). Rabbah b. Lema said in the name of Rav: [This means] that she used to rise from the lap of Ahashverosh and bathe and sit in the lap of Mordecai.
Esther was married to Mordecai when she was taken into the house of Ahashverosh. She would have relations with Ahashverosh, bathe and then go and have relations with Mordecai. To be honest, I find this a disturbing image, but I imagine that it may reflect a woman who was taken into the harem of the king, but still was able to maintain her relationship with her husband.
בימים ההם ומרדכי יושב בשער המלך קצף בגתן ותרש, אמר רבי חייא בר אבא אמר רבי יוחנן: הקציף הקדוש ברוך הוא אדון על עבדיו לעשות רצון צדיק, ומנו – יוסף, שנאמר +בראשית מ"א+ ושם אתנו נער עברי וגו‘. עבדים על אדוניהן לעשות נס לצדיק, ומנו – מרדכי, דכתיב ויודע הדבר למרדכי וגו‘.
"In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king’s gate, Bigtan and Teresh were enraged" (Esther 2:21).
R. Hiyya b. Abba said in the name of R. Yohanan: The Holy One, blessed be He, [once] caused a master to be angry with his servants in order to fulfil the desire of a righteous man, namely Joseph, as it says, "And there was with us there a young man, a Hebrew, etc." (Genesis 40:20);
And servants with their master in order to perform a miracle for a righteous man, namely, Mordecai, as it is written, "And the matter was known to Mordecai etc" (Esther 2:22).
R. Hiyya makes the observation that God caused a master to be angry at his servants, in order to aid Joseph. This refers to Pharaoh’s anger at the baker and the butler. By putting them in jail, he set in motion the chain of events that would lead to Joseph’s restoration.
Similarly, God caused servants to be angry with their master, for the benefit of Mordecai. It was the rebellion of the king’s servants, Bigtan and Teresh, that eventually led to Mordecai’s elevation by the king.
אמר רבי יוחנן: בגתן ותרש שני טרסיים הוו, והיו מספרין בלשון טורסי, ואומרים: מיום שבאת זו לא ראינו שינה בעינינו, בא ונטיל ארס בספל כדי שימות. והן לא היו יודעין כי מרדכי מיושבי לשכת הגזית היה, והיה יודע בשבעים לשון.
אמר לו: והלא אין משמרתי ומשמרתך שוה? – אמר לו: אני אשמור משמרתי ומשמרתך. והיינו דכתיב ויבקש הדבר וימצא – שלא נמצאו במשמרתן.
R. Yohanan said: Bigtan and Teresh were two Tarseans and conversed in the Tarsean language. They said: From the day this woman came we have been able to get no sleep. Come, let us put poison in the dish so that he will die. They did not know that Mordecai was one of those who had seats in the Chamber of Hewn Stone, and that he understood seventy languages. One said to the other: But are not my post and your post different? He replied: I will keep guard at my post and you at yours.
So it is written, "And in inquisition was made and it was found" (Esther 2:23) that is to say, they were not [both] found at their posts.
R. Yohanan explains how Mordecai was able to uncover the plot against the king. His statement also explains some other puzzles in the book of Esther. First of all, why were they so angry? The answer the king was keeping them up all night, having sex with his new wife, Esther. Second, what does it mean "and it was found." What did they have to find? The answer Bigtan and Teresh had left their posts. This alerted the authorities as to their plot against the king.
אחר הדברים האלה, (אחר מאי) +מסורת הש"ס: [מאי אחר]+? אמר רבא: אחר שברא הקדוש ברוך הוא רפואה למכה. דאמר ריש לקיש: אין הקדוש ברוך הוא מכה את ישראל אלא אם כן בורא להם רפואה תחילה, שנאמר +הושע ז‘+ כרפאי לישראל ונגלה עון אפרים – אבל אומות העולם אינו כן, מכה אותן ואחר כך בורא להם רפואה, שנאמר +ישעיהו י"ט+ ונגף ה‘ את מצרים נגף ורפוא.
"After these things" (Esther 3:1). After what? Rava said: After God had created a healing for the blow. For Resh Lakish has said: The Holy One, blessed be He, does not strike Israel unless He has created for them a healing beforehand, as it says . "When I have healed Israel, then is the iniquity of Ephraim uncovered" (Hosea 7:1). Not so, however, with the other nations: He smites them first, and then creates for them a healing, as it says: "The Lord will smite Egypt, smiting and healing" (Isaiah 19:22).
Before Haman even has a chance to set in motion his plot to destroy the Jews, God has already given Mordecai favor in the king’s eyes. This favor will eventually save the Jews. This is how God acts for Israel before he punishes them, he already creates the healing process. God evidently needs to punish Israel at times, but before He does so, he makes sure that there will be a means through which the punishment can be healed. But when it comes to the rest of the world, such a favoring relationship does not exist.