This is simply because the Halacha forbids engaging in idolatry even to save ones life. 2:5, cf. Genesis 47:31 He said, "Swear to me." So he swore to him. And it is by understanding this, that Mordecai succeeds. This is doing only what a good and loving relative would do, but many would not be willing. 4. We dont know why God chose to inspire the book in this way, but we can see that God is the invisible force behind many of the events taking place in the book. He had stood by the king and saved him from the plotted death. 1. Hence, Mordechai refusal to bow to Haman in reality saved Persian Jewry of his time. It could perhaps demonstrate a lack of faith or weak faith in God and show reliance on his own intellect instead of on God. Obviously Saul failed in his mission to wipe them out utterly as evidenced by the fact that one of Agags descendants still lived over seven hundred years later. Not from disloyalty. In his censure of king David for sleeping with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, Nathan the prophet describes Gods transfer of the monarchy from Saul to David as the giving of Sauls wives to David (2 Samuel 12:8). The question remains, though, why Mordechai refused to do so. We have therefore created a library of almost one thousand (and growing) inductive Bible studies, which are available for free. Haman made himself a forbidden image, and Mordechai therefore refused to bow down to him. window.location.replace(""); The Jews did not follow the kings decrees as stated in verse 8, which is strange unless you consider the history of the Jewish captivity. After Babylon fell to the Persians these Jews moved to various parts of the kingdom. If you are asking strictly about a text allowing or prohibiting bowing, would examples of Israeli's bowing to David, Solomon, etc., work? 3. Who was Agag? Purpose To teach the children how fasting can bless their lives. 2:11) we can see he genuinely cared for and loved her. Whether people see Him or recognize what He is doing or not, He is directing history. We will explore this intriguing issue based on an essay by Rav Yaakov Meidan of Yeshivat Har Etzion that appears in a book entitled Esther Hee Hadassa. .for the fear of the Jews was fallen upon them. Ish-Boshet, the son of Saul, is alarmed when Sauls general, Abner, lay with his fathers concubine precisely because he suspects the general of treason against the house of Saul (2 Sam 3:68). Elijah The source for this idea is in the gemarah megillah. Peter says that we should be subject to authority even if they are crooked (1 Pet. Why couldnt the king sleep? In Esther 5 why did Esther arrange a second meeting? They would say whatever they thought he would like to hear to assuage his hurt feelings and stoke his ego. Whether or not God led Mordecai to do this, God used it to accomplish His divine purposes in their lives and for all of the Jews throughout the kingdom. Before He used miraculous intervention to save them from the Egyptians. [11] Editors note: For more on this Psalm, and the dissonance between its beginning and its ending, see David Frankel, : From the Story of the Spies to the Return of the Judahite Exiles, TheTorah (2015). Didnt bow to Haman. I understand that (one of) the reason (s) that Mordechai did not bow before Haman was that Haman wore an idol around his neck and therefore bowing to him would (appear to?) Going farther back, Mordecai was descended from the family of Kish, a family name that can be traced all the way back to Sauls father. Halacha does not forbid bowing to a king. window.location.replace(""); In actuality, Haman was a pawn of Satans in a much larger conflict dating all the way back to Satans rebellion in heaven against God, his tempting of Eve to turn humans against God, Cains man made religion, the fallen angels intermarriage with humans in Genesis 6 to pollute the Messiahs bloodline, the Egyptian scheme to kill all male children of the Jews, and the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles which Satan surely hoped would eliminate the Jews as a people. God apparently empowered them and saw fit to use the local governments to support them in their endeavor to seek justice against those who plotted their deaths. The Jews they seem so confident, is is like they've already won. Chronicles is dated between 400 and 300 B.C.E. Hence, the argument of the Dayanim is readily understood. Or it could be because he knew Hamans lineage and because of the family feud between the two groups refused to bow down to him. Yom Kippur is like Purim because it is in the Temple Service of Yom Kippur that the priests acknowledge with kneeling and bowing on behalf of themselves, the Levites and all of Israelthat God is the king of kings. Why did God let my house burn down in a fire? mercy in method of his killing.Mordechai again did not move and ignored him.Thus causing yet another meltdown for haman as he is being hung, This seems to be a effort on mordechais part But in order to have done all this, Mordecai needed to go against the very thing he had once held so sacrosanct. Rava) accept this interpretation of Mordechais action. In any case, we learn that Mordecais loyalty has limits. I think I heard somewhere that Haman is a descendant of Amalek and that could've been the reason for the animosity. Why didn't Mordecai bow to Haman? Esther 3:1-3 - YouTube at this point in megilla story The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? 2. Also of note, is that it was likely at this time that the Amalekites were finally wiped out according to Gods original command hundreds of years before. Hundreds of thousands of his countrymen die. Satan opposes God every step of the way and also has his pawns he is controlling such as Haman, Hitler, and the Antichrist. He delighted in controlling people. // Javascript URL redirection Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. Some selfish people might consider it a nuisance, hassle, or trouble. 12 Facts About the Wicked Haman - Chabad.org (See Talmud Bavli Megilla 19). These examples should show us how seriously God views sin. All of these Diaspora stories stress Jewish piety and commitment to Jewish rituals and values they include Gods name, prayer, kashrut, traditional modesty and endogamous marriage. The Romans learned from the Greeks and they allowed the Jews to worship and exempted them from certain laws. They dont want to make waves. So my question is, at least according to the opinion that the lack of bowing was because of the idol, why did Mordechai refuse to stand or even move before Haman? Peter Haman was not content with simply doing away with Mordecai, however: "Having learned who Mordecai's people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. ), Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs whowerebefore the king said, Behold indeed,the gallows standing at Hamans house fifty cubits high, which Haman made for Mordecaiwho spoke good on behalf of the king! And the king said, Hang him on it.. He told Mordecai he could legislate whatever he wanted. This is what happens when someone disobeys an egomaniac. Why did haman want to kill all the Jews? - Answers The drama hinges on a perplexing conundrum: Why does Mordecai, who is known as "the Jew," [1] refuse to bow down to Haman, putting his people in peril? rev2023.7.3.43523. 4. The Malbim says that it wasn't about idolatry, but about a lack of fear for Haman -- Mordechai didn't rise out of fear for any consequence which is why this verse simply indicates that Haman was filled with anger, not anger at the Jews, , The Ralbag says that Mordechai wasn't showing any respect at all. Haman perceived himself as a competitor to the Ribbono Shel Olam (as well as Achashveirosh) and reinforced this belief by ordering all to bow to him as they would bow to Hashem (Lihavdil). Jonathan Thus, Mordechai said that he is following the precedent of his ancestor Binyamin. A Nonprofit Media Company helping people closely read the Torah to discover its beauty, meaning and relevance, Connect:InstagramTikTokFacebookYoutubeApple PodcastsSpotify, Idolatry: An Attempt to Answer Mordecai's Story, Why Doesn't Mordecai Bow to Haman? Jonah Only at that moment the crowd realizes what has happened and sees exactly why all of those previous moves were made. After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes who were with him. But thanks be to God, He will always win this battle of good versus evil. Why did only Pinchas (knew how to) respond? One hundred fourscore days (180 day) Esther 3:2 And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. Why did not Haman notice either relationship? He gave a great feast Where was the palace? Why Did Mordecai Not Bow Down to Haman? - TheTorah.com Mordecai and Haman - Bible Hub This Midrash, though, does not explain why Mordechai refused to bow to Haman. After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that. His own lineage was part of the reason he hated the Jews so much. He was filled with rage. Important acts and events:Mordecai established the holiday of Purim, which is one of two extra-Mosaic holidays still celebrated by Jews today. Who was Mordecai in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org According to this Midrash, the argument of the Dayanim is quite powerful. order a paperback version of the Character Studies book from Amazon. On the other hand, Mordechai perceived the situation of the Jews of his time differently. Why Did Haman Wish To Exterminate Jews During His Time However, she sees the significance of this fact as explaining why ancient interpreters might have thought that Haman was presenting himself as a deity. We do get a hint of the reason in Esther 3:4 that it is because he is a Jew. Joab See the comment (ad loc.) In an instant, they will realize how wrong they were, but their fate will be sealed and it will be too late to change. Who, exactly, are you? If you set yourself up against God and His people, you will fail. It is likely the royal feasts were intended to promote confidence in the government for this campaign that is recorded in chapter one. Samuel This made Haman so angry that he petitioned the king to wipe out all the Jews18 and planned to have Mordecai strung up on a 50-cubit-tall tree.19. entry 9832). Introducing Potiphar, Lessons From The Haman And Mordecai Story. It wasn't ever really about the clothes. Similarly, my cousin Binyamin Toib of Chadeira visited Rome in 1945 after serving in the Jewish Brigade of the British army in WWII. b. Megillah 19a, b.Sanhedrin 61b, and Esther Rabbah 7:8). Confining signal using stitching vias on a 2 layer PCB. "But Mordekhai Did Not Bow" | Yeshivat Har Etzion Esther 3:5 When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or pay him homage, he was filled with rage. 5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. Isaac Here is one example of that happening. cit., Esther Rabbah 7:6, PRE 50, and theTargum Rishon. Mao had pictures of him hung throughout China and all its citizens were expected to bow to him. In Gods divine providence He wouldnt let the king sleep and directed the specific records of Mordecais loyal help to divulge the conspiracy. This was similar to the flood of judgment where God wiped out everyone except for Noah and his family. He was observant, active, and loyal. Looking for advice repairing granite stair tiles, Creating 8086 binary larger than 64 KiB using NASM or any other assembler. 95:6, 2 Chron. Shall I mention I'm a heavy user of the product at the company I'm at applying at and making an income from it? He was terrified when he found out Esther was a Jew and revealed to the king Hamans wickedness. Another plausible explanation would be that Haman the Agagite (Esther 3:1) was a descendant of King Agag who was an Amalekite (1 Samuel 15:8). Who was Agag? This is a character quality to be valued. (Esther 3:1-6.) Haman is called an Agagite (3:1). Haman's Idol As Rachel Adelman notes in her "Why did Mordecai not Bow Down to Haman?" ( TheTorah 2015), the lack of a clear reason in the megillah led the rabbis to the midrashic suggestion that Haman was wearing an idol, and thus, kneeling and bowing to him would be a form of idolatry. I saw this studie serie where another reason was giving for nit bowing to Haman, I personally think a answer of why he wouldnt stand for Haman may be found in the answer: Why did Mordechai not stand before Haman? So why did Mordechai imperil the entire Jewish people by refusing to bow to Haman? In the light of the New Testament (Rom. Esther 3:1-6. Haman's Scheme | Esther 3:7-15 | July 2, 2023. [11] See the Greek (NRSV) Esther: 3:1, 9:10 and 12:6 (end of Addition A). Copyright 2012 -2022|Study and ObeyAll Rights Reserved|. The author of the book of Esther, however, chooses to convey a religious message through literary allusion and innuendo rather than exhortation. (Proverbs 14:19). Why a kite flying at 1000 feet in "figure-of-eight loops" serves to "multiply the pulling effect of the airflow" on the ship to which it is attached? Haman, advanced by the king, and despised by Mordecai, seeks revenge upon the Jews. We find in the Tanach a number of instances when prominent Jews bowed to kings such as the prophet Natan bowing to David (Melachim 1:1:23) and Yosefs brothers bowing to Yosef (Breishit 42:6). Yaakovs bowing to Eisav saved our people and Mordechais refusal to bow to Haman saved our people. FEAR haman nor is there room for any Move after move after move and novices cant tell what is going on or even who is winning. He is unwilling to violate his own principles (maybe because of his faith) even when the king commands it and the result could be very dangerous. Mordecai's story is a story that teaches us all, even generations later, about the great perils and the great promise of loyalty. Why Did Mordecai Refuse To Bow To Haman? - Fact and Fantasy Because this is a narrative and doesnt always tell us what the characters were thinking, we dont know why Mordecai didnt bow to Haman. He would need to play with the matches of megalomania to avoid the inferno of genocide. Proverbs 18:5. Mordecai The meaning of his name is only guessed at. How can we compare expressive power between two Turing-complete languages? Exodus 20 3-5 3 "You shall have no other gods before me. Mordecai did not bow, though Haman seems not to have noticed. Esther 3:1-6 - Bible Study & Commentary - Preacher's Complete 6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the . 8. Why did Mordecai refuse to bow down to Haman? - The Toronto Star The truth is, we do not know at the reason for Mordecai's refusal to bow is unstated. With the pre-emptive, public celebration, he has taken the wind out of the sails of the anti-semites, and in so doing, he finally gives his countrymen a reasonable expectation of being saved. 14 Facts About Mordecai - Chabad.org Introduction. Mordecai, a descendant of Sauls line, son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin (Est. How did Esther reveal to Achashveroch that Mordechai is her husband. Technically, the king had allowed license to do this. Why Did HaMan Hate MordecAi? 2001 Translation of the Bible The Amalekites, historically, were the persistent enemy of the Israelites and later the Jews after the northern tribe of Israel went into captivity and dispersed. Rav Meidan notes that this Midrash does not seek to portray Mordechai as wicked. How to maximize the monthly 1:1 meeting with my boss? And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. Shall I mention I'm a heavy user of the product at the company I'm at applying at and making an income from it? On the other hand, God did use this plan in the chess match with Satan. Haman's Plan to Kill the Jews - After all this took place, King Ahasuerus honored Haman, son of Hammedatha the Agagite. Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular, Mordecai -- a companion of Zerubbabel, also a cousin of Esther, Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Participle - masculine singular, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. When will "evildoers bow down" before good? Is this principle different in the New Testament? She holds an M.A. Lucas Shinkut, March 29 2017 Haman promoted; Mordecai refuses to bow - Bible Explained Mordecai's choices in the face of these questions are what made him great. By employing this language, the Pasuk seeks to compare the two events and teach that Mordechai appropriately followed the model of Yosef to resist powerful people and observe the Torah despite the enormous danger involved. The Cycle of Life and Torah: Accepting Our Mortality, Why did Mordecai not Bow Down to Haman?, Megillat Esther: Reversing the Legacy of King Saul, Hamans Antisemitism: What Did He Not Like about the Jews?, Esau Hates JacobBut Is Antisemitism a Halakha?, My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me? Jesus or Esther?, : From the Story of the Spies to the Return of the Judahite Exiles,. We find in the Tanach a number of instances when prominent Jews bowed to kings such as the prophet Natan bowing to David . The apparent catalyst of Hamans plan to eradicate us was Mordechais refusal to bow to Haman. No matter how high you are or how smart you are, it is wise to surround yourselves not with yes men, but with people who will give you the hard truth even if it hurts. Mordecai was the greatest example of a person staying faithful to his trust and belief in God even under the threat if death He would not bow to a false idol ..let us all follow this example of great honor and faithfulness. This perception of Mordechai parallels the Midrashim (see Devarim Rabbah 2:8 and Targum Yonatan Shmot 4:25) that describe Moshe Rabbeinu as one who abandoned the Jewish People throughout his stay in Midyan, but performed Teshuva when Hashem summoned him to return to Mitzrayim to save Am Yisrael. Many times He raises up people to accomplish His plans such as Noah, the judges, Samuel, Ezra, Nebuchadnezzar, Esther, Mordecai, Daniel, Nehemiah, John the Baptist, etc. It likely wasnt a spontaneous thought, but one he had been plotting and scheming about for a long time. They felt that since technically Haman was not defined as Avoda Zara, it is wrong for Mordechai to endanger the entire Jewish people. Does the DM need to declare a Natural 20? Sign up to receive the printer friendly and online versions of Kol Torah each week. But the Megillah doesn't actually confirm these details - and that raises the question: What is Mordecai's side of the story really about? What did Job mean when he said "Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her"? In the city of Shushan How long did Ahasuerus' feast last? Most people go with the flow. @DrPeterMcGowan thanks. Rahab God also brought Haman there at that very moment (he was coming to ask for permission to hang Mordecai) so that Haman could plan how to honor Mordecai. kind of respect for haman. The Lords Chosen Servant Isaiah 42:1-9. "But Mordecai Would Not Bow." - GEWatkins.net I am instead suggesting that the use of the words korim u-mishtachavim in the Megillah text, in and of themselves, can explain to any and all of its readers why Mordechai refuses to bow and kneel to Haman.

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