Achashverosh's Shock and Fury/1
Achashverosh's Surprise
Introduction
Why So Shocked?
Esther Chapter 7 contains one of the most dramatic scenes of the Megillah. In it, Esther pleas for her own life and the lives of her nation, finally revealing her identity and exposing Haman's plot to the king:
(ג) וַתַּעַן אֶסְתֵּר הַמַּלְכָּה וַתֹּאמַר אִם מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ הַמֶּלֶךְ וְאִם עַל הַמֶּלֶךְ טוֹב תִּנָּתֶן לִי נַפְשִׁי בִּשְׁאֵלָתִי וְעַמִּי בְּבַקָּשָׁתִי. (ד) כִּי נִמְכַּרְנוּ אֲנִי וְעַמִּי לְהַשְׁמִיד לַהֲרוֹג וּלְאַבֵּד וְאִלּוּ לַעֲבָדִים וְלִשְׁפָחוֹת נִמְכַּרְנוּ הֶחֱרַשְׁתִּי כִּי אֵין הַצָּר שֹׁוֶה בְּנֵזֶק הַמֶּלֶךְ.
Achashverosh responds with seeming shock, asking: "מִי הוּא זֶה וְאֵי זֶה הוּא" – who is the person who dared conceive of such a plan? When Esther points to Haman, Achashverosh leaves the room in a rage, returns to find Haman begging for his life on Esther's couch, and rapidly orders the hanging of Haman.
How is one to understand the king's surprised and incensed reaction? How could he not have known that Haman was responsible for the plan? After all, only a few days earlier Achashverosh had approved the plan, and even if at the time he had been unaware that Esther was a potential victim, he still should have realized now that Haman was the plan's architect! Moreover, considering that he himself had acquiesced, why is he so furious at Haman?
Esther's Plea
Esther's plea is similarly perplexing. At first glance, it seems as if she is simply begging for mercy on the part of the king, in the hope that he will spare her and her nation. If so, though, one wonders why she does so at a party to which she has also invited Haman! Moreover, though the king might have a personal interest in keeping her alive, if he truly wanted to annihilate her nation, why does she think that her begging will lead him to reverse the edict rather than simply save her? Finally, why does she mention the potential alternative of being sold into slavery ("וְאִלּוּ לַעֲבָדִים וְלִשְׁפָחוֹת נִמְכַּרְנוּ הֶחֱרַשְׁתִּי"); how does this strengthen her argument?
Haman's Original Petition
To better understand the conversation between Achashverosh and Esther, we must examine Haman's original request to annihilate the Jewish nation:
(ח) וַיֹּאמֶר הָמָן לַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ יֶשְׁנוֹ עַם אֶחָד מְפֻזָּר וּמְפֹרָד בֵּין הָעַמִּים בְּכֹל מְדִינוֹת מַלְכוּתֶךָ וְדָתֵיהֶם שֹׁנוֹת מִכׇּל עָם וְאֶת דָּתֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵינָם עֹשִׂים וְלַמֶּלֶךְ אֵין שֹׁוֶה לְהַנִּיחָם. (ט) אִם עַל הַמֶּלֶךְ טוֹב יִכָּתֵב לְאַבְּדָם וַעֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים כִּכַּר כֶּסֶף אֶשְׁקוֹל עַל יְדֵי עֹשֵׂי הַמְּלָאכָה לְהָבִיא אֶל גִּנְזֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ. (י) וַיָּסַר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת טַבַּעְתּוֹ מֵעַל יָדוֹ וַיִּתְּנָהּ לְהָמָן בֶּן הַמְּדָתָא הָאֲגָגִי צֹרֵר הַיְּהוּדִים. (יא) וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ לְהָמָן הַכֶּסֶף נָתוּן לָךְ וְהָעָם לַעֲשׂוֹת בּוֹ כַּטּוֹב בְּעֵינֶיךָ.
(8)
These verses raise a number of issues:
- "יֶשְׁנוֹ עַם אֶחָד" – Haman never explicitly mentions the Jewish nation by name; was it obvious about whom he was speaking, or is it possible that Achashverosh was unaware?
- "יִכָּתֵב לְאַבְּדָם" – Haman gives only a one sentence explanation of why the king should kill off the nation, speaking of how it differs from others and does not abide by the king's laws. Was this really sufficient to lead the king to approve of a plan to exterminate an entire nation?
- "וַעֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים כִּכַּר כֶּסֶף אֶשְׁקוֹל" – How should this monetary offer be understood? Is this a bribe to the king, a portion of the spoils, or compensation for the loss of tax revenues?
- Handing over the ring – As Achashverosh gives Haman his signet, he adds that the money is given to Haman and the people are his to do as he wishes. These actions suggest that Achashverosh approved of Haman's plot. Do they also suggest that Haman had free reign in all areas or were there limitations?
