Mordechai's Religious Identity/2

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Mordechai's Religious Identity

Exegetical Approaches

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Spiritual Leader (גדול הדור)

What type of leader? Seder Olam Rabbah asserts that Mordechai was a prophet,1 while the Bavli and many in its wake2 say Mordechai was one of the Sanhedrin.  According to these sources he was actively involved in leading the nation in a Torah lifestyle.  Thus, Esther Rabbah presents him as warning the nation not to join Achashverosh's party and its accompanying promiscuity and has him teaching Torah to both adults and children.
Keeping Mitzvot – According to all these commentators, Mordechai was a fully observant Jew.  R"A Saba notes how virtuous this makes Mordechai considering that he was both in exile and a servant in the king's court,3 two conditions which would have made many leave their faith.4 Though there is no explicit evidence of this in the Megillah, these sources point to a variety of commandments that Mordechai was involved in including learning Torah,5 not bowing to idolatry,6 keeping kosher,7 and praying.8
"אִישׁ יְהוּדִי" – Many of these commentators9 suggest that this extra title is intended to highlight that Mordechai's Judaism was one of his defining characteristics.
  • Thus, R. Saba asserts that it shows how he managed to be a Jew in all he did, despite the negative influences from the palace and Shushan.10
  • Others suggest a play on words with Esther Rabbah claiming that Mordechai  "ייחד שם ה'" 11and the First Targum suggesting that he was always "מודה ומצלי קדם אלהא", thanking  and praying to Hashem.
Why conceal Esther's religious identity? According to this approach, the secret was meant to aid Esther in her Torah observance:12
  • Rashi asserts that Mordechai thought that hiding Esther's identity would reduce her chances of becoming queen13 and help her avoid the difficulties that palace life would place on maintaining a Jewish lifestyle. 
  • According to Ibn Ezra, Mordechai felt that Esther would be better able to keep Hashem's commandments if her Judaism was not known.14
"וּמׇרְדֳּכַי יֹשֵׁב בְּשַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ" – R. Saba15 raises a possible criticism of Mordechai for "sitting at the king's gate" rather than involving himself in Torah.16  He defends the decision by pointing out that the verse purposefully adds, "בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם" to suggest that this was only during a specific time period, when the nation was in potential danger. Mordechai only refrained from Torah study because the thought that his positioning might save the nation.
Mordechai's refusal to bow – This approach asserts that Mordechai's action was motivated by a desire to avoid violating a religious prohibition.
  • Idolatry – Most claim that Haman had either proclaimed himself a deity17 or worn an idol on his clothing.18
  • Bowing to a human – On the other hand, R. Yosef Kara says there is a religious prohibition to bow down to an human, unconnected to worship of idolatry.19
"וַיִּזְעַק זְעָקָה גְדוֹלָה וּמָרָה"
Mordechai's name – Mordechai's name seems to be related to that of the foreign god, Marduk, a strange choice for an observant Jew.  Chulin 139b distances itself from this possibility by suggesting that his name is a translation of מר דרור.
Religious identity of the whole nation – Bavli Megillah and others following it assert that the nation sinned in joining Achashverosh's party.  R. Saba even suggests that Esther's fast was to atone for the nation's eating. He further asserts that they all bowed down to Haman, and Mordechai's refusal was a corrective.
Absence of Hashem in the Megillah – The absence of Hashem's name might not connote a lack of religiosity, but might rather be an attempt to prevent desecration of Hashem's name.20
"וְרָצוּי לְרֹב אֶחָיו" – Bavli Megillah 16b21 explains that Mordechai wasn't acceptable to all his brethren rather to only some, because some of the Sanhedrin withdrew from him once he became second in command and stopped learning.  R"Y Kara says people were angry at Mordechai that he didn't bow to Haman and caused them to be sentenced to death, and Ibn Ezra suggests that it is impossible for someone to please everybody.  Finally, Rashbam understands that the verse refers to all his brethren.

Simple Jew (עם הארץ)

Keeping Mitzvot
"אִישׁ יְהוּדִי"
Why conceal Esther's religious identity?
"וּמׇרְדֳּכַי יֹשֵׁב בְּשַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ"
Mordechai's refusal to bow – R. Reggio suggests that Mordechai mistakenly assumed that one may not bow to a human and that he endangered the entire nation due to his erroneous piety.
"וַיִּזְעַק זְעָקָה גְדוֹלָה וּמָרָה"
Mordechai's name
Religious identity of the whole nation
Absence of Hashem in the Megillah
"וְרָצוּי לְרֹב אֶחָיו"

Assimilated Persian

Sources:R. Yaacov Medan22
Keeping Mitzvot
"אִישׁ יְהוּדִי"
Why conceal Esther's religious identity?
"וּמׇרְדֳּכַי יֹשֵׁב בְּשַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ"
Mordechai's refusal to bow
"וַיִּזְעַק זְעָקָה גְדוֹלָה וּמָרָה"
Mordechai's name
Religious identity of the whole nation
Absence of Hashem in the Megillah
"וְרָצוּי לְרֹב אֶחָיו"