Esther's Relations with Achashverosh/1
Esther's Relations with Achashverosh
Introduction
Queen by Choice or Force?
Chapter two of the Megillah describes how Esther was chosen to replace Vashti as Achashverosh's wife:
(טז) וַתִּלָּקַח אֶסְתֵּר אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ אֶל בֵּית מַלְכוּתוֹ בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָעֲשִׂירִי הוּא חֹדֶשׁ טֵבֵת בִּשְׁנַת שֶׁבַע לְמַלְכוּתוֹ. (יז) וַיֶּאֱהַב הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת אֶסְתֵּר מִכׇּל הַנָּשִׁים וַתִּשָּׂא חֵן וָחֶסֶד לְפָנָיו מִכׇּל הַבְּתוּלוֹת וַיָּשֶׂם כֶּתֶר מַלְכוּת בְּרֹאשָׁהּ וַיַּמְלִיכֶהָ תַּחַת וַשְׁתִּי.
This crowning of Esther is a central element of the Megillah's plot, key to Esther's later salvation of the nation. However, the very fact of the marriage is troubling to the reader. How could Esther marry an idolater? Why did neither she nor Mordechai protest her being taken? Does the textual silence indicate that Esther actually went to the king willingly? Were she and Mordechai happy or horrified when Esther was chosen?
Intermarriage and Torah
וְלֹא תִתְחַתֵּן בָּם בִּתְּךָ לֹא תִתֵּן לִבְנוֹ וּבִתּוֹ לֹא תִקַּח לִבְנֶךָ.
And you shall not marry into them, your daughter you shall not give to his son, and his daughter you shall not take for your son.
From this verse, many1 learn the prohibition of intermarriage. Even according to the opinion that this verse applies only to the seven nations of Canaan, intermarriage with non-Canaanite non-Jews is prohibited at least rabbinically.2
If so, how could Esther have married Achashverosh?
Related Issues
A number of issues affect the question of Esther's relationship with Achashverosh:
- Esther's Religious Identity and Mordechai's Religious Identity
- Why Conceal Esther's Nationality?
- Were the maidens, and Esther in particular, taken voluntarily or by force?
