Esther's Relations with Achashverosh/2

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Esther's Relations with Achashverosh

Exegetical Approaches

This topic is still being developed and updated

Under Duress

Esther was not culpable since the relations were forced by Achashverosh and she was not a willing participant.

What prohibition would be transgressed?
  • Adultery (ביאת אשת איש) – According to Bavli Megilah13a13b15aAbout the Bavli,1 Mordechai and Esther were married.2 If so, sleeping with Achashevrosh would constitute adultery, and falls into the category of illicit relations for which one is obligated to forfeit one's life rather than transgress.
  • Relations with an Idolater (ביאת עכו"ם) – Most of the other commentators assume that Esther was not married, and was thus only transgressing the lesser prohibition of having relations with an idolater.3
    • Bavli Sanhedrin suggests that under normal circumstances this action would not obligate one to forfeit one's life,4 but when done publicly, it does.5 
    • R. Saadia appears to maintain that even had it not been public, such relations fall under the category of "גילוי עריות" for which one must be killed rather than transgress.
Why is "duress" an excuse?
  • Abayye asserts that the obligation to give one's life rather than transgress only applies if one does an action.6  Since Esther was totally passive (קרקע עולם) she was not required to forfeit her life, despite the public nature of tehmarriage.
  • Rava maintains, instead,  that one need not give one's life when the prohibition is being violated solely for the pleasure of the Gentile.7
"וַתִּלָּקַח" – Ibn Ezra and R. Meir Arama claim that the word "וַתִּלָּקַח", in both 2:8 and 2:16, implies being taken by force and against one's will.8
Active resistance?
  • R. Saadia raises the possibility that Mordechai actively resisted the taking of Esther, but was simply overpowered and failed.9
  • According to Seder Olam Rabbah, Esther actively tried to avoid being taken by hiding for four years. The Second Targum agrees but suggests that eventually it became life-threatening to keep hiding Esther, so Mordechai was forced to take her out.10
  • In contrast, according to Ibn Ezra and R. Avraham Saba, since Esther and Mordechai lived in or near the palace, they did not have a chance to hide Esther, and she was immediately seized.
"לֹא הִגִּידָה אֶסְתֵּר אֶת עַמָּהּ וְאֶת מוֹלַדְתָּהּ" – According to this opinion, Esther concealed her nationality to either avoid becoming queen (Rashi) or to enable Torah observance (Ibn Ezra, Akeidat Yitzchak). For further details, see Why Conceal Esther's Nationality.
"לֹא בִקְשָׁה דָּבָר" – A commentary found in MS Munich 5MS Munich 5 Esther 2:15About Ba'alei HaTosafot, the Akeidat Yitzchak, and R. Meir Arama see the contrast between Esther who took nothing with her and the other women who would request music or jewelry, as proof that she was forced to go before Achashverosh.
"וּבְכֵן אָבוֹא אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר לֹא כַדָּת וְכַאֲשֶׁר אָבַדְתִּי אָבָדְתִּי" – R. Abba in Bavli Megillah (and, following him, the Second Targum and Rashi) seems to understand the word "אָבוֹא" to have sexual connotations,11 and apparently explains that Esther intended to seduce Achashverosh into saving the Jews. Thus, he understands that "אֲשֶׁר לֹא כַדָּת" refers to Torah laws (Esther was violating the Torah's prohibitions on improper sexual relations) and not Persian laws against entering the King's throne room. Continuing with this theme, he explains the duplication of "וְכַאֲשֶׁר אָבַדְתִּי אָבָדְתִּי" to refer to her leaving her family, and to the requirement that she leave Mordechai.12 The commentary attributed to Rambam also seems to understand that Esther intended to seduce Achashverosh, although according to him, this was no sin, as she was intending to save Israel.
Mordechai and Esther's religious identity – According to this approach, Esther and Mordechai were fully observant Jews.
Was Esther married? A number of Rabbis, cited in the Bavli Megilah13a13b15aAbout the Bavli, understand that Mordechai and Esther were married, and some even say that they continued to have marital relations even after she became queen. However, most of these commentators understand Esther to have been an unmarried woman before she was taken to Achashverosh.13
Definition of אונס – These commentators disagree regarding the level of participation permitted to Mordechai and Esther, while Esther is still considered as אנוסה:
  • Active participation – the Second Targum maintains that Mordechai actively took Esther out of hiding once they were threatened with death.
  • No active resistance – Rasag states that since Esther was taken by force, Mordechai was not obligated to resist actively.
  • No choice at all – R. Avraham Saba implies that Mordechai should have killed Esther (if nothing else would have availed), but he did not have a chance to do that.

Ends Justify the Means

Esther was permitted to act as she did since it was necessary to save the Jews.

Halakhic considerations – R. Yosef Chayyun says that Mordechai believed that the good coming from the fact that Esther could protect the Jews from religious persecution was worth the fact that Esther would transgress on certain prohibitions. He compares this to the Halakhah that one should violate Shabbat once so that one may keep many Shabbatot.
Did Esther hide? According to Yefet, Esther originally hid, but then left her hiding place so she will be chosen as queen. However, according to R. Yosef Chayyun, Esther never hid, but rather sat in public so that she will be found easily.
Did Esther go willingly? According to this approach, Esther went willingly.14
Mordechai's precognition – According to Ralbag, Mordechai knew (via some sort of prophecy) that Esther would be chosen, while R. Yosef Chayyun suggest that Mordechai did not know anything definite and was merely hoping that Esther would be chosen. Both agree that Mordechai was not aware of any specific threat, and was only maneuvering Esther into a useful position in case something happens. In contrast, the opinion cited in Ibn Ezra claims that Mordechai received a prophecy or a dream that explicitly said that Esther will save the Jews.
Mordechai and Esther's religious identity – These commentators understand that Esther and Mordechai were observant Jews who decided on their course of action according to the framework of Halakhah.
"לֹא הִגִּידָה אֶסְתֵּר אֶת עַמָּהּ וְאֶת מוֹלַדְתָּהּ" – According to these commentators, Esther concealed her nationality in order that she would be chosen as queen, and not be rejected because of her lowly origins. See Why Conceal Esther's Nationality for more details.

Improper Conduct

Esther did not behave in a halakhic manner, and it was prohibited and inappropriate for her to marry Achashverosh.

Did Esther go willingly? Radak claims that "וַתִּלָּקַח" implies going willingly, and not being taken by force.
Mordechai and Esther's religious identity – R. Elazar HaRokeach understands the three day fast of Esther to be an atonement for three sins, including improper sexual relations and eating non-kosher food, which implies that he finds fault in her actions. R. Y"S Reggio is less explicit, although he agrees that Esther and Mordechai were certainly not knowledgeable in Halakhah. According to both of them, Mordechai and Esther did not see any issue with Esther becoming queen and marrying a non-Jew.
"לֹא הִגִּידָה אֶסְתֵּר אֶת עַמָּהּ וְאֶת מוֹלַדְתָּהּ" – According to R. Y"S Reggio, Esther was embarrassed by her exilic origins. See Why Conceal Esther's Nationality for more details.