Mordechai's Legacy – ורצוי לרב אחיו/2

Mordechai's Legacy – ורצוי לרב אחיו

Exegetical Approaches

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Overview

Commentators debate both the meaning of the phrase "וְרָצוּי לְרֹב אֶחָיו" and what it reveals regarding Mordechai's enduring legacy.  Most adopt the Talmud Bavli's approach which renders the word "רֹב" as "most", and thereby suggest that the verse is subtly criticizing Mordechai. The Rid and others, in contrast, translate it as "multitudes" resulting in a much more favorable portrait of Mordechai, a leader who was liked by the masses of his brethren.  A middle approach taken by Rashbam and Ibn Ezra maintains the "most" definition but suggests that this need not cast Mordechai in a negative light.

Critical of Mordechai

The Megillah ends with subtle criticism of Mordechai.

Sources:BavliMegillah 16bAbout the Bavli, RashiEsther 10:3About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, R. Yosef KaraEsther Second Commentary 10:3About R. Yosef Kara, R. Y"S ReggioEsther p.15-16Introduction to Esther pp. 6-8About R. Yitzchak Shemuel Reggio, M. Eisenberg¹

Meaning of "לְרֹב" – All of these commentators maintain that "לְרֹב" means "most" and comes to exclude a group of Jews who were displeased with Mordechai.  However, while this usage of the word is common in Mishnaic² and modern Hebrew, in Biblical Hebrew, "רֹב" consistently takes the meaning of "many" or "much".³ Nonetheless, there would seem to be no reason to say that Mordechai was pleasing to "the many of his brothers" unless one is implying that not all agreed.⁴

Why were some Jews upset?

• Political rather than religious involvement – Rashi, following the Bavli, suggests that "אֶחָיו" refers specifically to members of the Sanhedrin who were upset with Mordechai for being involved in court life at the expense of immersing himself in Torah.⁵
• Endangered the nation – R. Yosef Kara, instead, claims that part of the nation blamed Mordechai for endangering the entire people when he refused to bow to Haman.⁶  See Mordechai's Refusal to Bow for an analysis of Mordechai's motives and how commentators evaluate his actions.
• Power hungry – R. Reggio implies that Mordechai was not respected by the people as they thought that he had chased after honor.⁷ 
• Assimilated – M. Eisenberg suggests that the assimilated Jews left in Persia were pleased with Mordechai, while those in Israel, who had maintained their faith, were not. Mordechai had climbed to the heights of secular power, serving as a model to fellow Jewish-Persians who were similarly happy to remain in exile and acculterate. The Jews of Israel saw this as the ultimate tragedy, for Mordechai's status all but ensured the further assimilation of the rest of Persian Jewry, leaving little hope that many would opt to make aliyah and help rebuild the struggling community in Jerusalem.

Mordechai's religiosity and character

• Torah giant – The Bavli and Rashi claim that Mordechai was not only an observant Jew but also a member of the Sanhedrin.  As such, they hold him to a higher standard for not being fully immersed in Torah.
• Layperson – R. Reggio, in contrast, paints Mordechai as one of the masses, who was not particularly versed in Torah law, and who cared more for his personal honor than observance of mitzvot.  It is this which lead to the lack of admiration.  For elaboration on his portrait of Mordechai, see Mordechai's Religious Identity.
• Assimilated – M. Eisenberg goes a step further to suggest that Mordechai had actually assimilated in his pursuit of power, rejecting Jewish values.⁸

Relationship to epithets of praise – The rest of the verse's praises of Mordechai would seem to counter this negative reading:

• The Bavli and Rashi might explain that it was only the Sanhedrin who faulted Mordechai. The nation as a whole (לַיְּהוּדִים/לְעַמּוֹ), in contrast, viewed him positively as he had sought their peace and welfare.
• R. Reggio maintains consistency in the verse by mitigating the positive nature of the other phrases.  He suggests that Mordechai is considered great in the eyes of his brethren only because of his position as second to the king, but not because of any intrinsic Torah leadership or exemplary character.
• M. Eisenberg assumes that the entire verse is written only from the perspective of those Jews in Shushan.  They (as opposed to the Jews of Israel) appreciated not only how his position enabled him to speak on their behalf to the king (דֹּרֵשׁ טוֹב לְעַמּוֹ), but also how he ensured that others "of his seed" be able to follow in his path and attain similar positions of power. He suggests that the Megillah intentionally uses the language of "וְדֹבֵר שָׁלוֹם לְכׇל זַרְעוֹ" to recall the similar phrase by Yosef's brothers "וְלֹא יָכְלוּ דַּבְּרוֹ לְשָׁלֹם" thereby hinting that here, too, there were others (the Jews of Israel) who "who could not speak [of Mordechai] in peace".

Mention of Achashverosh's taxation

• M. Eisenberg suggests that this seemingly irrelevant point is included only to show how far Mordechai had risen in the Persian courts; it was his position as second in command that invited revenue and ensured that he was recorded in the Persian Chronicles.⁹  This, however, is not particularly praiseworthy.  The Megillah is hinting that in following a path to power in exile, Mordechai demonstrated his preference to be written in the Persian, rather than Judean, Chronicles.
• One might further draw a parallel to Yosef, whose policies of taxation might have backfired and later caused resentment of a leader who had previously been viewed as a savior.¹⁰

Complimentary to Mordechai

The ending of the Megillah is intended to cast Mordechai in a positive light.

Sources:RashbamEsther 10:3About R. Shemuel b. Meir, Ibn EzraEsther First Commentary 10:1-3Esther Second Commentary 10:1-3About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, RidEsther 10:3About R. Yeshayah of Trani, R. Avraham SabaEshkol HaKofer Esther 2:21Eshkol HaKofer Esther 10:1Eshkol HaKofer Esther 10:3About R. Avraham Saba (Tzeror HaMor), R"E GalikoR"E Galiko, Hoil MosheEsther 10:3About R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi

Meaning of "לְרֹב"

• Many/multitudes – The Rid and the Hoil Moshe define the word as "ריבוי" or "הרבה", explaining that Mordechai was liked by his many brothers.  This understanding is supported by the many places in Tanakh where the word "רב" clearly takes this meaning.¹¹
• Exalted– The Hoil Moshe opines that the word might also refer to the exalted members of the nation.¹² The verse would then be saying that not only was Mordechai viewed positively by the masses, but also by the important people.¹³ R. Galiko similarly explains that the word is related to "ריבונות", which he equates with exalted status. However, in contrast to the Hoil Moshe, he suggests that the verse is not saying that Mordechai was pleasing to others, but rather that Mordechai was pleased by the exalted stature of his brethren.¹⁴ Unlike other leaders, he was not jealous of the greatness of those around him.
• Most – Rashbam and Ibn Ezra assume that the word literally means most, but suggest that this need not cast Mordechai in a negative light. 
• Rashbam claims that despite the literal definition, the connotation of the phrase is "all his brothers".  He explains the verse via "דרכי המקראות", pointing out that it is the way of the text not to be exact in its language.¹⁵
• Ibn Ezra, instead, points out that realistically, it is impossible for a leader to please everyone as man's nature is to be jealous of those in power.

Mordechai's character – These sources read Mordechai positively, and as such, would find it surprising had the Megillah ended with criticism of him.

Relationship to epithets of praise – This reading works well with the other descriptions in the verse which similarly aim to laud Mordechai.

Mention of Achashverosh's taxation – According to this position, this fact, too, serves to praise Mordechai:

• R. Galiko suggest that the fact appears only so as to further increase people's respect for Mordechai. Since he was second in command, the greater the kingdom, the greater is Mordechai as well.  Ibn Ezra and R. Saba further suggests that the verse might be implying that Achashevrosh taxed even those countries not under his control, since they too had begun to fear him in the merit of Mordechai.
• R. Saba proposes that the text might be implying that though others were taxed, Israel was exempt.  He even suggests that the tax was a punishment to all those who dared join in Haman's rebellion against the Jews.¹⁶  As such, the verse is included as a further demonstration of how the nation benefited from Mordechai's leadership.

"דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לְמַלְכֵי מָדַי וּפָרָס" – R. Saba asserts that the verses are trying to emphasize not just how Mordechai was so accomplished among the Gentiles as to be recorded in their annals, but that he did so while simultaneously being "גָדוֹל לַיְּהוּדִים".  He managed to not only remain pious in his position, but also to answer questions from his fellow Jews and even actively seek out their welfare.¹⁷

¹ See Michael Eisenberg, ככה יעשה ליהודי, (Ashkelon, 2016): 175-179.

² See, for instance,  Mishnah Yevamot 12:2, "בגדול שהוא יכול להלוך בו או בקטן שהוא חופה את רוב רגלו חליצתה כשרה" or Ketubot 1:10, "אם רוב אנשי העיר משיאין לכהונה הרי זו תנשא לכהונה".

³ See, for example, Bereshit 16:10, "הַרְבָּה אַרְבֶּה אֶת זַרְעֵךְ וְלֹא יִסָּפֵר מֵרֹב", Yehoshua 11:4, "כַּחוֹל אֲשֶׁר עַל שְׂפַת הַיָּם לָרֹב", Melakhim i 1:25, "וַיִּזְבַּח שׁוֹר וּמְרִיא וְצֹאן לָרֹב" or in Esther itself, "וַיְסַפֵּר לָהֶם הָמָן אֶת כְּבוֹד עׇשְׁרוֹ וְרֹב בָּנָיו" (Esther 5:11).

⁴ Usually when the text employs the word "רֹב," it is coming to emphasize how vast or numerous something is.  Here there would seem to be no reason to simply highlight how there were multitudes of Jews.

⁵ See R. SabaEshkol HaKofer Esther 2:21About R. Avraham Saba (Tzeror HaMor) who raises the same possible criticism but defends Mordechai's decision by pointing out it was intended to enable him to save the nation from potential persecution.

⁶ The fact that Mordechai brought about the nation's salvation is not particularly meritorious if he was the one who endangered them to begin with.

⁷ See Esther's Relations with Achashverosh and Why Conceal Esther's Nationality that according to R. Reggio, Mordechai's main concern throughout the story was that Esther be chosen as queen, not for the good that her position could provide for her nation, but for her own prestige and that of her family.

⁸ Cf. R. Medan, "‏ומרדכי לא יכרע ולא ישתחוה' – מדוע?‏'", in הדסה היא אסתר, (Jerusalem, 5757): 151-171 who draws a similar image of Mordechai, but suggests that by the end of the story Mordechai had repented and returned to his roots. [R. Medan presents this as only one of several possible readings of the leader.]  See Mordechai's Religious Identity.

⁹ The opening "כִּי" of verse 3 implies that the content of the verse contains the cause of the events of the preceding verses.

¹⁰ See Yosef's Economic Policies for elaboration.

¹¹ See examples in note above, or use the one click concordance to explore all of the word's appearances.

¹² This meaning might be supported by Esther 1:8, "עַל כָּל רַב בֵּיתוֹ" and Hoshea 8:12, "אֶכְתׇּב] (אכתוב) לוֹ [רֻבֵּי] (רבו) תּוֹרָתִי]".  Both verses seem to be referring to that which is great and honored.

¹³ He points to Esther 4:3, "אֵבֶל גָּדוֹל לַיְּהוּדִים וְצוֹם וּבְכִי וּמִסְפֵּד שַׂק וָאֵפֶר יֻצַּע לָרַבִּים" where there is a similar doubling, as the verse speaks first about the mourning of the Jews as a whole and then the sackcloth of the "רַבִּים" in particular.  There too, he suggests that the "רַבִּים" are not the multitudes but the elite.

¹⁴ In this he follows the Second Targum to Esther which explains, "ורעי בסגיאותהון דאחוי" or "החפץ בגדולתם של אחיו"

¹⁵ For a similar example, see how he explains "וַעֲבָדוֹ לְעֹלָם" in Shemot 21:6 not to mean that the slave will work forever, but "until the end of his days".

¹⁶ See Achashverosh's Shock and Fury that R. Saba maintains that Achasverosh had never knowingly agreed to decimate the Jews.  In fact, he admired their wisdom, and felt indebted to Mordechai for saving his life, so it was only due to Haman's deception that the decree was passed.  as such, he viewed all those who agreed to abide by the edict as worthy of punishment.

¹⁷ B. Walfish in his book, Esther in Medieval Garb, (New York, 1993): 174-177, suggests that R. Saba's words might be an implicit critique of his contemporaries who sacrificed or compromised their beliefs and practices to advance their careers at the royal palace. He points them to Mordechai who did not forsake observance and nonetheless managed to succeed in public office.