Difference between revisions of "Mordechai's Refusal to Bow/2"

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<category name="">Religious Prohibition
 
<category name="">Religious Prohibition
<mekorot><multilink><a href="BavliMegillah19a" data-aht="source">Bavli</a><a href="BavliMegillah10b" data-aht="source">Megillah 10b</a><a href="BavliMegillah12b-13a" data-aht="source">Megillah 12b-13a</a><a href="BavliMegillah19a" data-aht="source">Megillah 19a</a><a href="BavliSanhedrin61a" data-aht="source">Sanhedrin 61a</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>,&#160;<multilink><a href="TargumYerushalmiEsther3-2" data-aht="source">First Targum of Megillat Esther</a><a href="TargumYerushalmiEsther3-2" data-aht="source">Esther 3:2</a><a href="First Targum of Megillat Esther" data-aht="parshan">About First Targum of Megillat Esther</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="EstherRabbah6-2" data-aht="source">Esther Rabbah</a><a href="EstherRabbah6-2" data-aht="source">6:2</a><a href="EstherRabbah7-8" data-aht="source">7:8</a><a href="EstherRabbah8-7" data-aht="source">8:7</a><a href="Esther Rabbah" data-aht="parshan">About Esther Rabbah</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="PirkeiDeRabbiEliezerHigger49" data-aht="source">Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer</a><a href="PirkeiDeRabbiEliezerHigger49" data-aht="source">(Higger) 49</a><a href="Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer" data-aht="parshan">About Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RSaadiaGaonIntroductiontoEsther" data-aht="source">R. Saadia Gaon</a><a href="RSaadiaGaonIntroductiontoEsther" data-aht="source">Introduction to Esther</a><a href="R. Saadia Gaon" data-aht="parshan">About R. Saadia Gaon</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RashiEsther3-2" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiEsther3-2" data-aht="source">Esther 3:2</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="LekachTovEsther3-2" data-aht="source">Lekach Tov</a><a href="LekachTovEsther3-2" data-aht="source">Esther 3:2</a><a href="R. Toviah b. Eliezer (Lekach Tov)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Toviah b. Eliezer</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="IbnEzraEstherVersionA3-2-4" data-aht="source">Ibn Ezra</a><a href="IbnEzraEstherVersionA3-2-4" data-aht="source">Esther Version A 3:2-4</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham ibn Ezra</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RYSReggioEsther3-2" data-aht="source">R. Y"S Reggio</a><a href="RYSReggioEsther3-2" data-aht="source">Esther 3:2</a><a href="R. Yitzchak Shemuel Reggio (Yashar)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yitzchak Shemuel Reggio</a></multilink></mekorot>
+
<mekorot><multilink><a href="BavliMegillah19a" data-aht="source">Bavli</a><a href="BavliMegillah10b" data-aht="source">Megillah 10b</a><a href="BavliMegillah12b-13a" data-aht="source">Megillah 12b-13a</a><a href="BavliMegillah19a" data-aht="source">Megillah 19a</a><a href="BavliSanhedrin61a" data-aht="source">Sanhedrin 61a</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>,&#160;<multilink><a href="TargumYerushalmiEsther3-2" data-aht="source">First Targum of Megillat Esther</a><a href="TargumYerushalmiEsther3-2" data-aht="source">Esther 3:2</a><a href="First Targum of Megillat Esther" data-aht="parshan">About First Targum of Megillat Esther</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="EstherRabbah6-2" data-aht="source">Esther Rabbah</a><a href="EstherRabbah6-2" data-aht="source">6:2</a><a href="EstherRabbah7-8" data-aht="source">7:8</a><a href="EstherRabbah8-7" data-aht="source">8:7</a><a href="Esther Rabbah" data-aht="parshan">About Esther Rabbah</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="PirkeiDeRabbiEliezerHigger49" data-aht="source">Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer</a><a href="PirkeiDeRabbiEliezerHigger49" data-aht="source">(Higger) 49</a><a href="Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer" data-aht="parshan">About Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RSaadiaGaonIntroductiontoEsther" data-aht="source">R. Saadia Gaon</a><a href="RSaadiaGaonIntroductiontoEsther" data-aht="source">Introduction to Esther</a><a href="R. Saadia Gaon" data-aht="parshan">About R. Saadia Gaon</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RashiEsther3-2" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiEsther3-2" data-aht="source">Esther 3:2</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="LekachTovEsther3-2" data-aht="source">Lekach Tov</a><a href="LekachTovEsther3-2" data-aht="source">Esther 3:2</a><a href="R. Toviah b. Eliezer (Lekach Tov)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Toviah b. Eliezer</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RYosefKaraEstherVersionA3-2" data-aht="source">R. Yosef Kara</a><a href="RYosefKaraEstherVersionA3-2" data-aht="source">Esther Version A 3:2</a><a href="RYosefKaraEstherVersionB3-2-4" data-aht="source">Esther Version B 3:2-4</a><a href="R. Yosef Kara" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef Kara</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="IbnEzraEstherVersionA3-2-4" data-aht="source">Ibn Ezra</a><a href="IbnEzraEstherVersionA3-2-4" data-aht="source">Esther Version A 3:2-4</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham ibn Ezra</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RYSReggioEsther3-2" data-aht="source">R. Y"S Reggio</a><a href="RYSReggioEsther3-2" data-aht="source">Esther 3:2</a><a href="R. Yitzchak Shemuel Reggio (Yashar)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yitzchak Shemuel Reggio</a></multilink></mekorot>
<point><b>What was the Halakhic problem?</b></point>
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<point><b>What was the Halakhic problem?</b> The commentators disagree what Halakhic problem there was:<br/>
 +
<ul>
 +
<li>Avodah zarah</li>
 +
<ul>
 +
<li>Haman had avodah zarah on him - Bavli, First Targum of Megillat Esther, Esther Rabbah, and Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer.</li>
 +
<li>Haman made himself into a god - R. Saadia Gaon, Rashi, and Lekach Tov.</li>
 +
</ul>
 +
<li>Bowing down to others - R. Yosef Kara and R. Y"S Reggio.</li>
 +
</ul></point>
 
<point><b>Was Mordechai halakhically justified?</b></point>
 
<point><b>Was Mordechai halakhically justified?</b></point>
 
<point><b>"כִּי הִגִּיד לָהֶם אֲשֶׁר הוּא יְהוּדִי"</b> – These commentators explain that "כִּי הִגִּיד לָהֶם אֲשֶׁר הוּא יְהוּדִי" is the reason why Mordechai did not bow down to Haman.</point>
 
<point><b>"כִּי הִגִּיד לָהֶם אֲשֶׁר הוּא יְהוּדִי"</b> – These commentators explain that "כִּי הִגִּיד לָהֶם אֲשֶׁר הוּא יְהוּדִי" is the reason why Mordechai did not bow down to Haman.</point>

Version as of 02:04, 12 February 2015

Mordechai's Refusal to Bow

Exegetical Approaches

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Personal Rivalry

Was Mordechai justified? According to this approach, it is possible that Mordechai was not justified and should have bowed down to Haman as it seems like from the Bavli and Tanchuma.
"כִּי הִגִּיד לָהֶם אֲשֶׁר הוּא יְהוּדִי" – This approach holds that "כִּי הִגִּיד לָהֶם אֲשֶׁר הוּא יְהוּדִי" isn't the reason for Mordechai's refusal but rather the reason why Haman wanted to kill Mordechai.
Mordechai's religious identity
"כֹּרְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים"
Who was supposed to bow down to Haman?
Why was everyone supposed to bow down to Haman?
"וְאֶת דָּתֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵינָם עֹשִׂים"
Did Mordechai know what the consequences would be?
"לֹא הִגִּידָה אֶסְתֵּר אֶת עַמָּהּ וְאֶת מוֹלַדְתָּהּ"
Biblical parallels

Religious Prohibition

What was the Halakhic problem? The commentators disagree what Halakhic problem there was:
  • Avodah zarah
    • Haman had avodah zarah on him - Bavli, First Targum of Megillat Esther, Esther Rabbah, and Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer.
    • Haman made himself into a god - R. Saadia Gaon, Rashi, and Lekach Tov.
  • Bowing down to others - R. Yosef Kara and R. Y"S Reggio.
Was Mordechai halakhically justified?
"כִּי הִגִּיד לָהֶם אֲשֶׁר הוּא יְהוּדִי" – These commentators explain that "כִּי הִגִּיד לָהֶם אֲשֶׁר הוּא יְהוּדִי" is the reason why Mordechai did not bow down to Haman.
Mordechai's religious identity
"כֹּרְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים"
Who was supposed to bow down to Haman?
Why was everyone supposed to bow down to Haman?
Persian background
"וְאֶת דָּתֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵינָם עֹשִׂים"
Did Mordechai know what the consequences would be?
"לֹא הִגִּידָה אֶסְתֵּר אֶת עַמָּהּ וְאֶת מוֹלַדְתָּהּ"
Biblical parallels

Political Opposition

Jewish Pride

Was Mordechai halakhically justified?
"כִּי הִגִּיד לָהֶם אֲשֶׁר הוּא יְהוּדִי"
Mordechai's religious identity
"כֹּרְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים"
Who was supposed to bow down to Haman?
Why was everyone supposed to bow down to Haman?
"וְאֶת דָּתֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵינָם עֹשִׂים"
Did Mordechai know what the consequences would be?
"לֹא הִגִּידָה אֶסְתֵּר אֶת עַמָּהּ וְאֶת מוֹלַדְתָּהּ"
Biblical parallels

Aegean Threat

Was Mordechai justified?
"כִּי הִגִּיד לָהֶם אֲשֶׁר הוּא יְהוּדִי"
Mordechai's religious identity
"כֹּרְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים"
Who was supposed to bow down to Haman?
Why was everyone supposed to bow down to Haman?
"וְאֶת דָּתֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵינָם עֹשִׂים"
Did Mordechai know what the consequences would be?
"לֹא הִגִּידָה אֶסְתֵּר אֶת עַמָּהּ וְאֶת מוֹלַדְתָּהּ"
Biblical parallels