Difference between revisions of "Mordechai's Refusal to Bow/2"
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<point><b>Was Mordechai halakhically justified?</b><ul> | <point><b>Was Mordechai halakhically justified?</b><ul> | ||
| − | <li><b>Justified </b>– | + | <li><b>Justified </b>– </li> |
<ul> | <ul> | ||
| − | <li>Idolatry – According to those who assert that bowing constituted worship of idolatry, Mordechai's refusal was justified since the law requires one to die rather than transgress the prohibition. (ייהרג ואל יעבור). </li> | + | <li><b>Idolatry</b> – According to those who assert that bowing constituted worship of idolatry, Mordechai's refusal was justified since the law requires one to die rather than transgress the prohibition. (ייהרג ואל יעבור). </li> |
| − | <li>Era of Destruction – According to the alternative, it would seem that Mordechai's actions were not necessary since there is no prohibition against bowing to people.<fn>R. Y"S Reggio brings proof from the fact that Avraham bowed down to the people of the land (Bereshit 23:7), Yaakov to Esav (Bereshit 33:3), Yosef's brothers to him, David to Yonatan and many other similar cases.  Cf. R. Saadia Gaon who also claims that there is no prohibition in a honorary bow leading him to conclude that the problem must have been idolatry. Cf. Second Targum of Megillat Esther and Esther Rabbah who say that Haman told Mordechai to bow down to him since Yaakov bowed down to Esav.</fn>  R"Y Kara, though, might suggest that the era was a "period of destruction" during which one might be prohibited from doing even the slightest action upon command of another who is intent on the nation's spiritual destruction.<fn>See the discussion in Bavli Sanhedrin 74a-b, which speaks of being killed before violating even a minor coommand, such as changing one's style of shoelaces.  It is not clear, however, whether Mordechai's refusal actually tookplace in a setting of "destruction" since there is no evidence of religious coercion in the Megillah; even the physical threat was only after Mordechai's actions.</fn> </li> | + | <li><b>Era of Destruction</b> – According to the alternative, it would seem that Mordechai's actions were not necessary since there is no prohibition against bowing to people.<fn>R. Y"S Reggio brings proof from the fact that Avraham bowed down to the people of the land (Bereshit 23:7), Yaakov to Esav (Bereshit 33:3), Yosef's brothers to him, David to Yonatan and many other similar cases.  Cf. R. Saadia Gaon who also claims that there is no prohibition in a honorary bow leading him to conclude that the problem must have been idolatry. Cf. Second Targum of Megillat Esther and Esther Rabbah who say that Haman told Mordechai to bow down to him since Yaakov bowed down to Esav.</fn>  R"Y Kara, though, might suggest that the era was a "period of destruction" (שעת השמד) during which one might be prohibited from doing even the slightest action upon command of another who is intent on the nation's spiritual destruction.<fn>See the discussion in Bavli Sanhedrin 74a-b, which speaks of being killed before violating even a minor coommand, such as changing one's style of shoelaces.  It is not clear, however, whether Mordechai's refusal actually tookplace in a setting of "destruction" since there is no evidence of religious coercion in the Megillah; even the physical threat was only after Mordechai's actions.</fn> </li> |
</ul> | </ul> | ||
</ul> | </ul> | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
| − | <li><b>Unjustified</b> - R. Reggio claims that Mordechai simply made a mistake, thinking he was being pious in not | + | <li><b>Unjustified</b> - R. Reggio claims that Mordechai simply made a mistake, thinking he was being pious in not bowing to people, when in reality he did not understand the Torah's intentions (טעה בהתחסדות). Moreover, since the law states that one must abode by the laws of the land (דינא דמלכותא דינא), Mordechai was actually obligated to listen to the king's command and bow!</li> |
</ul></point> | </ul></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 11:25, 21 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 (see Northern French Commentary).
Mordechai's religious identity – The First Targum of Megillat Esther says that Mordechai was an observant Jew. It is unclear what Hoil Moshe holds but it is possible to say that Mordechai was an assimilated Jew and only cared about his position in the king's palace.
"כֹּרְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים"
Who was supposed to bow down to Haman? Everyone.
Why was everyone supposed to bow down to Haman?
"וְאֶת דָּתֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵינָם עֹשִׂים"
Did Mordechai know what the consequences would be? This position would probably hold that Mordechai did not know what the consequences will be, since if he did know he wouldn't have sacrificed the whole nation's lives just for his personal pride.
A Portrait of Mordechai
Biblical parallels
Religious Prohibition
Mordechai did now bow down due to a religious prohibition to bow. The commentators disagree about what the halakhic prohibition was.
Sources:Bavli, First Targum of Megillat Esther, Esther Rabbah, Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, R. Saadia Gaon, Rashi, Lekach Tov, R. Yosef Kara, Ibn Ezra, R. Y"S Reggio
What was the halakhic prohibition? The commentators offer two possibilities
- Idolatry – Most of these sources suggest that bowing would have been a violation of the prohibition against idolatry either because Haman wore an idol on him,2 or because Haman considered himself a god.3
- Bowing down to people – R. Yosef Kara and R. Y"S Reggio instead suggest that Mordechai thought that it was prohibited to bow down to anyone other than Hashem.4
Was Mordechai halakhically justified?
- Justified –
- Idolatry – According to those who assert that bowing constituted worship of idolatry, Mordechai's refusal was justified since the law requires one to die rather than transgress the prohibition. (ייהרג ואל יעבור).
- Era of Destruction – According to the alternative, it would seem that Mordechai's actions were not necessary since there is no prohibition against bowing to people.5 R"Y Kara, though, might suggest that the era was a "period of destruction" (שעת השמד) during which one might be prohibited from doing even the slightest action upon command of another who is intent on the nation's spiritual destruction.6
- Unjustified - R. Reggio claims that Mordechai simply made a mistake, thinking he was being pious in not bowing to people, when in reality he did not understand the Torah's intentions (טעה בהתחסדות). Moreover, since the law states that one must abode by the laws of the land (דינא דמלכותא דינא), Mordechai was actually obligated to listen to the king's command and bow!
"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 – According to this approach Mordechai was an observant Jew.
"כֹּרְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים"
Who was supposed to bow down to Haman? Everyone.
Why was everyone supposed to bow down to Haman? Esther Rabbah holds that the reason Haman wanted everyone to bow down to him was so they will worship idolatry.
"וְאֶת דָּתֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵינָם עֹשִׂים"
Did Mordechai know what the consequences would be? According to this approach, Mordechai did not worry about what the consequences will be since he thought bowing down to Haman was prohibited halakhically.
A Portrait of Mordechai
Biblical parallels
Political Opposition
Jewish Pride
Was Mordechai justified? Yosef Lekach tries to justify Mordechai's actions by saying that Mordechai was not obligated to bow down to Haman since he was not one of "עבדי המלך".
"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 – Mordechai was proud of his Jewish heritage but was not necessarily a halakhic observant Jew.
"כֹּרְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים"
Who was supposed to bow down to Haman? Yosef Lekach holds that only "עבדי המלך" who were "בשער המלך" needed to bow to Haman.
Why was everyone supposed to bow down to Haman?
"וְאֶת דָּתֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵינָם עֹשִׂים"
Did Mordechai know what the consequences would be?
A Portrait of Mordechai
Biblical parallels
Aegean Threat
Sources:Septuagint, Dr. Yisrael Eldad
Was Mordechai justified?
"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 (see Northern French Commentary).
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?
A Portrait of Mordechai
Biblical parallels
