Mordechai's Refusal to Bow/2

Mordechai's Refusal to Bow

Exegetical Approaches

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Religious Ideology

Sources:BavliMegillah 10bMegillah 12b-13aMegillah 19aSanhedrin 61aAbout the Bavli, Targum YonatanEsther 3:2,4About Targum Yonatan (Neviim), Esther Rabbah6:27:88:7About Esther Rabbah, Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer(Higger) 49About Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, RashiEsther 3:2About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, Lekach TovEsther 3:2About R. Toviah b. Eliezer, Ibn EzraEsther Version A 3:2-4About R. Avraham ibn Ezra

Was Mordechai halakhicly justified? According to this approach, bowing down to Haman is עבודה זרה and so there is a mitzvah of "יהרג ואל יעבור".

"כִּי הִגִּיד לָהֶם אֲשֶׁר הוּא יְהוּדִי"

Mordechai's religious identity

"כֹּרְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים"

Who were supposed to bow down to Haman?

Why were everyone supposed to bow down to Haman?

Persian background

"וְאֶת דָּתֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵינָם עֹשִׂים"

Did Mordechai know what the consequences will be?

"לֹא הִגִּידָה אֶסְתֵּר אֶת עַמָּהּ וְאֶת מוֹלַדְתָּהּ"

Biblical parallels

National Pride

Sources:Esther Rabbah7:8About Esther Rabbah, Midrash Panim AcherotVersion B Parashah 3About Midrash Panim Acherot

Was Mordechai halakhicly justified?

"כִּי הִגִּיד לָהֶם אֲשֶׁר הוּא יְהוּדִי"

Mordechai's religious identity

"כֹּרְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים"

Who were supposed to bow down to Haman?

Why were everyone supposed to bow down to Haman?

"וְאֶת דָּתֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵינָם עֹשִׂים"

Did Mordechai know what the consequences will be?

"לֹא הִגִּידָה אֶסְתֵּר אֶת עַמָּהּ וְאֶת מוֹלַדְתָּהּ"

Biblical parallels

Personal Rivalry

Sources:Targum YerushalmiEsther 3:2About Targum Yerushalmi, Targum YonatanEsther 3:2,4About Targum Yonatan (Neviim)

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 rather the reason why Haman wanted to kill Haman.

Mordechai's religious identity

"כֹּרְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים"

Who were supposed to bow down to Haman?

Why were everyone supposed to bow down to Haman?

"וְאֶת דָּתֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵינָם עֹשִׂים"

Did Mordechai know what the consequences will be?

"לֹא הִגִּידָה אֶסְתֵּר אֶת עַמָּהּ וְאֶת מוֹלַדְתָּהּ"

Biblical parallels