Difference between revisions of "Mordechai's Religious Identity/2"
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<category name="">Spiritual Leader (גדול הדור) | <category name="">Spiritual Leader (גדול הדור) | ||
| − | <mekorot><multilink><a href="SeptuagintEsthersectionAvss1-11" data-aht="source">Septuagint</a><a href="SeptuagintEsthersectionAvss1-11" data-aht="source">Esther section A, vss. 1-11</a><a href="SeptuagintEsther2-20" data-aht="source">Esther 2:20</a><a href="SeptuagintEsthersectionCvss1-11" data-aht="source">Esther section C, vss. 1-11</a><a href="SeptuagintEsthersectionAvss1-11" data-aht="source">Esther section A, vss. 1-11</a><a href="Septuagint" data-aht="parshan">About the Septuagint</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="SederOlamRabbah20" data-aht="source">Seder Olam Rabbah</a><a href="SederOlamRabbah20" data-aht="source">20</a><a href="Seder Olam Rabbah" data-aht="parshan">About Seder Olam Rabbah</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="BavliMegillah12b" data-aht="source">Bavli</a><a href="BavliMegillah12b" data-aht="source">Megillah 12b</a><a href="BavliMegillah13b" data-aht="source">Megillah 13b</a><a href="BavliMenachot65a" data-aht="source">Menachot 65a</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href=" | + | <mekorot><multilink><a href="SeptuagintEsthersectionAvss1-11" data-aht="source">Septuagint</a><a href="SeptuagintEsthersectionAvss1-11" data-aht="source">Esther section A, vss. 1-11</a><a href="SeptuagintEsther2-20" data-aht="source">Esther 2:20</a><a href="SeptuagintEsthersectionCvss1-11" data-aht="source">Esther section C, vss. 1-11</a><a href="SeptuagintEsthersectionAvss1-11" data-aht="source">Esther section A, vss. 1-11</a><a href="Septuagint" data-aht="parshan">About the Septuagint</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="SederOlamRabbah20" data-aht="source">Seder Olam Rabbah</a><a href="SederOlamRabbah20" data-aht="source">20</a><a href="Seder Olam Rabbah" data-aht="parshan">About Seder Olam Rabbah</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="BavliMegillah12b" data-aht="source">Bavli</a><a href="BavliMegillah12b" data-aht="source">Megillah 12b</a><a href="BavliMegillah13b" data-aht="source">Megillah 13b</a><a href="BavliMegillah15a" data-aht="source">Megillah 15a</a><a href="BavliMenachot65a" data-aht="source">Menachot 65a</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="FirstTargumofMegillatEsther2-5-6" data-aht="source">First Targum of Megillat Esther</a><a href="FirstTargumofMegillatEsther2-5-6" data-aht="source">2:5</a><a href="FirstTargumofMegillatEsther2-11" data-aht="source">2:11</a><a href="First Targum of Megillat Esther" data-aht="parshan">About First Targum of Megillat Esther</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="SecondTargumofMegillatEsther2-5-6" data-aht="source">Second Targum of Megillat Esther</a><a href="SecondTargumofMegillatEsther2-5-6" data-aht="source">2:5-6</a><a href="SecondTargumofMegillatEsther4-1" data-aht="source">4:1</a><a href="Second Targum of Megillat Esther" data-aht="parshan">About Second Targum of Megillat Esther</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="ShemotRabbah38-4" data-aht="source">Shemot Rabbah</a><a href="ShemotRabbah38-4" data-aht="source">38:4</a><a href="Shemot Rabbah" data-aht="parshan">About Shemot Rabbah</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="EstherRabbah7-13" data-aht="source">7:13</a><a href="EstherRabbah8-5" data-aht="source">8:5</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="RashiEsther2-5" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiEsther2-5" data-aht="source">Esther 2:5</a><a href="RashiEsther2-10-11" data-aht="source">Esther 2:10-11</a><a href="RashiEsther2-22" data-aht="source">Esther 2:22</a><a href="RashiEsther3-2" data-aht="source">Esther 3:2</a><a href="RashiEsther2-22" data-aht="source">Esther 2:22</a><a href="RashiMegillah16bsvשפירשומעיקרא" data-aht="source">Megillah 16b s.v. שפירשו, מעיקרא</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RYosefKaraEstherVersionB2-5-6" data-aht="source">R. Yosef Kara</a><a href="RYosefKaraEstherVersionB2-5-6" data-aht="source">Esther Version B 2:5-6</a><a href="RYosefKaraEstherVersionB2-19-20" data-aht="source">Esther Version B 2:19-20</a><a href="RYosefKaraEstherVersionB10-3" data-aht="source">Esther Version B 10:3</a><a href="R. Yosef Kara" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef Kara</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RashbamEsther2-6" data-aht="source">Rashbam</a><a href="RashbamEsther2-6" data-aht="source">Esther 2:6</a><a href="RashbamEsther10-3" data-aht="source">Esther 10:3</a><a href="R. Shemuel b. Meir (Rashbam)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel b. Meir</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="IbnEzraEstherVersionA2-9" data-aht="source">Ibn Ezra</a><a href="IbnEzraEstherVersionA2-9" data-aht="source">Esther Version A 2:9</a><a href="IbnEzraEstherVersionA10-3" data-aht="source">Esther Version A 10:3</a><a href="IbnEzraEstherVersionB2-5" data-aht="source">Esther Version B 2:5</a><a href="IbnEzraEstherVersionB2-11" data-aht="source">Esther Version B 2:11</a><a href="IbnEzraEstherVersionB3-4" data-aht="source">Esther Version B 3:4</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham ibn Ezra</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RAvrahamSabaEshkolHaKopherEsther2-5-8" data-aht="source">Eshkol HaKofer</a><a href="RAvrahamSabaEshkolHaKopherEsther2-5-8" data-aht="source">Esther 2:5-8</a><a href="RAvrahamSabaEshkolHaKopherEsther2-21" data-aht="source">Esther 2:21</a><a href="RAvrahamSabaEshkolHaKoferEsther3-4" data-aht="source">Esther 3:4</a><a href="RAvrahamSabaEshkolHaKoferEsther10-3" data-aht="source">Esther 10:3</a><a href="R. Avraham Saba (Tzeror HaMor)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham Saba</a></multilink></mekorot> |
| − | <point><b>Keeping Mitzvot</b></point> | + | <point><b>Keeping Mitzvot</b> – According to all these commentators, Mordechai was a fully ovservant Jew.  Seder Olam Rabbah<fn>The Bavli Megillah 15a says this regarding Mordechai Bilshan, and similarly the Septuagint has Mordechai dreaming about two dragons coming to destroy a small nation and them being saved like what actually happened in reality.  Esther Rabbah 8:5 also includes this dream.</fn> adds that he was a prophet, and the Bavli<fn>Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer also repeats this.</fn> says Mordechai was one of the Sanhedrin.<br/> |
| + | <ul> | ||
| + | <li><b>Kashrut</b> – Esther Rabbah 7:13 has Mordechai warning the whole nation not to go to Achashverosh's party, but they refused to listen.</li> | ||
| + | <li><b>Learning Torah</b> – Esther Rabbah 6:2 writes that Mordechai in his generation is equivalent to Moshe in his generation who both taught Torah to the nation.  In 8:7 they also have Mordechai gathering the children and teaching them Torah.</li> | ||
| + | <li><b>Prayer</b> – The Septuagint brings in the middle of chapter four an entire text of Mordechai's prayer to Hashem to save them.<fn>See also Bavli Megillah, First Targum, Second Targum, Shemot Rabbah, Esther Rabbah, and Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, who speak of Mordechai both generally praying and specifically in chapter four.</fn></li> | ||
| + | <li><b>Idolatry</b> –</li> | ||
| + | </ul></point> | ||
<point><b>"אִישׁ יְהוּדִי"</b></point> | <point><b>"אִישׁ יְהוּדִי"</b></point> | ||
<point><b>Why conceal Esther's religious identity?</b></point> | <point><b>Why conceal Esther's religious identity?</b></point> | ||
| Line 25: | Line 31: | ||
<point><b>Why conceal Esther's religious identity?</b></point> | <point><b>Why conceal Esther's religious identity?</b></point> | ||
<point><b>"וּמׇרְדֳּכַי יֹשֵׁב בְּשַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ"</b></point> | <point><b>"וּמׇרְדֳּכַי יֹשֵׁב בְּשַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ"</b></point> | ||
| − | <point><b>Mordechai's refusal to bow</b></point> | + | <point><b>Mordechai's refusal to bow</b> – R. Reggio suggests that Mordechai mistakenly assumed that one may not bow to a human and that he endangered the entire nation due to his erroneous piety.</point> |
<point><b>"וַיִּזְעַק זְעָקָה גְדוֹלָה וּמָרָה"</b></point> | <point><b>"וַיִּזְעַק זְעָקָה גְדוֹלָה וּמָרָה"</b></point> | ||
<point><b>Mordechai's name</b></point> | <point><b>Mordechai's name</b></point> | ||
Version as of 02:36, 3 March 2015
Mordechai's Religious Identity
Exegetical Approaches
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Spiritual Leader (גדול הדור)
Sources:Septuagint, Seder Olam Rabbah, Bavli, First Targum of Megillat Esther, Second Targum of Megillat Esther, Shemot Rabbah, Esther Rabbah, Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, Rashi, R. Yosef Kara, Rashbam, Ibn Ezra, Eshkol HaKofer
Keeping Mitzvot – According to all these commentators, Mordechai was a fully ovservant Jew. Seder Olam Rabbah1 adds that he was a prophet, and the Bavli2 says Mordechai was one of the Sanhedrin.
- Kashrut – Esther Rabbah 7:13 has Mordechai warning the whole nation not to go to Achashverosh's party, but they refused to listen.
- Learning Torah – Esther Rabbah 6:2 writes that Mordechai in his generation is equivalent to Moshe in his generation who both taught Torah to the nation. In 8:7 they also have Mordechai gathering the children and teaching them Torah.
- Prayer – The Septuagint brings in the middle of chapter four an entire text of Mordechai's prayer to Hashem to save them.3
- Idolatry –
"אִישׁ יְהוּדִי"
Why conceal Esther's religious identity?
"וּמׇרְדֳּכַי יֹשֵׁב בְּשַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ"
Mordechai's refusal to bow
"וַיִּזְעַק זְעָקָה גְדוֹלָה וּמָרָה"
Mordechai's name
Religious identity of the whole nation
Absence of Hashem in the Megillah
"וְרָצוּי לְרֹב אֶחָיו"
Simple Jew (עם הארץ)
Sources:R. Y"S Reggio
Keeping Mitzvot
"אִישׁ יְהוּדִי"
Why conceal Esther's religious identity?
"וּמׇרְדֳּכַי יֹשֵׁב בְּשַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ"
Mordechai's refusal to bow – R. Reggio suggests that Mordechai mistakenly assumed that one may not bow to a human and that he endangered the entire nation due to his erroneous piety.
"וַיִּזְעַק זְעָקָה גְדוֹלָה וּמָרָה"
Mordechai's name
Religious identity of the whole nation
Absence of Hashem in the Megillah
"וְרָצוּי לְרֹב אֶחָיו"
Assimilated Persian
Sources:R. Yaacov Medan4
Keeping Mitzvot
"אִישׁ יְהוּדִי"
Why conceal Esther's religious identity?
"וּמׇרְדֳּכַי יֹשֵׁב בְּשַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ"
Mordechai's refusal to bow
"וַיִּזְעַק זְעָקָה גְדוֹלָה וּמָרָה"
Mordechai's name
Religious identity of the whole nation
Absence of Hashem in the Megillah
"וְרָצוּי לְרֹב אֶחָיו"
