Difference between revisions of "Mordechai's Religious Identity/2"

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<point><b>What type of leader?</b> Seder Olam Rabbah asserts that Mordechai was a prophet,<fn>Cf. Bavli Megillah 15a.&#160; See also the Septuagint and&#160;Esther Rabbah 8:5 who present Mordechai as having a prophetic dream about two dragons coming to destroy a small nation who in the end is saved.</fn> while the Bavli and many in its wake<fn>See, for example, Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, Rashi, R"Y Kara, Rashbam, and R. Saba.</fn> say Mordechai was one of the Sanhedrin.&#160; According to these sources he was actively involved in leading the nation in a Torah lifestyle.&#160; Thus, Esther Rabbah presents him as warning the nation not to join Achashverosh's party and its accompanying promiscuity and has him teaching Torah to both adults and children.</point>
 
<point><b>What type of leader?</b> Seder Olam Rabbah asserts that Mordechai was a prophet,<fn>Cf. Bavli Megillah 15a.&#160; See also the Septuagint and&#160;Esther Rabbah 8:5 who present Mordechai as having a prophetic dream about two dragons coming to destroy a small nation who in the end is saved.</fn> while the Bavli and many in its wake<fn>See, for example, Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, Rashi, R"Y Kara, Rashbam, and R. Saba.</fn> say Mordechai was one of the Sanhedrin.&#160; According to these sources he was actively involved in leading the nation in a Torah lifestyle.&#160; Thus, Esther Rabbah presents him as warning the nation not to join Achashverosh's party and its accompanying promiscuity and has him teaching Torah to both adults and children.</point>
 
<point><b>Keeping Mitzvot</b> – According to all these commentators, Mordechai was a fully observant Jew.&#160; R"A Saba notes how virtuous this makes Mordechai considering that he was both in exile and a servant in the king's court, two conditions which would have made many leave their faith.<fn>He even notes that Mordechai might have been exempt from keeping the commandments since he had a status similar to that of a slave.</fn> Though there is no explicit evidence of this in the Megillah, these sources point to a variety of commandments that Mordechai was involved in including learning Torah,<fn>See Esther Rabbah 6:2 and 8:7.</fn> not bowing to idolatry,<fn>See the point below about Mordechai's refusal to bow.</fn> keeping kosher,<fn>R. Saba suggests that Mordechai was upset that the people had eaten at Achashevrosh's party.</fn> and praying.<fn>See Septuagint, Second Targum 4:1, Esther Rabbah 8:7, and Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer.</fn></point>
 
<point><b>Keeping Mitzvot</b> – According to all these commentators, Mordechai was a fully observant Jew.&#160; R"A Saba notes how virtuous this makes Mordechai considering that he was both in exile and a servant in the king's court, two conditions which would have made many leave their faith.<fn>He even notes that Mordechai might have been exempt from keeping the commandments since he had a status similar to that of a slave.</fn> Though there is no explicit evidence of this in the Megillah, these sources point to a variety of commandments that Mordechai was involved in including learning Torah,<fn>See Esther Rabbah 6:2 and 8:7.</fn> not bowing to idolatry,<fn>See the point below about Mordechai's refusal to bow.</fn> keeping kosher,<fn>R. Saba suggests that Mordechai was upset that the people had eaten at Achashevrosh's party.</fn> and praying.<fn>See Septuagint, Second Targum 4:1, Esther Rabbah 8:7, and Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer.</fn></point>
<point><b>"אִישׁ יְהוּדִי"</b> R. Saba suggests that Mordechai is introduced as an "אִישׁ יְהוּדִי" to highlight how he managed to be a Jew in all he did, despite the potential negative influences from the palace and Shushan.</point>
+
<point><b>"אִישׁ יְהוּדִי"</b><ul>
 +
<li>Many of these commentators suggest that this extra title is intended to highlight that Mordechai's Judaism was one of his defining characteristics.Thus, R. Saba asserts that it shows how he managed to be a Jew in all he did, despite the potential negative influences from the palace and Shushan.<fn>See also the second Targum who asserts that it aludes to Mordechai's sanctifying Hashem's name or Pirkei deRabbi Eliezer who points to his learning of Torah.</fn> </li>
 +
<li>Others suggest a play on words with Esther Rabbah claiming that Mordechai&#160; "ייחד שם ה'" and the First Targum suggesting that he was always "מודה ומצלי קדם אלהא", thanking&#160; and praying to Hashem.</li>
 +
</ul></point>
 
<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> – R. Saba<fn>Cf. Bavli Megillah 16b and Rashi who say similarly, but with regards to Mordechai's appointment to second in command.</fn> raises a possible criticism of Mordechai for "sitting at the king's gate" rather than involving himself in Torah.<fn>The Bavli suggests that when the Megillah ends by saying that Mordechai was "desired by most of his brethren" this implies that some of his fellow members of the Sanhedrin were upset at this decision. See point below for other understandings of the verse.</fn> R. Saba defends Mordechai by pointing out that the verse purposefully adds, "בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם" to suggest that this was only during a specific time period, when the nation was in potential danger, and Mordechia thought that his positioning might save them.</point>
 
<point><b>"וּמׇרְדֳּכַי יֹשֵׁב בְּשַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ"</b> – R. Saba<fn>Cf. Bavli Megillah 16b and Rashi who say similarly, but with regards to Mordechai's appointment to second in command.</fn> raises a possible criticism of Mordechai for "sitting at the king's gate" rather than involving himself in Torah.<fn>The Bavli suggests that when the Megillah ends by saying that Mordechai was "desired by most of his brethren" this implies that some of his fellow members of the Sanhedrin were upset at this decision. See point below for other understandings of the verse.</fn> R. Saba defends Mordechai by pointing out that the verse purposefully adds, "בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם" to suggest that this was only during a specific time period, when the nation was in potential danger, and Mordechia thought that his positioning might save them.</point>

Version as of 04:51, 5 March 2015

Mordechai's Religious Identity

Exegetical Approaches

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Spiritual Leader (גדול הדור)

What type of leader? Seder Olam Rabbah asserts that Mordechai was a prophet,1 while the Bavli and many in its wake2 say Mordechai was one of the Sanhedrin.  According to these sources he was actively involved in leading the nation in a Torah lifestyle.  Thus, Esther Rabbah presents him as warning the nation not to join Achashverosh's party and its accompanying promiscuity and has him teaching Torah to both adults and children.
Keeping Mitzvot – According to all these commentators, Mordechai was a fully observant Jew.  R"A Saba notes how virtuous this makes Mordechai considering that he was both in exile and a servant in the king's court, two conditions which would have made many leave their faith.3 Though there is no explicit evidence of this in the Megillah, these sources point to a variety of commandments that Mordechai was involved in including learning Torah,4 not bowing to idolatry,5 keeping kosher,6 and praying.7
"אִישׁ יְהוּדִי"
  • Many of these commentators suggest that this extra title is intended to highlight that Mordechai's Judaism was one of his defining characteristics.Thus, R. Saba asserts that it shows how he managed to be a Jew in all he did, despite the potential negative influences from the palace and Shushan.8
  • Others suggest a play on words with Esther Rabbah claiming that Mordechai  "ייחד שם ה'" and the First Targum suggesting that he was always "מודה ומצלי קדם אלהא", thanking  and praying to Hashem.
Why conceal Esther's religious identity?
"וּמׇרְדֳּכַי יֹשֵׁב בְּשַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ" – R. Saba9 raises a possible criticism of Mordechai for "sitting at the king's gate" rather than involving himself in Torah.10 R. Saba defends Mordechai by pointing out that the verse purposefully adds, "בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם" to suggest that this was only during a specific time period, when the nation was in potential danger, and Mordechia thought that his positioning might save them.
Mordechai's refusal to bow – This approach asserts that Mordechai's action was motivated by a desire to avoid violating a religious prohibition.
  • Idolatry – Most claim that Haman had either proclaimed himself a deity11 or worn an idol on his clothing.12  R"A Saba13  
  • Bowing to a human – On the other hand, R. Yosef Kara says there is a religious prohibition to bow down to an human regardless of him wearing an idol or not.14
"וַיִּזְעַק זְעָקָה גְדוֹלָה וּמָרָה"
Mordechai's name
Religious identity of the whole nation
Absence of Hashem in the Megillah
"וְרָצוּי לְרֹב אֶחָיו" – Bavli Megillah 16b15 explains that Mordechai wasn't acceptable to all his brethren rather to only some, because some of the Sanhedrin withdrew from him once he became second in command and stopped learning.  R"Y Kara says people were angry at Mordechai that he didn't bow to Haman and caused them to be sentenced to death, and Ibn Ezra suggests similarly that it is impossible for someone to please everybody.  Finally, Rashbam understands that the verse refers to all his brethren.

Simple Jew (עם הארץ)

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 Medan16
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"