Mordechai's Religious Identity/2
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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 observant Jew. Seder Olam Rabbah1 adds that he was a prophet, and the Bavli2 says Mordechai was one of the Sanhedrin. R"A Saba notes that it was a virtue of Mordechai that he kept Mitzvot even though he was in exile where it is hard to keep Mitzvot.3
- 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,4 and other Midrashim talk about Mordechai praying in general.5
- Idolatry –
"אִישׁ יְהוּדִי"
Why conceal Esther's religious identity?
"וּמׇרְדֳּכַי יֹשֵׁב בְּשַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ"
Mordechai's refusal to bow – This approach understands Mordechai to have intended to avoid violating a religious prohibition. Esther Rabbah, Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, Rashi, Ibn Ezra, and R"A Saba6 all understand Haman to have proclaimed himself to be a deity, or to have worn an idol on his clothing, so bowing to him would violate the prohibition of bowing to idolatry. 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.
"וַיִּזְעַק זְעָקָה גְדוֹלָה וּמָרָה"
Mordechai's name
Religious identity of the whole nation
Absence of Hashem in the Megillah
"וְרָצוּי לְרֹב אֶחָיו" – Bavli Megillah 16b7 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)
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 Medan8
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"
