Difference between revisions of "Why Conceal Esther's Nationality/2"

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<mekorot><multilink><a href="RYosefKaraEstherVersionA2-10" data-aht="source">R. Yosef Kara</a><a href="RYosefKaraEstherVersionA2-10" data-aht="source">Esther Version A 2:10</a><a href="RYosefKaraEstherVersionB2-10" data-aht="source">Esther Version B 2:10</a><a href="R. Yosef Kara" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef Kara</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RashbamEsther2-10" data-aht="source">Rashbam</a><a href="RashbamEsther2-10" data-aht="source">Esther 2:10</a><a href="RashbamEsther2-19-20" data-aht="source">Esther 2:19-20</a><a href="R. Shemuel b. Meir (Rashbam)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel b. Meir</a></multilink>, first opinion cited in <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="IbnEzraEstherVersionB2-10" data-aht="source">Esther Version B 2:10</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham ibn Ezra</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="NFrenchCommentaryEsther2-10" data-aht="source">Northern French Commentary</a><a href="NFrenchCommentaryEsther2-10" data-aht="source">Esther 2:10</a><a href="Northern French Commentary" data-aht="parshan">About Northern French Commentary</a></multilink>, opinion cited by <multilink><a href="RAvigdorKohenTzedekEsther2-10" data-aht="source">R. Avigdor Kohen Tzedek</a><a href="RAvigdorKohenTzedekEsther2-10" data-aht="source">Esther 2:10</a><a href="R. Avigdor Kohen Tzedek" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avigdor Kohen Tzedek</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RYSReggioEstherpp7-8" data-aht="source">R. Y"S Reggio</a><a href="RYSReggioEstherpp7-8" data-aht="source">Esther pp. 7-8</a><a href="R. Yitzchak Shemuel Reggio (Yashar)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yitzchak Shemuel Reggio</a></multilink></mekorot>
 
<mekorot><multilink><a href="RYosefKaraEstherVersionA2-10" data-aht="source">R. Yosef Kara</a><a href="RYosefKaraEstherVersionA2-10" data-aht="source">Esther Version A 2:10</a><a href="RYosefKaraEstherVersionB2-10" data-aht="source">Esther Version B 2:10</a><a href="R. Yosef Kara" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef Kara</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RashbamEsther2-10" data-aht="source">Rashbam</a><a href="RashbamEsther2-10" data-aht="source">Esther 2:10</a><a href="RashbamEsther2-19-20" data-aht="source">Esther 2:19-20</a><a href="R. Shemuel b. Meir (Rashbam)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel b. Meir</a></multilink>, first opinion cited in <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="IbnEzraEstherVersionB2-10" data-aht="source">Esther Version B 2:10</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham ibn Ezra</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="NFrenchCommentaryEsther2-10" data-aht="source">Northern French Commentary</a><a href="NFrenchCommentaryEsther2-10" data-aht="source">Esther 2:10</a><a href="Northern French Commentary" data-aht="parshan">About Northern French Commentary</a></multilink>, opinion cited by <multilink><a href="RAvigdorKohenTzedekEsther2-10" data-aht="source">R. Avigdor Kohen Tzedek</a><a href="RAvigdorKohenTzedekEsther2-10" data-aht="source">Esther 2:10</a><a href="R. Avigdor Kohen Tzedek" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avigdor Kohen Tzedek</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RYSReggioEstherpp7-8" data-aht="source">R. Y"S Reggio</a><a href="RYSReggioEstherpp7-8" data-aht="source">Esther pp. 7-8</a><a href="R. Yitzchak Shemuel Reggio (Yashar)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yitzchak Shemuel Reggio</a></multilink></mekorot>
 
<point><b>Esther and Mordechai's religious identity</b> – Most of the commentators do not address the question but R. Y"S Reggio points out that Mordechai and Esther do not seem overly concerned with observing the commandments.&#160; Thus, Mordechai never warns Esther to uphold belief in one God and reject Persian polytheism, nor to try and keep the laws of kashrut.&#160; Instead, he does all in his power to get her to become queen, despite the fact that it will make observance more difficult.</point>
 
<point><b>Esther and Mordechai's religious identity</b> – Most of the commentators do not address the question but R. Y"S Reggio points out that Mordechai and Esther do not seem overly concerned with observing the commandments.&#160; Thus, Mordechai never warns Esther to uphold belief in one God and reject Persian polytheism, nor to try and keep the laws of kashrut.&#160; Instead, he does all in his power to get her to become queen, despite the fact that it will make observance more difficult.</point>
<point><b>אֶת עַמָּהּ וְאֶת מוֹלַדְתָּהּ&#160;– What did Esther not tell?</b> According to most of these exegetes Esther hid her Jewish identity since the Jewish nation was degraded in the eyes of the Persians.&#160; The opinion brought in Ibn Ezra and Reggio, emphasize instead that she was to conceal the fact that she came from exile since this, rather than her Jewsih roots, was the a potential source of humiliation.<fn>In fact, Reggio asserts that Achashverosh had nothing against the Jewish nation, and never knowingly agreed to their annihilation.&#160; Haman purposefully hid thier identity when sharing his plan of decimation since he knew that the king did not view them negatively and would not have agreed. For elaboration, see <a href="Achashverosh's_Surprise/2" data-aht="page">Achashverosh's Surprise</a>.</fn></point>
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<point><b>אֶת עַמָּהּ וְאֶת מוֹלַדְתָּהּ&#160;– What did Esther not tell?</b> According to most of these exegetes, Esther hid her Jewish identity since the Jewish nation was degraded in the eyes of the Persians. The opinion brought in Ibn Ezra and Reggio emphasize instead that she was to conceal the fact that she came from exile since this, rather than her Jewish roots, was the potential source of humiliation.<fn>In fact, Reggio asserts that Achashverosh had nothing against the Jewish nation, and never knowingly agreed to their annihilation.&#160; Haman purposefully hid thier identity when sharing his plan of decimation since he knew that the king did not view them negatively and would not have agreed. For elaboration, see <a href="Achashverosh's_Surprise/2" data-aht="page">Achashverosh's Surprise</a>.</fn></point>
<point><b>Until when did Esther not tell?</b></point>
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<point><b>Until when did Esther not tell?</b> Esther hid her identity both before and after her coronation, lest she lose the crown upon revelation.</point>
 
<point><b>Was Esther taken by force?</b></point>
 
<point><b>Was Esther taken by force?</b></point>
 
<point><b>Achashverosh's Attitude Towards Jews</b></point>
 
<point><b>Achashverosh's Attitude Towards Jews</b></point>

Version as of 03:20, 13 February 2015

Concealing Esther's Religious Identity

Exegetical Approaches

Personal Gain

Esther and Mordechai's religious identity – Most of the commentators do not address the question but R. Y"S Reggio points out that Mordechai and Esther do not seem overly concerned with observing the commandments.  Thus, Mordechai never warns Esther to uphold belief in one God and reject Persian polytheism, nor to try and keep the laws of kashrut.  Instead, he does all in his power to get her to become queen, despite the fact that it will make observance more difficult.
אֶת עַמָּהּ וְאֶת מוֹלַדְתָּהּ – What did Esther not tell? According to most of these exegetes, Esther hid her Jewish identity since the Jewish nation was degraded in the eyes of the Persians. The opinion brought in Ibn Ezra and Reggio emphasize instead that she was to conceal the fact that she came from exile since this, rather than her Jewish roots, was the potential source of humiliation.1
Until when did Esther not tell? Esther hid her identity both before and after her coronation, lest she lose the crown upon revelation.
Was Esther taken by force?
Achashverosh's Attitude Towards Jews
Revealing the secret

Religious Observance

Avoid Becoming Queen

Esther and Mordechai's religious identity
אֶת עַמָּהּ וְאֶת מוֹלַדְתָּהּ – What did Esther not tell?
Why did Esther not tell after she was chosen?
Was Esther taken by force?
Achashverosh's Attitude Towards Jews

Enable Torah Observance

Esther and Mordechai's religious identity
אֶת עַמָּהּ וְאֶת מוֹלַדְתָּהּ – What did Esther not tell?
Until when did Esther not tell?
Was Esther taken by force?

National Interests