Why Conceal Esther's Nationality/2

Concealing Esther's Religious Identity

Exegetical Approaches

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Personal Gain

The hiding of Esther's identity was meant to facilitate her being chosen as queen.

Sources:R. Yosef KaraEsther Version A 2:10Esther Version B 2:10About R. Yosef Kara, RashbamEsther 2:10Esther 2:19-20About R. Shemuel b. Meir, first opinion cited in Ibn EzraEsther Version A 2:9Esther Version B 2:10About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, Northern French CommentaryEsther 2:10About Northern French Commentary, opinion cited by R. Avigdor Kohen TzedekEsther 2:10About R. Avigdor Kohen Tzedek, R. Y"S ReggioEsther pp. 7-8About R. Yitzchak Shemuel Reggio

אֶת עַמָּהּ וְאֶת מוֹלַדְתָּהּ – What did Esther not tell? According to most of these exegetes, the words "עַמָּהּ וְמוֹלַדְתָּהּ" refer to Esther's Jewish nationality.  Esther did not want others to know that she was Jewish since the Jewish nation was degraded in the eyes of the Persians. The opinion brought in Ibn Ezra and Reggio emphasize instead that she wanted to conceal the fact that she came from exile ("מוֹלַדְתָּהּ") since this, rather than her Jewish roots,¹ was the potential source of humiliation.²

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.³  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.⁴

"וַתִּלָּקַח אֶסְתֵּר אֶל בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ" – The passive form of these words is difficult for this position as it makes it sound as if Esther was taken against her will, while these commentators assert that she was actively trying to be chosen.

"לֹא בִקְשָׁה דָּבָר" – These words, too, suggest a passivity on the part of Esther which does not fit the portrait of one who wishes to be chosen as queen.  Y. Hazony,⁵ though, suggests that in reality this was part of Esther's strategy.  The verse points out that Esther did not request anything on her own, but only, "אֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר הֵגַי סְרִיס הַמֶּלֶךְ שֹׁמֵר הַנָּשִׁים".  Esther realized that Hegai, a professional in charge of the king's harem,  knew best what it was that the king would want and thus followed his advice in all.

Until when did Esther not tell?

• R. Yosef Kara, Rashbam, and Reggio all claim that Esther hid her identity both before and after her coronation, presumably, lest she lose the crown upon revelation.
• Alternatively this position could posit that the secret was only necessary during the competition, to ensure that she was not automatically passed over due to her religion or foreign status.⁶ If so, the repeated mention of the fact of concealment after her coronation would have to be read as a summary statement for the chapter⁷ or as related specifically to the second gathering of virgins, when competition was renewed.⁸

Revealing the secret – R. Avigdor Kohen Tzedek questions this approach from Achashverosh's attitude upon Esther's revelation of her identity.  If her Judaism was abhorrent in his eyes, then it is not clear why Esther thought that revealing the fact should save her or her nation.  It should have been a cause for her rejection!  These exegetes might respond that by that point Esther had won over Achashverosh totally and he no longer cared about her origins or, that to begin with it was her foreign status rather than Jewish religion which was problematic, and that he might have even been aware of the latter by the party.

Evaluating the decision – Ibn Ezra suggests that if Mordechai and Esther were really motivated simply by a desire that Esther become Queen, their actions should be condemned.  If embarrassment over their Judaism further played a role, the actions are even more problematic.  This is especially true considering that had Esther's nationality been known it is very likely that Haman would have never made the edict of destruction.⁹

Religious Observance

Avoid Becoming Queen

Esther hid her identity in order to lower her chances of becoming Queen.

Sources:RashiEsther 2:10About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, RidEsther 2:10Esther 2:19-21About R. Yeshayah of Trani

Esther and Mordechai's religious identity – These exegetes maintain that Mordechai and Esther were observant Jews,¹⁰ who were upset by the concept that Esther should marry a Persian king, and be forced into a position where her faith and observance would be compromised.

אֶת עַמָּהּ וְאֶת מוֹלַדְתָּהּ – What did Esther not tell? Rashi and Rid maintain that Esther was of royal lineage, being a descendant of King Shaul.  It was this lineage that Esther attempted to conceal as it would make her a more appealing candidate. Though the word "מוֹלַדְתָּהּ" could support this reading, it would be difficult to say that the word "עַמָּהּ" is limited to family status.

Was Esther from Shaul's family? Rashi asserts that "אִישׁ יְמִינִי" means that Mordechai was from the tribe of Binyamin and apparently assumes that the "קִישׁ" who is mentioned in Mordechai's genealogy is the same as the father of Shaul.  Ibn Ezra questions that if the verses wanted to highlight that Mordechai was a descendant of Shaul, it is strange that they would skip generations to mention Kish by name but not Shaul.

"וַתִּלָּקַח אֶסְתֵּר אֶל בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ" and "לֹא בִקְשָׁה דָּבָר" – These verses support the idea that Esther was taken by force and preferred not to be chosen.

Until when did Esther not tell? Rashi and Rid follow the simple reading of the verses which suggest that Esther continued to conceal her identity even after she was chosen. This is somewhat difficult for this position, considering that such secrecy no longer served any purpose. Rashi suggests that once Esther was taken, Mordechai understood that she was meant to be a tool for the salvation of Israel.¹¹  If so, it is possible that he thought that somehow continuing to hide her identity would help serve that purpose.¹²

Enable Torah Observance

Esther would be better able to keep Mitzvot if her Judaism was not known.

Sources:Ibn EzraEsther Version A 2:9Esther Version B 2:10About R. Avraham ibn Ezra's own opinion, Akeidat Yitzchak #1Esther 2:10About R. Yitzchak Arama

Esther and Mordechai's religious identity – This position is based on the assumption that the two were observant Jews. Ibn Ezra identifies Mordechai with the Mordechai listed as one of those who followed Zerubavel to Israel.¹³

Why would observance be easier?

• According to Ibn Ezra, if Esther's religion were known the king would have actively forced her to transgress commandments, eat non kosher and the like.  If no one knew, though, they might not notice if she observed things in secret.
• The Akeidat Yitzchak instead suggests that the secret was meant to ensure that Esther did not fall into a situation in which the law would mandate that she give up her life rather than transgress a law.  Had her Judaism been public and then Achashverosh demanded of her to voilate it, the laws of "יהרג ואל יעבר" would take effect. 

Did the Jews know Esther's identity? According to Akeidat Yitzchak, Esther would have had to hide her identity even from the Jews.  Considering that she was taken from the house of Mordechai who was presumably known to the Jews, this seems somewhat difficult.¹⁴  Ibn Ezra could instead posit that the Jews knew Esther's identity but did not reveal it.¹⁵

אֶת עַמָּהּ וְאֶת מוֹלַדְתָּהּ – What did Esther not tell? Both Ibn Ezra and Akeidat Yitzchak suggest that these terms refer to Esther's Jewish roots and it was this that she concealed.

"וַתִּלָּקַח אֶסְתֵּר אֶל בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ" and "לֹא בִקְשָׁה דָּבָר" – This position would point to these verses as evidence that Esther was taken by force and did not willingly go to the palace.  Moreover, once there she did not ask for anything that might lead her to be chosen.

Revealing the secret? These commentators hold that Esther continued hiding her identity even after she was chosen until Esther's second party.  Ibn Ezra might suggest that after the revelation she was allowed to keep Mitzvot.  The Akeidat Yitzchak might suggest that in order to save the Jews Esther was allowed to reveal her identity.

National Interests

Agent of Salvation

Esther hid her Identity so she can save the Jews.

Sources:Lekach TovEsther 2:10About R. Toviah b. Eliezer, R. Elazar HaRokeach #2Esther 2:10About R. Elazar HaRokeach, second opinion cited in Ibn EzraEsther Version A 2:9About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, RalbagEsther 2:10Esther 2 Toelet 15About R. Levi b. Gershom

Why did Esther not reveal her identity? Lekach Tov and Ralbag hold that Esther concealed her identity so she would be chosen by the king and then she can be helpful to the Jews.  On the other hand the Rokeach holds that Esther was worried they would hide from her plans against the Jews if they knew she was Jewish.

Esther and Mordechai's religious identity – This approach holds that Mordechai and Esther were observant Jews.

Decreased Danger

Sources:Second Targum of Megillat Esther2:10About Second Targum of Megillat Esther, Midrash Panim Acherot #2Version B 2:10Version B 2:20About Midrash Panim Acherot, Yalkut Shimoni #2Esther 1053About Yalkut Shimoni

¹ In fact, Reggio asserts that Achashverosh had nothing against the Jewish nation, and even suggests that he never knowingly agreed to their annihilation.  Haman purposefully hid their identity when sharing his plan of decimation since he knew that the king would not have agreed. For elaboration, see Achashverosh's Surprise.

² Modern scholars have noted that according to Persian law that if one was a foreigner, you could not be chosen as queen.  See A. Shamah "מדוע לא הגידה אסתר את עמה ואת מולדת" in "הדסה היא אסתר" (Jerusalem, 1997): 239, n. 6.

³ See A Portrait of Esther for other evidence that Esther and Mordechai might have been assimilated Jews.

⁴ If one pushes this position to its extreme, one might even say that Esther and Morechai hid their roots because they were embarrassed by them.  See R. Medan, "ומרדכי לא יכרע ולא ישתחווה - מדוע", in "הדסה היא אסתר" (Jerusalem, 1997): 164, who raises this possibility.

⁵ See, The Dawn, (Jerusalem, 1995): 36-38.

⁶ This assumes that her nationality or exilic origins would have caused her candidacy to be dismissed out of hand, but not that some antisemitism would serve as a reason to reject her after the fact.  Thus, if she managed to prove herself, there would no longer be a need to hide her religion.

⁷ See Rashbam who understands the phrase "וּבְהִקָּבֵץ בְּתוּלוֹת שֵׁנִית" to refer not to a second gathering of women, but to the original gathering mentioned previously so as to choose a "second", meaning an alternative to Vashti. [See Ibn Ezra who also thinks the verse refers to the gathering described earlier but understands "second" to be in contrast to the first gathering in which Vashti was chosen.]  According to this read, verses 19-20 would be a summary statement, rather than a description of new events. It is not clear, though, why this fact needed to be repeated.

⁸ This approach would presumably suggest that Haman did not tell Achashverosh which nation he was intending to destroy.   Thus, even if Achashverosh was aware of Esther's nationality by the time that Haman made his edict, he did not know that it applied to her. For elaboration of this general approach, see Achashverosh's Surprise.

⁹ See RashbamEsther 2:19-20About R. Shemuel b. Meir Esther 2:19.

¹⁰ Though the verses never mention any explicit religious observance, this need not connote that they did not keep Hashem's commandments.

¹¹ In this Rashi follows Esther Rabbah 6:6.

¹² See the approach below which suggests this.  Though Rashi and the Rid do not suggest this, one could have alternatively posited, as mentioned above, that in reality Esther did not continue to hide her identity after being chosen.

¹³ See Ezra 2:2.  Ibn EZra suggests that Mordechai only returned to Persia because he saw that the Beit HaMikdash was not being rebuilt.

¹⁴ For various understandings of how Esther's connection to Mordechai did not lead Achashverosh to discern  her identity, and in general how she managed to conceal the fact, see How Did Esther Hide her Identity?

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