Difference between revisions of "Yosef and Megillat Esther/0"
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<li><span style="color: #993300;"><b>Exile</b> </span>– Each of the Yosef saga and the story of Esther take place in exile (Egypt and Persia).</li> | <li><span style="color: #993300;"><b>Exile</b> </span>– Each of the Yosef saga and the story of Esther take place in exile (Egypt and Persia).</li> | ||
| − | <li><span style="color: #993300;"><b>Position of power</b></span> – Yosef, Esther, and | + | <li><span style="color: #993300;"><b>Position of power</b></span> – Yosef, Esther, and Mordekhai all rise to power in the king's palace, positioning them to aid their brethren.</li> |
| − | <li><span style="color: #993300;"><b>Children of Rachel</b> </span>– In each narrative, the main protagonists are descendants of Rachel. [ | + | <li><span style="color: #993300;"><b>Children of Rachel</b> </span>– In each narrative, the main protagonists are descendants of Rachel.<fn>[Mordekhai is from the line of Binyamin.</fn></li> |
</ul> | </ul> | ||
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<li><b><span style="color: #0000ff;">Refuse to be swayed</span></b> – Yosef rejects Mrs. Potiphar's daily advances, while Mordechai rejects Haman's daily demand that he bow.</li> | <li><b><span style="color: #0000ff;">Refuse to be swayed</span></b> – Yosef rejects Mrs. Potiphar's daily advances, while Mordechai rejects Haman's daily demand that he bow.</li> | ||
| − | <li><b><span style="color: #0000ff;">Second in command</span> </b>– Both Yosef and | + | <li><b><span style="color: #0000ff;">Second in command</span> </b>– Both Yosef and Mordekhai rise to be second to the king.</li> |
<li><span style="color: #0000ff;"><b>Signs of kingship</b></span> – Both characters are given the king's signet ring, dressed in royal finery, and paraded through the streets on the king's horse/chariot, as others proclaim their royal status.</li> | <li><span style="color: #0000ff;"><b>Signs of kingship</b></span> – Both characters are given the king's signet ring, dressed in royal finery, and paraded through the streets on the king's horse/chariot, as others proclaim their royal status.</li> | ||
| − | <li><span style="color: #0000ff;"><b>Good deeds forgotten</b></span> – Yosef is forgotten by the butler, only to be remembered two years later when Paroh's sleep is bothered by dreams. | + | <li><span style="color: #0000ff;"><b>Good deeds forgotten</b></span> – Yosef is forgotten by the butler, only to be remembered two years later when Paroh's sleep is bothered by dreams. Mordekhai's saving of the king's life is similarly ignored until the king's turbulent sleep leads him to read a record thereof.</li> |
</ul> | </ul> | ||
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<li><b><span style="color: #800080;">Mourning</span></b> – Upon hearing distressing news, both Yaakov and Mordechai don mourning garb and refuse to be consoled.</li> | <li><b><span style="color: #800080;">Mourning</span></b> – Upon hearing distressing news, both Yaakov and Mordechai don mourning garb and refuse to be consoled.</li> | ||
<li><b><span style="color: #800080;">Reluctant agreement</span></b> – Yaakov and Esther both reluctantly agree to their relative's plan to save the nation/family from harm, recognizing that it might cost them their son/life.</li> | <li><b><span style="color: #800080;">Reluctant agreement</span></b> – Yaakov and Esther both reluctantly agree to their relative's plan to save the nation/family from harm, recognizing that it might cost them their son/life.</li> | ||
| − | <li><b><span style="color: #800080;">Plea</span> </b>– Both Yehuda and Esther plea for salvation (for Binyamin/nation) before the ruler, claiming that they | + | <li><b><span style="color: #800080;">Plea</span> </b>– Both Yehuda and Esther plea for salvation (for Binyamin/nation) before the ruler, claiming that they cannot bear to see evil befall their loved ones.</li> |
</ul> | </ul> | ||
</td> | </td> | ||
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<table xml:lang="he" dir="rtl"> | <table xml:lang="he" dir="rtl"> | ||
| − | <tr> | + | <tr><th>סיפורי יוסף  (בראשית ל"ז-נ')</th><th>מגילת אסתר  (א'-י')</th></tr> |
| − | <th>סיפורי יוסף  (בראשית ל"ז-נ')</th> | ||
| − | <th>מגילת אסתר  (א'-י')</th> | ||
| − | </tr> | ||
<tr> | <tr> | ||
<td>(לז:לד) <span style="color: #ff0000;">וַיִּקְרַע</span> יַעֲקֹב <span style="color: #ff0000;">שִׂמְלֹתָיו</span> וַיָּשֶׂם <span style="color: #ff0000;">שַׂק</span> בְּמָתְנָיו וַיִּתְאַבֵּל עַל בְּנוֹ יָמִים רַבִּים</td> | <td>(לז:לד) <span style="color: #ff0000;">וַיִּקְרַע</span> יַעֲקֹב <span style="color: #ff0000;">שִׂמְלֹתָיו</span> וַיָּשֶׂם <span style="color: #ff0000;">שַׂק</span> בְּמָתְנָיו וַיִּתְאַבֵּל עַל בְּנוֹ יָמִים רַבִּים</td> | ||
Version as of 07:33, 15 December 2014
Yosef and Megillat Esther
Introduction
The plethora of similarities between the Yosef narratives and the Book of Esther have been noted by many.1 There is much overlap between the general setting of the stories, the events that transpire, and the characters of the protagonists. Moreover, these content parallels are buttressed by numerous linguistic similarities, suggesting that the author of Megillat Esther was intentionally calling on the reader to compare the two stories.
Plot Parallels
| Backdrop |
|
|---|---|
| Yosef and Esther |
|
| Yosef and Mordechai |
|
| The King |
|
| Yaakov's family and Mordechai and Esther |
|
Literary Allusions
Throughout the Book of Esther there are continuous allusions to Bereshit. These range from short phrases to almost complete verses:
EN/HEע/E
| סיפורי יוסף (בראשית ל"ז-נ') | מגילת אסתר (א'-י') |
|---|---|
| (לז:לד) וַיִּקְרַע יַעֲקֹב שִׂמְלֹתָיו וַיָּשֶׂם שַׂק בְּמָתְנָיו וַיִּתְאַבֵּל עַל בְּנוֹ יָמִים רַבִּים | (ד:א) וַיִּקְרַע מָרְדֳּכַי אֶת בְּגָדָיו וַיִּלְבַּשׁ שַׂק וָאֵפֶר וַיֵּצֵא בְּתוֹךְ הָעִיר וַיִּזְעַק זְעָקָה גְדֹלָה וּמָרָה |
| (לט:ו) וַיְהִי יוֹסֵף יְפֵה תֹאַר וִיפֵה מַרְאֶה | (ב:ז) וְהַנַּעֲרָה יְפַת תֹּאַר וְטוֹבַת מַרְאֶה |
| (לט:י) וַיְהִי כְּדַבְּרָהּ אֶל יוֹסֵף יוֹם יוֹם וְלֹא שָׁמַע אֵלֶיהָ | (ג:ד) וַיְהִי כְּאָמְרָם אֵלָיו יוֹם וָיוֹם וְלֹא שָׁמַע אֲלֵיהֶם |
| (מ:ב) וַיִּקְצֹף פַּרְעֹה עַל שְׁנֵי סָרִיסָיו עַל שַׂר הַמַּשְׁקִים וְעַל שַׂר הָאוֹפִים | (ב:כא) בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם ... קָצַף בִּגְתָן וָתֶרֶשׁ שְׁנֵי סָרִיסֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ מִשֹּׁמְרֵי הַסַּף |
| (מ:כ) וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי יוֹם הֻלֶּדֶת אֶת פַּרְעֹה וַיַּעַשׂ מִשְׁתֶּה לְכָל עֲבָדָיו | (א:ג) בִּשְׁנַת שָׁלוֹשׁ לְמָלְכוֹ עָשָׂה מִשְׁתֶּה לְכָל שָׂרָיו וַעֲבָדָיו |
| (מא:לד-לה) וְיַפְקֵד פְּקִדִים עַל הָאָרֶץ... וְיִקְבְּצוּ אֶת כָּל אֹכֶל הַשָּׁנִים הַטֹּבוֹת | (ב:ג) וְיַפְקֵד הַמֶּלֶךְ פְּקִידִים בְּכָל מְדִינוֹת מַלְכוּתוֹ וְיִקְבְּצוּ אֶת כָּל נַעֲרָה בְתוּלָה טוֹבַת מַרְאֶה |
| (מא:לז) וַיִּיטַב הַדָּבָר בְּעֵינֵי פַרְעֹה | (ב:ד) וַיִּיטַב הַדָּבָר בְּעֵינֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ |
| (מא:מב) וַיָּסַר פַּרְעֹה אֶת טַבַּעְתּוֹ מֵעַל יָדוֹ וַיִּתֵּן אֹתָהּ עַל יַד יוֹסֵף | (ג:י) וַיָּסַר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת טַבַּעְתּוֹ מֵעַל יָדוֹ וַיִּתְּנָהּ לְהָמָן בֶּן הַמְּדָתָא (ח:ב) וַיָּסַר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת טַבַּעְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱבִיר מֵהָמָן וַיִּתְּנָהּ לְמָרְדֳּכָי |
| (מא:מב) וַיַּלְבֵּשׁ אֹתוֹ בִּגְדֵי שֵׁשׁ ... וַיַּרְכֵּב אֹתוֹ בְּמִרְכֶּבֶת הַמִּשְׁנֶה אֲשֶׁר לוֹ וַיִּקְרְאוּ לְפָנָיו אַבְרֵךְ... | (ו:ח-ט) יָבִיאוּ לְבוּשׁ מַלְכוּת... וְהִרְכִּיבֻהוּ עַל הַסּוּס בִּרְחוֹב הָעִיר וְקָרְאוּ לְפָנָיו כָּכָה יֵעָשֶׂה לָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר הַמֶּלֶךְ חָפֵץ בִּיקָרוֹ |
| (מג:יד) וַאֲנִי כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁכֹלְתִּי שָׁכָלְתִּי | (ד:טז) וְכַאֲשֶׁר אָבַדְתִּי אָבָדְתִּי |
| (מד:לד) כִּי אֵיךְ אֶעֱלֶה אֶל אָבִי... פֶּן אֶרְאֶה בָרָע אֲשֶׁר יִמְצָא אֶת אָבִי | (ח:ו) כִּי אֵיכָכָה אוּכַל וְרָאִיתִי בָּרָעָה אֲשֶׁר יִמְצָא אֶת עַמִּי |
| (נ:ג) כִּי כֵּן יִמְלְאוּ יְמֵי הַחֲנֻטִים | (ב:יא) כִּי כֵּן יִמְלְאוּ יְמֵי מְרוּקֵיהֶן |
| a | |
