Yosef and Megillat Esther/0

Yosef and Megillat Esther

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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.

Content Parallels

 

Backdrop	Exile – Both the Yosef saga and the story of Esther take place in exile, in Egypt and Persia respectively. Position of power – Yosef, Esther, and Mordechai all rise to power in the king' palace, putting them in place to aid their brethren. Children of Rachel – In each narrative, the main protagonists are descendants of Rachel. [Mordechai is from the line of Binyamin.]
Yosef and Esther	Beauty and charm – Both Yosef and Esther are marked by exceptional beauty and charm. Dual name – Yosef is given the name Tzafnat Paneach while Hadasah is known as Esther. Hiding of identity – Yosef disguises himself in front of his brothers, while Esther hides her Jewish identity from Achashverosh. Both reveal themselves at the end of the story.
Yosef and Mordechai	Refuse to be swayed – Yosef rejects Mrs. Potiphar's daily advances while Mordechai rejects Haman's daily demand that he bow. Second in command – Both Yosef and Mordechai rise to second in command. Signs of kingship – 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 preferential status. Good deeds forgotten – Yosef is forgotten by the butler, only to be remembered two years later, when Paroh's sleep is bothered by dreams. Mordechai's saving of the king's life is similarly ignored until the king's turbulent sleep leads him to read a record thereof.
Paroh and Achashverosh	Punishing of eunuchs – Paroh imprisons the butler and baker while Achashverosh hangs Bigtan and Tersah. Party – Both celebrate parties at which fateful events occur. Troubled sleep – Paroh's sleep is plagued by inexplicable dreams while Achashverosh's uneasy sleep awakens him.
Mordechai and Esther and Yaakov's family	Mourning – Upon hearing distressing news, both Yaakov and Mordechai don signs of mourning and refuse to be consoled. Reluctant agreement – 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 life/son. Plea – Both Yehuda and Esther plea for salvation (for Binyamin/nation) before the ruler, claiming that they can't bear to see evil befall their loved ones.

Literary Allusions

Throughout the ten chapters of 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)	מגילת אסתר
(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

 

¹ See Esther Rabbah 7 and more recent studies.