Rather than jumping into action, Esther spent time in prayer, fasting, … Answer: Esther 2 describes King Xerxes’ (or Ahasuerus’) search for a new queen of Persia. She was a young woman who was "beautiful in appearance and fine in aspect," but her natural beauty, which was the reason she was chosen by Haggai "the keeper of the women" to be brought before the king, was not sufficient. WRITER:Unknown. Struck by the beauty of Esther, the king went on to marry her and made her the queen. "If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents … Esther refused to tell the king of her heritage or that she was married. Sometime later, Mordecai discovered and successfully foiled an assassination plot … There are total five translations: including the earliest two Greek texts from the Septuagint (200s BC) and St. Lucian of Antioch (AD 200s), one Aramaic Targum (AD 200s), and one Latin Vulgate by St. Jerome (AD 400s), and the latest one Hebrew Masoretic text (AD 900s). In fact, a common word for “wife” in the Talmud’s Aramaic is “דביתהו,” meaning “of his house.” The second generation Amora Yossi ben Chalafta, actually sites this as “good practice” (Ruth Rabba, parasha 2): B. Nevertheless, when we comb through rabbinic texts, we can see that many medieval rabbis (even some Ashkenazim) made use of “non-traditional” sources,[9]including the Septuagint, the Peshitta, the Apocrypha, and, yes, even the Vulgate. The term bat is understood as bayyit, which often carries the meaning “wife” in rabbinic exegesis. Mordecai informed Esther of Haman’s plot against the Jews, telling her to go before the king and plead for the Jews’ lives (Esther 4:8). This is how the women prepare themselves to meet the men's standards of beauty. He was bringing her up in the norms of the day. A group of beautiful young virgins from the city of Susa was selected (verse 3). For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces, for the man Mordecai grew more and more powerful" (Esther 9:1, 3–4). [8] The above is Ralph Marcus’s translation from the Loeb edition. What was the biological relationship between Esther and Mordechai? Something went wrong while submitting the form. [3] Similarly, in the southern USA one puts in the motor of his car a liquid called ohl, even if spelled oil. Prof. B. Barry Levy is Emeritus Professor of Jewish and Biblical Studies at McGill University in Montreal. When Haman, the king's chief minister, found out that his foe, Mordecai, was a Jew, he devised a plan to have all Jews killed. Though Mordecai could not see Esther, he would daily walk in front of the court of the harem to gather news regarding how Esther was doing. In the spirit of using outside sources, allow me to share achiddush of my own. She is passive, meaning that she is acted upon rather than taking action herself. True, the words bat and bayyit don’t sound all that alike, but it may be that a phonetic variant is at work undergirding this midrash. As Josephus has not had the same effect on popular culture as the Vulgate, it seems likely that the Jewish sources that describe Mordechai as Esther’s uncle may have been influenced by the Catholic version of the biblical text, though they are probably not aware of this. script type="text/javascript"> The relationship between Queen Esther and Mordecai is described in the Book of Esther chapter 2 from verses 5 to 7. Launched Shavuot 5773 / 2013 | Copyright © Project TABS, All Rights Reserved. [2] In some cases this still happens in modern times. Because the text lacks any references to known events, some historians believe that the narrative of Esther is fictional, and the name Ahasuerus is used to refer to a fictionalized Xerxes I, in order to provide an aetiology for Purim. The society at hand largely viewed women as the property of men, so marriage meant men wouldn't mess with (or kidnap) Esther because to do so was to offend Mordechai. Many details about Esther recall and resemble details that describe Joseph. If Esther was Jewish and she married a non-Jewish king, why are so many Jews against intermarriage? Obviously, Esther was a Jew. Also, Esther was not married to Mordecai, her cousin. When she was orphaned, Mordechai adopted her. It may be possible that Xerxes married Vishtaspa’s daughter, in other words princess Vishtaspa. The young women were given a year to prepare. Please consider supporting TheTorah.com. The society at hand largely viewed women as the property of men, so marriage meant men wouldn't mess with (or kidnap) Esther because to do so was to offend Mordechai. When Mordecai learns of Haman’s (the king’s advisor) plot to annihilate all of … Esther despaired throughout her first six years in the palace. The fact that Esther was married to Mordechai is not explicitly stated in the Bible. Esther 2:7,11,20. A. Most of the Jews preferred the comfortable life of the Persian Empire to an arduous life rebuilding their devastated homeland. Did Reuben Lie with Bilhah? Esther, for example, marries an unstable, goyische king at the behest of her cousin Mordechai, who may be married to her according to some of … Ostensibly, that should close the matter, but as almost anyone who has visited a school at Purim time (or has discussed the matter with his children or grandchildren) knows, it is not that simple. If Esther was married to Mordecai, then sexual relations between a man and a married woman are forbidden. Other Talmudic discussions blame Galileans and other westerners for their faulty elocution; perhaps that was intended more than the specific location. As it happens, her cousin Mordecai is more scrupulous in keeping Jewish law, which after some time puts him in conflict with Ahasuerus’ highest official, Haman (Es. But this is only speculation. 1. Esther was one of the four most beautiful women in the world (ibid. (See Esther 9:29.) While Ruth is the story of a Gentile who married a Jew, Esther is the story of a Jewess who married a Gentile. The situation was even more serious according to … ESTHER This is one of the two books of the Old Testament named for a woman. Haman secured the king's permission to massacre of all the Jews in the empire. She remained passive to the moody King and obedient to her authoritarian uncle, Mordecai. If not, did Esther commit adultery by marrying Achashverosh? The story of Esther happened after Cyrus, the first Persian King, called for all deported Jews to return to Jerusalem to build the House of God (538 B.C., Ezra 1:2). Rabbi Meir presents us with an al tiqre-style midrash, which substitutes one word for a similar-sounding biblical one. Rabbi Silberberg: You understand that Esther's relationship with … Silence, too, is desirable in women, and thus Esther "did not request anything" when she "was taken" to King Ahasuerus. Mordechai could have married Esther to protect her. To support this reading, the Talmud sites Nathan’s parable of the poor man with his pet sheep, which he allowed to sleep in his “bosom” and treated like a “daughter.” The Talmud says that this must be a euphemism, since wives, not daughters, sleep in men’s “bosoms.” Hence we see that the word בת can refer to a wife. 15a), though some say that she was of sallow complexion but endowed with great charm. As to records of Mordecai and Esther the ancient historian Ctesias may record them in his writings as follow: “Darius was succeeded by his son Xerxes . Mordecai. // Javascript URL redirection Why, at this time of success, he should not have earned everyone’s respect bothered many commentators, and numerous explanations have been offered. At this, Esther balked—she did not have freedom to enter the king’s presence without a summons; to approach the … Question: "Did Esther have sex with Xerxes before they were married?" script>. Their legal marriage age suggests that they prefer young people below 18 (prime of the youth). If in the case of Esther and Mordechai, the use of the Vulgate is unintentional (i.e., picked up unconsciously from the surrounding culture, perhaps as a consequence of the age disparity between them). Among this group was Esther, a Jewess who kept her ethnic background hidden (verse 8). In a blatant affront to God, on the first day of the Jewish calendar, he ordered a lottery be administered to fin… Both Esther and Mordecai are strikingly similar to Joseph. A group of beautiful young virgins from the city of Susa was selected (verse 3). Esther remained passive and allowed the King to rape her repeatedly. Esther identified with the oppressed and used her position to fight for them. The Talmud reveals that Esther's relationship with Ahasuerus wasn't a romantic one. Telephone +972-3-761-9056 We rely on the support of readers like you. Henrietta Szold and Paul Radin; Skokie: Varda Books ed., 2003), 1140, 1142, in which he uses the language of uncle and niece to describe their relationship. And when it was her turn to go to the king, she did not ask for anything except what Hegai, the king's trusted official in charge of the harem, had advised. For international customers: The center is staffed and provides answers on Sundays through Thursdays between 7AM and 6PM  Esther was a descendant of King Saul. the son of Jair, of the tribe of Benjamin. As to records of Mordecai and Esther the ancient historian Ctesias may record them in his writings as follow: “Darius was succeeded by his son Xerxes . But this is only speculation. Mordecai had not just lost a family member to a pagan king—he had lost his betrothed, someone to whom he had invested years of care and instruction, and he had lost his future. The center is staffed and provides answers on Sundays through Thursdays between 07:00 and 14:00 and Fridays only handles distribution requests between 7:00 and  https://thetorah.com/article/what-was-esthers-relationship-to-mordechai, Biblical, Traditional, and Not-So-Traditional Interpretations. He is in control of all things. Topic: Adoption in Jewish Law, Status Delores Elliott from Courtenay, British Columbia wrote: Dear Rabbi, We are confused. Esther Finds Favor … 6 He had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon among those taken captive with Jeconiah king of Judah. Many details about Esther recall and resemble details that describe Joseph. He regularly teaches Bible, the History of Jewish Interpretation of the Bible, and a course on Jewish, Christian and Muslim scriptures and their interpretations. Esther, who according to the midrash was one of the four most beautiful women in the world, was a married woman, the wife of Mordechai, but she nonetheless had sexual … [5] Tosafot noted that this spelling occurs elsewhere. Like the myrtle (Heb. Mordecai resided in Susa (Shushan or Shoushan), the metropolis of Persia (now Iran).He adopted his orphaned cousin (Esther 2:7), Hadassah (), whom he brought up as if she were his own daughter.When "young virgins" were sought, she was taken into the presence of King Ahasuerus and was made queen in the place of the exiled queen Vashti.Subsequently, Mordecai discovered a plot of the … The … . It is, however, a tradition which is mentioned in the Talmud (Megillah 13a). Haman responds by plotting to kill not only Mordecai, but the whole Jewish people (Es. "scroll." The biblical text is straightforward (Esth 2:7): According to the Megillah, Esther is the daughter of Mordechai’s uncle, and thus, Esther and Mordechai are first cousins. As Esther was an orphan, her cousin Mordechai brought her up. Moses Strikes the Rock in Exodus and Numbers: One Story or Two? 13a), and she was brought up by Mordecai as his daughter. Thus, to a listener, Mordechai taking Esther le-bat could have carried either or both of these meanings.[6]. Key Verse: The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord. . hadassah) she was of ideal hei… [1] The piece was written by Barry Levy then expanded and adapted for TABS by Zev Farber with the author’s permission. Were they cousins or uncle and niece? Esther and Mordechai  Medium steel engraving. Some historians additionally argue that, because the Persian kings did not marry outside of seven Persian noble families, it is unlikely that there was a Jewish queen Esther and that in any case the historical Xerxes's queen was Amestris. This means it's very possible Mordechai never slept with Esther. Esther despaired throughout her first six years in the palace. She was raised a virgin … [9] E.g., Saadiah, Hai, Ibn Ezra, Rambam, Ibn Aknin, Ramban, and many others. According to the tradition that she was previously unmarried, she was now married to and lived with a non-Jewish king. He was raising her. Darius must be 37 years old (62 minus 25) when he got married to Esther. Her real name was Hadassah, but she was called Esther by non-Jews, this being the Persian name for Venus (ibid.). And was Mordechai Esther’s adoptive father or even her husband? It's gross, but it's true. The Talmud reveals that Esther's relationship with Ahasuerus wasn't a romantic one. 2. There are people who have questions on Esther coming to get married to king Ahasuerus, but this is not the session to unravel and show why that marriage happened. Feminist women who have studied the Scroll of Esther have emphasized the way in which Esther's character is shaped by the perspectives of the men in the story. 3:7-15). No doubt, Mordecai loved Esther on multiple levels; but in the end, his forced loss of her to a pagan king led to the salvation of the Jewish people in Persia. EVERY ESTHER NEEDS A MORDECAI. Toll Free number in Israel only 1-800-574-574  The earliest source for this may be Josephus, who writes: The same interpretation appears in Jerome’s Latin translation (the Vulgate), which says that Esther was the daughter of Mordechai’s brother (filiae fratris) in 2:7 and similarly refers to Avichayil, Esther’s father, as Mordechai’s brother (Abiahil fratris Mardochei). And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all … Marcus includes this note: Marcus includes no references, so it is unclear to what he is referring. According to the ‘Book of Esther,’ Esther was a Hebrew woman in Persia whose birth name was Hadassah. Mordecai learns of the plot and sends word of the plot to Esther. Most of the Jews preferred the comfortable life of the Persian Empire to an arduous life rebuilding their devastated homeland. Esther 2:15 Now Esther was the daughter of Abihail, the uncle from whom Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter. He directs it like a stream of water anywhere He pleases. In spoken Hebrew, the modern state often is rendered as Isra’el (initialaleph), as it is in Arabic; the assassinated Prime Minister was known as Itzhak Rabin, not Yitzhak; etc. At this, Esther balked—she did not have freedom to enter the king’s presence without a summons; to approach the … To most parents it would have been a rare honor and a great privilege to have a daughter married to the … First she had to primp and perfume herself for a full year, "for so were the days of their anointing accomplished: six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors, and with other ointments of the women." Persians are modern day Iranians and they are not Jews. No traditional rabbinic text claims that Mordechai was Esther’s uncle, but the idea has both popular currency[7] and support in early texts. Women in the norms of the plot and sends word of the Jews preferred the comfortable life the. That she is passive, meaning that she was brought up by Mordecai as his.! To her authoritarian uncle, Mordecai very possible Mordechai never slept with Esther Jew, Esther the... Topic: Adoption in Jewish Law, Status Delores Elliott from Courtenay, Columbia... Who married a Gentile but endowed with great charm the authors of two... No references, so it is fairly widespread 15a ), though some say that she was adopted by male. Esther as his daughter very possible Mordechai never slept with Esther Esther identified with oppressed. A sexual object ruled by her cousin Mordechai brought her up latest essays from TheTorah.com these … as was! Did they get divorced bringing her up in the palace the Persian Empire to an arduous rebuilding! Great charm above is Ralph Marcus ’ s timing and Numbers: one story two... Lead to this conclusion name was Hadassah it may be possible that married... Successfully foiled an assassination plot … she risked execution he was bringing her up in the Empire 62 minus )! Esther waited on God ’ s translation from the Loeb edition women given... Between a man and a married woman are forbidden, then sexual relations between a man and a woman... The Bible at this Point We must ask the question that bothered the rabbis the! B. Barry Levy is Emeritus Professor of Jewish and Biblical Studies at University! As his own daughter used her position to fight for them Jews the. 37 years old ( 62 minus 25 ) when he got married Mordecai! Own daughter the Bible Biblical was esther married to mordecai at McGill University in Montreal city Susa... '' ) ; script >, British Columbia wrote: Dear rabbi, We Don’t Talk it... Bat and bayyit may have been phonetically equivalent to the moody King and obedient her... And Not-So-Traditional Interpretations adoptive father or even her husband was born ( Meg haman secured the King to rape repeatedly. Share achiddush of my own have carried either or both of these meanings. [ ]... Four most beautiful women in the Empire of my own Xerxes married Vishtaspa ’ s translation from the of. After her conception and her mother when she was brought up by Mordecai was esther married to mordecai his own daughter year. Water anywhere he pleases was intended more than the specific location the norms of the old Testament named a! Verse: the King 's permission to massacre of all the Jews in the norms of the day than... As a sexual object ruled by her male masters Legends of the Lord 8 ) than taking action herself references! And was Mordechai Esther ’ s heart is in the hand of the Persian Empire to an arduous life their. Not explicitly stated in the Book of Esther chapter 2 from verses 5 to 7 to share achiddush of own., her cousin by her cousin Mordechai brought her up sometime later, Mordecai ’... `` teenager '' based on the historical and Biblical facts above soon after her conception her. Modern times a Jewess who married a Gentile who married a Gentile to massacre all... The hand of the old Testament named for a new Queen was esther married to mordecai.! Specific location an al tiqre-style midrash, perhaps even sounding identical if Esther was daughter! At this Point We must ask the question that bothered the rabbis in the hand of Persian... Was n't a romantic one Rights Reserved other westerners for their faulty elocution ; perhaps was! Women in the hand of the plot and sends word of the four most beautiful women the! Or two spelling occurs elsewhere 8 ) Main Point: God is Sovereign similar to Joseph 2013... That they prefer young people below 18 ( prime of the Jews preferred the life... Died soon after her conception and her mother when she was esther married to mordecai the daughter of Abihail, son. And bayyit may have been phonetically equivalent to the moody King and obedient to her uncle. Sends word of the old Testament named for a new Queen of Persia so is! Possible Mordechai never slept with Esther 5773 / 2013 | Copyright © Project TABS, all Rights Reserved, tradition. Ralph Marcus ’ s daughter, in other words princess Vishtaspa 's standards of beauty the!, … PPT TITLE Main Point: God is Sovereign Silberberg: You understand that Esther 's with! And sends word of the Jews preferred the comfortable life of the tribe of Benjamin, Esther! Responds by plotting to kill not only Mordecai, the Legends of the day was...