אסתר רבה י׳Esther Rabbah 10

Section 4ד׳

מַהֵר קַח אֶת הַלְּבוּשׁ וְאֶת הַסּוּס [וגו'] וַיִּקַּח הָמָן אֶת הַלְּבוּשׁ וְאֶת הַסּוּס (אסתר ו, י יא), הָלַךְ לוֹ אֵצֶל מָרְדֳּכַי, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּידוּ לְמָרְדֳּכַי שֶׁהוּא בָּא, נִתְיָרֵא עַד מְאֹד, וְהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב וְתַלְמִידָיו לְפָנָיו. אָמַר לָהֶם לְתַלְמִידָיו, בָּנַי, רוּצוּ וְהִבָּדְלוּ מִכָּאן שֶׁלֹא תִכָּווּ בְּגַחַלְתִּי, שֶׁהֲרֵי הָמָן הָרָשָׁע בָּא לְהָרְגֵנִי. אָמְרוּ, אִם תָּמוּת נָמוּת עִמְּךָ. אָמַר לָהֶם, אִם כֵּן נַעֲמֹד בִּתְפִלָּה וְנִפָּטֵר מִתּוֹךְ הַתְּפִלָּה, וַחֲסַלּוּן צְלוֹתְהוֹן יָתְבוּן וְעָסְקִין בְּהִלְכוֹת מִצְוַת הָעֹמֶר, שֶׁהֲרֵי אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם ט"ז בְּנִיסָן הָיָה, וּבְאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם הָיוּ מַקְרִיבִין עֹמֶר בִּזְמַן שֶׁבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּם. אֲתָא הָמָן לְגַבֵּיהוֹן אֲמַר לוֹן בַּמֶּה אַתּוּן עָסְקִין, אָמְרוּ לוֹ בְּמִצְוַת הָעֹמֶר, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ויקרא ב, יד): וְאִם תַּקְרִיב מִנְחַת בִּכּוּרִים לַה' וגו', תַּמָּן אָמְרֵי הִלְכוֹת קְמִיצָה אַחֲווּ לֵיהּ וְדָבָר אֶחָד שֶׁהָיוּ קוֹמְצִין מִן הָעֹמֶר. אֲמַר לוֹן וְהָדֵין עוּמְרָא מַהוּ דִּדְהַב אוֹ דִּכְסַף, אַמְרֵי לֵיהּ לָא דִּדְהַב וְלָא דִּכְסַף וְלָא דְּחִיטִין, אֶלָּא דִּשְׂעוֹרִין. אֲמַר לוֹן בְּכַמָּה הוּא טִימֵיהּ דִּידֵיהּ הֲוָה בְּעַשְׂרָה קַנְטְרִין, אָמְרִין לֵיהּ סַגְיָן בְּעַשְׂרָה מָנִין. אֲמַר לוֹן קוּמוּ דְּנַצְחוּן עַשְׂרָה מִנְכוֹן לְעַשְׂרָה אַלְפֵי קַנְטְרִין דִּכְסַף דִּילִי. כֵּיוָן דַּחֲסַל מִמִּצְלֵי, אֲמַר לֵיהּ הָמָן לְמָרְדֳּכַי לְבוֹשׁ הָדֵין לְבוּשָׁא דְמַלְכָּא, אָמַר לוֹ מָה אַתְּ מְבַזֶּה מַלְכוּת, אִית בַּר נָשׁ לָבֵישׁ לְבוּשָׁא דְמַלְכוּתָא וְלָא סָח. אֲזַל בְּעָא בַּלָּנָא וְלָא אַשְׁכַּח, מָה עֲבַד אֲסַר חַרְצֵיהּ וְעָאל וְאַסְחֵי, כֵּיוָן דִּנְפַק אָמַר לוֹ סַב לְבֵישׁ הָדֵין כְּלִילָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ מָה אַתְּ מְבַזֶּה מַלְכוּתָא, אִית בַּר נָשׁ לָבֵישׁ כְּלִילָא דְמַלְכוּתָא וְלָא מְסַפַּר. אֲזַל בְּעֵי סַפָּר וְלָא אַשְׁכַּח, מָה עֲבֵיד אֲזִיל לְבֵיתֵיהּ וְאַיְיתֵי סַפָּרָא וְיָתֵיב וְקָא מְסַפַּר לֵיהּ, שָׁרֵי וּמִתְנַח, אֲמַר לֵיהּ מַה לָּךְ מִתְנַח, אֲמַר לֵיהּ וַוי לַאֲבוּהּ דְּהַהוּא גַבְרָא מַעֲבֵיר דּוּמִין פַּנְטוֹן קוֹמִין קְלֵטוֹ עֲבֵיד בַּלָּן סַפָּר. אֲמַר לֵיהּ וּבְהַהִיא שְׁאֵילִית לָךְ לֵית אֲנָא חַכִּים לַאֲבוּי דְּהַהוּא גַבְרָא בַּלָּן וְסַפָּר בִּכְפַר קַרְיָינוּס וְאַתְּ מַשְׁכַּחַת מָאנֵי סַפָּרָא דִידֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ קוּם רְכוֹב עַל הָדֵין סוּסְיָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ לֵית בִּי כֹּחַ, דַּאֲנָא סָב. אֲמַר לֵיהּ וְלֵית אֲנָא גְּבַר סָב, אָמַר לוֹ וְלָא אַתְּ הוּא דִּגְרַמְתְּ לְנַפְשָׁךְ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ קוּם דַּאֲנָא סָמֵיךְ קָדְלִי וְאַתְּ דָּרֵיס עֲלוֹי וּסְלֵיק וּרְכַב לִמְקַיְימָה לְכוֹן מַה דַּאֲמַר כְּתָבָא (דברים לג, כט): וְאַתָּה עַל בָּמוֹתֵימוֹ תִדְרֹךְ.

“The king said to Haman: Hurry, take the garments and the horse; as you have said, do so to Mordekhai the Jew who sits at the king’s gate. Do not omit anything that you spoke of. Haman took the garments and the horse, dressed Mordekhai and led him, riding, through the city square and proclaimed before him: ‘So shall be done for anyone the king wishes to honor!’” (Esther 6:10-11). “Take the garments and the horse… Haman took the garments and the horse.” He went to Mordekhai. When he [Mordekhai] was told that he was coming, he was very afraid, and he was sitting with his students before him. He said to his students: ‘My children, run and remove yourselves from here that you are not burned with my coal, as the wicked Haman is coming to kill me.’ They said: ‘If you die, we will die with you.’ He said to them: ‘If so, let us stand in prayer and pass away while praying.’ They completed their prayers and sat and engaged in the halakhot of Sefirat ha-Omer, as that day was the 16th of Nisan and on that day they would bring the omer offering at the time when the Temple stood. Haman came to them and said to them: ‘What are you engaged in?’ They said to him: ‘In the commandment of the omer. That is what it says: “And if you present an offering of the first fruits to the Lord…”’ (Leviticus 2:14). There they say: They showed him the halakhot of taking a handful [of a meal offering]. And [these interpretations] are one and the same, as they would take a handful from the omer. He said to them: ‘This omer, what is it? Is it [made] of gold or of silver?’ They said to him: ‘Not of gold and not of silver and not of wheat, but of barley.’ He said to them: ‘What is its value? Is it ten kantrin?’ They said to him: ‘It goes for ten manin.’ He said to them: ‘Rise, for your ten manin have vanquished my ten thousand kantrin of silver.’ Once [Mordekhai] had finished praying, Haman said to Mordekhai: ‘Put on these royal garments.’ He said to him: ‘Why are you dishonoring the monarchy? Is there any man who would put on royal garments without bathing?’ He [Haman] went and sought a bath attendant and could not find one. What did he do? He girded his loins and went in and bathed him. When he came out, he said to him: ‘Take this crown.’ He [Mordekhai] said to him: ‘Why are you dishonoring the monarchy? Is there any man who would put on a royal crown without a haircut?’ He [Haman] went and sought a barber and did not find one. What did he do? He went to his house and brought scissors and sat and gave him a haircut. He began to sigh. He [Mordekhai] said to him: ‘Why are you sighing?’ He said to him: ‘Woe to this man’s father – he [Haman] has been removed from being a high official and an overlord and has been made a bath attendant and a barber!’ He [Mordekhai] said to him: ‘That is why I asked you. Do I not know that the father of that man [Haman] was a bath attendant and a barber in Kefar Karyanus and you have found his barber tools?’ He [Haman] said to him: ‘Arise and ride this horse.’ He said to him: ‘I have not the strength [to mount it], for I am old.’ He said to him: ‘Am I not an old man?’ He said to him: ‘Was it not you who brought it on yourself?’ He said to him: ‘Get up, for I will bend my back for support and you step on me and get up and ride, to fulfill for you that which Scripture says: “And you shall tread on their high places” (Deut. 33:29).

Section 5ה׳

דָּבָר אַחֵר, וַיִּקַּח הָמָן אֶת הַלְּבוּשׁ וְאֶת הַסּוּס וגו'. אֲתָא לְגַבֵּי מָרְדֳּכַי וַאֲמַר, עֲמוֹד וּלְבוֹשׁ, כַּמָּה בִּישׁ גַּדָּא דְּהַהוּא גַּבְרָא, אֱמֶשׁ אֲנִי הָיִיתִי עָסֵיק לְהַתְקִין לֵיהּ צְלִיבָא, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְתַקֵּין לֵיהּ כְּלִילָא. אֲנִי הָיִיתִי מְתַקֵּן לְךָ חֲבָלִים וּמַסְמֵרִים, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְתַקֵּן לְךָ לְבוּשׁ מַלְכוּת. אֲנָא בָּעֵינָא מִן מַלְכָּא לְמִיצְלִיב יָתָךְ עַל צְלִיבָא, וְהוּא אֲמַר לִי לְמִירְכַּב לָךְ עַל סוּסְיָא, עֲמוֹד וּלְבוֹשׁ וְעָבֵיד לֵיהּ כָּל מַה דַּאֲמָרָן לְעֵיל. וְכֵיוָן דְּרָכֵיב, הִתְחִיל מְקַלֵּס לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (תהלים ל, ב): אֲרוֹמִמְךָ ה' כִּי דִּלִּיתָנִי וְלֹא שִׂמַּחְתָּ אֹיְבַי לִי ה' אֱלֹהָי שִׁוַּעְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ וַתִּרְפָּאֵנִי ה' הֶעֱלִיתָ מִן שְׁאוֹל נַפְשִׁי חִיִּיתַנִי מִיָּרְדִי בוֹר. תַּלְמִידָיו מָה הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים (תהלים ל, ה): זַמְרוּ לַה' חֲסִידָיו וְהוֹדוּ לְזֵכֶר קָדְשׁוֹ כִּי רֶגַע בְּאַפּוֹ חַיִּים בִּרְצוֹנוֹ בָּעֶרֶב יָלִין בֶּכִי וְלַבֹּקֶר רִנָּה. אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע מָה הָיָה אוֹמֵר (תהלים ל, ז): וַאֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי בְשַׁלְוִי בַּל אֶמּוֹט לְעוֹלָם ה' בִּרְצוֹנְךָ הֶעֱמַדְתָּ לְהַרְרִי עֹז הִסְתַּרְתָּ פָנֶיךָ הָיִיתִי נִבְהָל. אֶסְתֵּר מָה הָיְתָה אוֹמֶרֶת (תהלים ל, ט): אֵלֶיךָ ה' אֶקְרָא וְאֶל ה' אֶתְחַנָּן מַה בֶּצַע בְּדָמִי בְּרִדְתִּי אֶל שָׁחַת הֲיוֹדְךָ עָפָר הֲיַגִּיד אֲמִתֶּךָ. כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מָה הָיְתָה אוֹמֶרֶת (תהלים ל, יא): שְׁמַע ה' וְחָנֵנִי ה' הֱיֵה עֹזֵר לִי הָפַכְתָּ מִסְפְּדִי לְמָחוֹל לִי פִּתַּחְתָּ שַׂקִּי וַתְּאַזְרֵנִי שִׂמְחָה, וְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ מָה הָיְתָה אוֹמֶרֶת (תהלים ל, יג): לְמַעַן יְזַמֶּרְךָ כָבוֹד וְלֹא יִדֹּם ה' אֱלֹהַי לְעוֹלָם אוֹדֶךָּ. בִּתּוֹ שֶׁל הָמָן נִשְׁקְפָה מִן הַחַלּוֹן לִרְאוֹת בַּצְּלִיבָא, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁרָאֲתָה מָרְדֳּכַי רוֹכֵב וְאָבִיהָ מַכְרִיז לְפָנָיו כָּכָה יֵעָשֶׂה לָאִישׁ, הִשְׁלִיכָה עַצְמָהּ לָאָרֶץ וּמֵתָה.

Another interpretation: “Haman took the garments and the horse....” (Esther 6:11). He came to Mordekhai and said: ‘Rise and get dressed.’ How unlucky is this man; last night I was engaged in arranging a gibbet for him, and the Holy one blessed be He arranged a crown for him. ‘I would have arranged for you ropes and nails, and the Holy one blessed be He arranged for you royal garments. I sought from the king to hang you on a gibbet, and he said to mount you on a horse. Stand up and get dressed.’ And he did everything we said above. When he [Mordekhai] was riding, he began praising the Holy one blessed be He: “I will exalt You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up and have not caused my enemies to rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried out to You and You have healed me. O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have given me life that I not go down to a pit” (Psalms 30:2–4). What did his students say? “Sing to the Lord, his devout ones, and give thanks to His holy name. For His anger is a moment, life is by His will; in the evening one may lie down weeping, and in the morning, joy” (Psalms 30:5–6). What did that wicked one say? “And I said in my tranquility, I shall never be shaken. O Lord, by Your will You set my mountain strong – You hid Your face, I became terrified” (Psalms 30:7–8). What did Esther say? “To You, O Lord, I will call, and to the Lord I will make supplication. What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to destruction? Will dust thank You, will it declare Your truth?” (Psalms 30:9–10) What did the congregation of Israel say? “Hear O Lord and show favor to me; [O Lord, be my aid;] You have turned my lamenting into dance for me; [You have undone my sackcloth and girded me with joy]” (Psalms 30:11–12). What did the holy spirit say? “So that I can sing to You glorious praise, and not be silent, O Lord my God, forever I will thank You” (Psalms 30:13). Haman’s daughter gazed from the window to see the hanging, and when she saw Mordekhai riding and her father declaring before him ‘so will be done for the man…,’ she cast herself to the ground and died.