Commentary for Esther 4:1
וּמָרְדֳּכַ֗י יָדַע֙ אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר נַעֲשָׂ֔ה וַיִּקְרַ֤ע מָרְדֳּכַי֙ אֶת־בְּגָדָ֔יו וַיִּלְבַּ֥שׁ שַׂ֖ק וָאֵ֑פֶר וַיֵּצֵא֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֔יר וַיִּזְעַ֛ק זְעָקָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה וּמָרָֽה׃
Now when Mordecai knew all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;
Rashi on Esther
Mordechai was apprized. The Master of Dreams told him1He was told by means of a dream and not by רוח הקדש [The Holy Spirit], a higher form of prophecy, because “Shushan was in confusion,” and רוח הקדש [The Holy Spirit] dwells only in the midst of joy. Alternatively, Eliyahu the prophet told him. that the celestial beings had consented to this [decree], because they had prostrated themselves to the idol in the days of Nevuchadnetzar, and because they had enjoyed Achashveirosh’s feast.2See Esther Rabbah 7:13 and Maseches Megillah 12a.
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