Commentary for Esther 7:8
וְהַמֶּ֡לֶךְ שָׁב֩ מִגִּנַּ֨ת הַבִּיתָ֜ן אֶל־בֵּ֣ית ׀ מִשְׁתֵּ֣ה הַיַּ֗יִן וְהָמָן֙ נֹפֵ֔ל עַל־הַמִּטָּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶסְתֵּ֣ר עָלֶ֔יהָ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ הֲ֠גַם לִכְבּ֧וֹשׁ אֶת־הַמַּלְכָּ֛ה עִמִּ֖י בַּבָּ֑יִת הַדָּבָ֗ר יָצָא֙ מִפִּ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וּפְנֵ֥י הָמָ֖ן חָפֽוּ׃ (ס)
Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the couch whereon Esther was. Then said the king: ‘Will he even force the queen before me in the house?’ As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.
Rashi on Esther
Haman had fallen. The angel pushed him.3Ibid. The literal translation is “and Haman was falling,” meaning that he tried to rise but the angel kept pushing him onto the couch and into a compromising position, which infuriated the king even more.
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Rashi on Esther
On the couch upon which Esther reclined. Their custom was to sit at a meal [reclining] on their sides on couches, as it is stated in the beginning of the Book, “couches of gold and silver”4Above 1:6. for those who participated in the feast.
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Rashi on Esther
Even to overpower the queen. This is an expression of wonder. לִכְבּוֹשׁ [denotes] to subdue with force, as in “and the land is conquered [וְנִכְבְּשָׁה].”5Bamidbar 32:22.
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