Talmud for Esther 2:21

Rebbi Yose bar Abun said: Anybody who identifies the “morning hind” with the planet Venus is in error; that planet sometimes is too early and sometimes too late⁷¹That means, sometimes Venus sets still during the night and sometimes it is still seen after sunrise.. What is it? It is like two double horns of light that arise from the East and give light. Explanation⁷²This is the explanation of Frankel in his “Introduction to the Yerushalmi”, from Greek δήλωμα. Levy in his dictionary refers to Greek δίλημμα, which means only “proposition of two difficult alternatives.” Brüll in his critique of Levy’s dictionary proposes Greek δράμα “action”. Frankel’s choice is difficult since both long vowels should be expressed, דילומא. (In Midrashim, the spelling דילמא is found.) Brüll’s explanation is more difficult to accept since substitutions of the liquids l,r for one another are extremely rare in Greek words coming into Aramaic. Also, no action is reported here.: The great Rebbi Ḥiyya and Rebbi Simeon ben Ḥalaphta⁷³Rebbi Ḥiyya the Great is Rebbi Ḥiyya, the student and colleague of Rebbi, the collector of the Tosephtah. Rebbi Simeon ben Ḥalaphta is a contemporary who like Rebbi Ḥiyya does not appear in the Mishnah (except for the aggadic very last Mishnah.) were walking in the valley of Arbela before morning and saw “the morning hind” that started radiating. The great Rebbi Ḥiyya said to Rebbi Simeon ben Ḥalaphta, the great man: so will be the deliverance of Israel; it starts out very little and grows and longer as it goes on. What is the reason (Micha 7:8): “When I shall dwell in darkness, the Lord is my light.” So also at the start (Esther 2:21): “Mordocai was sitting at the king’s gate.” After that (6:11): “Haman took the garment and the horse.” After that (6:12): “Mordocai returned to the king’s gate.” After that (8:15): “Mordocai left the king’s presence in royal garb.” After that (8:16): “The Jews had light and joy.”

³²This paragraph was added to the ms. by a corrector. While there is no logical necessity for the addition of this text, it is copied from a Yoma text, not from Berakhot. In Berakhot the quotes from Esther make sense, v. 6:11 preceding 6:12. The paragraph also is copied in Qonteros Aḥaron(Q, Chapter 1, Note 44; p. 311) which also quotes 6:12 before v 6:11. The text of Q is identical with that given here except that the Aramaic endings are ה not א; babylonized spelling is to be expected from all correctors.[Explanation³³Greek δήλωμα.: The great Rebbi Ḥiyya and Rebbi Simeon ben Halaphta were walking in the valley of Arbela before morning and saw “the morning hind” that started radiating. The great Rebbi Ḥiyya said to Rebbi Simeon ben Halaphta: Great man, so will be the deliverance of Israel; it starts out very small and grows and radiates as it goes on. What is the reason ³⁴Micha 7:8.When he³⁵In the biblical text: 1.shall dwell in darkness, the Eternal is my light. So also at the start ³⁶Esth. 2:21.Mordocai was sitting at the king’s gate.” After that ³⁷Esth.6:12.Mordocai returned to the king’s gate. After that ³⁸Esth.6:11.Haman took the garment and the horse. After that: ³⁹Esth. 8:15.Mordocai left the king’s presence in royal garb. After that: ⁴⁰Esth. 8:16.The Jews had light and joy.]

BARAITHA.¹⁰⁸K 24. R. Eliezer b. Jacob said: Whoever greets his teacher [with the ordinary salutation] forfeits his life. R. Eliezer b. Dahabai¹⁰⁹In K ‘Ben ‘Azzai’. said: Whoever greets his teacher [with the ordinary salutation], whoever responds to his salutation [in the ordinary way], whoever makes a statement [in the name of his teacher which] he has not heard from his mouth, and whoever opposes his School causes the Divine Presence to depart from Israel. But whoever repeats a statement in the name of his teacher brings redemption to the world; as it is stated, And Esther told the king in Mordecai’s name.
GEMARA. Our Rabbis taught: How could Mordecai have told Esther?¹¹⁰Seeing that the gates of the palace were strictly guarded. It teaches that all [the gates]¹¹¹‘The gates’ has fallen out of the text. opened¹¹²In the Sifrë di Aggadetha, ed. Buber, p. 65, it is related that Mordecai entered secretly by night without the knowledge of the palace guards and no one restrained him. themselves for him and he entered within [the palace] and told her all the signs.¹¹³Of the conspiracy of Bigthan and Teresh (Esth. 2, 21). This can be inferred by an argument from the less to the great: if it is written of the son of Esther,¹¹⁴viz. Cyrus who is said to have been her son. I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the doors of brass,¹¹⁵Isa. 45, 2. If Cyrus could force the gates of Babylon, how much more could Mordecai obtain entrance to the palace! how much more so Mordecai, one of the Elders of the Sanhedrin!