מדרש על אסתר 3:4
Esther Rabbah
“When they [the king’s servants] spoke to him [Mordekhai] daily and he did not heed them, they told Haman, to see whether Mordekhai’s words would prevail; for he had told to them that he was a Jew” (Esther 3:4).
“When they spoke to him daily” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Binyamin bar Rabbi Levi: The children of Rachel, their miracles are equal and their ascent to greatness is equal. Their miracles are equal; that is what is written: “It was when she spoke to Joseph day after day” (Genesis 39:10). Here it written: “When they spoke to him daily and he did not heed them,” and there it is written: “And he did not heed her to lie with her, to be with her” (Genesis 39:10). And their ascent to greatness is equal; that is what is written: “Pharaoh removed his ring from his hand and he gave it to Joseph, and he garbed him in garments of linen” (Genesis 41:42). Here it is written: “The king removed the ring that he had taken from Haman, and he gave it to Mordekhai” (Esther 8:2). There it is written: “He had him ride in his second chariot, and they cried before him: ‘Avrekh’”3The meaning of avrekh is unclear. One opinion, based on the ancient Egyptian, is that it means “pay attention.” (Genesis 41:43); here, it is written: “And let the garments and the horse be placed…and they will proclaim before him: So shall be done to the man whose honoring the king desires” (Esther 6:9).
“When they spoke to him daily” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Binyamin bar Rabbi Levi: The children of Rachel, their miracles are equal and their ascent to greatness is equal. Their miracles are equal; that is what is written: “It was when she spoke to Joseph day after day” (Genesis 39:10). Here it written: “When they spoke to him daily and he did not heed them,” and there it is written: “And he did not heed her to lie with her, to be with her” (Genesis 39:10). And their ascent to greatness is equal; that is what is written: “Pharaoh removed his ring from his hand and he gave it to Joseph, and he garbed him in garments of linen” (Genesis 41:42). Here it is written: “The king removed the ring that he had taken from Haman, and he gave it to Mordekhai” (Esther 8:2). There it is written: “He had him ride in his second chariot, and they cried before him: ‘Avrekh’”3The meaning of avrekh is unclear. One opinion, based on the ancient Egyptian, is that it means “pay attention.” (Genesis 41:43); here, it is written: “And let the garments and the horse be placed…and they will proclaim before him: So shall be done to the man whose honoring the king desires” (Esther 6:9).
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Esther Rabbah
What did Mordekhai say to someone who would say to him: “Why are you violating the king’s command?” (Esther 3:3) Rabbi Levi said: Mordekhai would say: ‘Moses our master cautioned us in the Torah: “Cursed is the man who will craft an idol or a cast figure” (Deuteronomy 27:15), and this wicked one is rendering himself an idol. And Isaiah the prophet cautioned us: “Desist from man, who has breath in his nostrils, as what is he considered?” (Isaiah 2:22). Moreover, I am of the nobility of the Holy One blessed be He, as all the other tribes were born outside the Land of Israel and my ancestor was born in the Land of Israel.’4Benjamin was born in Canaan, but all his older brothers were born in Padan Aram when Jacob and his wives were still dwelling with Laban. They said to him: ‘We will tell him.’ Immediately, “they told Haman…” (Esther 3:4).
Haman said to them: ‘Tell him: Didn’t his ancestor prostrate himself before my ancestor; that is what is written: “The maidservants approached…and prostrated themselves, and afterward Joseph and Rachel approached and prostrated themselves” (Genesis 33:6–7). He responded: ‘But Benjamin had not yet been born.’ They told him; that is what is written: “They told Haman.”
Haman said to them: ‘Tell him: Didn’t his ancestor prostrate himself before my ancestor; that is what is written: “The maidservants approached…and prostrated themselves, and afterward Joseph and Rachel approached and prostrated themselves” (Genesis 33:6–7). He responded: ‘But Benjamin had not yet been born.’ They told him; that is what is written: “They told Haman.”
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Bereishit Rabbah
"One such day, he [Yosef] came into the house to do his work and none of the men of the household were there" (Genesis 39:11). Is it possible that in the house of such a man it was deserted with no man there? Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Nechemyah [explain this]. Rabbi Yehuda says, it was a Nile festival and all had gone to see it, and he did not go. Rabbi Nechemyah says, it was a day of the theatre [teiatiron] and all had gone to see it, and he did not go. Rather, "he came into the house to do his work", to calculate his master's calculations. Rabbi Shmuel son of Nachman says, "to do his work literally", except there was no man there -- he searched himself, and he did not find himself to be a man. Another explanation, Rabbi Shmuel says, the bow is stretched and returned. For is it not written: (Genesis 49:24) "Yet his bow [קשתו] remained taut" -- his hardness [קשיותו]. Rabbi Yitzchak says, his seed [זרע] was scattered and went out by way of his fingernails, as it says (Genesis 49:24) "and the arms of his hands [זרעי ידיו] were made firm". Rav Huna in the name of Rabbi Matna says, images of his father appeared and chilled his blood, as it is written (Genesis 49:24) "From there, the Shepherd, the Rock of Yisrael". Who does such? (Genesis 49:25) "The God of your father who helps you [...] blessings of breast and womb" -- (Onkelos Genesis 49:25) "blessings of father and mother."
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