וּבְהַגִּ֣יעַ תֹּר־אֶסְתֵּ֣ר בַּת־אֲבִיחַ֣יִל דֹּ֣ד מָרְדֳּכַ֡י אֲשֶׁר֩ לָקַֽח־ל֨וֹ לְבַ֜ת לָב֣וֹא אֶל־הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ לֹ֤א בִקְשָׁה֙ דָּבָ֔ר כִּ֠י אִ֣ם אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֥ר יֹאמַ֛ר הֵגַ֥י סְרִיס־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ שֹׁמֵ֣ר הַנָּשִׁ֑ים וַתְּהִ֤י אֶסְתֵּר֙ נֹשֵׂ֣את חֵ֔ן בְּעֵינֵ֖י כָּל־רֹאֶֽיהָ׃
Ketika tiba giliran Ester, anak perempuan Abihail, paman Mordekhai, yang telah mengambilnya menjadi anaknya sendiri, untuk masuk menghadap raja, ia tidak meminta apa pun selain apa yang dikatakan oleh Hegai, sida-sida raja, penjaga para perempuan. Ester beroleh perkenanan di mata semua orang yang melihatnya.
Esther Rabbah
“With the arrival of the turn of Esther, daughter of Aviḥayil uncle of Mordekhai, who had taken her as his daughter, to go to the king, she did not request anything except that which Hegai, the king's official, guardian of the women, said; and Esther found favor in the eyes of everyone who saw her” (Esther 2:15).
“With the arrival of the turn of Esther…Esther found favor in the eyes of everyone who saw her” – Rabbi Yuda says: Like that portrait that a thousand people look at and it is beautiful to them all. Rabbi Neḥemya says: They positioned Median women on one side and Persian women on the other side and Esther was more beautiful than them all. The Rabbis said: “And Esther found favor in the eyes of everyone who saw her” – in the eyes of the higher beings [angels] and of the lower [humans]; that is what is written: “And you shall find favor and good grace in the eyes of God and man” (Proverbs 3:4).
“With the arrival of the turn of Esther…Esther found favor in the eyes of everyone who saw her” – Rabbi Yuda says: Like that portrait that a thousand people look at and it is beautiful to them all. Rabbi Neḥemya says: They positioned Median women on one side and Persian women on the other side and Esther was more beautiful than them all. The Rabbis said: “And Esther found favor in the eyes of everyone who saw her” – in the eyes of the higher beings [angels] and of the lower [humans]; that is what is written: “And you shall find favor and good grace in the eyes of God and man” (Proverbs 3:4).
Bamidbar Rabbah
“May the Lord shine His countenance to you, and be gracious to you” (Numbers 6:25).
“May the Lord shine [yaer] His countenance to you” – may He grant you brightness [meor] of the eyes. Alternatively, “may the Lord shine…” – may He look upon you with a bright countenance and not with an angered countenance.
Another matter: “May…shine [yaer]” – this is the light of Torah; He will enlighten your eyes and your heart in the Torah, and grant you sons who are devoted to Torah, just as it says: “For mitzva is a lamp, and Torah is light [or].” (Proverbs 6:23).
“May the Lord shine [yaer] His countenance” – may He produce from you priests who kindle the altar, just as it says: “So you will not kindle [ta’iru] My altar in vain” (Malachi 1:10). And it says: “The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not be extinguished” (Leviticus 6:5).
“And be gracious to you” – they are blessed and protected, and the Divine Presence is in their midst, from where is it derived that they are graced with knowledge and understanding? The verse states: “And be gracious to you” – just as we pray: You grace man with knowledge and teach a person understanding.
Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – He will instill knowledge in you so that you will be gracious to one another and have mercy upon one another, like the matter that is stated: “And He will give you mercy…” (Deuteronomy 13:18).
Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – He will grace you with children, just as it says: “The children with whom God has graced your servant” (Genesis 33:5), and it says: “God be gracious to you, my son” (Genesis 43:29).31The second verse from Genesis refers to Benjamin, whereas the first verse from Genesis refers to all the other tribes, as at that point Benjamin had not yet been born.
Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – just as it says: “May God be gracious to us and bless us; may He shine His countenance upon us, Selah” (Psalms 67:2).
Another matter: “And be gracious to you [viḥuneka]” – he will grant you [yoḥnekha] your wishes. Likewise it says: “He will show grace to you [yoḥnekha] at the sound of your outcry; upon His hearing, He will answer you” (Isaiah 30:19).
Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great taught: The Lord will encamp [yaḥaneh] in your midst.
Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – He will produce prophets from you, just as it says: “I will pour a spirit of grace and supplication upon the house of David [and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem]” (Zechariah 12:10).
Another matter: “And be gracious to you [viḥuneka]” – He will place His grace upon you everywhere that you go, just as it says: “He placed his favor [ḥino] in the eyes of [the prison warden]” (Genesis 39:21), “Esther found favor [ḥen] [in the eyes of everyone who saw her]” (Esther 2:15), “God granted Daniel kindness32The term in the verse is ḥesed, which the midrash considers synonymous with ḥen. and compassion [before the chief of the chamberlains]” (Daniel 1:9), “and you will find grace and approbation [in the eyes of God and man]” (Proverbs 3:4).
Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – regarding Torah study. Likewise it says: “It will give your head an adornment of grace…” (Proverbs 4:9), “for they will be a graceful adornment for your head…” (Proverbs 1:9).
Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – with gratuitous gifts; likewise it says: “Be gracious to us, Lord; be gracious to us…” (Psalms 123:3), “so our eyes are to the Lord our God until He will be gracious to us” (Psalms 123:2).
Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – to take you from subjugation to the kingdoms, just as it says: “Be gracious to us, Lord; be gracious to us, for we are sated with scorn” (Psalms 123:3).
Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – to redeem you, just as it says: “Lord, be gracious to us; [we have longed] for You. [Be…our salvation in a time of suffering]” (Isaiah 33:2).
“May the Lord shine [yaer] His countenance to you” – may He grant you brightness [meor] of the eyes. Alternatively, “may the Lord shine…” – may He look upon you with a bright countenance and not with an angered countenance.
Another matter: “May…shine [yaer]” – this is the light of Torah; He will enlighten your eyes and your heart in the Torah, and grant you sons who are devoted to Torah, just as it says: “For mitzva is a lamp, and Torah is light [or].” (Proverbs 6:23).
“May the Lord shine [yaer] His countenance” – may He produce from you priests who kindle the altar, just as it says: “So you will not kindle [ta’iru] My altar in vain” (Malachi 1:10). And it says: “The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not be extinguished” (Leviticus 6:5).
“And be gracious to you” – they are blessed and protected, and the Divine Presence is in their midst, from where is it derived that they are graced with knowledge and understanding? The verse states: “And be gracious to you” – just as we pray: You grace man with knowledge and teach a person understanding.
Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – He will instill knowledge in you so that you will be gracious to one another and have mercy upon one another, like the matter that is stated: “And He will give you mercy…” (Deuteronomy 13:18).
Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – He will grace you with children, just as it says: “The children with whom God has graced your servant” (Genesis 33:5), and it says: “God be gracious to you, my son” (Genesis 43:29).31The second verse from Genesis refers to Benjamin, whereas the first verse from Genesis refers to all the other tribes, as at that point Benjamin had not yet been born.
Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – just as it says: “May God be gracious to us and bless us; may He shine His countenance upon us, Selah” (Psalms 67:2).
Another matter: “And be gracious to you [viḥuneka]” – he will grant you [yoḥnekha] your wishes. Likewise it says: “He will show grace to you [yoḥnekha] at the sound of your outcry; upon His hearing, He will answer you” (Isaiah 30:19).
Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great taught: The Lord will encamp [yaḥaneh] in your midst.
Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – He will produce prophets from you, just as it says: “I will pour a spirit of grace and supplication upon the house of David [and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem]” (Zechariah 12:10).
Another matter: “And be gracious to you [viḥuneka]” – He will place His grace upon you everywhere that you go, just as it says: “He placed his favor [ḥino] in the eyes of [the prison warden]” (Genesis 39:21), “Esther found favor [ḥen] [in the eyes of everyone who saw her]” (Esther 2:15), “God granted Daniel kindness32The term in the verse is ḥesed, which the midrash considers synonymous with ḥen. and compassion [before the chief of the chamberlains]” (Daniel 1:9), “and you will find grace and approbation [in the eyes of God and man]” (Proverbs 3:4).
Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – regarding Torah study. Likewise it says: “It will give your head an adornment of grace…” (Proverbs 4:9), “for they will be a graceful adornment for your head…” (Proverbs 1:9).
Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – with gratuitous gifts; likewise it says: “Be gracious to us, Lord; be gracious to us…” (Psalms 123:3), “so our eyes are to the Lord our God until He will be gracious to us” (Psalms 123:2).
Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – to take you from subjugation to the kingdoms, just as it says: “Be gracious to us, Lord; be gracious to us, for we are sated with scorn” (Psalms 123:3).
Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – to redeem you, just as it says: “Lord, be gracious to us; [we have longed] for You. [Be…our salvation in a time of suffering]” (Isaiah 33:2).
Bereshit Rabbah
Rabbi Huna, Rabbi Pinḥas, Rabbi Ḥanin, and Rabbi Hoshaya do not disagree.11With the previous explanations. Rabbi Yoḥanan, Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, and the Rabbis do disagree. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: This is analogous to one who was walking on the road and he met someone and attached himself to him. To what extent? To the extent that he entered into a friendly relationship with him.12So too, God befriended Noah, as it were. So, “favor” is stated here, and it is stated elsewhere: “Joseph found favor in his eyes” (Genesis 39:4).13Joseph found favor in the eyes of Potiphar, in the sense that Potiphar befriended him.
Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: This is analogous to one who was walking on the road and he met someone and attached himself to him. To what extent? To the extent that he put him in charge. So, “favor” is stated here, and it is stated elsewhere: “Esther found favor in the eyes [of all who saw her]” (Esther 2:15).14And this favor resulted in her becoming queen, a position of authority. So too, Noah was given mastery over all living things (Genesis 9:2).
The Rabbis say: This is analogous to one who was walking on the road and he met someone and attached himself to him. To what extent? To the extent that he gave him his daughter [in marriage]. So, “favor” is stated here, and it is stated elsewhere: “I will pour a spirit of grace and supplication upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem” (Zechariah 12:10).15The verse is referring to a spirit of divine wisdom, which is often personified as one’s “daughter” (Maharzu). Noah, too, was granted this wisdom, as the Midrash goes on to explain. To what extent? To the extent that he had the knowledge to ascertain which animal is fed in the second hour of the day and which is fed at the third hour of the night.
Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: This is analogous to one who was walking on the road and he met someone and attached himself to him. To what extent? To the extent that he put him in charge. So, “favor” is stated here, and it is stated elsewhere: “Esther found favor in the eyes [of all who saw her]” (Esther 2:15).14And this favor resulted in her becoming queen, a position of authority. So too, Noah was given mastery over all living things (Genesis 9:2).
The Rabbis say: This is analogous to one who was walking on the road and he met someone and attached himself to him. To what extent? To the extent that he gave him his daughter [in marriage]. So, “favor” is stated here, and it is stated elsewhere: “I will pour a spirit of grace and supplication upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem” (Zechariah 12:10).15The verse is referring to a spirit of divine wisdom, which is often personified as one’s “daughter” (Maharzu). Noah, too, was granted this wisdom, as the Midrash goes on to explain. To what extent? To the extent that he had the knowledge to ascertain which animal is fed in the second hour of the day and which is fed at the third hour of the night.