Setelah mereka berkata-kata kepadanya hari demi hari dan ia tidak menghiraukan mereka, mereka memberitahukannya kepada Haman untuk melihat apakah alasan Mordekhai akan dapat bertahan, sebab ia telah memberi tahu mereka bahwa ia seorang Yahudi.
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).
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.”
Bereshit Rabbah
“It was as she spoke to Joseph, day after day, and he did not heed her to lie with her, to be with her” (Genesis 39:10).
“It was as she spoke to Joseph, day after day” – Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Binyamin: Rachel’s children,12The reference is to Joseph and to Mordekhai, who was a descendant of Benjamin. their ordeal was equal and their greatness was equal. Their ordeal was equal – “it was as she spoke to Joseph, day after day”; “it was, as they spoke to him, day after day” (Esther 3:4). Their greatness was equal – “Pharaoh removed his ring” (Genesis 41:42); “the king removed his ring” (Esther 8:2). “And he placed it upon Joseph's hand” (Genesis 41:42); “and he gave it to Mordekhai” (Esther 8:2). “He dressed him in garments of linen” (Genesis 41:42); “and place the garments and the horse…Haman took [the garments and horse and dressed Mordekhai]” (Esther 6:9–11). “He placed a gold chain on his neck” (Genesis 41:42); “Esther placed Mordekhai over the house of Haman” (Esther 8:2). “He had him ride in the second chariot that he had” (Genesis 41:43); “he had him ride the horse through the city square” (see Esther 6:11). “They cried before him: Kneel” (Genesis 41:43); “he cried before him: So [shall be done to the man whose honor the king desires]” (Esther 6:11).
“And he did not heed her to lie with her” – in this world, “to be with her” – to be with her in Gehenna in the future.
Another matter, “he did not heed her” – even for lying [with her] without intercourse.
A noblewoman asked Rabbi Yosei, she said to him: ‘Is it possible that Joseph, seventeen years old, at the height of his passion, could conduct himself in such a manner?’13Is it really possible that he withstood the temptation? He took out for her the book of Genesis and began reading before her the incident of Reuben and Bilha,14Genesis 35:22. the incident of Judah and Tamar.15Genesis 38:18. He said to her: ‘If these two, who were adults and in their father’s domain, the verse did not cover up their actions, this one who is young and on his own, all the more so.’
“It was as she spoke to Joseph, day after day” – Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Binyamin: Rachel’s children,12The reference is to Joseph and to Mordekhai, who was a descendant of Benjamin. their ordeal was equal and their greatness was equal. Their ordeal was equal – “it was as she spoke to Joseph, day after day”; “it was, as they spoke to him, day after day” (Esther 3:4). Their greatness was equal – “Pharaoh removed his ring” (Genesis 41:42); “the king removed his ring” (Esther 8:2). “And he placed it upon Joseph's hand” (Genesis 41:42); “and he gave it to Mordekhai” (Esther 8:2). “He dressed him in garments of linen” (Genesis 41:42); “and place the garments and the horse…Haman took [the garments and horse and dressed Mordekhai]” (Esther 6:9–11). “He placed a gold chain on his neck” (Genesis 41:42); “Esther placed Mordekhai over the house of Haman” (Esther 8:2). “He had him ride in the second chariot that he had” (Genesis 41:43); “he had him ride the horse through the city square” (see Esther 6:11). “They cried before him: Kneel” (Genesis 41:43); “he cried before him: So [shall be done to the man whose honor the king desires]” (Esther 6:11).
“And he did not heed her to lie with her” – in this world, “to be with her” – to be with her in Gehenna in the future.
Another matter, “he did not heed her” – even for lying [with her] without intercourse.
A noblewoman asked Rabbi Yosei, she said to him: ‘Is it possible that Joseph, seventeen years old, at the height of his passion, could conduct himself in such a manner?’13Is it really possible that he withstood the temptation? He took out for her the book of Genesis and began reading before her the incident of Reuben and Bilha,14Genesis 35:22. the incident of Judah and Tamar.15Genesis 38:18. He said to her: ‘If these two, who were adults and in their father’s domain, the verse did not cover up their actions, this one who is young and on his own, all the more so.’