Midras Kejadian 36:43: Esther Rabbah, Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Shemot Rabbah & Bereshit Rabbah

“It was during the days of Aḥashverosh; that [hu] Aḥashverosh who reigned from India to Kush, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces” (Esther 1:1). Hu [appears] five [times] for evil, and five for good. Five for evil: “He [hu] was a mighty hunter”⁴Nimrod. (Genesis 10:9); “he is [hu] Esau, father of Edom” (Genesis 36:43); “this is [hu] Datan and Aviram” (Numbers 26:9); “he is [hu] King Aḥaz” (II Chronicles 28:22); “that [hu] Aḥashverosh” (Esther 1:1). Five for good: “Abram, he is [hu] Abraham” (I Chronicles 1:27); “that [hu] Aaron and Moses…that [hu] Moses and Aaron” (Exodus 6:26–27); “David was [hu] the youngest” (I Samuel 17:14); “he [hu], Yeḥizhiyahu” (II Chronicles 32:30); “he [hu], Ezra, came up from Babylon” (Ezra 7:6). Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of the Rabbis from there: We have one that is better than all of them: “He is [hu] the Lord our God; His judgments are throughout the land” (Psalms 105:7), whose attribute of mercy is forever.

The same Ahasuerus; i.e., he was the same in his wickedness from beginning to end. (Gen. 36, 43) This is Esau; i.e., the same in wickedness from beginning to end; (II Chr. 28, 22) He, King Ahaz; i.e., the same in wickedness always; and so is meant (Num. 26, 9) These are that Dathan and Abriam. And so it is also with the righteous (I Chr. 1, 27) Abram — the same is Abraham; i.e., Abraham was the same in righteousness from the beginning to the end; (Ex. 6, 26) These are that Aaron and Moses; i.e., they were the same in righteousness from beginning to end; (I Sam. 17, 14) And David was the youngest, that means he conducted himself from beginning to end, as in his youth; as in his youth he humbled himself before one greater than he in order to learn the Torah, so also when he was a king he was modest before a man superior to him in wisdom and tried to learn the Torah from him.

Another interpretation: “The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron” – that is what is written: “The voice of my beloved, behold, he is coming” (Song of Songs 2:8). When Moses went and said to Israel: ‘So said the Holy One blessed be He to me: “Today you are leaving, in the month of spring”’ (Exodus 13:4), they said to him: ‘Where is He?’ He said to them: ‘He is about to arrive: “The voice of my beloved, behold, he is coming, [leaping upon the heights, bounding upon the hills]”’ (Song of Songs 2:8). Rabbi Yehuda said: What is “leaping upon the heights?” The Holy One blessed be He said: If I scrutinize the actions of Israel they will never be redeemed. Rather, at whom will I look? At their saintly forefathers, as it is stated: “Moreover, I have heard the cry of the children of Israel…[and I have remembered my covenant]” (Exodus 6:5)⁹The covenant was made with the patriarchs. – on the merit of their forefathers I am redeeming them. Therefore, it is written: “Leaping upon the heights,” and heights mean nothing other than the forefathers, as it is stated: “Hear, O heights, the Lord’s grievance [and the mighty ones, foundations of the earth]” (Micah 6:2).¹⁰ Eitanim, meaning mighty ones, is a term that the Sages used for the patriarchs.
Another interpretation: Rabbi Neḥemya said: What is “leaping upon the heights?” [It is not to be understood literally.] Rather, the Holy One blessed be He said: Israel does not have deeds that would warrant their being redeemed, except by the merit of the elders, as it is stated: “Go, and gather the elders of Israel” (Exodus 3:16), and heights are nothing other than the elders, as Yiftaḥ’s daughter says to her father: “I will go down in the heights” (Judges 11:37). Was she going to the heights? Rather, she was saying: To the elders, as she was going to show the elders that she was a pure virgin.¹¹She therefore did not deserve the fate decreed for her by her father’s vow. That is why it is written: “Leaping upon the heights.”
Another interpretation: Rabbi Elazar said: What is “leaping upon the heights”? The Holy One blessed be He said: I arranged for Esau that he would establish kings, as it is stated: “These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom” (Genesis 36:31). If I allow Esau to establish more kings, how will Israel survive? Rather, I will supplant them and render them chieftains, as it is stated: “These are the chieftains of the sons of Esau” (Genesis 36:15).¹²The midrash is reading the verses out of chronological order, as if the chieftains came after the kings. Heights mean nothing other than idolaters, as it is stated: “Behold, four chariots¹³The chariots represent four idolatrous nations. are emerging from between the two heights” (Zechariah 6:1).