에스더 8:1 미드라쉬: Midrash Tanchuma, Esther Rabbah, Midrash Tanchuma Buber & Kohelet Rabbah

(Numb. 5:13, cont.:) “And it is hidden from her husband's eyes,” [is to] exclude one who is blind.³⁹Sifre, Numb. 5:13 (7); Sot. 27a. Cf. Numb. R. 9:10, which explains the exception as referring to a husband just pretending to be blind to his wife’s adultery, so that he can use the rite of the bitter water for killing his wife. Another interpretation (of Numb. 5:13, cont.), “and it is hidden from her husband's eyes.” [These words mean to exclude the case in which] her husband saw [her transgression] and overlooked [it]. (Ibid., cont.:) “So that she is secluded.” We have not yet heard of a specific length of time for her to be in seclusion (with her lover) [in order to cause defilement]. R. Eleazer says, “[The time needed] for a palm tree to sway back.”⁴⁰See TSot. 1:2; Sot. 4a; Sifre, Numb. 5:13 (7). R. Joshua says, “For mixing the cup.” Ben 'Azzay says, “For drinking it.” R. Aqiva says, “For roasting an egg.” R. Judah says, “For eating three eggs one after the other.” R. Eleazar ben Pinhas says, “For a weaver⁴¹Gk.: gerdios. to knot the thread.”⁴²Gk.: nema. R. Hanin says, “For her to put her finger in her mouth.” Pelimo says, “For his (sic) hand⁴³Cf. the parallel in Numb. R. 9:10, which reads, “her hand.” to reach over the basket and take a loaf of bread. And even though there is no evidence for [this understanding], there is a hint [that it is correct], where it is stated (in Prov. 6:26), ‘For on behalf of a woman playing the harlot [one will be reduced] to a loaf of bread.’” (Numb. 5:13, cont.:) “And there is no witness against her.” Although she has no [witness against her] now, she will have one at another time.⁴⁴In addition to Numb. R. 9:10, see Gen. R. 38:14; PRK 18:3; PR 32:2. In a similar usage⁴⁵Kayyotse badavar. This repetitive use of kayyotse b… indicates that the sixth of the seven exegetical rules (middot) attributed to Hillel is being used here. you say (in Gen. 11:30), “Now Sarai was barren; she had no child.” Although [Sarai] had no [child] then, she would have one at another time, as stated (in Gen. 21:1), “Then the Lord visited Sarah […].” In a similar usage you say (in Esth. 2:10), “Esther had not disclosed her people [and her native land].” Although she had not disclosed them to him then, she did disclose them to him at another time, as stated (in Esth. 8:1), “then Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had disclosed what relationship he had to her.” And here also (in Numb. 5:13), “and there is no witness against her.” Although she has no [witness against her] now, she will have one at another time, as stated (in Mal. 3:5), “and I will be a swift witness [against sorcerers, against adulterers].” Our masters have said, “When a woman is alone with her husband and he is having sexual intercourse with her, if she sets her eyes on another at the time of [their] sexual intercourse, there is no greater adultery for her than this.⁴⁶Numb. R. 9:34. Thus it is stated (in Ezek. 16:32), “The adulterous woman [receives strangers] instead of her husband (literally: under her husband).” Is there a woman who commits adultery [while] under her husband?⁴⁷Cf. Numb. 5:19. It is simply that this is [the kind of woman] who encounters a certain man and sets her eyes on him. Then she has sexual intercourse with her husband while her heart is on him. [There is] a story about the king of the Arabs, who asked R. Aqiva, “I am black and my wife is black, but she has borne me a white son. Shall I kill her because she has played the harlot while under me?” He said to him, “Are the images within your house white or black?” He said to him, “White.” He said to him, “When you were busy with her, she set her eyes on the images and bore [a child] like them. Now if you are surprised over this matter, learn from the Jacob's flock. They were conceived from the sticks, as stated (in Gen. 30:39), ‘Since the flock conceived by the sticks, [the flock bore streaked, speckled, and spotted young].’” Then the king of the Arabs thanked R. Aqiva. Thus, when any woman is alone with her husband in holiness, in the end he produces righteous children from her. Thus we find it so in the case of Hannah, who was alone with her husband in holiness, and [so] the Holy One, blessed be He, did not deprive her of her reward. Rather he gave her a righteous son like Moses, as stated (in Jer. 15:1), “Even if Moses and Samuel stood before Me.” It also says (in Ps. 99:6), “Moses and Aaron were among His priests, and Samuel was among those who call upon His name.” So also did Hannah say (in I Sam. 1:27), “For this child did I pray, [and the Lord has granted me my petition].” Why? Because he was sown in holiness. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “In this world I abhor all those peoples, because they are from unclean seed; but I have chosen you, because you are from true seed, as stated (in Jer. 2:21), ‘And I planted you as a choice vine, all of it from true seed.’ It is also written (in Deut. 7:6), ‘and the Lord your God has chosen you […].’ And also in the future to come I am choosing only you, because you are a holy seed, as stated (in Is. 65:23), ‘They shall not labor in vain, nor bear children in terror, because they are a seed blessed of the Lord, [and their offspring along with them].’”

“The king rose in his fury from the wine banquet to the palace garden and Haman stood to plead for his life from Esther the queen, for he saw that the king has resolved to do him harm” (Esther 7:7).
“The king rose in his fury from the wine banquet to the palace garden.” What did the angel Michael do? He began cutting the saplings before him, adding fury to his fury; he returned to the wine banquet and Haman stood up to plead for his life. What did Michael do? He pushed him [Haman] onto Esther, and she was crying ‘My lord, the king, here he is overpowering me before you!’ The king said: “Will he also overpower the queen with me in the house?” (Esther 7:8). Haman heard this statement and his face fell. What did Eliyahu, of blessed memory, do? He appeared as Ḥarvona and said to him [to the king]: ‘My lord the king, “indeed, here is the gibbet that Haman had made for Mordekhai…”’ (Esther 7:9). As Rabbi Pinḥas said: One must say ‘Ḥarvona, of blessed memory.’ And Rav said: One must say ‘cursed is Haman, cursed are his sons, cursed is Zeresh his wife, as it is written: “The name of the wicked will rot”’ (Proverbs 10:7).
The king immediately commanded to hang him on the gibbet that he had prepared for Mordekhai, and about this, Solomon, in his wisdom, said: “A righteous person will be delivered from trouble and the wicked will come in his stead” (Proverbs 11:8). For Haman got up early to hang Mordekhai and was hanged himself on the gibbet that he prepared for Mordekhai, and [the king] gave everything that was Haman’s to Esther the queen, and Esther gave it to Mordekhai. This is what is written: “On that day King Aḥashverosh gave the house of Haman, adversary of the Jews, to Queen Esther…” (Esther 8:1), and it is written: “As for his harvest, the hungry will eat it and take it from shields [tzinim] and the bound [tzamim] will swallow their wealth”¹⁰ The midrash understands this verse idiosyncratically. The word mitzinim, here translated as ‘from shields,’ is usually translated as ‘from thorns’ or ‘from baskets.’ The word tzamim, here translated as ‘the bound,’ is usually translated as ‘the thirsty.’ (Job 5:5). “As for his harvest,” that is Haman. “The hungry will eat it,” that is Mordekhai and Esther. “Take it from shields,” not with a weapon, and not with a shield, but with prayer and supplication, as you say: “His truth is a shield [tzina] and a buckler” (Psalms 91:4). That is prayer, which protects him from trouble like a shield protects a person in battle. By the merit of prayer, which is called a shield, he will take Haman. From where [is it known] that they engaged in prayer? That is what is written: “Sackcloth and ashes were worn by many” (Esther 4:3). What is the use of sackcloth and ashes without prayer? “And the bound will swallow their wealth.” Who overcame Haman’s wealth? Mordekhai and Esther and those bound to them.

(Numb. 5:13, cont.:) AND THERE IS NO WITNESS AGAINST HER. Although she has no <witness against her> now, she will have one at another time.⁵¹In addition to Tanh., Numb. 2:7, and Numb. R. 9:10, see Gen. R. 38:14; PRK 18:3; PR 32:2. In a similar usage⁵²Kayyotse badavar. This repetitive use of kayyotse b… indicates that the sixth of the seven exegetical rules (middot) attributed to Hillel is being used here. you say (in Gen. 11:30): NOW SARAI WAS BARREN; SHE HAD NO CHILD. Although <Sarai> had no <child> then, she would have one at another time, as stated (in Gen. 21:1): THEN THE LORD VISITED SARAH…. In a similar usage you say (in Esth. 2:10): ESTHER HAD NOT DISCLOSED <HER PEOPLE AND HER NATIVE LAND>. Although she had not disclosed them to him then, she did disclose them to him at another time, as stated (in Esth. 8:1): THEN MORDECAI CAME BEFORE THE KING, FOR ESTHER HAD DISCLOSED WHAT RELATIONSHIP HE HAD TO HER. And here also (in Numb. 5:13): AND THERE IS NO WITNESS AGAINST HER. Although she has no <witness against her> now, she will have one at anther time, as stated (in Mal. 3:5): AND I WILL BE A SWIFT WITNESS [AGAINST SORCERERS, AGAINST ADULTERERS] <….>