Midrasz do Estery 4:1
וּמָרְדֳּכַ֗י יָדַע֙ אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר נַעֲשָׂ֔ה וַיִּקְרַ֤ע מָרְדֳּכַי֙ אֶת־בְּגָדָ֔יו וַיִּלְבַּ֥שׁ שַׂ֖ק וָאֵ֑פֶר וַיֵּצֵא֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֔יר וַיִּזְעַ֛ק זְעָקָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה וּמָרָֽה׃
A dowiedziawszy się Mardechai o wszystkiem co się stało rozdarł tenże Mardechai szaty swoje i okrył się worem i popiołem i wyszedł na środek miasta, zawodząc krzykiem wielkim i gorzkim.
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
(Fol. 15) And Mordecai ascertained all that had been done (Est. 4, 1). What had been done? Rab said: "That Haman had persuaded Ahasuerus." (Ib.) Then called Esther for Hathach. Said Rab: "Hathach is Daniel, but why was he called Hathach? Because he severed connections with his high position." Samuel said: "On the contrary, he had the office, and his name signifies that all laws were decided by him." And gave him a change for Mordecai to know what this was, and why this was. R. Isaac Nafcha said: "Thus sent Esther to Mordecai. Perhaps they [Israel] transgressed the five books of the Torah concerning which it is written (Ex. 32, 15) On the one side and on the other were they inscribed." And they told Mordecai the words of Esther (12). But he (Hathach) himself did not come to her? "From this," said R. Abba b. Cahana, "we infer that one need not go back [to his sender] to bring bad news." And Mordecai went about. Rad said: "This means that he transgressed by fasting on the first day of Passover"; and Samuel said: "It means that he crossed a pool of water [to assemble the Jews of the other side]."
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Midrash Tanchuma
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were ultimately exalted as a consequence of their humiliation: Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, and their robes, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace (Dan. 3:21), but later they were exalted, as is said: Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon (ibid., v. 30). Daniel was hurled into the den of lions, and then was exalted: So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Cyrus the Persian (ibid. 6:29). It is written concerning Mordecai: And he put on sackcloth and ashes (Est. 4:1), but later Mordecai went forth from the presence of the king in royal apparel (ibid. 8:5). About Joseph it is said: His feet they hurt with fetters, his person was laid in iron (Ps. 105:18), but he too was exalted; and Joseph became ruler over the land.
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Kohelet Rabbah
“One who follows a command will not know an evil matter, and a wise man's heart will know the time of judgment” (Ecclesiastes 8:5).
“One who follows a command will not know an evil matter,” this is Esther, who was engaged in the mitzva of removing leavened bread.24On the thirteenth of Nisan, although she was in the palace, she was unaware of Haman’s evil decree that had been issued that day, and she was engaged in preparing for Passover. “And a wise man's heart will know the time of judgment,” this is Mordekhai, as it is written: “Mordekhai knew everything that had been done” (Esther 4:1).
“One who follows a command will not know an evil matter,” this is Esther, who was engaged in the mitzva of removing leavened bread.24On the thirteenth of Nisan, although she was in the palace, she was unaware of Haman’s evil decree that had been issued that day, and she was engaged in preparing for Passover. “And a wise man's heart will know the time of judgment,” this is Mordekhai, as it is written: “Mordekhai knew everything that had been done” (Esther 4:1).
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