וַתַּ֨עַן אֶסְתֵּ֤ר הַמַּלְכָּה֙ וַתֹּאמַ֔ר אִם־מָצָ֨אתִי חֵ֤ן בְּעֵינֶ֙יךָ֙ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְאִם־עַל־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ ט֑וֹב תִּנָּֽתֶן־לִ֤י נַפְשִׁי֙ בִּשְׁאֵ֣לָתִ֔י וְעַמִּ֖י בְּבַקָּשָׁתִֽי׃
At sumagot si Reyna Ester at nagsabi: “Kung ako'y nakasumpong ng lingap sa iyong paningin, O hari, at kung mamarapatin ng hari, ibigay nawa sa akin ang aking buhay bilang aking kahilingan, at ang aking bayan bilang aking pakiusap.
Bamidbar Rabbah
Another matter: “And commit a trespass against him [umaala bo maal]” – a double trespass, as she committed a trespass against him regarding both his person and his money. She brought other people to take his money.20The mamzer inherits from her husband even though he is not the husband's son. Another matter: “And commit a trespass against him [umaala bo maal]” – she committed trespass against him regarding males and females.21Male and female children who are mamzerim. “And commit a trespass against him [umaala bo maal]” – in this world and in the World to Come. She is separated from him in two worlds.
“And a man had lain with her carnally, and it was hidden from the eyes of her husband, and she was secluded and she was defiled, and there is no witness against her, and she was not coerced” (Numbers 5:13).
“And a man had lain” – with regard to a man he warns her, but he does not warn her with regard to an animal. “With her” – it is only the one whom he warned.22If he has two wives and warned one of them not to seclude herself with a certain man, the other is not included in the warning, even if she heard it. “Carnally” – to the exclusion if he warned her regarding other limbs,23Any form of physical contact other than sexual intercourse is not included in the laws addressing a sota. so you will not say that the verse made it contingent on the opposition of the husband, and the husband opposes.24The laws addressing a sota apply only to sexual intercourse, even if the husband opposes his wife’s engaging in a different form of physical contact with another man. That is why it is stated: “Carnally.”
“It was hidden from the eyes of her husband” – but not if the husband sees and closes his eyes. That is, if the husband knew about her, he cannot engage in subterfuge in her regard and cause her to drink. “And she was secluded and she was defiled” – once she was secluded, the Torah characterizes her as defiled.
Another matter: “And she was secluded and she was defiled” – what is the minimum duration of seclusion [that causes her to be liable]? It is the duration of defilement. How long is defilement? It is the duration of intercourse. How long is intercourse? It is the duration of the initial stage of intercourse.25Contact between the sexual organs. How long is the initial stage of intercourse? Rabbi Eliezer says: The duration of the return of a palm tree in the wind.26The time it takes for a branch pushed by the wind to return to its initial position (Rashi, Sota 4a). Rabbi Yehoshua says: The duration of diluting a cup.27Of wine. Ben Azai says: The duration of drinking it. Rabbi Akiva says: The duration of cooking an egg until it rolls. Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira says: The duration of swallowing three rolled eggs one after another. Rabbi Elazar ben Pinḥas said: The duration that it takes a weaver to tie a severed string. Penimon says: The duration it takes for a woman to extend her hand and take a loaf from the basket. Even though there is no proof of the matter there is an allusion to the matter: “For due to a licentious woman one is brought to a loaf of bread, and an adulteress hunts a precious soul” (Proverbs 6:26). Rabbi Yosei said: All these measures are after removal of the lower undergarment.
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Each and every one calculated based on his own experience. But did ben Azai ever take a wife? Some wish to say that he became aroused. Some wish to say that he engaged in relations and withdrew.28He married but then continued life alone. Some wish to say: “The secret of the Lord is to those who fear Him; He informs them of His covenant” (Psalms 25:14).
From where is it derived that the first stage of intercourse renders a married woman forbidden [to her husband]? Rabbi Yona said: As it is written: “For anyone who will perform any of these abominations…[will be excised from among their people]” (Leviticus 18:29). All the forbidden relations were likened to the menstruant. Just as the menstruant, it29The prohibition is violated. is with the first stage of intercourse [haaraa], as it is written: “He has probed [he’era] her source” (Leviticus 20:18), so too, all forbidden relations are with the first stage of intercourse.
“And there is no witness [ve’ed] against her” – one that is fit to testify. From where is it derived that even a witness who is not fit to testify, if he says that she was defiled, she does not drink? The verse states: “A witness, and a witness.”30The vav prefix to the word witness [ed], comes to include even a witness unfit to testify.
“And she was not coerced” – she is forbidden, but if she was coerced, she is permitted. But you have an Israelite woman who was coerced and is forbidden. Which is that? It is anyone who began willingly but ended under coercion. And you have an Israelite woman who was not coerced and is permitted. It is anyone who began under coercion but ended willingly, like a certain woman who came to Rabbi and said: I was raped. He said to her: Was there no pleasure for you? She said to him: Were a person to dip his finger in honey and place it in your mouth on Yom Kippur, is it perhaps not bad for you even though ultimately it is pleasant for you? He accepted her response.31He ruled that she was permitted to her husband even though she felt pleasure.
Another matter: “And there is no witness against her” – even though there is not one in her regard now, there is one in her regard later. Similarly, it says: “Sarai was barren; she had no child” (Genesis 11:30) – even though she does not have now, she has later, as it is stated: “The Lord remembered Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as He had spoken” (Genesis 21:1). Similarly, it says: “Esther did not disclose her people or her birthplace, because Mordekhai had commanded her that she should not disclose it” (Esther 2:10) – even though she did not disclose it now, she disclosed it later.32See Esther 7:3–4. Here too, “and there is no witness against her” – even though there is not one in her regard now, there is one in her regard later, as it is stated: “I will approach you in judgment, and I will be a swift witness…[and against the adulterers]” (Malachi 3:5).
“And a man had lain with her carnally, and it was hidden from the eyes of her husband, and she was secluded and she was defiled, and there is no witness against her, and she was not coerced” (Numbers 5:13).
“And a man had lain” – with regard to a man he warns her, but he does not warn her with regard to an animal. “With her” – it is only the one whom he warned.22If he has two wives and warned one of them not to seclude herself with a certain man, the other is not included in the warning, even if she heard it. “Carnally” – to the exclusion if he warned her regarding other limbs,23Any form of physical contact other than sexual intercourse is not included in the laws addressing a sota. so you will not say that the verse made it contingent on the opposition of the husband, and the husband opposes.24The laws addressing a sota apply only to sexual intercourse, even if the husband opposes his wife’s engaging in a different form of physical contact with another man. That is why it is stated: “Carnally.”
“It was hidden from the eyes of her husband” – but not if the husband sees and closes his eyes. That is, if the husband knew about her, he cannot engage in subterfuge in her regard and cause her to drink. “And she was secluded and she was defiled” – once she was secluded, the Torah characterizes her as defiled.
Another matter: “And she was secluded and she was defiled” – what is the minimum duration of seclusion [that causes her to be liable]? It is the duration of defilement. How long is defilement? It is the duration of intercourse. How long is intercourse? It is the duration of the initial stage of intercourse.25Contact between the sexual organs. How long is the initial stage of intercourse? Rabbi Eliezer says: The duration of the return of a palm tree in the wind.26The time it takes for a branch pushed by the wind to return to its initial position (Rashi, Sota 4a). Rabbi Yehoshua says: The duration of diluting a cup.27Of wine. Ben Azai says: The duration of drinking it. Rabbi Akiva says: The duration of cooking an egg until it rolls. Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira says: The duration of swallowing three rolled eggs one after another. Rabbi Elazar ben Pinḥas said: The duration that it takes a weaver to tie a severed string. Penimon says: The duration it takes for a woman to extend her hand and take a loaf from the basket. Even though there is no proof of the matter there is an allusion to the matter: “For due to a licentious woman one is brought to a loaf of bread, and an adulteress hunts a precious soul” (Proverbs 6:26). Rabbi Yosei said: All these measures are after removal of the lower undergarment.
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Each and every one calculated based on his own experience. But did ben Azai ever take a wife? Some wish to say that he became aroused. Some wish to say that he engaged in relations and withdrew.28He married but then continued life alone. Some wish to say: “The secret of the Lord is to those who fear Him; He informs them of His covenant” (Psalms 25:14).
From where is it derived that the first stage of intercourse renders a married woman forbidden [to her husband]? Rabbi Yona said: As it is written: “For anyone who will perform any of these abominations…[will be excised from among their people]” (Leviticus 18:29). All the forbidden relations were likened to the menstruant. Just as the menstruant, it29The prohibition is violated. is with the first stage of intercourse [haaraa], as it is written: “He has probed [he’era] her source” (Leviticus 20:18), so too, all forbidden relations are with the first stage of intercourse.
“And there is no witness [ve’ed] against her” – one that is fit to testify. From where is it derived that even a witness who is not fit to testify, if he says that she was defiled, she does not drink? The verse states: “A witness, and a witness.”30The vav prefix to the word witness [ed], comes to include even a witness unfit to testify.
“And she was not coerced” – she is forbidden, but if she was coerced, she is permitted. But you have an Israelite woman who was coerced and is forbidden. Which is that? It is anyone who began willingly but ended under coercion. And you have an Israelite woman who was not coerced and is permitted. It is anyone who began under coercion but ended willingly, like a certain woman who came to Rabbi and said: I was raped. He said to her: Was there no pleasure for you? She said to him: Were a person to dip his finger in honey and place it in your mouth on Yom Kippur, is it perhaps not bad for you even though ultimately it is pleasant for you? He accepted her response.31He ruled that she was permitted to her husband even though she felt pleasure.
Another matter: “And there is no witness against her” – even though there is not one in her regard now, there is one in her regard later. Similarly, it says: “Sarai was barren; she had no child” (Genesis 11:30) – even though she does not have now, she has later, as it is stated: “The Lord remembered Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as He had spoken” (Genesis 21:1). Similarly, it says: “Esther did not disclose her people or her birthplace, because Mordekhai had commanded her that she should not disclose it” (Esther 2:10) – even though she did not disclose it now, she disclosed it later.32See Esther 7:3–4. Here too, “and there is no witness against her” – even though there is not one in her regard now, there is one in her regard later, as it is stated: “I will approach you in judgment, and I will be a swift witness…[and against the adulterers]” (Malachi 3:5).
Esther Rabbah
“Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had befallen him. His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him: If Mordekhai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of the progeny of the Jews, you will not overcome him, for you will fall before him” (Esther 6:13).
“Haman told his wife Zeresh…” At that moment the king’s attendants arrived and took him to the feast on the sixteenth of Nisan. When they had eaten and drunk, the king said to Esther: ‘What is your petition?’ She said to him: ‘My lord the king, I am only petitioning you for “my life with my petition, and my people with my request”’ (Esther 7:3).
“Haman told his wife Zeresh…” At that moment the king’s attendants arrived and took him to the feast on the sixteenth of Nisan. When they had eaten and drunk, the king said to Esther: ‘What is your petition?’ She said to him: ‘My lord the king, I am only petitioning you for “my life with my petition, and my people with my request”’ (Esther 7:3).
Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer
In that hour the pages of Esther came and took Haman to the banquet which she had prepared on the sixteenth of Nisan. When they had eaten and taken (wine) the king said to Esther: "What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee; and what is thy request?" (Esth. 7:2). She said to him: My lord, O king! I ask nought of thee, except my life, and my people. Because one man has come and has bought us to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish. "But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my peace" (Esth. 7:4). The king said to her: Who is this man? She answered him: This one is the wicked Haman, as it is said, "And Esther said, An adversary and an enemy, even this wicked Haman" (Esth. 7:6). "The king arose in his wrath" (Esth. 7:7). What did the angel Michael do? He began to cut down the plants in his presence. || Intense wrath was kindled within him, and the king returned from the palace garden to the place of the banquet of wine. What did the angel Michael do? He lifted up Haman from Esther. The king exclaimed: As for this villain, he is not satisfied with having purchased the people of Esther to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, but he must needs come upon her! "Will he even force the queen before me in the house?" (Esth. 7:8). Haman heard this word and his countenance fell, as it is said, "They covered Haman's face" (ibid.). And the king commanded that he should be hanged on the gallows. What did Elijah, his memory be a blessing, do? He assumed the guise of Harbonah, one of the chamberlains of the king. He said to him: My lord, O king! There is a tree in Haman's house (taken) from the Holy of Holies, fifty cubits high. Whence do we know that it was from the Holy of Holies? Because it is said, "And he built the house of the forest of Lebanon" (1 Kings 7:2). Forthwith the king commanded that he should be hanged thereon, as it is said, "And (the king) said, Hang him thereon" (Esth. 7:9), so as to fulfil that which is said, "Let a beam be pulled out from his house, and let him be lifted up and fastened thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this" (Ezra 6:11). And it says, "So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai" (Esth. 7:10). The king took all that belonged to Haman and gave it to Mordecai and to Esther. He said to them: Write concerning the Jews as seems good in your eyes in the name of the king. They wrote official letters, and they sent throughout all the provinces to destroy, to slay, || and to cause all the enemies of the Jews to perish on the thirteenth of the month of Adar, on the third day in the constellation of Leo. Just as the lion is the king over all the beasts, and he turns his gaze towards any place as he wishes; likewise did he think fit, and he turned his face to destroy and to slay all the enemies of Israel, as it is said, "In the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have rule over them" (Esth. 9:1).