לֵךְ֩ כְּנ֨וֹס אֶת־כָּל־הַיְּהוּדִ֜ים הַֽנִּמְצְאִ֣ים בְּשׁוּשָׁ֗ן וְצ֣וּמוּ עָ֠לַי וְאַל־תֹּאכְל֨וּ וְאַל־תִּשְׁתּ֜וּ שְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת יָמִים֙ לַ֣יְלָה וָי֔וֹם גַּם־אֲנִ֥י וְנַעֲרֹתַ֖י אָצ֣וּם כֵּ֑ן וּבְכֵ֞ן אָב֤וֹא אֶל־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־כַדָּ֔ת וְכַאֲשֶׁ֥ר אָבַ֖דְתִּי אָבָֽדְתִּי׃
גײ זאַמל אײַן אַלע ייִדן װאָס געפֿינען זיך אין שושַן, און פֿאַסט פֿאַר מיר, און איר זאָלט ניט עסן און ניט טרינקען דרײַ טעג, נאַכט און טאָג; אױך איך און מײַנע מײדלעך װעלן אַזױ פֿאַסטן. און אַזױ װעל איך גײן צום מלך, װאָס איז ניט לױט געזעץ; און אַז איך װעל אונטערגײן, װעל איך אונטערגײן.
Tze'enah Ure'enah
“Go, assemble all the Jews” [4:16]. Esther said: call together all the Jews in Shushan and they should fast for me. That is to say, for the sin that I will commit by going to the king and sleeping with him.
Tze'enah Ure'enah
“Do not eat and drink” [4:16]. One asks a question here. When she said that they should fast, why did she have to say that they should not eat or drink? The explanation is that Esther said: I should not punish my body by walking barefoot, or not bathing or not anointing myself with oil,37These are activities normally forbidden on fast days, in addition to not eating and drinking. because I am a queen. However, my maidens and I must fast and not eat or drink. Therefore, you should also fast in this way, in the expectation that all fasts should be equal. Therefore, Scripture says; “I and my maidens will observe the same fast” [4:16].
Tze'enah Ure'enah
“Though it is contrary to the law” [4:16]. Esther said: I will come to the king even if I will immediately commit a sin against the Torah. Esther also said: I will go to the king even if it is not lawful. That is to say, how is it that a queen should go before the king and should fast and abuse her body? One used to adorn oneself beautifully for the king.
Rashi
Even though it is unlawful. For it is contrary to the law for one who has not been summoned to enter. And the Midrash Aggadah [explains], “even though it is unlawful,” [to signify], “for until now I was coerced [to live with Achashveirosh], but now [I will do so] willingly.”7Maseches Megillah 15a.
Rashi
And as I am bereft, so must I be further bereft. [I.e.,] “And just as I have begun to go to destruction [by appearing before Achashveirosh without being summoned], I will go and die.” And the Midrash Aggadah [explains], “as I am lost [i.e., orphaned] from my father’s house, so will I be lost to you, for from now on, that I am submitting willingly to a heathen, I will be forbidden to you.”8Because the Torah forbids a wife to her husband if she voluntarily had relations with another man.