Purim – Megillat Esther – When Did Esther Become Queen? חג פורים – מגילת אסתר

[Simon Wolf]

Purim – Megillat Esther

When Did Esther Become Queen?

Simon Wolf

As the Megillah itself declares, one of its central themes is “V’NaHaFoch Hu (וְנַהֲפ֣וֹךְ ה֔וּא),” the sudden reversals of fortune and turns in fate.  “And so, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month which is the month of Adar, when the king’s command and edict were to be executed; the very day on which the enemies of the Jews had hoped to prevail over them; the opposite occurred (וְנַהֲפ֣וֹךְ ה֔וּא), and the Jews prevailed over their enemies.”[1]  Likewise, the Megillah describes, “On the same days on which the Jews enjoyed relief from their foes and the same month which had been transformed for them (אֲשֶׁר֩ נֶהְפַּ֨ךְ לָהֶ֤ם) from grief to joy, and from mourning to festivity…”[2]  While some may consider this theme to be a leitmotif in the Megillah, it is in fact a far more central element of the message of the Megillah.

 

The transformation of the scheduled date of the Jews’ annihilation into their moment of ascendancy, which produced for them a holiday for the ages, is not merely ironic; it is emblematic of a much deeper theological lesson – that which people perceive as inevitable is, in truth, profoundly fragile.  The sudden and dramatic reversals of destiny, power, status and emotions throughout the Megillah are not just happenstance, but a sustained demonstration that nothing can be taken for granted.  The speed and the enormity of the change in the story serve to further emphasize how precarious the presumption of any self-evident truth can be.  In this light, Purim is the celebration of God’s intervention to unseat assumed certainties.

 

While the name of the holiday, “Purim (Lots),” which implies randomness and fate, would seem to convey the opposite message, in reality it accentuates and underscores the fragility of any person or situation.  By portraying outcomes as seemingly arbitrary and subject to chance, it highlights how little control people have over the result.  This idea is so eloquently and powerfully expressed by Shmuel’s mother Chana in her song of thanksgiving, “There is none as holy as God, for there is none beside You; There is no rock like our God…[3]  The bows of the mighty are broken; And the faltering are girded with strength.[4]  Men once sated must hire out for bread; while men once hungry cease to be so. While the barren woman bears seven, the mother of many becomes bereft…[5]  God impoverishes and enriches; He casts down, He also elevates (יְקֹוָ֖ק מוֹרִ֣ישׁ וּמַעֲשִׁ֑יר מַשְׁפִּ֖יל אַף־מְרוֹמֵֽם).[6]  He raises the poor from the dust, lifts the destitute from the dunghill, to seat them with nobles and to grant them seats of honor (מֵקִ֨ים מֵעָפָ֜ר דָּ֗ל מֵֽאַשְׁפֹּת֙ יָרִ֣ים אֶבְי֔וֹן לְהוֹשִׁיב֙ עִם־נְדִיבִ֔ים וְכִסֵּ֥א כָב֖וֹד יַנְחִלֵ֑ם).  For the pillars of the earth belong to God; He set the world upon them…”[7]

 

This theme might also illuminate the peculiar practice of becoming inebriated on Purim.[8]  People typically present themselves as composed, projecting an aura of being autonomous and in control of themselves, their environment and their destiny.  Purim challenges this illusion.  The sensation of losing control through the imbibing of alcohol serves as a stark reminder that this perceived self-assurance is merely a façade.  Ideally, this moment of instability will foster humility, surrender and a deeper sensitivity to and appreciation of one’s dependence on God.  No one is promoting drunkenness as a positive ongoing state of being, but the once-yearly experience can hopefully inculcate the individual for the remainder of the year with the message of the Megillah as to human vulnerability.

 

The most prominent example of “V’NaHaFoch Hu (וְנַהֲפ֣וֹךְ ה֔וּא)” in the Megillah is the see-sawing fortunes of Haman and Mordechai.  The ascent of one mirrors the descent of the other; the higher one soars, the deeper the other descends.  Mordechai moves from sitting in the gate of the king to becoming a pariah due to the meteoric rise of Haman’s political star.  He is then abruptly pulled from his mourning to be paraded through the city in royal garb by the very Haman who is plotting his demise.  After this fleeting interlude, Mordechai returns to his grieving with dim prospects, as the decree remains in force and Haman, whose authority appears unassailable, has him in his cross-hairs. Then, at the very moment when Haman reaches the pinnacle of his political career and Mordechai seems destined to be hanged, everything suddenly changes; before one knows it, Haman is on the gallows and Mordechai has replaced Haman as the most powerful man in the kingdom.

 

One would have assumed that, on a smaller scale, the fortunes of Vashti and Esther would follow a similar pattern.  Vashti’s fall from grace giving rise to Esther’s ascent to the throne.  While this may be true in a broad, narrative sense, a closer examination of the matter reveals a nuanced difference between Vashti’s demise and Esther’s rise, which might be indicative of a far more significant underlying message.

 

At the outset of the Megillah, after six months of feasting and revelry,[9] King Achashverosh hosts an additional seven-day banquet for those present in the capital city Shushan.[10]  On the seventh day, when the king is well plied with wine, he asks his advisors to bring Queen Vashti before him adorned in her royal finery, so that he might parade her before the assembled guests to show-off her tremendous beauty.  Chazal, commenting on the verse, “to bring Queen Vashti before the king adorned in her a royal diadem (בְּכֶ֣תֶר מַלְכ֑וּת), to display her beauty to the peoples and the officials; for she was of beautiful appearance,”[11] suggest that Achashverosh’s request was that Vashti appear before the men’s party unclothed, wearing nothing but her crown.[12]  They deduce this from the seemingly superfluous mention that the queen should come adorned in her crown since the queen would naturally be bedecked in her diadem for any public appearance.  Therefore, they conclude that the verse implies exclusivity and he must have been requesting that she appear solely adorned in the crown.  The continuation of the Midrash makes it clear as to why Achashverosh took such offense to Vashti’s rejection.  Her snub included the following message to Achashverosh, “[you were] the stable hand of my father, my father could drink a thousand times more than you and still hold his wine better than you…I am the daughter of Belshatzar, the grandson of Nebuchadnetzar …and you are a commoner, who would not even rank as a quaestor to run before my father’s chariot…”[13]  The Midrash that portrays Achashverosh’s request that Vashti appear before the party in nothing but her crown need not be read as asserting that this was Achashverosh’s actual request, but rather as highlighting a deeper truth; the fact that Vashti’s only value to Achashverosh was her royal pedigree.  Similarly, Vashti’s response reveals that she felt empowered to reject the overtures of her husband because she was the queen by birthright and Achashverosh was only the king by virtue of his marriage to her.  It is precisely for this reason that he took such offense to being rebuffed by her and explains why her deposition was seen as essential towards solidifying his hold on the monarchy.

 

Vashti’s name appears in the Megillah ten times, all of which are confined to the first two chapters.  Notably, in six out of those ten instances Vashti’s name is accompanied by the title queen (מַּלְכָּ֛ה).[14]  After scanning the first two chapters, one can discern a deliberate pattern – in the first six references she is consistently called Vashti HaMalka (וַשְׁתִּ֧י הַמַּלְכָּ֛ה), while in the latter four instances she is referred to simply as Vashti (וַשְׁתִּ֗י).[15]  The transition occurs precisely in the verse that records her deposition as the punishment befitting her insubordination.  “If it pleases the king, let a royal edict be issued by you, and let it be written into the laws of Persia and Media, so that it cannot be abrogated, that Vashti (וַשְׁתִּ֗י) shall never enter the presence of King Achashverosh. And let your majesty bestow her royal state upon another woman who is more worthy than she…”[16]  The Megillah’s shift in nomenclature is striking and deeply revealing. Once stripped of her royal status, Vashti is stripped of her identity as well.  Devoid of her royal pedigree, she becomes a nobody and once Achashverosh feels secure in his hold on power, she no longer possesses any value to him.  Therefore, when she overplays her “royal” hand, Achashverosh summarily disposes of her.

 

Given the theme of “V’NaHaFoch Hu (וְנַהֲפ֣וֹךְ ה֔וּא),” one might expect Esther to be the inverse of Vashti and follow the same pattern in reverse.  Prior to her coronation she would be known simply as Esther (אֶסְתֵּר֙) and after her ascending the throne she would be referred to as Esther HaMalka (אֶסְתֵּ֣ר הַמַּלְכָּ֗ה).  Indeed, Esther’s name appears fifty-five times in the Megillah, and as expected, in the eight instances in which she is mentioned prior to becoming queen, she is identified simply as Esther (אֶסְתֵּר֙).[17]  Yet, surprisingly, even after her coronation, Esther does not gain the royal title of Malka and the Megillah overwhelmingly continues to refer to her simply as Esther (אֶסְתֵּר֙).  Until the fifth Perek of the Megillah, Esther is only once referred to as Esther HaMalka (אֶסְתֵּ֣ר הַמַּלְכָּ֗ה), when Mordechai discloses to her, as the queen, the traitorous plot of Bigtan and Teresh.[18]  This singular usage seems to indicate that Esther never really became an active queen.  Given the fate of her predecessor, it is not surprising that she deliberately kept a low profile and did not exercise her royal influence or position.  Esther’s passivity and discretion were exactly what Achashverosh was seeking; a perfect antidote to the all too active and assertive Vashti.  This dynamic also sheds light on her profound reluctance to appear unsolicited before Achashverosh to intercede on behalf of the Jews.  Such forward and demanding behavior would be reminiscent of Vashti’s deportment and Esther, acutely aware of the risks, hesitates to adopt a mode of action that could very well provoke the king and result in serious negative ramifications for Esther as well, jeopardizing her position and possibly her life.

 

That all changes with the opening Pasuk of the fifth chapter.  “On the third day, Esther adorned herself in royalty (וַתִּלְבַּ֤שׁ אֶסְתֵּר֙ מַלְכ֔וּת) and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, facing the king’s palace, while the king was sitting on his royal throne in the throne room facing the entrance of the palace.[19]  As soon as the king saw Esther Hamalka (אֶסְתֵּ֣ר הַמַּלְכָּ֗ה) standing in the court, she won his favor. The king extended to Esther the golden scepter which he held in his hand, and Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.”[20]  For the first time in the Megillah, Achashverosh explicitly addresses Esther as Esther HaMalka.  From this point forward,[21] both the king and Haman relate to Esther as a true “royal” queen, rather than merely as the king’s consort.  A dramatic transformation transpires at the precise moment Esther “cloaks herself in royalty (וַתִּלְבַּ֤שׁ אֶסְתֵּר֙ מַלְכ֔וּת).”

 

The fourth Perek of the Megillah concludes with some of the most emotionally charged, dramatic and resounding words and consequential moments.  Mordechai delivers a fervent appeal to Esther, urging her to use her position within the palace to intercede on behalf of the Jewish people, “…do not delude yourself, that of all the Jews you will escape their fate by being in the king’s palace.  On the contrary, if you keep silent in this crisis, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another place, while you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows, whether it was precisely for this moment you attained royalty.”[22]  Esther’s acceptance of Mordechai’s challenge not only constitutes a clear turning point in the narrative, but also a profound transformative development in her character.

 

Until this moment in the Megillah, as noted, Esther is portrayed as the unassertive wife of the king.  Her passivity was not limited to her role as queen, but characterizes her broader disposition.  The following verse is emblematic of Esther’s character in the beginning of her reign as queen.  “Esther did not reveal her kindred or her people, as Mordechai had instructed her; for Esther obeyed Mordechai’s bidding, as she had done when she was reared by him.”  Esther consistently allows others, first Mordechai, and later the palace, to take responsibility for her decisions and determine her actions and identity.  Enveloped within the protective confines of the royal court, she remains shielded from the reality plaguing her brethren and distant from the unfolding crisis threatening her people.  That posture shifts dramatically when she accepts Mordechai’s charge.  At that moment, she turns the tables, moving from compliance to taking control of the reins.  Instead of taking orders from Mordechai, she directs him, “Go, assemble all the Jews who live in Shushan, and fast on my behalf; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens will observe the same fast…”[23]  And in another striking case of “V’NaHaFoch Hu (וְנַהֲפ֣וֹךְ ה֔וּא),” the dynamic is reversed, and now it is Mordechai who “…went about and did just as Esther had commanded him.”[24]  Most significantly, Esther finally transcends her personal considerations and reaches outside of herself to empathize with the fate of her nation.  She places her national responsibility above her personal comfort or safety when she declares, “…then I shall go to the king, though it is contrary to the law; and if I am to perish, I shall perish!”²²

 

When Esther “cloaks herself in royalty (וַתִּלְבַּ֤שׁ אֶסְתֵּר֙ מַלְכ֔וּת),” it is describing far more than a change in attire.  It marks Esther’s rising to the occasion and assuming the true mantle of royalty and leadership.  She transforms from simply Esther (אֶסְתֵּר֙) into Esther HaMalka (אֶסְתֵּ֣ר הַמַּלְכָּ֗ה) when she accepts personal responsibility for her destiny and at the same time broadens that lot in life to encompass not only herself, but the fate of her entire nation.  This is the essence of true royalty, and it is here that Queen Esther is truly crowned.

 

At the moment Esther turns herself into royalty, she is blessed with God-given grace19 – not the grace of obsequiousness that characterizes the Esther who became the wife of the king,[25] rather the grace of leadership and royalty.  This transformation is immediately reflected in the way that Achashverosh and Haman now relate to her as Esther HaMalka (אֶסְתֵּ֣ר הַמַּלְכָּ֗ה).  The story of the Megillah and the celebration of Purim[26] offers more than just a historical remembrance, it presents a personal challenge.  It is a moment to reflect on our lives and to confront Mordechai’s question (וּמִ֣י יוֹדֵ֔עַ אִם־לְעֵ֣ת כָּזֹ֔את הִגַּ֖עַתְּ לַמַּלְכֽוּת) and hopefully, similar to Esther, rise to the occasion.  May God bless us with the ability to transform ourselves (וְנַהֲפ֣וֹךְ ה֔וּא) into true royalty of God (ללבוש מלכות)[27] – to be strong enough to take responsibility for our destiny, and courageous enough to look beyond ourselves.

 

Shabbat Shalom and Purim Sameach

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[1]  וּבִשְׁנֵים֩ עָשָׂ֨ר חֹ֜דֶשׁ הוּא־חֹ֣דֶשׁ אֲדָ֗ר בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֨ה עָשָׂ֥ר יוֹם֙ בּ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִגִּ֧יעַ דְּבַר־הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ וְדָת֖וֹ לְהֵעָשׂ֑וֹת בַּיּ֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר שִׂבְּר֜וּ אֹיְבֵ֤י הַיְּהוּדִים֙ לִשְׁל֣וֹט בָּהֶ֔ם וְנַהֲפ֣וֹךְ ה֔וּא אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁלְט֧וּ הַיְּהוּדִ֛ים הֵ֖מָּה בְּשֹׂנְאֵיהֶֽם: (אסתר ט,א)

[2]  כַּיָּמִ֗ים אֲשֶׁר־נָ֨חוּ בָהֶ֤ם הַיְּהוּדִים֙ מֵא֣וֹיְבֵיהֶ֔ם וְהַחֹ֗דֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר֩ נֶהְפַּ֨ךְ לָהֶ֤ם מִיָּגוֹן֙ לְשִׂמְחָ֔ה וּמֵאֵ֖בֶל לְי֣וֹם ט֑וֹב לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת אוֹתָ֗ם יְמֵי֙ מִשְׁתֶּ֣ה וְשִׂמְחָ֔ה וּמִשְׁל֤וֹחַ מָנוֹת֙ אִ֣ישׁ לְרֵעֵ֔הוּ וּמַתָּנ֖וֹת לָֽאֶבְיוֹנִֽים: (אסתר ט,כב)

[3]  אֵין־קָד֥וֹשׁ כַּיקֹוָ֖ק כִּ֣י אֵ֣ין בִּלְתֶּ֑ךָ וְאֵ֥ין צ֖וּר כֵּאלֹקֵֽינוּ: (שמואל א ב,ב)

[4]  קֶ֥שֶׁת גִּבֹּרִ֖ים חַתִּ֑ים וְנִכְשָׁלִ֖ים אָ֥זְרוּ חָֽיִל: (שמואל א ב,ד)

[5]  שְׂבֵעִ֤ים בַּלֶּ֙חֶם֙ נִשְׂכָּ֔רוּ וּרְעֵבִ֖ים חָדֵ֑לּוּ עַד־עֲקָרָה֙ יָלְדָ֣ה שִׁבְעָ֔ה וְרַבַּ֥ת בָּנִ֖ים אֻמְלָֽלָה: (שמואל א ב,ה)

[6]  יְקֹוָ֖ק מוֹרִ֣ישׁ וּמַעֲשִׁ֑יר מַשְׁפִּ֖יל אַף־מְרוֹמֵֽם: (שמואל א ב,ז)

[7]  מֵקִ֨ים מֵעָפָ֜ר דָּ֗ל מֵֽאַשְׁפֹּת֙ יָרִ֣ים אֶבְי֔וֹן לְהוֹשִׁיב֙ עִם־נְדִיבִ֔ים וְכִסֵּ֥א כָב֖וֹד יַנְחִלֵ֑ם כִּ֤י לַֽיקֹוָק֙ מְצֻ֣קֵי אֶ֔רֶץ וַיָּ֥שֶׁת עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם תֵּבֵֽל: (שמואל א ב,ח)

[8]  אמר רבא: מיחייב איניש לבסומי בפוריא עד דלא ידע בין ארור המן לברוך מרדכי (מגילה ז:) \\ אני לא נוקט עמדה הלכתי או מעשי בעניין של השתייה בפורים

[9]  בִּשְׁנַ֤ת שָׁלוֹשׁ֙ לְמָלְכ֔וֹ עָשָׂ֣ה מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה לְכָל־שָׂרָ֖יו וַעֲבָדָ֑יו חֵ֣יל׀ פָּרַ֣ס וּמָדַ֗י הַֽפַּרְתְּמִ֛ים וְשָׂרֵ֥י הַמְּדִינ֖וֹת לְפָנָֽיו: בְּהַרְאֹת֗וֹ אֶת־עֹ֙שֶׁר֙ כְּב֣וֹד מַלְכוּת֔וֹ וְאֶ֨ת־יְקָ֔ר תִּפְאֶ֖רֶת גְּדוּלָּת֑וֹ יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים שְׁמוֹנִ֥ים וּמְאַ֖ת יֽוֹם: (אסתר א,ג-ד)

[10] וּבִמְל֣וֹאת׀ הַיָּמִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה עָשָׂ֣ה הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ לְכָל־הָעָ֣ם הַנִּמְצְאִים֩ בְּשׁוּשַׁ֨ן הַבִּירָ֜ה לְמִגָּ֧דוֹל וְעַד־קָטָ֛ן מִשְׁתֶּ֖ה שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים בַּחֲצַ֕ר גִּנַּ֥ת בִּיתַ֖ן הַמֶּֽלֶךְ: (אסתר א,י)

[11] בַּיּוֹם֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י כְּט֥וֹב לֵב־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ בַּיָּ֑יִן אָמַ֡ר לִ֠מְהוּמָן בִּזְּתָ֨א חַרְבוֹנָ֜א בִּגְתָ֤א וַאֲבַגְתָא֙ זֵתַ֣ר וְכַרְכַּ֔ס שִׁבְעַת֙ הַסָּ֣רִיסִ֔ים הַמְשָׁ֣רְתִ֔ים אֶת־פְּנֵ֖י הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֽוֹשׁ: לְ֠הָבִיא אֶת־וַשְׁתִּ֧י הַמַּלְכָּ֛ה לִפְנֵ֥י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ בְּכֶ֣תֶר מַלְכ֑וּת לְהַרְא֨וֹת הָֽעַמִּ֤ים וְהַשָּׂרִים֙ אֶת־יָפְיָ֔הּ כִּֽי־טוֹבַ֥ת מַרְאֶ֖ה הִֽיא: (אסתר א,י-יא)

[12] אמר רבא: יום השביעי שבת היה, שישראל אוכלין ושותין, מתחילין בדברי תורה ובדברי תשבחות. אבל אומות העולם שאוכלין ושותין - אין מתחילין אלא בדברי תיפלות. וכן בסעודתו של אותו רשע, הללו אומרים: מדיות נאות, והללו אומרים: פרסיות נאות. אמר להם אחשורוש: כלי שאני משתמש בו אינו לא מדיי ולא פרסי אלא כשדיי, רצונכם לראותה? - אמרו לו: אין, ובלבד שתהא ערומה. (גמ' מגילה יב:, אסתר רבה ג,יג) \\ ...אמרו לו א"כ תבא ערומה שכן הוא אומר להביא את ושתי המלכה, ולא היה עליה כלום אלא כתר מלכות...(ילקוט שמעוני אסתר רמז תתרמט)

[13] ויקצף המלך מאד, אמאי דלקה ביה כולי האי? אמר רבא: שלחה ליה: בר אהורייריה דאבא! אבא לקבל אלפא חמרא שתי ולא רוי, וההוא גברא אשתטי בחמריה. מיד וחמתו בערה בו. (גמ' מגילה יב:) \\ ...ויקצוף המלך מאד מאי כולי האי דלקה ביה חמתיה ואזלא, אמר רבה שלחה ליה בר אהורייריה דאב אבא לקבל אלפא חמרא שתי וההוא גברא אישתטי בחמריה מיד וחמתו בערה בו. ועוד שלחה לו שוטה טפש אם ביינך יצא לבך דע כי אני ושתי המלכה בתו של בלשצאר בנו של נבוכדנאצר אותו שהיה מתקלס במלכים ורוזנים נעשו מאומה לפניו שכן הוא אומר והוא במלכים יתקלס ורוזנים משחק לו, לא היית כקסדור לרוץ לפני מרכבת אבי, ואלו היה אבי קיים לא נשאת לי, ואתה מבקש להכניסני ערומה (ילקוט שמעוני אסתר רמז תתרמט)

[14] אסתר פרק א פסוקים ט,יא,יב,טו,טז,יז

[15] אסתר א,יט ופרק ב פסוקים א,ד,יז

[16] אִם־עַל־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ ט֗וֹב יֵצֵ֤א דְבַר־מַלְכוּת֙ מִלְּפָנָ֔יו וְיִכָּתֵ֛ב בְּדָתֵ֥י פָֽרַס־וּמָדַ֖י וְלֹ֣א יַעֲב֑וֹר אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־תָב֜וֹא וַשְׁתִּ֗י לִפְנֵי֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵר֔וֹשׁ וּמַלְכוּתָהּ֙ יִתֵּ֣ן הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לִרְעוּתָ֖הּ הַטּוֹבָ֥ה מִמֶּֽנָּה: (אסתר א,יט)

[17] אסתר פרק ב פסוקים ז,ח,י,יא,טו,טו,טז,יז

[18] וַיִּוָּדַ֤ע הַדָּבָר֙ לְמָרְדֳּכַ֔י וַיַּגֵּ֖ד לְאֶסְתֵּ֣ר הַמַּלְכָּ֑ה וַתֹּ֧אמֶר אֶסְתֵּ֛ר לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ בְּשֵׁ֥ם מָרְדֳּכָֽי: (אסתר ב,כב)

[19] וַיְהִ֣י׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֗י וַתִּלְבַּ֤שׁ אֶסְתֵּר֙ מַלְכ֔וּת וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֞ד בַּחֲצַ֤ר בֵּית־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ הַפְּנִימִ֔ית נֹ֖כַח בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְ֠הַמֶּלֶךְ יוֹשֵׁ֞ב עַל־כִּסֵּ֤א מַלְכוּתוֹ֙ בְּבֵ֣ית הַמַּלְכ֔וּת נֹ֖כַח פֶּ֥תַח הַבָּֽיִת: (אסתר ה,א)

[20] וַיְהִי֩ כִרְא֨וֹת הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶת־אֶסְתֵּ֣ר הַמַּלְכָּ֗ה עֹמֶ֙דֶת֙ בֶּֽחָצֵ֔ר נָשְׂאָ֥ה חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינָ֑יו וַיּ֨וֹשֶׁט הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ לְאֶסְתֵּ֗ר אֶת־שַׁרְבִ֤יט הַזָּהָב֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּיָד֔וֹ וַתִּקְרַ֣ב אֶסְתֵּ֔ר וַתִּגַּ֖ע בְּרֹ֥אשׁ הַשַּׁרְבִֽיט: (אסתר ה,ב)

[21] אסתר המלכה מופיעה 14 פעמים בתוך המגילה וכשלש עשרה מתוכם נמצאים מפרק ה והלאה. ולמרות שאחרי זה גם השם אסתר מופיע לבד בלי השם תואר מלכה, ביחסי אנשים כלפיה היא מוגדרת כאסתר המלכה.

[22] וַיֹּ֥אמֶר מָרְדֳּכַ֖י לְהָשִׁ֣יב אֶל־אֶסְתֵּ֑ר אַל־תְּדַמִּ֣י בְנַפְשֵׁ֔ךְ לְהִמָּלֵ֥ט בֵּית־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מִכָּל־הַיְּהוּדִֽים: כִּ֣י אִם־הַחֲרֵ֣שׁ תַּחֲרִישִׁי֘ בָּעֵ֣ת הַזֹּאת֒ רֶ֣וַח וְהַצָּלָ֞ה יַעֲמ֤וֹד לַיְּהוּדִים֙ מִמָּק֣וֹם אַחֵ֔ר וְאַ֥תְּ וּבֵית־אָבִ֖יךְ תֹּאבֵ֑דוּ וּמִ֣י יוֹדֵ֔עַ אִם־לְעֵ֣ת כָּזֹ֔את הִגַּ֖עַתְּ לַמַּלְכֽוּת: (אסתר ד,יג-יד)

[23] 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: (אסתר ד,טז)

[24] וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖ר מָרְדֳּכָ֑י וַיַּ֕עַשׂ כְּכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוְּתָ֥ה עָלָ֖יו אֶסְתֵּֽר: (אסתר ד,יז)

[25] וּבְהַגִּ֣יעַ תֹּר־אֶסְתֵּ֣ר בַּת־אֲבִיחַ֣יִל דֹּ֣ד מָרְדֳּכַ֡י אֲשֶׁר֩ לָקַֽח־ל֨וֹ לְבַ֜ת לָב֣וֹא אֶל־הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ לֹ֤א בִקְשָׁה֙ דָּבָ֔ר כִּ֠י אִ֣ם אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֥ר יֹאמַ֛ר הֵגַ֥י סְרִיס־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ שֹׁמֵ֣ר הַנָּשִׁ֑ים וַתְּהִ֤י אֶסְתֵּר֙ נֹשֵׂ֣את חֵ֔ן בְּעֵינֵ֖י כָּל־רֹאֶֽיהָ: ...וַיֶּאֱהַ֨ב הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ אֶת־אֶסְתֵּר֙ מִכָּל־הַנָּשִׁ֔ים וַתִּשָּׂא־חֵ֥ן וָחֶ֛סֶד לְפָנָ֖יו מִכָּל־הַבְּתוּלֹ֑ת וַיָּ֤שֶׂם כֶּֽתֶר־מַלְכוּת֙ בְּרֹאשָׁ֔הּ וַיַּמְלִיכֶ֖הָ תַּ֥חַת וַשְׁתִּֽי: (אסתר ב,טו-יז)

[26] ובמיוחד ההדגשה בפורים על האמפטיות לזולת דרך המצוות של משלוח מנות ומתנות לאביונים ושמחת ריעות

[27] וְאַתֶּ֧ם תִּהְיוּ־לִ֛י מַמְלֶ֥כֶת כֹּהֲנִ֖ים וְג֣וֹי קָד֑וֹשׁ... (שמות יט,ו)