Introduction: The Chapter of Outcry and Turning Point
Chapter 4 is where the picture turns around. Until now, we saw Haman weaving his plot in secret, while Achashverosh himself did not truly know what had been sealed with his signet ring. Now Mordechai enters the picture: he knows all that was done, and employs two tools in parallel - teshuvah and tefillah on the one hand, and wise, natural effort by publicizing the matter on the other. We will follow the order of the pesukim based on the explanations of the Malbim.
"And Mordechai Knew" - What Is Novel About His Knowledge?
וּמׇרְדֳּכַי יָדַע אֶת כׇּל אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה, וַיִּקְרַע מׇרְדֳּכַי אֶת בְּגָדָיו וַיִּלְבַּשׁ שַׂק וָאֵפֶר, וַיֵּצֵא בְּתוֹךְ הָעִיר וַיִּזְעַק זְעָקָה גְדוֹלָה וּמָרָה׃ - Now Mordechai knew all that had been done, and Mordechai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and he went out into the midst of the city and cried out with a loud and bitter cry.
The Malbim asks: What is novel about the words "And Mordechai knew"? After all, we just read that the decree was publicized to all nations, and letters were dispatched to all peoples to be ready for that day. And if you say that he also knew about the matter of the money Haman had promised to weigh into the king's treasuries - what practical difference did that detail make compared to everything else?
A second question: If a decree has been issued, why does Mordechai go out crying in the city street? That is typically the way of fools, who, when misfortune strikes, wander about shouting in the street. In such a predicament, one ought to deliberate and wisely strategize how to escape the trouble - of what use is crying out in the street? And a third question: Why does he go specifically as far as the king's gate?
The Malbim explains: "He who sits in Heaven laughs." Despite all of Haman's calculations that the true nature of his plan would remain a secret, Mordechai came to know of it through Divine Providence. Mordechai knew the entirety of the dialogue that had transpired between Haman and Achashverosh, and he also knew the underlying motive behind Haman's plot - something that Achashverosh himself did not know.
How Did Mordechai Know?
Our Sages offer different views on this. In Midrash Rabbah it is brought that Eliyahu HaNavi informed him. There is another Midrash, cited by Rashi and also found in Targum Sheni, stating that "the master of the dream" told him - that is, the matter was revealed to him in a dream at night.
"Where Is Esther Hinted at in the Torah?" - The Words of the Chatam Sofer
Since we mentioned the dream, it is worth noting a fascinating insight. Our Sages in Masechet Chullin (139b) ask: Where is Esther hinted at in the Torah? "And I will surely hide (haster astir) My face on that day." One reading this at face value might think this is merely a semantic play on words, connecting astir with Esther. It is commonly explained that there is a deeper connection here, for the entire Megillat Esther unfolded in concealment: there was no overt, supernatural miracle and no suspension of the laws of nature, but rather everything occurred within nature.
But the Chatam Sofer explains that the allusion our Sages had in mind relates to Rava's well-known exposition: "'And I will surely hide My face from them on that day' - by day, but not by night." And why? Because even in a period of concealment, at night the Holy One, blessed be He, reveals Himself with a shining countenance; even during exile and concealment, "in a dream I will speak to him." If so, where is Esther hinted at in the Torah - indicating that the Holy One, blessed be He, is with us in exile in a revealed way through dreams of the night? For how did Mordechai discover the matter? In a dream at night. There is an allusion here that the Holy One, blessed be He, is with us in exile in concealment, yet on the other hand, in dreams of the night, He is revealed.
Why the Dream Was Revealed to Mordechai and Not to Esther
However, for a person to merit a true dream, which is a quasi-prophecy, he must be in a state of joy: the Shechinah rests only amidst joy, and the Gemara adds, "and likewise for a good dream." One who is in a state of joy merits a true, prophetic dream.
The Chatam Sofer explains: Esther assumed that if a prophetic dream were to come, it should come through her - after all, she was in the royal palace, surrounded by wealth and honor, seemingly in joy, rather than through Mordechai, who did not experience that kind of joy. But the truth was that Mordechai possessed a far greater joy. Why? Because while Esther was indeed in the king's palace, she was confined there, whereas Mordechai was a free man. And which is preferable - a prisoner enjoying delicacies, or a free man with a dry crust of bread? Certainly the free man. Mordechai lacked the royal status that Esther held, but he was free; Esther held great prestige, but she was trapped. Thus, Mordechai lived in greater joy, making him more fitting to receive a true dream.
Through this, the Chatam Sofer explains the Talmudic question: Where is Mordechai alluded to in the Torah? "Take for yourself choice spices... pure myrrh (mar dror)." The Ramban explains: myrrh is a fragrance derived from a certain animal, and dror means free - as in "to proclaim liberty (dror) to captives" - meaning that the animal roams freely among the flowerbeds at will, rather than being confined indoors. The Ramban notes that the fragrance from an animal that roams free is far superior to myrrh produced by an animal reared in captivity. From this we learn: who is superior, the one who roams free or the one who is trapped and imprisoned? The one who walks free. Therefore, where is Mordechai in the Torah - from where do we know that it was fitting for the dream to be revealed specifically to Mordechai? "Mar dror," because Mordechai walked in freedom (dror), and was consequently in greater joy and more worthy of a true dream. Furthermore, the Aramaic Targum renders mar dror as mira dachia - Mordechai, mira dachia - this name, too, is hinted at in these words.
Mordechai's Two Tracks: Prayer and Practical Effort
To return to our subject: Mordechai knew everything that had transpired between Haman and the king, and he understood the scheme Haman had pulled on Achashverosh and how he had deceived him. Mordechai therefore prepared himself on two fronts. First, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes in order to repent and pray, for the hearts of kings and ministers are in the hand of Hashem, and he acted to arouse divine favor. Yet we all know that Yaakov Avinu prepared for prayer as well as for battle; one must also engage in natural human effort (hishtadlut).
Mordechai therefore prepared natural countermeasures as well. If Haman is running such a deceitful scheme behind Achashverosh's back and concealing everything, how does one resolve the problem? Through publicity - ensuring everyone knows the horrific decree Haman is plotting in his heart, which offers a chance to nullify it. The decree's power and very nature relied on concealment; once everyone discovered what he was planning, the decree could be dismantled. Thus, the first tactic was to make the matter widely known. Mordechai went out into the city streets crying aloud in order to draw crowds and spread the news. Had he had a radio station, he would have broadcasted it; but in those days, the way to publicize news was to shout in the streets, letting word of mouth carry it from person to person until it became common knowledge and everyone heard what a terrible plot Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite had devised.
"And He Came Even Before the King's Gate" - The Talk of the Town
וַיָּבוֹא עַד לִפְנֵי שַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ, כִּי אֵין לָבוֹא אֶל שַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ בִּלְבוּשׁ שָׂק׃ - "And he came even before the king's gate, for none might enter the king's gate clothed with sackcloth."
Who else needed to know about this? The king himself, who was the primary victim of the deception here, as explained earlier. Mordechai therefore wanted the matter to become known in the royal court - first to Queen Esther, and second to the king himself.
The verse provides an explanation for two things. First: having reached the king's gate, why not go inside and report the impending disaster? Because one cannot enter wearing sackcloth; therefore, he came "even before the king's gate," as close to the palace as permitted. Second: "none might enter the king's gate clothed with sackcloth" - meaning one was not even supposed to approach the king's gate in sackcloth. Now, when everyone saw that Mordechai had approached the king's gate in sackcloth, it became the talk of the town: "Did you hear? Someone approached the king's gate wearing sackcloth!" The king forbade approaching the gate in sackcloth, and no one had ever dared do so before, yet here was Mordechai. It became the latest buzz, the breaking news, and everyone was talking and asking why. This created widespread publicity, ensuring the news reached the ears of both the king and Esther.
"Great Mourning Among the Jews" - Why Here?
וּבְכׇל מְדִינָה וּמְדִינָה מְקוֹם אֲשֶׁר דְּבַר הַמֶּלֶךְ וְדָתוֹ מַגִּיעַ, אֵבֶל גָּדוֹל לַיְּהוּדִים וְצוֹם וּבְכִי וּמִסְפֵּד, שַׂק וָאֵפֶר יֻצַּע לָרַבִּים׃ - And in every province, wherever the king's command and his decree arrived, there was great mourning for the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing, and sackcloth and ashes were spread out for many.
The Malbim asks: Seemingly, this verse is out of place. What is its relevance after Mordechai's actions? It should have been written earlier, at the end of chapter 3: "The couriers went forth in haste by the king's command, and the decree was given in Shushan the capital, and the king and Haman sat down to drink, while the city of Shushan was bewildered" - and that was the proper place to recount the Jews' reaction in every province! Why are we first told that Mordechai knew and that he came before the king's gate, and only then do we return to describe the impact of the letters?
Rather, according to what we explained, it makes wonderful sense. Before Mordechai publicized it, what was written in the open letters? "Gentlemen, be ready for the thirteenth of Adar, polish your weapons" - without stating why. Were the Jews in mourning then? No. They were just like the rest of the nations - bewildered. I do not know what the king wants, I do not know what Haman wants; there are letters here, but their purpose is unclear. However, once Mordechai publicized the matter and informed everyone that there was a plan for a final solution, a scheme to annihilate all the Jews - only then, "in every province, wherever the king's command and his decree arrived, there was great mourning for the Jews." Mordechai shook the entire world; the news traveled from place to place through his cry, and the Jews raised an outcry. Therefore, note the phrasing: "the king's command" - this is the directive; "and his decree" - these are the sealed letters. Wherever the sealed letters arrived, the people already knew what was written in them, because Mordechai had exposed the secret.
Why "Every Province" and Not "Every City"
Based on this, the Malbim says, another difficulty is resolved. Why does it say here only "and in every province," whereas later in the Megillah it mentions "every province and every city"? Here, the mention of the city is missing. The Malbim explains: in reality, the matter did not reach all the cities in each province, but only some of them, for Mordechai's trumpet was weak. He did not have couriers riding out in haste, nor did he possess the publicity apparatus of Achashverosh and Haman. Therefore, the news reached every province - this city in one province and that city in another - but it could not be said to have reached all the cities, and so it does not say "and in every city."
The Clothes Esther Sends: Sackcloth Underneath
וַתָּבוֹאנָה נַעֲרוֹת אֶסְתֵּר וְסָרִיסֶיהָ וַיַּגִּידוּ לָהּ, וַתִּתְחַלְחַל הַמַּלְכָּה מְאֹד, וַתִּשְׁלַח בְּגָדִים לְהַלְבִּישׁ אֶת מׇרְדֳּכַי וּלְהָסִיר שַׂקּוֹ מֵעָלָיו, וְלֹא קִבֵּל׃ - And Esther's maidservants and her chamberlains came and told her, and the queen trembled exceedingly; and she sent garments to clothe Mordechai and to remove his sackcloth from upon him, but he would not accept them.
The Malbim asks: If she sent garments to clothe Mordechai, surely that meant he would remove his sackcloth - so why the apparent redundancy, "to clothe Mordechai and to remove his sackcloth"?
Rather, when Mordechai arrived at the king's gate, Esther wanted to hear directly from him what had happened, so she sent him clothes to wear over the sackcloth. Notice: she was not asking him to take off the sackcloth completely, but rather "to remove his sackcloth from upon him" - to remove the sackcloth from its outer position and ensure it was worn underneath. How? "I will send you clothes, you will put them on, and then the sackcloth will be inward."
And with whom do we find sackcloth worn inward? With Yehoram. It is written that when a woman came to him crying out that yesterday there was a terrible famine in Shomron and they ate her neighbor's son, and today it was the neighbor's turn to eat her son, but the neighbor hid her son and refused to give him - he heard this and tore his garments, and then the inward sackcloth was revealed, for there was sackcloth directly against his flesh. There is a way for a person to wear sackcloth like an undershirt, to afflict and discipline himself. To this day, there are tzaddikim who practice ascetic disciplines and wear sackcloth beneath their shirts so that it remains unseen and unnoticed, while on the other hand, they afflict and humble themselves - for the atonement of sins or for the merit of the Jewish people.
Here too, Esther did not intend for him to remove the sackcloth entirely. She said: I want to hear face to face from Mordechai what the issue is, and in order to hear from him, I must bring him here; yet none may enter the king's gate dressed in sackcloth. What is the solution? I will clothe him in garments, and the sackcloth will no longer be on top of him but underneath, and then he will be able to enter the king's gate.
And why did this plan not materialize? "But he would not accept them." The Malbim explains: because he did not want to interrupt his supplications for a single moment. For if he interrupted his supplications, it would be as if he were saying: "Wait a moment, Master of the Universe, hold on, perhaps we can manage on our own; I will approach Esther and see if we have a solution." How could a person do such a thing - stand praying and entreating before Hashem, and then leave Hakadosh Baruch Hu to go search for flesh-and-blood solutions? Therefore, to remove the sackcloth - that is, to halt his supplications and turn to mortal flesh and blood - was something Mordechai was unwilling to do.
Why Specifically Hatach?
וַתִּקְרָא אֶסְתֵּר לַהֲתָךְ מִסָּרִיסֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱמִיד לְפָנֶיהָ, וַתְּצַוֵּהוּ עַל מׇרְדֳּכָי לָדַעַת מַה זֶּה וְעַל מַה זֶּה׃ - "Then Esther summoned Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains whom he had appointed to attend her, and ordered him concerning Mordechai, to learn what this was and why this was."
The Malbim raises several questions: Why did she specifically choose Hatach to be the liaison between herself and Mordechai? What is the meaning of "one of the king's chamberlains whom he had appointed to attend her"? What is meant by "and ordered him concerning Mordechai" - as though he were appointed over Mordechai, whereas it should have said to ask Mordechai what this was and why? And what is the duplicate phrasing of "what this was and why this was"?
The Malbim explains: Once Esther realized that a deep secret was involved here, she specifically sent Hatach, who was for her in the category of "one of a faithful spirit conceals a matter" - a trustworthy man who could be relied upon, so that if there were a confidential matter he would keep it concealed, not publicize it, and report back directly to her. And upon what was her confidence based? "One of the king's chamberlains whom he had appointed to attend her" - this was a chamberlain appointed to serve as her personal attendant, and because he was her personal servant, she had absolute trust in him.
However, she did not know whether Mordechai would also place his trust in him. She knew him well, the king had placed him in her personal service, and she had no doubts about him - but she did not know whether Mordechai would be willing to reveal his secrets to him. Therefore, "and ordered him concerning Mordechai": I am commanding you to investigate the situation on the ground. Check for yourself, inquire, and find out what lies behind this outcry and what caused it.
"What This Was and Why This Was" - Like a Physician Investigating the Root of an Illness
The Malbim explains: When a person visits a doctor, the doctor first investigates the nature of the illness - "Sir, you are suffering from a severe cold or acute pneumonia"; these are the characteristics of the illness, this is the diagnosis. Afterwards, he must determine what caused it: "Tell me, do you dress warmly? Did you go outside in the cold and rain? Are you breathing cold air? Is your home heated?" This is the second stage, in which the physician clarifies what brought about the illness. For if I do not know what caused it, how can I heal it? I might treat you, but the ailment will return, and I will treat you again, and it will return again.
To illustrate with an example: a person once went to a doctor, and the doctor told him that he had a severe cough and acute inflammation of the throat, with the throat completely red. But the doctor added: know that typically, these are symptoms of someone suffering from an intestinal bacterial infection. If the doctor were only to look superficially - "You have a throat problem, take throat medicine and treat it" - he would not have addressed the root of the problem. It would have provided relief for a short time, but the bacteria in the stomach would bring the illness right back. A good physician investigates the underlying causes as well.
This is what Esther meant: I want to clarify "what this was" - the nature of the trouble itself, and "why this was" - what brought it about. Not only the trouble itself, but what caused it. For if I know only the trouble itself, I may resolve it, but the underlying causes will continue to operate and produce another tragedy. It is not enough to eliminate the effect if the cause is not first removed, and one must ascertain the root cause.
Hatach Goes Out to the City Square
וַיֵּצֵא הֲתָךְ אֶל מׇרְדֳּכָי אֶל רְחוֹב הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵי שַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ׃ - "So Hatach went out to Mordechai, to the city square that was in front of the king's gate."
Notice: it does not say, "He went out and spoke with Mordechai," but rather that he went out to the city square. What is the significance of this detail? The Malbim explains: He did precisely what Esther commanded - to investigate and check the ground for himself. He went out toward Mordechai, but by way of the city square: walking through the street, trying to hear what had happened, what the commotion and the cries were about - lest Mordechai not disclose everything to him, so that at least he would have background information on what was taking place.
"All That Had Befallen Him" and "The Account of the Money"
וַיַּגֶּד לוֹ מׇרְדֳּכַי אֵת כׇּל אֲשֶׁר קָרָהוּ, וְאֵת פָּרָשַׁת הַכֶּסֶף אֲשֶׁר אָמַר הָמָן לִשְׁקוֹל עַל גִּנְזֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ בַּיְּהוּדִים לְאַבְּדָם׃ - Mordechai told him all that had happened to him, and the full account of the money that Haman had promised to weigh out into the king's treasuries concerning the Jews, to destroy them.
Yet Mordechai does reveal it to him. The Malbim asks: What is meant by "all that had happened to him" (karahu)? "To him" implies that something private happened to him personally, yet this was a catastrophe that befell the entire Jewish people! The verse should have simply said, "all that had happened" (karah). Furthermore, what is meant by "the full account of the money" (parashat hakesef)? It should have said, "and the money that Haman had promised to weigh out into the king's treasuries" - does money require an entire parashah (a full exposition)?
The Malbim explains: First, Mordechai revealed the cause for which he himself was responsible. You want to know what caused all this, who stands at the root of it, and what internal malady brought about this trouble? It is I. Know that I did not bow down to Haman. This is "all that had happened to him" - on a personal level: the whole matter began with me, because I refused to bow to Haman.
Afterward, he told him "the full account of the money." That is to say, regarding the money Haman planned to weigh out before Achashverosh, there were two explanations - an overt one and a hidden one. What had Haman said to Achashverosh? "I will weigh out ten thousand silver talents into the hands of those who perform the work." In other words: You have nothing to worry about, my lord the king. You fear this will cost money - for Achashverosh thought Haman planned to convert them from their religion, which involves grand ceremonies and great expense - so Haman told him: You have nothing to worry about; the pagan priests will be so overjoyed to come and convert this problematic nation that they will gladly pay money per person. Not only will you suffer no financial loss and incur no expenses, but this will actually generate revenue for the royal treasury - ten thousand talents of silver.
But what was Haman's true intention? According to his scheme, what was actually going to be done to the Jews? To destroy, kill, and annihilate. And the Jews were wealthy people. Haman calculated as follows: The slaughter will be carried out by the nations, and the plunder taken from the slaughtered Jews will be transferred to the king's palace - from this, a tax will go to the king, amounting to ten thousand silver talents. This is what Mordechai conveyed by "the full account of the money": Know that regarding the money as well, there is a hidden affair here, and I want to explain this secret to you. Achashverosh thinks the priests will pay money to convert the Jews, but Haman's true plan is that the plunder confiscated from the murdered Jews is what will enter the royal treasury.
In summary:
Chapter 4 teaches us Mordechai's way: Through Divine Providence, he became aware not only of the decree itself, but also of its hidden secret, the entire dialogue between Haman and Achashverosh - and this through a night vision, which is the revelation of Hashem's countenance within the concealment. From this point forward, Mordechai operates along two tracks: sackcloth, ashes, and ceaseless prayers on the one hand, and on the other, publicizing the secret far and wide, by crying out in the streets and approaching the king's gate dressed in sackcloth, which becomes the talk of the town and reaches the ears of the king and Esther. This publicity is what transformed "the city of Shushan was bewildered" into "great mourning among the Jews," and it would dismantle the power of the decree, whose entire force lay in its secrecy. Esther, for her part, sends specifically the loyal Hatach, seeking to clarify not only "what this was" but also "why this was" - the underlying root of the matter. Mordechai answers her on both counts: the personal reason from which it all began, and the account of the money, behind which the plan of annihilation was concealed.