The fourth chapter of the Megillah is where the circle closes between Mordechai and Esther: the decree has been issued, Mordechai cries out in the city, and from this point forward a fateful negotiation takes place between the two - should Esther approach the king immediately, or wait? In the passage before us, we will examine these events in light of the Malbim's approach, who analyzes every seemingly superfluous word and repetition. Through his answers, a complete and precise picture emerges of the calculations made by Mordechai and Esther.
וְאֶת־פַּתְשֶׁגֶן כְּתָב־הַדָּת אֲשֶׁר־נִתַּן בְּשׁוּשָׁן לְהַשְׁמִידָם נָתַן לוֹ לְהַרְאוֹת אֶת־אֶסְתֵּר וּלְהַגִּיד לָהּ וּלְצַוּוֹת עָלֶיהָ לָבוֹא אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ לְהִתְחַנֶּן־לוֹ וּלְבַקֵּשׁ מִלְּפָנָיו עַל־עַמָּהּ׃ - And he gave him a copy of the written decree that had been issued in Shushan to destroy them, to show Esther and to tell her, and to charge her to go to the king to plead with him and to beg him for her people.
Mordechai relates to Hatach all that had happened to him and the matter of the money, and now he also gives him "the copy of the written decree [patshégen ketav hadat]." Here the Malbim asks: How can this be understood? After all, we previously explained that there were two documents - the patshégen, which was the public notice stating only "to be ready for this day," the thirteenth of Adar; and the ketav hadat (the written law), which was the secret document, the sealed letters delivered only to the ministers and governors, containing the explicit command to destroy, kill, and annihilate. The ministers were instructed to keep the secret letter locked away and to open it only on the thirteenth of Adar to learn the instructions for action.
If so, what did Mordechai give him? If we say he gave him the ketav hadat itself, in which the destruction of the Jews was explicitly written - where would he have obtained it? He was not a minister or a governor who received sealed letters. And if we say he gave the public patshégen - it only stated "to be ready for this day," and said nothing about "to destroy them." Furthermore, another question arises: the verse states "to show Esther and to tell her" - if one shows something, why is it necessary to tell as well? If someone asks where Reuven is and I point to him, that is the end of the matter; no further explanation is needed.
The Malbim explains: Indeed, the sealed letters were not in Mordechai's possession; they were never meant to reach him, and they did not. What did he have? The patshégen, the public proclamation that circulated everywhere and reached his hands as well, and this copy he could show to Esther. The word "to destroy them" does not refer to the patshégen, but to the decree: "the written decree that had been issued in Shushan to destroy them." That is, Mordechai gave Hatach the patshégen and said: From this you must understand that there is a secret written decree ordering the destruction of the Jews. And how did he know? Through "the secret of Hashem is for those who fear Him" - a dream revealed it to him, or an angel revealed it, however one explains it. But the facts on the ground also pointed in that direction: if the public document states "be ready for such-and-such a day," with instructions to follow, it is self-evident that there is a concealed document detailing how to act.
This also resolves the second question. Had he shown her the ketav hadat, where the destruction of the Jews was explicitly stated, no further explanation would have been needed. But since he only possessed the patshégen - the public text - an accompanying explanation was necessary so she would understand that the patshégen implied a hidden directive, and what was written in that hidden document. This is "and to tell her": the explanation accompanying the document. Following this understanding came the required course of action: "and to charge her to go to the king to plead with him and to beg him for her people" - to approach the king, plead, and petition on behalf of her people, in order to save the Jewish nation.
וַיָּבוֹא הֲתָךְ וַיַּגֵּד לְאֶסְתֵּר אֵת דִּבְרֵי מׇרְדֳּכָי׃ - And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordechai.
וַתֹּאמֶר אֶסְתֵּר לַהֲתָךְ וַתְּצַוֵּהוּ אֶל־מׇרְדֳּכָי׃ - And Esther spoke to Hatach and commanded him regarding Mordechai.
What is the speaking, and what is the commanding? The Malbim explains: Esther was afraid to send Hatach back to Mordechai directly. Throughout the palace were informants placed by Haman and his faction; if they saw Hatach constantly coming and going, between Mordechai and Esther, suspicions would be aroused and they would begin snooping. Esther did not want them to realize that the plot had been uncovered and that she was already privy to the matter. Therefore, "and she commanded him regarding Mordechai": I am speaking these words to you, and you must find a way for them to reach Mordechai - via a third party or through a letter - but do not go and tell him yourself, as your movement will arouse suspicion, and that suspicion will reach Haman and his associates.
כׇּל־עַבְדֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ וְעַם־מְדִינוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ יֹדְעִים אֲשֶׁר כׇּל־אִישׁ וְאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר יָבוֹא־אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל־הֶחָצֵר הַפְּנִימִית אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יִקָּרֵא אַחַת דָּתוֹ לְהָמִית לְבַד מֵאֲשֶׁר יוֹשִׁיט־לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת־שַׁרְבִיט הַזָּהָב וְחָיָה וַאֲנִי לֹא נִקְרֵאתִי לָבוֹא אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ זֶה שְׁלוֹשִׁים יוֹם׃ - "All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king into the inner court without being summoned, there is one law: to put him to death, except for the one to whom the king extends the golden scepter, that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king these thirty days."
The Malbim raises several questions here. First, why the redundancy: "All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces"? Simply say "all the king's servants," or "the people of the king's provinces," or "everyone knows." Furthermore, why "any man or woman" - another redundancy. Furthermore, what is this cumbersome phrasing, "there is one law: to put him to death"? It could have stated concisely: whoever is not summoned shall be put to death.
Yet the most astonishing question of all is: how could it be that Esther, one of the seven prophetesses, would not risk her life to save the entirety of the Jewish people? As if she were saying: let everyone die, but I am not willing to die for this. The salvation of Klal Yisrael hinges on you, and you say, "there is danger here"? What kind of calculation is that? Furthermore, the Malbim asks: what do the words "and I have not been summoned to come to the king these thirty days" add? Seemingly, they are entirely unnecessary. If the claim is that anyone who enters has their head removed - what difference does it make whether he summoned her two days ago or a month ago?
The Malbim explains that Esther responds to Mordechai with two arguments. The first argument: if I enter before Achashverosh now, I am placing myself in potential danger and ultimately will still not achieve the desired objective - I will not reach a state where I can speak to the king and annul the decree. Simply giving up my life and dying, what purpose does that serve? After all, the entire demand of me is to sacrifice my life in a way that will bring salvation to the Jewish people, but here I would give up my life and no salvation would result. And this is for two reasons.
The first reason: "All the king’s servants know" - I will not be able to claim, "Excuse me, I made a mistake, I did not know it was forbidden to enter without permission." A plea of ignorance does not exist, since all the king's servants know the law. And if you say: even though you entered intentionally, perhaps the king will show you grace and not enforce the law against you - to this she adds, "and the people of the king’s provinces know," meaning this becomes a public transgression. When everyone knows, even if the king wished to pardon - he ostensibly could not. Just as in the case of Vashti, who disgraced him publicly, and regarding which he could not pardon because they told him that through this, all wives would despise their husbands. Here too: if I transgress publicly, the king will not be able to ignore it.
And if you say: perhaps the decree does not apply to everyone, and perhaps it does not include you - regarding this it is said, "any man or woman," and the redundancy comes to teach that there is no distinction whatsoever, whoever it may be. And if you say: perhaps the law applies only to someone who enters without need - what are you wandering about here for, this is the royal palace and not the town square - but when there is an enormous need, where an entire nation is about to be destroyed, perhaps that provides justification? Regarding this it is said, "who approaches the king without being summoned": from the moment one was not summoned, there is no distinction in their law. And this is the meaning of "there is one law: to put him to death" - "one law" means there is no differentiation: there is no difference whether you came for an important matter or an unimportant matter, whether you are the king's wife or an ordinary person. In every situation, there is one law to put him to death, and there is no excuse with which to justify yourself.
"Except for the one to whom the king extends the golden scepter, that he may live" - the extending of the scepter pardons the capital offense. Seemingly, then, there is a chance: enter, and perhaps the king will extend the golden scepter to you. To this Esther replies: and what comes of that? That the king grants me a pardon. And what does a pardon mean? "I have mercy on you; live." Will I then have any opening to make requests on behalf of others? They will say to me: be thankful, you should have been hanged, we took you down and granted you your life, and you still come to ask for others? The maximum that can be achieved is that the king will not execute me for violating the law - but to plead for others, there is no chance at all.
Esther's second argument: true, in order to save from death one must make every possible effort, even against all odds - after all, the death of an entire nation hangs in the balance. But all this applies only when there is no more immediate path to salvation. If all options were exhausted and there were no other possibility, you would be right, and it would be worthwhile to enter even for the slim chance of being able to speak up. But after all, "I have not been summoned to come to the king these thirty days" - and if I have not been summoned for such a long time, it stands to reason that the king will want to see his wife in the coming days, perhaps in just a day or two. And if so, why not wait a little while? And if there is a simpler path to salvation, why thrust me into a situation of potential danger where the loss far outweighs the gain? I would be willing to enter if it were the only choice, but if the king will summon me at any moment and I can speak with him without this entire perilous situation - it is better to wait.
And here, the Malbim’s major question is resolved wonderfully: was Esther truly unwilling to risk herself when the Jewish people hung in the balance? Of course she was willing. She was simply weighing matters together with Mordechai: is this worthwhile, or should we choose a course of action that is closer to gain and further from loss?
וַיַּגִּידוּ לְמׇרְדֳּכָי אֵת דִּבְרֵי אֶסְתֵּר׃ - "And they told Mordechai the words of Esther."
Why does the verse say, "And they told" (vayagidu), in an unspecified plural, when Hatach was the messenger? Several explanations are given for this. One explanation: from here we learn that one does not explicitly deliver bad news - when there is an unfavorable report, one does not announce it bluntly. Even someone who must inform a friend that a relative has passed away does not state it outright, but hints at it so that he understands on his own. Therefore, Hatach did not want to say to Mordechai explicitly: "There is no choice; Esther cannot do it." Another explanation: Why was his name called Hatach? Because they cut him down (chatachuho) from his greatness. When they noticed that this Hatach was moving too frequently back and forth between Mordechai and Esther, Haman caught on to what was happening and stripped him of his position. And some say that Hatach was Daniel. By the way, among Persians the letters chet and hei are close in sound to one another... At any rate, "Hatach" is related to the word chatach (to cut), following Chazal's teaching that they cut him down from his high standing.
The Malbim explains: the homiletical teaching stands, but according to what we have explained, the matter is clearly understood. Esther had instructed Hatach not to approach Mordechai himself, so that people would not follow him and observe excessive activity between the palace and Mordechai. Instead, he was to convey the message indirectly - through a messenger or by letter. Therefore, Scripture says, "And they told Mordechai the words of Esther": Hatach received Esther's charge, and rather than reporting to Mordechai directly, he arranged for messengers to tell him.
וַיֹּאמֶר מׇרְדֳּכַי לְהָשִׁיב אֶל־אֶסְתֵּר אַל־תְּדַמִּי בְנַפְשֵׁךְ לְהִמָּלֵט בֵּית־הַמֶּלֶךְ מִכׇּל־הַיְּהוּדִים׃ - Then Mordechai bade them return answer unto Esther: "Do not imagine in your soul that you will escape in the king's house from among all the Jews."
כִּי אִם־הַחֲרֵשׁ תַּחֲרִישִׁי בָּעֵת הַזֹּאת רֶוַח וְהַצָּלָה יַעֲמוֹד לַיְּהוּדִים מִמָּקוֹם אַחֵר וְאַתְּ וּבֵית־אָבִיךְ תֹּאבֵדוּ וּמִי יוֹדֵעַ אִם־לְעֵת כָּזֹאת הִגַּעַתְּ לַמַּלְכוּת׃ - "For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish; and who knows whether you have attained royalty for a time such as this?"
The Malbim explains: in these two statements, Mordechai conveyed several key fundamentals, which together form a complete picture.
The first fundamental: Contemplating the supernatural. When we see something that deviates from the natural order, we must take note, contemplate it, and recognize that if an event occurred unnaturally, the Creator surely planned it for a purpose. A person's duty in everything he encounters is to reflect, and in everything that happens in nature - to contemplate it. Mordechai said to her: Reflect! From the lowest station you were elevated to become queen, the wife of Ahasuerus. Representatives were sent from every nation and from every land, noble and distinguished young women, and whom did they choose? Someone lifted from the dust heaps. No one knows who her father or mother are; she is hidden, not revealing her people or her lineage, nameless - yet you were the one chosen to be the queen, the first lady of the realm. Does this not demand contemplation: What am I doing here, and why did the Creator place me in this position?
This is especially true given that she was a woman who possessed the level of prophecy. After all, the Holy One, blessed be He, does not bring a mishap through the righteous, nor does He allow a tzaddik to stumble by eating something non-kosher - so how could such a righteous woman be caused to stumble into defilement with someone like Ahasuerus? Why did the Creator orchestrate such an occurrence, and how could such an enormous stumbling block come about through her?
Now, Chazal famously state that Esther used a moch, and that she would go from the lap of Ahasuerus to the lap of Mordechai, and from the lap of Mordechai to the lap of Ahasuerus. For Chazal teach that Esther was actually married to Mordechai, as it says, "when Mordechai took her to himself as a daughter (le-vat)" - and Chazal expound: Do not read le-vat, "for a daughter," but le-vayit, "for a home," just as it is said of the Kohen Gadol, "and atone for himself and for his house (ve'ad beito)" - and our Sages expound: "his house" refers to his wife. Thus, Esther was truly Mordechai's wife.
Incidentally, as we have explained elsewhere based on the commentators: If so, why is it written "as a daughter" (le-vat) rather than "as a house" (le-vayit)? The Gemara says that a woman is primarily sought for children (banim), for beauty (yofi), and for women's jewelry (takhshitim) - the acronym of these three things forms the word bayit (בית). In Esther's case, one element was missing - conventional physical beauty, as Chazal say, "she had a greenish complexion" (yerakraket hayetah). When you remove the yud (representing yofi), what remains of bayit (בית) is bat (בת). Therefore, Scripture writes, "Mordechai took her to himself as a daughter (le-vat)": she was his wife, but she did not possess all three elements for which a man typically marries, only two of them. This is an homiletical allusion.
And how was she permitted to Mordechai? One explanation is that "she used a moch," and Tosafot explains that she placed a moch (an absorbent barrier) so there would be no fear of conceiving from Ahasuerus, avoiding any doubt regarding the lineage of any child. Another explanation is offered by the Kabbalists: "she used a moch" - she had a female spirit named Moch, and Esther knew through her holy inspiration how to separate the impure aspect from herself and leave it with Ahasuerus, while her holy essence was never touched by Ahasuerus at all. But whichever way one understands it, one thing is clear: Esther was a righteous woman. So what brought her from Heaven into the royal palace, and what connection could Esther have to such a defiled place? Mordechai said: Anyone who reflects sees clearly that Hashem orchestrated this for a specific purpose. And when this terrible decree joins the picture, putting two and two together reveals that this is the purpose for which you are there: to save your people in a time of distress.
Second Foundation: Every trouble has a set time limit. Mordechai tells her: Know that every trouble that the Holy One, blessed be He, brings, Heaven forbid, upon His people Israel has an appointed duration, and there is a time when the Holy One, blessed be He, will bring the salvation. There is no trouble without a limit. And is it possible that Hashem planned salvation through a specific avenue, yet that avenue does not come to fruition? Yes, it is possible - when the plan involves flesh and blood who possesses free will. Hashem planned salvation through Reuven, but Reuven, in his wickedness, does not want to be a vessel for salvation. And what then, will the Holy One, blessed be He, not send salvation? There is no such thing! There is a limited time for the distress, and if the one who was designated chooses not to be a vessel for salvation, the Holy One, blessed be He, has other avenues, and He will send it through a different way. The salvation will ultimately arrive; Hashem will not abandon His people.
Third Foundation: Something whose entire existence is for the sake of another. Anything whose reality and existence are not for its own sake but for the sake of something else - its entire reality and existence depend upon that thing for which it exists. The Malbim presents a fine parable: a person builds a winter garden, meaning a greenhouse that absorbs sunlight and also contains heaters, so that even in the harshest winter, amidst snow and storms, one can grow tropical fruits in it. Now, if he leaves the greenhouse operating in the summer, he will kill all the plants. After all, in summer it is thirty degrees in the shade, and inside the greenhouse there is immense heat; with the heaters running, the temperatures will rise to seventy or eighty degrees, and all the plants will perish. In other words, the entire utility of the greenhouse is only for winter crops, and when it is used at a time when it is not needed - not only is it of no benefit, but it causes harm.
Based on this, Mordechai tells Esther: Know that your entire existence in the king's palace is not for yourself, but for the Jews, to save them. Therefore, as we said, the Holy One, blessed be He, certainly has a "contingency plan" for how to save the Jews if you refuse, for Hashem will not abandon His people, and the other channels for salvation - which are among the secrets of the Creator of the universe and unknown to us - will surely come to pass. This is what he meant: "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place" - because every decree has an appointed time, and when that time arrives, the decree will be annulled by the will of Hashem, and the rescue does not depend on you alone.
"And you and your father's house will perish" - why? Because your entire presence there is only for the sake of the Jews. You are like the winter garden in winter: when it is winter, you are needed there, but if summer arrives, not only is there no benefit in you, but there is harm. You are in a place that does not belong to you and is not fitting for you - the royal palace; what business does a righteous woman like you have there? If so, the entire exalted station in which Hashem placed you would be in vain.
"And who knows whether it was for a time like this that you attained royalty?" - And should you say: Why in vain? Perhaps in the future there will be other situations where I can be a helping factor for my Jewish brethren? To this Mordechai answers her: Who knows, perhaps the entire reason Hashem brought you here was only for this specific time, that today you should be a source of salvation and aid for them. And if you wait until tomorrow, the time will have passed, because tomorrow Hashem will orchestrate other avenues of salvation. Today Hashem designated you as the vehicle for salvation, and if not, you will perish, for your entire stature and greatness will have been in vain.
וַתֹּאמֶר אֶסְתֵּר לְהָשִׁיב אֶל־מׇרְדֳּכָי׃ - And Esther said to reply to Mordechai:
לֵךְ כְּנוֹס אֶת־כׇּל־הַיְּהוּדִים הַנִּמְצְאִים בְּשׁוּשָׁן וְצוּמוּ עָלַי וְאַל־תֹּאכְלוּ וְאַל־תִּשְׁתּוּ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים לַיְלָה וָיוֹם גַּם־אֲנִי וְנַעֲרֹתַי אָצוּם כֵּן וּבְכֵן אָבוֹא אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר לֹא־כַדָּת וְכַאֲשֶׁר אָבַדְתִּי אָבָדְתִּי׃ - "Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night and day. I too, along with my maidens, will fast likewise. And then I will go in to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish."
The Malbim asks two questions. First, what is the meaning of "and fast for me" - are we fasting for her sake? Surely the fast is on account of the decree! And second, what is the meaning of "and if I perish, I perish" (literally, "and as I have perished, I have perished") - just as I was lost until now, so will I face total ruin? And what ruin had there been until now?
The Malbim explains: After Mordechai assures her that salvation will come to the Jewish people in any event, for Hashem will not abandon His people, it becomes clear that all we gain through her is that the salvation will be brought forward and arrive right now. With that, she agrees to go, for now she is confident that even if she is ultimately killed, hope will not be lost. For her entire argument had been: Mordechai, you are squandering the only weapon you have, and in the end this weapon will not achieve its purpose. If you send me in today, I will be killed, but if I wait a day, two days, a week, or two weeks, I will indeed be able to act. It turns out that you had a weapon and went and ruined it! That is what troubled her, and therefore she had said: Wait, perhaps the king will summon me, and then the weapon will be effective; by sending me now, you are destroying all future chances.
But now, when she heard that the Holy One, blessed be He, will not abandon His people and that salvation will come to the Jews in any case, she said: If so, I am no longer worried, and I am prepared to sacrifice my life for Kiddush Hashem; perhaps the salvation will come through me. Previously I thought that if I failed, we would lose all salvation because we went in too soon; now that you say that salvation will come regardless, I am willing to lay down my life.
And what, nevertheless, does she request? That they pray for mercy on her behalf. For according to Mordechai's words, who is the only one in danger in this entire episode? Esther alone, who is about to go in to the king against the law. If so, your job now is to protect me: pray for me, fast for me, plead for mercy on my behalf - "and fast for me" - and in that merit I will be able to go in to the king against the law. And this is the meaning of "and if I perish, I perish": if the king puts me to death for violating his command, this will cause no harm to the Jewish nation as a whole; rather, only I will perish. You will not perish, for "relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place," and the Holy One, blessed be He, will not abandon His people. I had thought that if I perish, you too will perish, and therefore I said let us wait; now it is clear to me that if I perish, only I perish. If so, I have no hesitation, and I am prepared to sacrifice my life. Only do me this kindness and pray for me, that I may succeed in my mission.
וַיַּעֲבֹר מׇרְדֳּכָי וַיַּעַשׂ כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־צִוְּתָה עָלָיו אֶסְתֵּר׃ - So Mordechai went about, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.
According to the peshat, the Malbim explains: "Vaya'avor" - he went through all the streets of the Jews and decreed a fast as Esther had commanded. Chazal, however, say: "Vaya'avor" - that he transgressed the law, for he decreed a fast on the day of Pesach, and they fasted on Pesach. And even though one is not permitted to fast on Yom Tov, here it was allowed, because it was a matter of pikuach nefesh (saving lives).
In this passage, the full depth of the dialogue between Mordechai and Esther is revealed to us. Mordechai conveys to Esther the public copy of the decree accompanied by an explanation, so that she will understand that concealed behind it is a hidden royal decree ordering total destruction; Esther responds with two balanced arguments - that entering unlawfully will not achieve the desired purpose, and that there is a closer path to deliverance, namely that the king will summon her on his own; and Mordechai responds to her with three fundamental principles: that anything departing from the natural order demands reflection, and her position in the palace testifies to a purpose; that every trouble has a limited time, and deliverance will arise from another place in any event; and that whoever exists entirely for the sake of another has their existence dependent upon that other, and like a winter garden in summer, there is no benefit in them, only harm. And once it was assured that deliverance would come in any case, Esther consented to sacrifice her life - "and if I perish, I perish" - requesting only fasting and prayer on her behalf, and Mordechai went among the Jews and decreed a fast, even on Pesach, due to pikuach nefesh.