Introduction: The Third Day - Esther Enters Before the King
Chapter 5 opens the great turning point of the Megillah. After three days of fasting, Esther enters before the king in a manner not according to the law. In this chapter, more than anywhere else, we see how every small detail (where the king sat, which way his throne faced, what was in his hand at that very moment) is all directed by Divine providence. At the same time we learn from Esther a complete lesson in the wisdom of speech: how one speaks to a king, and how one builds a request so that it will be accepted. We will proceed through the verses in order according to the explanation of the Malbim.
And Esther Put On Royalty - Not Garments but Royalty Itself
וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וַתִּלְבַּשׁ אֶסְתֵּר מַלְכוּת וַתַּעֲמֹד בַּחֲצַר בֵּית־הַמֶּלֶךְ הַפְּנִימִית נֹכַח בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהַמֶּלֶךְ יוֹשֵׁב עַל־כִּסֵּא מַלְכוּתוֹ בְּבֵית הַמַּלְכוּת נֹכַח פֶּתַח הַבָּיִת׃ - And it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on royalty, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, opposite the king's house; and the king was sitting upon his royal throne in the royal house, opposite the entrance of the house.
The Malbim asks: Why does it say "and Esther put on royalty"? It should have said "and Esther put on royal garments." And further: Why is it once called "the king's house" and once "the royal house"?
The Malbim explains: "And Esther put on royalty" - Esther clothed herself in royalty itself. As it were, royalty clothed her and matched her measure, until all who saw her recognized her and said: royalty befits her. As it is stated, "I clothed myself in righteousness, and it clothed me" - when a person conducts himself with righteousness, all say: this conduct suits him, it is fitting for him. So too with Esther: when they saw her in her royalty, all recognized that royalty was her natural garment.
The King's House and the Royal House - Divine Providence in Every Detail
There were two places there: the "royal house" was the place near the court, where the king sat upon his throne to judge the people. And inward from it, deeper, was the "king's house" - the private chambers, where the king sat for his personal needs, and this was his practice at any time when he was not occupied with governing the people.
Esther stood in the court "opposite the king's house," that is, facing the private house, the king's inner chamber. But by the providence of Hashem it now happened that the king was sitting specifically in the royal house, the outer chamber near the court. And it also happened that he had placed his throne "opposite the entrance of the house," facing the court.
And what is the significance of this? Had it not been so, Esther would have been forced to cross the court, pass through the royal house, and penetrate all the way to the king's inner private chamber - and this would have greatly heightened her danger. The Holy One, blessed be He, arranged for her that it was enough merely to pass through the court. The king sat in the more outer place, and his throne was turned toward the court, so that anyone walking in the court was visible to his eyes. Esther did not need to enter within - which would have been interpreted as brazenness and as an entry not according to the law - rather it was enough that she walk in the court, and the king noticed her.
She Found Favor in His Eyes - The Power of Humility
וַיְהִי כִרְאוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת־אֶסְתֵּר הַמַּלְכָּה עֹמֶדֶת בֶּחָצֵר נָשְׂאָה חֵן בְּעֵינָיו וַיּוֹשֶׁט הַמֶּלֶךְ לְאֶסְתֵּר אֶת־שַׁרְבִיט הַזָּהָב אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדוֹ וַתִּקְרַב אֶסְתֵּר וַתִּגַּע בְּרֹאשׁ הַשַּׁרְבִיט׃ - And it came to pass, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she found favor in his eyes; and the king extended to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand, and Esther drew near and touched the top of the scepter.
Out of the king's love for Esther, it never crossed his mind that the decree forbidding anyone from entering the inner courtyard unsummoned would apply to Esther as well. He never intended to include his wife in this rule, and it was obvious to him that she could come to him whenever she wished. Nor did he think she needed to stand in the courtyard and wait for him to extend the scepter to her.
And this is the meaning of "when the king saw Esther the queen" - after all, she is the queen, and therefore these decrees do not apply to her at all. Yet he sees that despite this, she does not enter inside. What does this reveal? Immense humility. It is as if she were saying: My lord the king, I know that you allow me to enter without knocking and without any delay, into the most private chamber, but I do not view myself as anything more than one of your servants - I remain outside until you summon me. This, explains the Malbim, is what caused her to "win favor in his eyes": the modesty and humility displayed by waiting. And because of this, he fulfilled her wish and extended the golden scepter to her.
This too was something that occurred beyond the natural order: that at that precise moment, the golden scepter happened to be in his hand. It is not the way of a king to sit at all times with the scepter in his hand, and this was through Divine Providence. And this is why it says, "the golden scepter that was in his hand" - that at that very moment, the scepter was in his hand.
So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the scepter
Some explain that when Ahasuerus extended the scepter, he turned it around: he held the top of the scepter in his hand and offered toward her the handle, the end normally held in his hand. Through this he sought to express: see how much esteem I have for you, as if I am handing the scepter directly into your hand, offering you the grip and conferring upon you the status of royalty. And this is why it says, "the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand" - the part I always hold, that is what I turned around and offered to her.
Esther, however, would not agree to this under any circumstances. To grasp the very place where my lord the king holds? Certainly not! Therefore, "Esther drew near" all the way to the king, "and touched the top of the scepter" - the top that was currently held in the king's hand. It was as if she said: let me be as one of your servants; I do not consider myself worthy of having the scepter placed in my hand and being treated like a monarch. That is specifically why it says "and she drew near," because in order to touch the top of the scepter, she had to come very close to the king, right up to his hand.
What Ails You and What Is Your Request - Harm or Benefit
וַיֹּאמֶר לָהּ הַמֶּלֶךְ מַה־לָּךְ אֶסְתֵּר הַמַּלְכָּה וּמַה־בַּקָּשָׁתֵךְ עַד־חֲצִי הַמַּלְכוּת וְיִנָּתֵן לָךְ׃ - The king said to her, "What is troubling you, Queen Esther, and what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it shall be granted to you."
Two questions arise here: What is the duplicate phrasing of "what is troubling you" (mah lach) and "what is your request" (mah bakashatech)? And why does it say here, "it shall be granted to you" (v'yinaten lach), whereas later he says to her, "even up to half the kingdom, it shall be done" (v'te'as)?
The Malbim explains: Ahasuerus understood that something momentous must have caused her to come before the king, and he reasoned that it must be one of two things: either something was harming her and causing her great distress and she wanted to remove it, or there was some benefit that she desired and came to obtain. He therefore asked two questions: "What is troubling you, Queen Esther?" - what harm has befallen you that brought you here? "And what is your request?" - or perhaps it is not harm, but some benefit and gain that you seek?
Regarding "and it shall be granted to you" (v'yinaten lach): at this stage he did not yet say to her "and it shall be done" (v'te'as), because at first he was willing to grant something only if she requested it for her own personal need. "And it shall be granted to you" - meaning, I am willing to give you a personal matter that you need. But if you ask me to arrange a position or some favor for a relative of yours - to that I have not yet committed myself. Only later, when he says "and it shall be done," does he expand his commitment to include requests on behalf of others as well.
Let the King and Haman Come - Three Reasons for Inviting Haman
וַתֹּאמֶר אֶסְתֵּר אִם־עַל־הַמֶּלֶךְ טוֹב יָבוֹא הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהָמָן הַיּוֹם אֶל־הַמִּשְׁתֶּה אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂיתִי לוֹ׃ - And Esther said, "If it please the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him."
The Malbim asks: Why does she say here "if it please the king," whereas later she will say "if I have found favor in your eyes"? Furthermore, there is a question that Chazal and all generations have grappled with: What did Esther see to invite Haman to the banquet? And even if there is an explanation for this, it is seven times more difficult - what did she see to invite him to the first banquet? After all, at the first banquet she merely asks the king to come with Haman to a second banquet, where she will do as the king has said. Why were two banquets needed?
The Malbim explains: Many reasons are given by the commentators, and in his view, the most plausible are three.
The first reason: Esther wanted to show the king that she harbored no personal hatred toward Haman. She had not yet said anything about Haman, but she was laying the groundwork: You see, my lord the king, I have no grievance with him; I am even inviting him to a banquet. When the time comes to make her petition, the king will understand that all she asks is solely to save her people, and that this is not a personal settling of scores.
The second reason: She wanted to take Haman by surprise with her accusations so that he would not be able to prepare. Furthermore, at a wine banquet, the king is easily roused to anger - we saw what happened at the first wine feast, when he became enraged and executed Vashti. Esther therefore specifically sought the hour of a wine banquet: first, so that Haman would not have time to marshal his arguments, and indeed, as we see, he was terrified by the sudden attack; and second, so that Ahasuerus would be filled with fury and could resolve the issue in a single moment.
The third reason: It is the way of the world that once one reaches the pinnacle of greatness, there is nowhere left to climb - and the fall is inevitable. Esther wanted to elevate Haman to a higher rank than he already held, so that his fortune would reach its absolute peak. She saw that the wicked man's measure of fortune was nearly full, and what was he lacking? Only the kingship itself. She said: I will raise him one step higher - where even the king is not invited alone, but "Esther let no man come in with the king unto the banquet... but myself." A tremendous elevation that no other minister had ever attained. And from there, his downfall was assured.
"If It Please the King" - A Banquet Does Not Require Finding Favor
Why did she not say here "if I have found favor in your eyes"? Because after all, what is she asking for? That the king come to a banquet. For this, there is no need for any special favor; it is enough that the king has a desire to eat and drink. Therefore, she said "if it please the king" - if it is convenient for you and you desire it, come to the banquet. A banquet - who turns that down?
And what is the meaning of "that I have prepared for him"? She did not mean that she had prepared it herself, but rather that everything was already prepared. Do not postpone it until tomorrow; the dishes are set, everything is ready - which is why she said, "let the king and Haman come today."
"Hasten Haman" - By Royal Decree, Not as a Favor
וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ מַהֲרוּ אֶת־הָמָן לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת־דְּבַר אֶסְתֵּר וַיָּבֹא הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהָמָן אֶל־הַמִּשְׁתֶּה אֲשֶׁר עָשְׂתָה אֶסְתֵּר׃ - Then the king said, "Hasten Haman, to do as Esther has said." So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
What is the meaning of "Hasten Haman, to do as Esther has said"? It would have been enough to say "Hasten Haman to the banquet." The Malbim explains: The king did not want Haman to think for a moment that Esther had requested his presence as a great honor to him, as though he were going to grant her wish and do her a favor. He therefore emphasized: You are coming because this is the king's command. You are doing no favor for Esther - I, the king, have commanded that you attend the banquet, and you come as a servant bound to fulfill the will of his master.
Petition and Request - What Is the Difference?
וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ לְאֶסְתֵּר בְּמִשְׁתֵּה הַיַּיִן מַה־שְּׁאֵלָתֵךְ וְיִנָּתֵן לָךְ וּמַה־בַּקָּשָׁתֵךְ עַד־חֲצִי הַמַּלְכוּת וְתֵעָשׂ׃ - And the king said to Esther at the banquet of wine: 'What is your petition, and it shall be granted to you? And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.'
What is the duplicate phrasing of "your petition" (she'eilatech) and "your request" (bakashatech)? And why, regarding a petition, does he use the language of giving - "and it shall be granted [given] to you," while regarding a request, he uses the language of action - "and it shall be fulfilled [done]"?
The Malbim first cites the approach of the commentators: whatever a person asks for is called a "petition" (she'eilah), whereas the ultimate purpose for which one asks is called a "request" (bakashah). For example: I ask you for a thousand gold coins - that is the petition. And when people ask me, "What are you seeking?", I seek to buy a house with those thousand gold coins - that is the request. Simply put: a petition relates to the external aspect of the thing, while a request relates to its inner purpose, the end to which it will be put.
According to this, the king asked her two things: "What is your petition?" - what do you want? And "what is your request?" - what ultimate purpose do you aspire to achieve through this petition? To this she answered, as we will see momentarily, that her petition and her request are one and the same: that the king and Haman come to the banquet, and that is my entire wish. Do not think that there is an external request here concealing an inner purpose or a hidden agenda. For now, she does not reveal to him that there is something deeper at play.
The Malbim's Own Explanation
The Malbim adds an explanation of his own: a minor request that can be easily granted is called a "petition" (she'eilah), whereas a major matter that requires entreaty is called a "request" (bakashah). This is what the king meant: "What is your petition, and it shall be granted to you" - what small favor do you ask? It is like someone saying: What are you asking for? Something small? I have it on me, I will give it to you right away. "And what is your request?" - and if you have a grand request, I will not give everything, but up to half the kingdom I will fulfill. According to this, it becomes clear why he used the term "and it shall be granted" for a petition, and "and it shall be fulfilled [done]" for a request.
The Malbim offers yet another explanation: a request can also pertain to others. "Your petition" is a matter for yourself, regarding which he said: whatever you ask for yourself I will readily give, because you deserve it - "and it shall be granted to you." But "what is your request" refers to something substantial, perhaps because it is not for you alone. Something that is not for you is harder for me to carry out; it does not come easily to me. For that, one must plead and exert influence. Therefore he said, "and it shall be fulfilled [done]" - which is not immediate like "it shall be granted to you," but will be carried out over time, since it does not concern you directly.
"My Petition and My Request" - The Wisdom of Esther's Answer
וַתַּעַן אֶסְתֵּר וַתֹּאמַר שְׁאֵלָתִי וּבַקָּשָׁתִי׃ - And Esther answered and said: 'My petition and my request:'
אִם־מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ וְאִם־עַל־הַמֶּלֶךְ טוֹב לָתֵת אֶת־שְׁאֵלָתִי וְלַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת־בַּקָּשָׁתִי יָבוֹא הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהָמָן אֶל־הַמִּשְׁתֶּה אֲשֶׁר אֶעֱשֶׂה לָהֶם וּמָחָר אֶעֱשֶׂה כִּדְבַר הַמֶּלֶךְ׃ - 'If I have found favor in the eyes of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition and to fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said.'
There are several redundancies here. First: "If I have found favor in the eyes of the king" and "if it please the king" - why both? Second: why does she open with the heading "My petition and my request," and then repeat "to grant my petition and to fulfill my request"? Presumably, that opening could have been omitted. And third: "and tomorrow I will do as the king has said" - what will she do tomorrow, and what did the king say that she is meant to do? The commentators all wrestled with this question.
A well-known teaching of Chazal explains: "And tomorrow I will do as the king has said" - I will reveal to my lord the king my people and my birthplace, the very thing you constantly ask me about: who are you, where are you from, who is your people - for which the king gave "gifts according to the king's bounty" and granted tax remissions to the provinces. Tomorrow you will receive the answer to your question. Thus Chazal expound, and we will now examine the matter as explained according to the Malbim.
The Main Point: The Very Willingness to Fulfill My Request
The Malbim explains: Esther answered him with wisdom and discernment. She said to him: I have nothing to ask of the king except that I find favor in your eyes to grant my petition and perform my request. If you wish to know what my petition and request are - my petition and request are the very finding of favor in the king's eyes, that he be willing to grant and perform it.
To illustrate the point: a husband comes home and brings his wife a gift. The gift might be expensive or modest, but often a wife will say: far more important to me than the gift itself is knowing that you thought of me and had me in mind. Sometimes, more than what was received, what is truly precious is the mere knowledge that someone cares and thinks of you. So too, Esther says to the king: more than your ultimate fulfillment of my request, what is precious in my eyes is the very fact that I have found favor in your eyes, and that it pleases the king to grant my petition and perform my request. Your very willingness to meet me halfway and grant my wishes - this is the most precious thing in my eyes, more precious than receiving the thing itself.
On Condition That It Stems from Finding Favor
Yet all this holds true on one condition: that you are willing to do so because I have found favor in your eyes. Returning to the parable: when does the wife say that the gesture means more to her than the gift itself? When she knows it truly stems from attentiveness, from the fact that he thought of her. But if she knows he did it because he is planning something she will not like and is merely smoothing the path - then the gift will mean nothing to her, and she might even resent it. Or if he were to say: "The salesman pressured me relentlessly until I bought it, and besides, it was a bargain." Or: "I was out with a friend who bought something for his wife, so I felt awkward and bought one too." In such cases, there is no expression of a genuine willingness to think of her and value her.
This is what Esther is saying: when will your very willingness to fulfill my petition and request be paramount in my eyes? If it stems from my having found favor in your eyes. "If I have found favor in the eyes of the king" - if I know that your willingness stems from favor, then it is precious to me.
'And If It Pleases the King' - I Ask Nothing Against Your Will
And the second condition: the request itself is not something contrary to the king's will. Esther tells him: know that if what I ask goes against your will, I forfeit it in advance and cancel my petition. But what I am asking of you, my lord the king, is something that will be good for you yourself. This is the meaning of "and if it pleases the king" - if you do not consider it to be for your benefit, disregard my petition, and I withdraw it.
Notice how wisely she approached him, leaving him with every reason to grant her wish: on the one hand, your very willingness to fulfill my request is what is most precious to me; and on the other hand, if, Heaven forbid, you object, I do not want you to do anything against your will merely for my sake. If you do not desire it wholeheartedly, do not do it. And I assure you that what I am asking is something that will be good for the king himself.
'And Tomorrow I Will Do as the King Has Said'
And what happens in practice? "Let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said." Up to this point, I have not yet requested anything; a banquet is certainly not what I am asking for, as I have a far more serious request. Tomorrow I will tell you what the request is.
But what is the meaning of "according to the word of the king" - what did the king say? Rather, this is what she is saying to him: From the moment you said to me, "What is your petition, and it shall be granted you, and what is your request, up to half the kingdom, and it shall be performed?" I understand from your words that you have a tremendous desire to fulfill my petition. If so, tomorrow I will fulfill your desire to fulfill my petition. As it were, I am the one fulfilling your desire by giving you the opportunity to grant my petition and perform my request. You say that you desire greatly to give to me, and you ask what you can give me - tomorrow I will do your will and allow you to give me that which you so desire to give.
In summary: Chapter 5 opens with astounding Divine Providence - the king happens to be sitting specifically in the outer royal house, his throne facing the entrance of the house, and the scepter happens to be in his hand at that very moment - so that Esther is spared the need to enter the inner chamber. And on the other hand stands Esther's humility: she dons royalty, which everyone recognizes befits her, yet she nonetheless waits in the courtyard like one of the servants, touching only the tip of the scepter rather than where the king holds it. From there on, the Megillah unfolds her wisdom: inviting Haman to the feast to dispel any suspicion of personal animosity, to catch him off guard over wine, and to elevate him to the pinnacle of heights from which his fall is guaranteed; as well as her subtle distinction between "if it please the king" and "if I have found favor in your eyes," and between a "petition" and a "request." And at the heart of it all lies the message: most precious of all is not the mere granting of what is sought, but the very readiness and desire to give - provided it stems from a place of genuine grace and wholehearted goodwill.