Are You a Commander or the Commanded?

         This week in Megillot, we continued along the story of Esther. When going through each section, we saw that unlike the happy fairy tale story we had learned for years and years, and the actual plot of the story is much...stranger. The wording itself does not give away any of the oddities taking place, but taking a closer look, we can really see how weird the entire megillah actually is.

         So, after the previous scene that focused on Achashverosh and Vashti and Esther and Mordechai, we now open on Haman. As usual, we hear about how Haman sent out a law that all the people must bow down to him and then Mordechahi doesn't bow down and then Haman gets angry. And after he gets angry, what does he do? Not the normal thing, which would be to complain about Mordechai or figure out a way to get rid of him, no, instead, Haman runs to the king and requests that he be allowed to get rid of all of the Jews. Now, when he words this request, he is careful to be general about saying how exactly he would get rid of them. When he first introduces the idea, he begins by saying that there is one nation dispersed among the others (and, whether Haman intended this or not, it also implies that the Jews were dispersed instead of being in Yerushalayim) that does not follow the king's laws, but their own.

         Haman understands that the king would become very upset when hearing that there are some people defying his laws, and he uses this to his advantage. The king agrees without a second thought, as if the wiping out of an entire nation was no big deal. When Haman receives the king's ring, he orders the scribes to send out a decree that on the 13th of Adar, all Jews, women and children, old and young, are to be slayed without mercy. He is telling the people of Persia to commit genocide. This was sent out as a law of the king- whom we know was so insecure about his kingdom that he sent out laws to rule every aspect of life.

         After this decree is sent out, Mordechai hears of what was going on and proceeds to mourn, whilst crying in the middle of the city. He comes to the gates of the king, where Esther sees him sitting and wailing in sackcloth and ashes. As she is stuck in her quarters most of the time, she has no earthly idea what is going on, and is therefore quite perplexed and perhaps a little worried as to why Mordechai was acting this way. Mordechai and Esther begin to correspond through Esther's servant, Hatach, beginning with Esther sending Mordechai clothing, which he promptly turned away, and ending with Esther agreeing to go see the king.

         During this conversation, something important happens. In the beginning, Mordechai commands Esther to go to the king and plead on behalf of her nation. She says that anyone who enters the king's chambers without permission is put to death, according to the law (which again shows how arbitrary the laws are). Mordechai responds to this by saying that Esther shouldn't think that since she is the queen, she will be spared. She would die either way. He adds that even if she decided not to go, salvation would come about anyway. Here it is important to notice that even though G-d's name is not used, it is implied that this salvation will come from G-d. Mordechai tells Esther that she was chosen to be put in the palace so she could bring salvation, so she shouldn't just not try. If she decides to do it, she would be taking her place in the plan and fulfilling her destiny.

         This strikes a chord in Esther, who then decides to listen to Mordechai. She commands Mordechai to gather all of the Jews to fast for her for 3 days, and then she will go to the king. Should she die, so be it. Mordechai then did everything that Esther had commanded him.

         So, Esther first began as the commanded and ended as the commander. She recognized her place in the plan of salvation and decided to take part in it. This is an important concept to keep in mind- there is always a plan. Sometimes we are placed in important positions, though we avoid it, and sometimes we take responsibility for what is to come. What we do is entirely dependent upon us. Should we except our place, then we will have fulfilled our destiny.

         I think this can be compared to the story of Chanukah. Purim and Chanukah are famous for being holidays not commanded to be followed in the Torah, and I think there is a recurring theme within both stories. In the Purim story, it is Esther who stands up and takes her place in the salvation of the Jewish people. In the Chanukah story, it is Matisyahu and the Maccabees who stand up and take their place in the salvation of the Jewish people. Both times, the survival of the nation as a whole was hanging on the line, and both times, the people who stood up faced likelihoods of death. But in the end, accepting their fate was what kept them and the nation alive.