[Par-reg] Megillat Esther --- questions for self study
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Wed Mar 23 06:52:38 EST 2005
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THE TANACH STUDY CENTER [http://www.tanach.org]
In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag
Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem Leibtag
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MEGILLAT ESTHER / PURIM - Questions for self study
PART I - Historical Setting
The following questions consider both the time period and
prophetic setting of Megillat Esther. This background will
help us better appreciate its prophetic message.
1. Our first step is to create a time line of the major events
that lead up to the time period of Megillat Esther. To do so,
review the following sources - from Yehoyakim (end of the
first Temple period) until the time period of Ezra (beginning
of 2nd Temple).
Your time line should relate to:
a. II Divrei Ha'yamim 35:19-36:23 & II Melachim 23:23-
25:11
Note the years of Yehoyakim and Tzidkiyahu.
Note when Galut Yehoyachin (=Yechonya) took place.
b. Yirmiyahu 25:1-14, 29:1-14. Note especially 24:1 &
29:10.
Note (from 25:10-13) how Yirmiyahu foresees seventy years
of Babylonian rule. Based on 25:1, when do these seventy
years begin?
Relate also to 27:4->28:3 & II D.H. 36:19-23!
c. Ezra 1:1-8, 3:1->4:7.
What happened when the 70 years were over? Was the Second
Bet Ha'Mikdash built during that year? If not, when was it
built? Pay special attention to 4:4-6.
[Note that aside from Megillat Esther itself, this is the
only other mention of Achashverosh in the entire Tanach.]
d. Zecharya 1:1-17, pay special attention to 1:12.
What are the 70 years that Zecharya refers to? Are they
the same '70 years' of Yirmiyahu? In what year (i.e. with
what event) did they begin, and it what year did they end?
[How many years elapse between Yimiyahu's seventy years
and Zecharya's?
Relate to your answer to questions a,b,c (above)!
[Relate also to Zecharya 7:1-5.]
e. Chagai/ review the entire Sefer, note 2:15,18.
In what year was the Second Bet Ha'Mikdash built?
[See also Ezra 6:13-18.]
2. Based on the above sources and Esther 1:1, in your opinion,
did the story of Megillat Esther take place AFTER or BEFORE
Yirmiyahu's 70 years were over? [In other words, does it take
place after or before the "hatz'harat Koresh" (=the Cyrus
Decree/ Ezra 1:1-4)?]
a. From a prophetic perspective, especially in relation
to Yirmiyahu 29:10-14, what is the significance of
understanding when the events in Megillat Esther take place?
b. Where were the jews 'supposed to be' during this time
period? Where were they instead?
3. Based on the above sources alone (and assuming that the
Achashverosh mentioned in Ezra chapter 4 is the Achashverosh
of Megillat Esther), can you pinpoint WHEN the story in
Megillat Esther takes place? [i.e. BEFORE or AFTER
Daryavesh?]
a. Based on Ezra 4:4-7, what TWO possibilities exist?
b. Based on your answer to 1e (above), is it possible
that Achashverosh ruled BETWEEN Koresh and Daryavesh?
Based on the historical information that can be inferred
from Daniel 10:1, and from the chronology of the events in
Megillat Esther, what must one assume in order to accept this
possibility?
[Is this assumption logical? Explain why yes or not!]
c. If we accept this assumption, does it explain why
Daryavesh allows the jews to build the Bet Ha'Mikdash in the
second year of his reign?
d. If we accept this assumption, what historical event
took approximately 70 years prior to Achashveyrosh's six month
party described in the first chapter of Megillat Esther?
Do Chazal (in the Midrash) raise this possibility?
e. If you have a copy of SEDER OLAM, see how he explains
the chronology of events during this time period.
In your opinion, is this "pshat"?
[See also Mesechet Megilla 11b and Erchin 13a.]
4. Based on the second possibility (see 3a above), i.e. that
Achashveyrosh reigned AFTER Daryavesh, make a list of the
Persian Kings mentioned in Tanach (in chronological order).
[Be sure to list the Persian king Artachshastah as well
(see Ezra 7:1-10, Nechemya 2:1-9).]
a. From the Tanach alone (based on the above sources),
can one determine HOW many years each of these Persian kings
ruled? [Can one determine the minimum amount of years?]
b. If indeed Achashveyrosh reigned AFTER Daryavesh, how
would that affect your answer to question #2 (above)?
5. The table below shows the standard list of the Persian
Kings found in most academic history books that cover this
time period. Can this list be correlated with the above
sources in Tanach? (Does it fit according to question #3 or
question #4?)
YEAR (BCE) KING
538 Cyrus
530 Cambyses
521 Darius (the Great)
486 Xerxes
465 Artexerxes
Based on this table, attempt to correlate the English (or
Greek) names of these kings with the names of the Persian
kings mentioned in the Tanach.
6. If you have time, scan Sefer Ezra and Nechemya (i.e. read
the opening psukim of each perek and then do a quick scan of
its content). Based on the events described, does the above
time line 'fit' with the events in Sefer Ezra?
Why do you think that these seforim do not include an
exact, or at least a continuous, chronology of events?
What is the purpose of these seforim? What do they
describe? Do they share a common theme?
7. In Megillat Esther, the entire Jewish Nation is in peril.
Does the Megilla itself provide a prophetic reason for this
impending punishment? If yes, what is that reason?
If not, why do you think it is omitted?
[See Mesechet Megilla 12a (about 20 lines down) -
"sha'alu talmidav et Rashbi mipnei mah nitchaivu..."]
8. Considering that Chazal include Megillat Esther as part of
the Tanach, would it be logical to assume that the book should
carry a prophetic message? If so, what is that message?
In your opinion, was the book written for the purpose of
conveying a prophetic message; or was the book written for the
purpose of telling a story, and it just so happens that we can
learn a lesson from that story?
Which of these two opinions (in your opinion) make the
most sense?
In what manner is Megillat Esther different from most all
other books of the Tanach. [You should be able to list several
major differences.] Can you explain WHY it is different?
Does your answer to question #7 relate to any of them?
9. Read Devarim 31:14-21, make special note of 31:17-18 and
their context. Chazal, in the Midrash, claim that 31:18 may be
the source of the name ESTHER. Can you explain why?
Does your answer relate in any way to the above
questions?
Relate as well to Devarim 4:5-8 & Breishit 18:18-19.
Does "hester panim" relate to how God may save Am Yisrael
when in trouble, or how God may punish Am Yisrael when they
break His covenant?
Does "shirat haazinu" deal with this question as well?
If so, where, and what is its answer?
PART II - MEGILLAT ESTHER AND SEFER ZECHARYA
1. Does the Megilla describe the palace of Achashveyrosh in a
manner similar to the Bet Ha'Mikdash?
If so, list those textual parallels.
Based on the questions of PART I (the Historical
Setting), can you suggest a thematic reason for this parallel?
Why do read "v'keilim m'keilim shonim" (1:7) to the tune
of Megillat Eicha?
2. Based on 4:10-11, in what manner is the inner chamber of
Achashveyrosh's palace similar to the Kodesh Ha'Kedoshim of
the Bet ha'Mikdash?
3. Based (once again) on the historical setting of the
Megilla, is there any similarity between God's expectations
from Am Yisrael (as a nation) during this time period and the
behavior Vashti (in 1:11-12)?
Relate your answer to 1:16-18 as well?
Can you also relate your answer to 3:8?
4. How many days elapse between the first edict sent out by
Haman to destroy the Jews (see 3:12-15) and the second edict
sent out by Esther & Mordechi which saved the Jews (see 8:9-
14).
If you follow the plot of the Megilla, approximately on
what day was Haman hung? How many days later did Mordechi and
Esther ask Achashveyrosh to intervene to reverse the original
edict?
On what approximate date do you think those letters
should have gone out? When did they go out instead?
Do you think there is any thematic significance on the
date they went out instead, considering the number of days
which elapsed in the interim?
Can you relate your answer to Yirmiyahu 25:1-10, 29:1-14?
Does the concept of a day for a year (or visa versa) have
any other precedent in Tanach? If so, where? Does it
thematically relate to you answer? [Relate also the Yechezkel
chapter 4.]
5. In the Megilla, the city of Shushan is called SHUSHAN
HA'BIRA. [Note the only other earlier use of the word BIRA in
Tanach in Divrei Hayamim chapter 29. Read 29:1-25 and note its
context, then note the use of the word BIRA in 29:1 & 29:19.]
What does the word BIRA mean in this perek?
Based on that meaning, does it make sense that SHUSHAN is
referred to as a BIRA?
If not, why do you think it is called a BIRA?
Could it relate to the historical setting of the Megilla?
Similarly, compare the amount of silver [kesef] that David
ha'melech prepares to build the first Bet ha' Mikdash (see
Divrei ha'yamim I 29:7 to the amount of money that Haman give
Achashverosh as his 'bribe' to issue the edict against the
Jews (see Esther 3:7-10). Would you say that these identical
amounts are 'coincidental'?
6. In Tanach, prior to Megillat Esther, is there anyone ever
called Mordechi. Does the name stem from a Hebrew word?
Note II Melachim 25:27, where E'viil Merodach, the king
of Bavel is mentioned. Is his name similar to Mordechi?
Can you explain why?
Note as well the name of the Babalonyian king mentioned
in Yeshayahu 39:1-2.
[Btw, for general information, Marduk is the name of an
important Babylonian god.]
7. Review the first 8 chapters of Sefer Zecharya, especially
chapter 1, and chapters 7->8.
a. During what year are these nevuot given?
How does this relate to the Megilla?
b. What is the primary message of Zecharya?
How does it relate to the rebuilding of the Mikdash?
c. What does Zecharya expect for the people to do?
d. In chapter 7, what question is being concerning the fast
of Tisha b'Av ("tzom ha'chamishi")?
Why is this question being asked at this time?
What is Zecharya's answer? [Read thru 8:19!]
e. Should any of this relate thematically to the Megilla?
8. Below is a list of several textual parallels between the
Megilla and Sefer Zecharya. See if you can uncover their
thematic connection (in relation to Yerushalayim).
ZECHARYA MEGILLAT ESTHER
1:1-3 1:11-12
1:8-12,16 2:7 [re:Hadasa/see Mes. Megilla 13a!]
6:8-10
2:5-8 9:19
7:4-9 9:22
8:16-19 9:22, 9:29-31!
9. Read 9:29-32 carefully.
What is the purpose of this 'second letter'?
What does "divrei shalom v'emet" (9:30) mean or refer to?
Why is not mentioned if the 'first letter'?
Is "divrei ha'tzmot vzaakatam" referring to Taanit
Esther?
If not, what other fast days could this be referring
to?
What is pshat in this pasuk, how does it relate to the
reason for the 'second letter'?
How and why would the mitzvah of "matanot l'evyonim" and
"mishloach manot ish l'ra'ayhu" relate to Zecharya?
10. Read Zechayra 8:20-23. How does it relate to 8:18-19?
What is the meaning of "ish yehudi" in 8:23.
Is this phrase mentioned anywhere else in Tanach?
[You guessed it, only in the Megilla.]
Based on this, how would interpret Esther 2:5.
Compare Esther 2:5-6 to Yirmiyahu 29:1-14,
and relate it to your answer.
11. What would be the thematic significance of these parallels
if Achashveyrosh of the Megilla is the Persian King AFTER
Daryavesh (see questions PART I).
Would you say that Megillat Esther takes for granted that
its reader is familiar with Sefer Zecharya?
[And how about Sefer Yirmiyahu?]
12. Let's say that you were asked to complete the following
sentence (after reading the Megilla):
"Was it just by chance that: ___________ ?"
How many phrases can you come up with that could easily
complete the above sentence?
Based on those questions, would you say that the Megilla
may be causing the ready to reach a certain conclusion - and
if so, what would that conclusion be? Does the Megilla ever
state that conclusion explicitly? If not, can you explain why
it doesn't?
According to 9:25-28, what is the reason for calling this
holiday "purim"? What does the word "pur" refer to - and how
does this word relate to things happening 'by chance'?
Can you explain why this name was chosen as most fitting
to name this holiday? [Relate this to the above questions.]
13. Based on the above questions, would you say that the
Megilla contains a 'hidden' message?
If so, what is it, and why is not explicit?
[What earlier nviim gave explicit rebuke?
Did the people ever listen to those rebukes?]
Can you relate this message to certain halachot regarding
Purim, e.g. the law of "mukafot chomah" from the days of
Yehoshua bin Nun, "ad d'lo yada", "masaychot", etc.?
Where is the primary city in which we celebrate SHUSHAN
Purim? Can you explain why?
b'hatzlacha,
menachem
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