The story of the Megillah seems to be a royal drama that has virtually no bearing on the masses. All decisions are made in the royal palace, predominantly according to his transient mood. Upon finding favor with the king, Haman gains the authority to do as he pleases with the Jewish people. However, when Esther appeals to the king and obtains his grace, Mordechai is elevated to a position of great importance while Haman and his sons are ultimately executed.
This basic reading of the Megillah renders the dramatic transformation as a change in the king’s position. But if we look more carefully, it seems the story is far more complex.
The Megillah opens with a description of the banquets of Achashverosh for his ministers and servants as well as the residents of Shushan. The opinion of the general populace, it emerged, was important for the king. Recognizing this importance, Achashverosh decides to make a substantial investment in order to win the people’s respect and endear himself to them. Already at the beginning, the Megillah thus hints at the significance of the public mood.
In the light of this prelude, I wish to offer a reading of the Megillah that sees its course as a change in the status of the Jews, in their self-perception, and in the public feeling towards them.
What Saved the Jews?
Even after Mordechai rises to greatness, Achashverosh does not cancel the decree hovering over the heads of the Jews. He tells Mordechai that he cannot repeal the first letter permitting the slaying of the Jews. Instead, he issued a bill granting the Jews permission to gather and take a stand to defend themselves.
But what’s the point of this? Does a group threatened with wholesale massacre need permission from the king to rise up to defend itself? Obviously, this is what the Jews would have done anyway. They did not require an official letter with the king’s seal to authorize them to save their skin from those who wished to harm them. What did they have to lose?
Not only the Jews but even the surrounding population celebrated: “And many of the peoples of the land became Jewish, for fear of the Jews fell upon them.” Why was there such great joy, and why such great fear? What changed?
Yet, the Megillah tells us that the Jews reacted rather differently to the second directive: “And in every province and in every city, where the word of the king and his law reached, there was joy and happiness for the Jews, feasting and a day of celebration.” Not only the Jews but even the surrounding population celebrated: “And many of the peoples of the land became Jewish, for fear of the Jews fell upon them.” Why was there such great joy, and why such great fear? What changed?
The answer is latent in the preceding verse: “And Mordechai went out from before the king in royal robes of blue and white and a large gold crown and a diadem of fine linen and purple, and the city was rejoicing and delighted. The Jews had light and gladness, and joy and honor.” The rejoicing was more a factor of beholding Mordechai’s grandeur and less of reading the king’s order. The momentum, we would say today, had shifted.
When Haman rose to power, the popular sentiment was that the Jews were a foreign and highly unwelcome element among the Persians. The people did not necessarily like Haman. On the contrary, at the height of Haman’s greatness, we are told that “the city of Shushan was troubled.” The people were disturbed by Haman’s rise to power. However, despite the trouble created by his prominence, the decree created an atmosphere whereby Jews were perceived as being on the losing side. Those who desired to harm the Jews achieved great power, while the Jews could not even contemplate taking up arms. They were overcome with a sense of despair, causing their motivation and resistance to falter. They became trapped in the mindset of being persecuted and weak. This is what stood in their way of taking action.
The sudden rise of Mordechai reshuffled the deck. In reality, nothing significant changed, but the message conveyed was that the Jewish people were once again in a favorable position. In an instant, they found themselves overcome with joy and happiness, causing their enemies everywhere to become fearful and despairing. The Jews quickly became the dominant force within the kingdom, causing their enemies to cower in defeat, though the law still allowed them to destroy, kill, and annihilate them – the initial edict was not canceled! What changed the situation of the Jews was not the law but the transformation in the public mood.
Changing the Public Mood: Then and Now
This is how the miracle of Purim was manifest – a change in the public mood from “the city of Shushan is troubled” to “the city of Shushan was triumphant and celebrating.” The significant transformation was not in the king’s mood but in the public spirit. The king is thus nothing more than a representative of public opinion. When the fortunes of the Jews declined, Haman was appointed to a senior position, and the Jews were handed over to his control. Mordechai’s rise to greatness, likewise, marked the rise of the Jews, bringing about a complete change in the course of history.
The State of Israel, we could say, is troubled. What needs to change is not this or that detail of the law – although the ostensible issue at hand is a set of judicial reforms – but rather the public sentiment, which is what truly determines public processes. It’s not the laws nor the legislators but rather the public mood that matters
This message resonates today in times of discord and disharmony among the Jews of Israel. The State of Israel, we could say, is troubled. What needs to change is not this or that detail of the law – although the ostensible issue at hand is a set of judicial reforms – but rather the public sentiment, which is what truly determines public processes. It’s not the laws nor the legislators but rather the public mood that matters.
How, however, do we change the public mood? For that, it seems, we need some fresh leadership – something along the lines of Mordechai and Esther.
Very good! Israel needs to heed the message of President Herzog: the unity and compromise is more important than the details. For too long the mentality of the politicians was “divide and conquer” , which led to “Sinat Hinam”. This we know ;was the cause of the destruction of thee Temple.