| 1Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther clothed herself regally, and she stood in the inner court of the king's house, opposite the king's house, and the king was sitting on his royal throne in the royal palace, opposite the entrance of the house. |
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אוַיְהִ֣י | בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֗י וַתִּלְבַּ֤שׁ אֶסְתֵּר֙ מַלְכ֔וּת וַֽתַּֽעֲמֹ֞ד בַּֽחֲצַ֤ר בֵּֽית־הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ הַפְּנִימִ֔ית נֹ֖כַח בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְ֠הַמֶּ֠לֶךְ יוֹשֵׁ֞ב עַל־כִּסֵּ֤א מַלְכוּתוֹ֙ בְּבֵ֣ית הַמַּלְכ֔וּת נֹ֖כַח פֶּ֥תַח הַבָּֽיִת: |
| regally regal clothing. But our Sages said (Meg. 15a) that divine inspiration enwrapped her, as it is said (I Chron. 12:18): “And a spirit enwrapped Amasai.” |
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מַלְכוּת
בִּגְדֵי מַלְכוּת. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ: שֶׁלְּבָשַׁתָּה רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר "וְרוּחַ לָבְשָׁה אֶת עֲמָשַׂי":
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| 2And it came to pass when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she won favor in his eyes, and the king extended to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand, and Esther approached and touched the end of the scepter. |
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בוַיְהִי֩ כִרְא֨וֹת הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶת־אֶסְתֵּ֣ר הַמַּלְכָּ֗ה עֹמֶ֨דֶת֙ בֶּֽחָצֵ֔ר נָֽשְׂאָ֥ה חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינָ֑יו וַיּ֨וֹשֶׁט הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ לְאֶסְתֵּ֗ר אֶת־שַׁרְבִ֤יט הַזָּהָב֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּיָד֔וֹ וַתִּקְרַ֣ב אֶסְתֵּ֔ר וַתִּגַּ֖ע בְּרֹ֥אשׁ הַשַּׁרְבִֽיט: |
| 3And the king said to her, "What concerns you, Queen Esther, and what is your petition? Even to half the kingdom, it will be given to you." |
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גוַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ מַה־לָּ֖ךְ אֶסְתֵּ֣ר הַמַּלְכָּ֑ה וּמַה־בַּקָּֽשָׁתֵ֛ךְ עַד־חֲצִ֥י הַמַּלְכ֖וּת וְיִנָּ֥תֵֽן לָֽךְ: |
| Even to half the kingdom A thing that is in the middle and at the halfway mark of the kingdom. That is the Temple, which they started to build in the days of Cyrus, and he reneged and commanded to discontinue the work, and Ahasuerus, who succeeded him, also discontinued the work. The simple meaning of the verse is: Even if you request half the kingdom from me, I will give it to you. |
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עַד חֲצִי הַמַּלְכוּת
דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא בְאֶמְצַע וּבַחֲצִי הַמַּלְכוּת. הוּא בֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, שֶׁהִתְחִילוּ לִבְנוֹתוֹ בִּימֵי כֹרֶשׁ, וְחָזַר בּוֹ וְצִוָּה לְבַטֵּל הַמְּלָאכָה. וַאֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ שֶׁעָמַד אַחֲרָיו גַּם הוּא בִּטֵּל הַמְּלָאכָה. וּפְשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא: אַף אִם תִּשְׁאֲלִי מִמֶּנִּי חֲצִי הַמַּלְכוּת, אֶתֵּן לָךְ:
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| 4And Esther said, "If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him." |
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דוַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֶסְתֵּ֔ר אִם־עַל־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ ט֑וֹב יָב֨וֹא הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ וְהָמָן֙ הַיּ֔וֹם אֶל־הַמִּשְׁתֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֥יתִי לֽוֹ: |
| let the king and Haman come Our Sages stated many reasons for the matter. What did Esther see (i.e., what motivated her) to invite Haman? In order to make the king and the princes jealous of him, that the king should think that he desired her and kill him, and many other reasons. |
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יָבוֹא הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהָמָן
רַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ טְעָמִים הַרְבֵּה בַדָּבָר: מָה רָאֲתָה אֶסְתֵּר שֶׁזִּמְּנָה אֶת הָמָן כְּדֵי לְקַנְאוֹ בַּמֶּלֶךְ וּבַשָּׂרִים, שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ יַחְשֹׁב שֶׁהוּא חוֹשֵׁק אֵלֶיהָ וְיַהַרְגֶנּוּ, וְעוֹד טְעָמִים רַבִּים:
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| to the banquet Heb. (הַמִשְּׁתֶּה) lit. drinking feast. Every banquet is called (מִשְּׁתֶּה) on account of the wine, which is the principal feature. |
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אֶל הַמִּשְׁתֶּה
כָּל סְעוּדָה נִקְרֵאת עַל שֵׁם הַיַּיִן שֶׁהוּא עִיקָר:
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| 5And the king said, "Rush Haman to do Esther's bidding," and the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared. |
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הוַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ מַֽהֲרוּ֙ אֶת־הָמָ֔ן לַֽעֲשׂ֖וֹת אֶת־דְּבַ֣ר אֶסְתֵּ֑ר וַיָּבֹ֤א הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ וְהָמָ֔ן אֶל־הַמִּשְׁתֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁר־עָֽשְׂתָ֥ה אֶסְתֵּֽר: |
| 6And the king said to Esther during the wine banquet, "What is your petition? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it shall be fulfilled." |
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ווַיֹּ֨אמֶר הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ לְאֶסְתֵּר֙ בְּמִשְׁתֵּ֣ה הַיַּ֔יִן מַה־שְּׁאֵֽלָתֵ֖ךְ וְיִנָּ֣תֵֽן לָ֑ךְ וּמַה־בַּקָּֽשָׁתֵ֛ךְ עַד־חֲצִ֥י הַמַּלְכ֖וּת וְתֵעָֽשׂ: |
| 7Then Esther replied and said, "My petition and my request [are as follows]: |
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זוַתַּ֥עַן אֶסְתֵּ֖ר וַתֹּאמַ֑ר שְׁאֵֽלָתִ֖י וּבַקָּֽשָׁתִֽי: |
| 8If I have found favor in the king's eyes, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and to fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I will make for them, and tomorrow I will do the king's bidding." |
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חאִם־מָצָ֨אתִי חֵ֜ן בְּעֵינֵ֣י הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ וְאִם־עַל־הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ ט֔וֹב לָתֵת֙ אֶת־שְׁאֵ֣לָתִ֔י וְלַֽעֲשׂ֖וֹת אֶת־בַּקָּֽשָׁתִ֑י יָב֧וֹא הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ וְהָמָ֗ן אֶל־הַמִּשְׁתֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֣ה לָהֶ֔ם וּמָחָ֥ר אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֖ה כִּדְבַ֥ר הַמֶּֽלֶךְ: |
| and tomorrow I will do the king’s bidding that which you requested of me all these days, i.e., to reveal my nationality and my lineage to you. |
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וּמָחָר אֶעֱשֶׂה כִּדְבַר הַמֶּלֶךְ
מַה שֶּׁבִּקַּשְׁתָּ מִמֶּנִּי כָּל הַיָּמִים, לְגַלּוֹת לְךָ אֶת עַמִּי וְאֶת מוֹלַדְתִּי:
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| 9And Haman went out on that day, happy and with a cheerful heart, but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, and he neither rose nor stirred because of him, Haman was filled with wrath against Mordecai. |
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טוַיֵּצֵ֤א הָמָן֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא שָׂמֵ֖חַ וְט֣וֹב לֵ֑ב וְכִרְאוֹת֩ הָמָ֨ן אֶֽת־מָרְדֳּכַ֜י בְּשַׁ֣עַר הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ וְלֹא־קָם֙ וְלֹא־זָ֣ע מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וַיִּמָּלֵ֥א הָמָ֛ן עַֽל־מָרְדֳּכַ֖י חֵמָֽה: |
| 10But Haman restrained himself, and he came home, and he sent and brought his friends and Zeresh his wife. |
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יוַיִּתְאַפַּ֣ק הָמָ֔ן וַיָּב֖וֹא אֶל־בֵּית֑וֹ וַיִּשְׁלַ֛ח וַיָּבֵ֥א אֶת־אֹֽהֲבָ֖יו וְאֶת־זֶ֥רֶשׁ אִשְׁתּֽוֹ: |
| restrained himself He strengthened himself to control his anger because he was afraid to take revenge without the sanction of the king. וַיִתְאַפַּק is eseretint in Old French, and he controlled himself. |
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וַיִּתְאַפַּק
נִתְחַזֵּק לַעֲמֹד עַל כַּעְסוֹ, כִּי הָיָה יָרֵא לְהִנָּקֵם בְּלֹא רְשׁוּת. וַיִּתְאַפַּק אישטנט"ר בְּלַעַ"ז:
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| 11And Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches and the multitude of his sons, and all [the ways] that the king had promoted him and that he had exalted him over the princes and the king's servants. |
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יאוַיְסַפֵּ֨ר לָהֶ֥ם הָמָ֛ן אֶת־כְּב֥וֹד עָשְׁר֖וֹ וְרֹ֣ב בָּנָ֑יו וְאֵת֩ כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר גִּדְּל֤וֹ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ וְאֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁ֣ר נְִשּא֔וֹ עַל־הַשָרִ֖ים וְעַבְדֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ: |
| 12And Haman said, "Esther did not even bring [anyone] to the party that she made, except me, and tomorrow, too, I am invited to her with the king. |
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יבוַיֹּ֘אמֶר֘ הָמָן֒ אַ֣ף לֹֽא־הֵבִ֩יאָה֩ אֶסְתֵּ֨ר הַמַּלְכָּ֧ה עִם־הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֶל־הַמִּשְׁתֶּ֥ה אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֖תָה כִּ֣י אִם־אוֹתִ֑י וְגַם־לְמָחָ֛ר אֲנִ֥י קָֽרוּא־לָ֖הּ עִם־הַמֶּֽלֶךְ: |
| 13But all this is worth nothing to me, every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting in the king's gate." |
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יגוְכָל־זֶ֕ה אֵינֶ֥נּוּ שֹׁוֶ֖ה לִ֑י בְּכָל־עֵ֗ת אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנִ֤י רֹאֶה֙ אֶת־מָרְדֳּכַ֣י הַיְּהוּדִ֔י יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּשַׁ֥עַר הַמֶּֽלֶךְ: |
| is worth nothing to me I do not care for all the honor that I have. |
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אֵינֶנּוּ שֹׁוֶה לִי
אֵינִי חָשׁ לְכָל הַכָּבוֹד אֲשֶׁר לִי:
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| every time, etc. Our Sages said that he [Mordecai] would show him a deed that he [Haman] had sold himself [to Mordecai] as a slave because he lacked food when Mordecai and Haman were appointed heads of troops in a war. |
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בְּכָל עֵת וגו'
אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁהָיָה מַרְאֶה לוֹ שְׁטַר שֶׁמָּכַר עַצְמוֹ לְעֶבֶד עַל חֹסֶר מְזוֹנוֹת כְּשֶׁנִּתְמַנּוּ רָאשֵׁי גְיָסוֹת מָרְדְּכַי וְהָמָן בְּמִלְחָמָה אַחַת:
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| 14And Zeresh his wife and all his friends said, "Let them make a gallows fifty cubits high, and in the morning say to the king that they should hang Mordecai on it, and go to the king to the banquet joyfully." The matter pleased Haman, and he made the gallows. |
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ידוַתֹּ֣אמֶר לוֹ֩ זֶ֨רֶשׁ אִשְׁתּ֜וֹ וְכָל־אֹֽהֲבָ֗יו יַֽעֲשׂוּ־עֵץ֘ גָּבֹ֣הַּ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים אַמָּה֒ וּבַבֹּ֣קֶר | אֱמֹ֣ר לַמֶּ֗לֶךְ וְיִתְל֤וּ אֶֽת־מָרְדֳּכַי֙ עָלָ֔יו וּבֹ֧א־עִם־הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֶל־הַמִּשְׁתֶּ֖ה שָׂמֵ֑חַ וַיִּיטַ֧ב הַדָּבָ֛ר לִפְנֵ֥י הָמָ֖ן וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָעֵֽץ: |
