Chapter 3

1After these events, King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite and advanced him, and placed his seat above all the princes who were with him.   אאַחַ֣ר | הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה גִּדַּל֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵר֜וֹשׁ אֶת־הָמָ֧ן בֶּֽן־הַמְּדָ֛תָא הָֽאֲגָגִ֖י וַֽיְנְַש֑אֵהוּ וַיָּ֨שֶׂם֙ אֶת־כִּסְא֔וֹ מֵעַ֕ל כָּל־הַשָּׂרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּֽוֹ: ֹ
After these events this remedy was created to be a salvation for Israel.   אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה  שֶׁנִבְרֵאת רְפוּאָה זוּ לִהְיוֹת לִתְשׁוּעָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל:
King Ahasuerus promoted Haman For the Holy One, blessed be He, creates a remedy for Israel’s blow before He brings the blow upon them.   גִּדַּל הַמֶּלֶךְ וְגוֹ' אֶת הָמָן  שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בּוֹרֵא רְפוּאָה לְמַכָּתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל קוֹדֶם שֶׁיָבִיא הַמַּכָּה עֲלֵיהֶם:
2And all the king's servants who were in the king's gate would kneel and prostrate themselves before Haman, for so had the king commanded concerning him, but Mordecai would neither kneel nor prostrate himself.   בוְכָל־עַבְדֵ֨י הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־בְּשַׁ֣עַר הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ כֹּֽרְעִ֤ים וּמִֽשְׁתַּֽחֲוִים֙ לְהָמָ֔ן כִּי־כֵ֖ן צִוָּה־ל֣וֹ הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וּמָ֨רְדֳּכַ֔י לֹ֥א יִכְרַ֖ע וְלֹ֥א יִֽשְׁתַּֽחֲוֶֽה:
would kneel and prostrate themselves Because he made himself a god; therefore “Mordecai would neither kneel nor prostrate himself.”   כֹּרְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים  שֶׁעָשָׂה עַצְמוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ, לְפִיכָךְ, וּמָרְדְּכַי לֹא יִכְרַע וְלֹא יִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה:
3Then the king's servants who were in the king's gate, said to Mordecai, "Why do you disobey the king's orders?"   גוַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ עַבְדֵ֥י הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־בְּשַׁ֥עַר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לְמָרְדֳּכָ֑י מַדּ֨וּעַ֙ אַתָּ֣ה עוֹבֵ֔ר אֵ֖ת מִצְוַ֥ת הַמֶּֽלֶךְ:
4Now it came to pass when they said [this] to him daily, and he did not heed them, that they told [this] to Haman, to see whether Mordecai's words would stand up, for he had told them that he was a Jew.   דוַיְהִ֗י כְּאָמְרָ֤ם (בְּאָמְרָ֤ם כתיב) אֵלָיו֙ י֣וֹם וָי֔וֹם וְלֹ֥א שָׁמַ֖ע אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וַיַּגִּ֣ידוּ לְהָמָ֗ן לִרְאוֹת֙ הֲיַֽעַמְדוּ֙ דִּבְרֵ֣י מָרְדֳּכַ֔י כִּֽי־הִגִּ֥יד לָהֶ֖ם אֲשֶׁר־ה֥וּא יְהוּדִֽי:
whether Mordecai’s words would stand up [i.e., the words of Mordecai,] who said that he would never prostrate himself because he was a Jew, and was warned against idolatry.   הֲיַעַמְדוּ דִּבְרֵי מָרְדְּכַי  הָאוֹמֵר שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה עוֹלָמִית, כִּי הוּא יְהוּדִי, וְהוּזְהַר עַל עֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים:
5And when Haman saw that Mordecai would neither kneel nor prostrate himself before him, Haman became full of wrath.   הוַיַּ֣רְא הָמָ֔ן כִּי־אֵ֣ין מָרְדֳּכַ֔י כֹּרֵ֥עַ וּמִֽשְׁתַּֽחֲוֶ֖ה ל֑וֹ וַיִּמָּלֵ֥א הָמָ֖ן חֵמָֽה:
6But it seemed contemptible to him to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him Mordecai's nationality, and Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout Ahasuerus's entire kingdom, Mordecai's people.   ווַיִּ֣בֶז בְּעֵינָ֗יו לִשְׁלֹ֤ח יָד֙ בְּמָרְדֳּכַ֣י לְבַדּ֔וֹ כִּֽי־הִגִּ֥ידוּ ל֖וֹ אֶת־עַ֣ם מָרְדֳּכָ֑י וַיְבַקֵּ֣שׁ הָמָ֗ן לְהַשְׁמִ֧יד אֶת־כָּל־הַיְּהוּדִ֛ים אֲשֶׁ֛ר בְּכָל־מַלְכ֥וּת אֲחַשְׁוֵר֖וֹשׁ עַ֥ם מָרְדֳּכָֽי:
7In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, one cast the pur-that is the lot-before Haman from day to day and from month to month, to the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.   זבַּחֹ֤דֶשׁ הָֽרִאשׁוֹן֙ הוּא־חֹ֣דֶשׁ נִיסָ֔ן בִּשְׁנַת֙ שְׁתֵּ֣ים עֶשְׂרֵ֔ה לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵר֑וֹשׁ הִפִּ֣יל פּוּר֩ ה֨וּא הַגּוֹרָ֜ל לִפְנֵ֣י הָמָ֗ן מִיּ֧וֹם | לְי֛וֹם וּמֵחֹ֛דֶשׁ לְחֹ֥דֶשׁ שְׁנֵֽים־עָשָׂ֖ר הוּא־חֹ֥דֶשׁ אֲדָֽר:
one cast the pur Whoever cast it, cast it, and the verse does not specify who. This is an elliptical verse.   הִפִּיל פּוּר  הִפִּיל מִי שֶׁהִפִּיל, וְלֹא פִּירֵשׁ מִי. וּמִקְרָא קָצֵר הוּא:
that is the lot Scripture explains: and what is the pur? That is the lot. He cast lots [to determine] in which month he would succeed.   הוּא הַגּוֹרָל  הַכָּתוּב מְפָרֵשׁ וּמַהוּ הַפּוּר הוּא הַגּוֹרָל. הִפִּיל הַגּוֹרָל בְּאֵיזֶה חֹדֶשׁ יַצְלִיחַ:
from day to day in which day of the month he would succeed.   מִיּוֹם לְיוֹם  בְּאֵיזֶה יוֹם בַּחֹדֶשׁ יַצְלִיחַ:
8And Haman said to King Ahasuerus, "There is a certain people scattered and separate among the peoples throughout all the provinces of your kingdom, and their laws differ from [those of] every people, and they do not keep the king's laws; it is [therefore] of no use for the king to let them be.   חוַיֹּ֤אמֶר הָמָן֙ לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵר֔וֹשׁ יֶשְׁנ֣וֹ עַם־אֶחָ֗ד מְפֻזָּ֤ר וּמְפֹרָד֙ בֵּ֣ין הָֽעַמִּ֔ים בְּכֹ֖ל מְדִינ֣וֹת מַלְכוּתֶ֑ךָ וְדָֽתֵיהֶ֞ם שֹׁנ֣וֹת מִכָּל־עָ֗ם וְאֶת־דָּתֵ֤י הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ אֵינָ֣ם עֹשִׂ֔ים וְלַמֶּ֥לֶךְ אֵֽין־שֹׁוֶ֖ה לְהַנִּיחָֽם:
and… the king’s laws to give taxes for the king’s work.   וְאֶת דָּתֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ  לָתֵת מַס לַעֲבוֹדַת הַמֶּלֶךְ:
it is of no use There is no apprehension; there is no profit.   אֵין שֹׁוֶה  אֵין חֲשַׁשׁ. כְּלוֹמַר אֵין בֶּצַע:
9If it pleases the king, let it be written to destroy them, and I will weigh out ten thousand silver talents into the hands of those who perform the work, to bring [it] into the king's treasuries."   טאִם־עַל־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ ט֔וֹב יִכָּתֵ֖ב לְאַבְּדָ֑ם וַֽעֲשֶׂ֨רֶת אֲלָפִ֜ים כִּכַּר־כֶּ֗סֶף אֶשְׁקוֹל֙ עַל־יְדֵי֙ עֹשֵׂ֣י הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה לְהָבִ֖יא אֶל־גִּנְזֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ:
let it be written to destroy them Let letters be written to be sent to the governors of the provinces to destroy them.   יִכָּתֵב לְאַבְּדָם  יִכָּתֵב סְפָרִים לִשְׁלֹחַ לְשָׂרֵי הַמְּדִינוֹת לְאַבְּדָם:
10And the king took his ring off his hand and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the adversary of the Jews.   יוַיָּ֧סַר הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֶת־טַבַּעְתּ֖וֹ מֵעַ֣ל יָד֑וֹ וַֽיִּתְּנָ֗הּ לְהָמָ֧ן בֶּֽן־הַמְּדָ֛תָא הָֽאֲגָגִ֖י צֹרֵ֥ר הַיְּהוּדִֽים:
And the king took his ring off This represents the granting of any great matter that is requested of the king; the one who has the ring on his hand is the ruler over all the king’s affairs.   וַיָּסַר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת טַבַּעְתּוֹ  הוּא מַתַּן כָּל דָּבָר גָּדוֹל שֶׁיִּשְׁאֲלוּ מֵאֵת הַמֶּלֶךְ, לִהְיוֹת מִי שֶׁהַטַּבַּעַת בְּיָדוֹ שַׁלִּיט בְּכָל דְּבַר הַמֶּלֶךְ:
11And the king said to Haman, "The silver is given to you, and the people to do to them as it pleases you."   יאוַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ לְהָמָ֔ן הַכֶּ֖סֶף נָת֣וּן לָ֑ךְ וְהָעָ֕ם לַֽעֲשׂ֥וֹת בּ֖וֹ כַּטּ֥וֹב בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ:
12And the king's scribes were summoned in the first month, on the thirteenth day thereof, and it was written according to everything that Haman had ordered to the king's satraps and to the governors who were over every province, and to the princes of every people, each province according to its script and each people according to its tongue; it was written in the name of King Ahasuerus, and it was sealed with the king's ring.   יבוַיִּקָּֽרְאוּ֩ סֹֽפְרֵ֨י הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָֽרִאשׁ֗וֹן בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֨ה עָשָׂ֣ר יוֹם֘ בּוֹ֒ וַיִּכָּתֵ֣ב כְּֽכָל־אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֣ה הָמָ֡ן אֶ֣ל אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנֵֽי־הַ֠מֶּ֠לֶךְ וְֽאֶל־הַפַּח֞וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר | עַל־מְדִינָ֣ה וּמְדִינָ֗ה וְאֶל־שָׂ֤רֵי עַם֙ וָעָ֔ם מְדִינָ֤ה וּמְדִינָה֙ כִּכְתָבָ֔הּ וְעַ֥ם וָעָ֖ם כִּלְשׁוֹנ֑וֹ בְּשֵׁ֨ם הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֹשׁ֙ נִכְתָּ֔ב וְנֶחְתָּ֖ם בְּטַבַּ֥עַת הַמֶּֽלֶךְ:
13And letters shall be sent by the hand of the couriers to all the king's provinces, to destroy, kill, and cause to perish all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, on one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and their spoils to be taken as plunder.   יגוְנִשְׁל֨וֹחַ סְפָרִ֜ים בְּיַ֣ד הָֽרָצִים֘ אֶל־כָּל־מְדִינ֣וֹת הַמֶּ֒לֶךְ֒ לְהַשְׁמִ֡יד לַֽהֲרֹ֣ג וּלְאַבֵּ֣ד אֶת־כָּל־הַ֠יְּהוּדִ֠ים מִנַּ֨עַר וְעַד־זָקֵ֜ן טַ֤ף וְנָשִׁים֙ בְּי֣וֹם אֶחָ֔ד בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֥ה עָשָׂ֛ר לְחֹ֥דֶשׁ שְׁנֵֽים־עָשָׂ֖ר הוּא־חֹ֣דֶשׁ אֲדָ֑ר וּשְׁלָלָ֖ם לָבֽוֹז:
And letters shall be sent Heb. וְנִשְּׁלוֹחַ. And letters shall be sent, étre tramis in 0. Fr., to be sent, which is of the [same grammatical] structure as (Jud. 11:25): “did he ever fight? (נִלְחוֹם נִלְחַם);” (I Sam. 2:27): “Did I appear? (נִגְלֹה נִגְלֵיתִי) (Hos. 10:15):” was silenced (נִדְמֹה נִדְמָה)."   וְנִשְׁלוֹחַ סְפָרִים  וְיִהְיוּ נִשְׁלָחִים אישטר"א טרמי"ש בלע"ז. וְהוּא מִגִּזְרַת "אִם נִלְחוֹם נִלְחַם" נִלְחוֹם, "הַנִגְלֹה נִגְלֵיתִי" נִגְלֹה, "נִדְמֹה נִדְמֵיתִי": נִדְמֹה:
on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month On the thirteenth day of that month, which is the twelfth month of the year.   בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁה עָשָׂר לְחֹדֶשׁ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר  בְּיוֹם י"ג לְאוֹתוֹ חֹדֶשׁ שֶׁהוּא י"ב לְחָדְשֵׁי הַשָנָה:
14The copy of the writ was for an edict to be given in every province, published to all the peoples, to be ready for that day.   ידפַּתְשֶׁ֣גֶן הַכְּתָ֗ב לְהִנָּ֤תֵֽן דָּת֙ בְּכָל־מְדִינָ֣ה וּמְדִינָ֔ה גָּל֖וּי לְכָל־הָֽעַמִּ֑ים לִֽהְי֥וֹת עֲתִדִ֖ים לַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה:
The copy of the writ Heb. פַּתְשֶּׁגֶן, an Aramaism, the account of the writ, deresmant in Old French, text, contents, account.   פַּתְשֶׁגֶן  לָשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי פַּתְשֶׁגֶן סִפּוּר הַכְּתָב דרישמאנ"ט בְּלַעַ"ז:
for an edict to be given The command of the writ was that it proclaimed that the decree of the king should be issued as a statute.   לְהִנָּתֵן דָּת  צִוּוּי הַכְּתָב שֶׁהָיָה אוֹמֵר לְהִנָּתֵן חֹק גְּזֵרַת הַמֶּלֶךְ:
published to all the peoples This matter.   גָּלוּי לְכָל הָעַמִּים  דָּבָר זֶה:
15The couriers went forth in haste by the king's order, and the edict was given in Shushan the capital, and the king and Haman sat down to drink, and the city of Shushan was perturbed.   טוהָֽרָצִ֞ים יָֽצְא֤וּ דְחוּפִים֙ בִּדְבַ֣ר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְהַדָּ֥ת נִתְּנָ֖ה בְּשׁוּשַׁ֣ן הַבִּירָ֑ה וְהַמֶּ֤לֶךְ וְהָמָן֙ יָֽשְׁב֣וּ לִשְׁתּ֔וֹת וְהָעִ֥יר שׁוּשָׁ֖ן נָבֽוֹכָה:
and the edict was given in Shushan the capital the place where the king was situated; there the statute was given on that day, to be ready for the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. Therefore   וְהַדָּת נִתְּנָה בְּשׁוּשַׁן  מָקוֹם שֶׁהָיָה הַמֶּלֶךְ שָׁם נִתַּן הַחֹק בּוֹ בַיּוֹם, לִהְיוֹת עֲתִידִים לְיוֹם י"ג לְחֹדֶשׁ אֲדָר. לְכַךְ,
and the city of Shushan was perturbed [i.e] the Jews therein.   וְהָעִיר שׁוּשָׁן נָבוֹכָה  הַיְּהוּדִים שֶׁבָּהּ: