Tanach
Esther 1:16-22 אסתר א׳:ט״ז-כ״ב
Part of: Chapter 1
Reading: Hebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlyHebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlySimple English onlyFaithful translation onlySide by sideRashi
וַיֹּאמֶר (מומכן) [מְמוּכָן] לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהַשָּׂרִים לֹא עַל־הַמֶּלֶךְ לְבַדּוֹ עָוְתָה וַשְׁתִּי הַמַּלְכָּה כִּי עַל־כׇּל־הַשָּׂרִים וְעַל־כׇּל־הָעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר בְּכׇל־מְדִינוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֽוֹשׁ׃
Memuchan spoke before the king and the ministers: “It is not only his majesty that Vashti has aggrieved, but all the ministers and all the peoples in all of King Achashverosh’s colonies.
Memuchan spoke before the king and the ministers: “It is not only his majesty that Vashti has aggrieved, but all the ministers and all the peoples in all of King Achashverosh’s colonies.
Rashi
כִּֽי־יֵצֵא דְבַר־הַמַּלְכָּה עַל־כׇּל־הַנָּשִׁים לְהַבְזוֹת בַּעְלֵיהֶן בְּעֵינֵיהֶן בְּאׇמְרָם הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ אָמַר לְהָבִיא אֶת־וַשְׁתִּי הַמַּלְכָּה לְפָנָיו וְלֹא־בָֽאָה׃
For the affair of the queen will extend to all women, so that they will disparage their husbands, saying, ‘King Achashverosh commanded that Queen Vashti be brought before him, but she never came!’
For the affair of the queen will extend to all women, so that they will disparage their husbands, saying, ‘King Achashverosh commanded that Queen Vashti be brought before him, but she never came!’
Rashi
כי יצא דבר המלכה על כל הנשים. זה שביזתה את המלך על כל הנשים להבזות אף הן את בעליהם:
For the affair of the queen will extend to all women. That she showed contempt for the king, [this will cause] all the women to show contempt for their husbands as well.
וְֽהַיּוֹם הַזֶּה תֹּאמַרְנָה ׀ שָׂרוֹת פָּֽרַס־וּמָדַי אֲשֶׁר שָֽׁמְעוּ אֶת־דְּבַר הַמַּלְכָּה לְכֹל שָׂרֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ וּכְדַי בִּזָּיוֹן וָקָֽצֶף׃
This very day, the noblewomen in Persia and Media will say—those who have heard about the affair of the queen shall report it to the king’s ministers causing enormous disparagement and rage!
This very day, the noblewomen in Persia and Media will say—those who have heard about the affair of the queen shall report it to the king’s ministers causing enormous disparagement and rage!
Rashi
תאמרנה שרות פרס ומדי. לכל שרי המלך את הדבר הזה והרי זה מקרא קצר:
The noblewomen in Persia and Media will say, etc. This thing to all the king’s ministers. This is an abbreviated verse.
וכדי בזיון. ויש בדבר הזה הרבה בזיון וקצף:
Causing enormous disparagement and rage. And in this matter there is much contempt and wrath.30Esther Rabbah 4:8. “Contempt” because she had insulted him, and “wrath” because she had disobeyed him. The Gra explains the difference between the two terms חמה (fury) and קצף (anger). The latter [קצף] is displayed outwardly for all to see, and the former (;חמה one keeps to himself.
אִם־עַל־הַמֶּלֶךְ טוֹב יֵצֵא דְבַר־מַלְכוּת מִלְּפָנָיו וְיִכָּתֵב בְּדָתֵי פָֽרַס־וּמָדַי וְלֹא יַעֲבוֹר אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־תָבוֹא וַשְׁתִּי לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ וּמַלְכוּתָהּ יִתֵּן הַמֶּלֶךְ לִרְעוּתָהּ הַטּוֹבָה מִמֶּֽנָּה׃
If his majesty deems it proper, let him issue a royal edict, to be recorded in the bylaws of Persia and Media—never to be revoked—that Vashti must never again appear before King Achashverosh; and let his majesty bestow her regency on a companion of hers who is superior to her.
If his majesty deems it proper, let him issue a royal edict, to be recorded in the bylaws of Persia and Media—never to be revoked—that Vashti must never again appear before King Achashverosh; and let his majesty bestow her regency on a companion of hers who is superior to her.
Rashi
דבר מלכות. גזרת מלכות של נקמה שצוה להורגה:
A royal edict. A royal decree of revenge, i.e., that he commanded to execute her.31And let it become a law that any woman guilty of a similar offense against her husband shall be executed.
ויכתב בדתי פרס ומדי. בספרי חוק ומנהג המלכות:
To be recorded in the bylaws of Persia and Media. In the books of the statutes and the customs of the kingdom.
ולא יעבור. חוק זה מביניהם שיהא זה חוק ודת לכל הבוזה את בעלה:
Never to be revoked. This statute from among them;32ממוכן is another name for Haman (Maseches Megillah 12b). Haman was concerned that Achashveirosh might reconsider and take back Vashti, leaving him vulnerable to her vengeance. Haman therefore requested that the decree be irrevocable. this should be a statute and a law for anyone who shows contempt for her husband.
אשר לא תבוא ושתי. ולכך נהרגה:
That Vashti must never again appear. And therefore she was executed.
וְנִשְׁמַע פִּתְגָם הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶֽׁר־יַעֲשֶׂה בְּכׇל־מַלְכוּתוֹ כִּי רַבָּה הִיא וְכׇל־הַנָּשִׁים יִתְּנוּ יְקָר לְבַעְלֵיהֶן לְמִגָּדוֹל וְעַד־קָטָֽן׃
Now when the news of his majesty’s writ and its implementation reverberates throughout the kingdom—vast as it is—then all the wives will honor their husbands, from the greatest to the least significant.”
Now when the news of his majesty’s writ and its implementation reverberates throughout the kingdom—vast as it is—then all the wives will honor their husbands, from the greatest to the least significant.”
וַיִּיטַב הַדָּבָר בְּעֵינֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהַשָּׂרִים וַיַּעַשׂ הַמֶּלֶךְ כִּדְבַר מְמוּכָֽן׃
The advice was viewed favorably by the king and his ministers, and the king acted on Memuchan’s recommendation.
The advice was viewed favorably by the king and his ministers, and the king acted on Memuchan’s recommendation.
וַיִּשְׁלַח סְפָרִים אֶל־כׇּל־מְדִינוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל־מְדִינָה וּמְדִינָה כִּכְתָבָהּ וְאֶל־עַם וָעָם כִּלְשׁוֹנוֹ לִהְיוֹת כׇּל־אִישׁ שֹׂרֵר בְּבֵיתוֹ וּמְדַבֵּר כִּלְשׁוֹן עַמּֽוֹ׃ {פ}
He dispatched scrolls to all of the king’s colonies—to each and every colony in its own script, and each and every people in their own language—instructing that every husband be dominant in his home, and that his people’s language be the one spoken.
He dispatched scrolls to all of the king’s colonies—to each and every colony in its own script, and each and every people in their own language—instructing that every husband be dominant in his home, and that his people’s language be the one spoken.
Rashi
ומדבר כלשון עמו. כופה את אשתו ללמד את לשונו אם היא בת לשון אחר:
And his people’s language be the one spoken. He can compel his wife to learn his language if her native tongue is different.33Ibid. 4:12. The purpose for this law was to make wives show respect and subjugation to their husbands.
עותה. לשון עון:
Has aggrieved. An expression of iniquity [עָוֹן].29From the root עוה. However, according to the Ibn Ezra the root is עות meaning to act perversely.