Volume XII Issue 4 MA’AYANEI TORAH
‫מעיני תורה‬
‫פורים‬
A New View of Achashverosh
Ms. Sarah Gordon
Talmud, Jewish History, Jewish Philosophy, Student Activities
The beginning of Megillat Esther presents us with a
very negative view of Achashverosh. He appears to be a he-
donistic king who spends his days organizing lavish parties
for both his inner circle of advisors and for his entire king-
dom. No expense is spared at these gatherings: wine is flow-
ing, treasures and riches are displayed and even the queen is
commanded to appear to show off her beauty, all for the
glory and entertainment of the king. Achashverosh is por-
trayed as a drunkard and an impulsive king who will likely
continue to act foolishly throughout the Megillah.
However, when one looks at the Megillah in its his-
torical context, a very different picture of Achashverosh
emerges. Rabbi Dr. Binyamin Lau (the nephew of former
Israeli Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau) explains that Achash-
verosh corresponds historically with the Persian king
Xerxes, who reigned from 485 to 465 BCE. Historically,
when Xerxes became king, his subjects rioted in opposition,
requiring him to spend his first three years in power quash-
ing these rebellions and solidifying his empire. He then fo-
cused on expanding his kingdom, turning his attention to
attacking the Greek empire. Though his campaigns were
successful at first, his fleet was ultimately destroyed off the
coast of Greece, forcing the remainder of his army to return
to Persia in disgrace.
This historical perspective radically changes our
view of Achashverosh. The Megillah tells us that the open-
ing perek takes place during "shenat shalosh le-
malcho" (3:3), which would coincide historically with
Achashverosh’s vanquishing of the rebellions within his em-
pire. Therefore, the parties at the beginning of the Megillah
are not meaningless and frivolous in their extravagance;
rather, they are a calculated political move meant to solidify
his empire and unify support for his kingdom. Achashverosh
wanted to rally the leaders of the different provinces of his
kingdom and bring them to Shushan where they could wit-
ness his military strength and economic power. This would
help convince them that Persia was ready for his next objec-
tive – a military campaign against Greece. When Achash-
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‫אדר תש“ע‬
verosh follows this 180-day party with a celebration for the
citizens of Shushan, his goals are similar: after spending the
last few years putting down rebellions, he now wants to gain
back popular support for his kingdom from among the
masses.
However, when looking at the second perek of the
Megillah, it seems that the personality of Achashverosh has
changed. He has switched from a politically savvy ruler,
who knows how to manipulate both the aristocracy and the
masses of Persia, into a passive, neurotic king who spends
his days occupied with the affairs of his harem rather than
the foreign affairs of his kingdom. Rabbi Dr. Lau explains
that historically, the events of this perek occur after Achash-
verosh’s army has returned to Persia defeated and humili-
ated by the Greeks. Achashverosh has now fallen into a de-
pressive state, which explains his sudden change in behav-
ior. The historical context also explains the actions of Big-
tan and Teresh, since presumably, Greece’s victory has
shaken Persian confidence in Achashverosh, and has even
encouraged coups against his leadership.
Furthermore, now that Achashverosh has fallen into
a paranoid depression, the time is ripe for the other major
characters in the Megillah to advance their personal inter-
ests. Capitalizing on Achashverosh’s need for a scapegoat
for his military failures, Haman points to the Jewish people,
thereby advancing himself into the king’s inner circle.
Esther also has Achashverosh’s paranoia in mind when she
sets the stage for Haman’s downfall, insinuating that she
and Haman share more than just a professional relationship
when inviting only Achashverosh and Haman to her per-
sonal banquets. Finally, G-d Himself manipulates certain
events in the Megillah to allow Achashverosh to see Haman
as disloyal, and Mordechai as his opposite—the trusted ser-
vant of the king. Nothing could enrage and frighten this
paranoid king more than Haman’s actions: he arrives at
Achashverosh’s palace in the middle of the night and then
reveals his desire for the throne when he answers Achash-
verosh that a proper reward for a person the king wishes to
honor would be a ride on the king’s horse in royal clothing,
a thinly veiled allusion to Haman’s ultimate goal of seizing
control of the empire.
Thus, we see that the historical context of the Me-
gillah can illuminate both the personality of Achashverosh
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 Volume XII Issue 4 MA’AYANEI TORAH
and the course of events in the Megillah. What lesson does
this have for us today? When we examine Achashverosh,
we can see how, due to his inability to deal with setbacks
and defeat, a diplomatically savvy, intelligent king allowed
himself to become a paranoid and xenophobic ruler over-
night. Achashverosh was not a fool, but failure and depres-
sion caused him to give up. Conversely, when we look at
Mordechai and the Jewish people throughout the Megillah,
we see a very different reaction to difficulties and persecu-
tion. No matter what the Jewish people faced and no matter
how bleak the picture, the Jews, following Mordechai’s op-
timistic leadership, never gave up hope or stopped fight-
ing. Even in seemingly hopeless situations—Esther being
taken to the palace, the decree calling for the destruction of
the Jewish people, Achashverosh refusing to overturn Ha-
man’s decree and the Jews (a civilian population) having to
defend themselves against an unruly, murderous mob—
Mordechai rallied the people both spiritually and physically,
inspiring Esther to act and leading the people to action and
ultimately, victory.
The message of the Megillah has now become
clear. We live in times where things don’t always go as
planned, both in our personal lives and on the national
sphere. How do we or our leadership react to setbacks and
defeat? With the despair and resignation of Achashverosh,
or with the optimism and unflinching activism of Mor-
dechai? Historically, the Jewish people have always fol-
lowed Mordechai’s lead. We see this most strikingly in the
turbulent events leading up the creation of the State of Israel
in 1948. Whether building kibbutzim on malaria-ridden
swamplands, fighting off bands of Arab marauders, smug-
gling thousands of Holocaust survivors from displaced per-
son camps in decrepit ships past British blockades, and fi-
nally defeating five Arab armies to win our independence,
the Jews could not have accomplished all this without the
inspiration and model of Mordechai. May we always con-
tinue to follow this approach for many years to come!
Thank you to Ms. Devorah Wolf for her help in editing this article.
The Month of Adar
Michal Wiseman (’11)
While many people know the phrase, “Mi-she-
nichnas Adar marbin be-simchah” and the tune that goes
along with it, few people know the reason for the phrase and
the meaning behind it. This famous phrase is stated in
Massechet Ta’anit 29a, in a comparison with the relatively
unknown phrase, “Mi-she-nichnas Av mima’atin be-
simchah;” “just as we lessen our joy in the month of Av,
similarly we increase our joy in the month of Adar.” Ini-
tially, the comparison appears logical, but the equivalence
between Av and Adar is not really so smooth. It is logical to
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‫אדר תש“ע‬
be sad for the entire month of Av since the sorrow com-
memorated in the month of Av begins in Tammuz and contin-
ues through Tish’ah be-Av. However, there does not seem to
be a comparable reason for extending the simchah of Purim
to the entire month of Adar. If so, then why should we be
happy from the beginning of Adar?
Two opinions on this matter are found in the Sefer
HaToda’ah and Netivot Shalom. The Sefer HaToda’ah sug-
gests that Jews are happy from the beginning of Adar since
Adar is a favorable month for the Jews, and it is when the
Jews are their strongest. In the Megillah, Haman was un-
aware of this, and rejoiced when the lots he cast indicated
that the Jews would be destroyed on the 13th of Adar. How-
ever, the Jews could never be destroyed in Adar. Therefore,
instead of this being a month of mourning for Bnei Yisrael, it
was a month of happiness—because Bnei Yisrael could
never be overcome in the month of Adar. Furthermore, Me-
gillat Esther explicitly states that the entire month was one
of happiness: “And the month which had been transformed
for them from one of sorrow to gladness, and from mourning
to festivity” (Esther 9:22). We begin celebrating on the first
of Adar not because that is when the Purim miracle began;
rather because that is our strongest time.
The Netivot Shalom takes a different approach and
says that the holiday of Purim is of greater magnitude than
the holiday of Yom Kippur. Hence Yom Kippur is called Yom
HaKippurim, a day that is like Purim - the lesser holiday is
compared to the greater holiday. Since we prepare for Yom
Kippur ten days in advance with the Aseret Yemei Teshuvah,
similarly we should prepare for Purim a few days in ad-
vance. Therefore, the simchah of Purim is mandated to be-
gin on Rosh Chodesh Adar so that there are ten days of
preparation leading up to the first possible date of celebra-
tion, the 11th of Adar. (According to the mishnah in Megil-
lah 1:1, the 11th is the first date one may read Megillat
Esther if one knows that he will miss the reading on Purim
itself.)
The comparison between Yom Kippur to Purim may
seem shocking, since Purim is a holiday of outward displays
of joy and mirth, whereas Yom Kippur is somber and full of
internal reflection. But the comparison is more understand-
able upon realizing that Adar is designated as a propitious
month for the Jews, just as Tishrei is set aside for teshuvah.
Haman’s plan fell specifically in Adar because it is our
strongest month and Haman could not succeed in our time of
strength. This period of grace was granted to us by HaShem.
Haman would never defeat the Jewish people because
HaShem guaranteed us our survival by making the pur fall in
Adar. On the other hand, Yom Kippur is when we are made
to work in order to ensure our successful future, but in both
months our future becomes assured.
Volume XII Issue 4 MA’AYANEI TORAH
Additionally, the comparison between the holidays
of Purim and Yom HaKippurim proves that nothing can be
taken for granted - not life and not HaShem’s miracles.
Although it is not explicit from the text of Megillat Esther
that HaShem intervened on our behalf, we must realize and
be grateful to Him, and be marbin be-simchah throughout
the month of Adar.
Bigtan and Teresh:
Minor Murderers or Important Initiators?
Talia Moss and Ilana Teicher (’12)
Megillat Esther is proof of HaShem’s constant, yet
discreet, involvement in the world. As many Jewish chil-
dren are taught, the Megillah’s lack of HaShem’s name
represents His hidden miracles. The Megillah’s minor and
seemingly unimportant characters are also evidence of His
concealed involvement. These insignificant individuals are
positioned in the story by HaShem in order to set His plan
into motion. This can be seen throughout the Tanach. For
example, in the story of Esther, the public hanging
of Haman and his sons would not have occurred with-
out Charbonah’s suggestion. In the Book of Num-
bers, Eldad and Medad showed that HaShem wants every-
one to prophesy; and, the mikoshesh eitzim (wood-cutter)
helped make a statement about violating Shabbat. In addi-
tion, both the butler and the baker in the story of Yosef, and
Bigtan and Teresh in Megillat Esther, have important roles
in causing the subsequent events.
These last two character pairs have many important
parallels. All four are “chamberlains” to the kings for which
they work. In addition, their names are paral-
lel: Teresh comes from the same root as teerosh, meaning
grapes, which corresponds to the butler; the name Bigtan in
Persian means “gift of god,” and this is surely analogous to
bread, which is the basis of life, and is a holy substance in
many religions. Through these corresponding character
pairs, HaShem triggers the ensuing stories. The Midrash
Rabbah quotes that the butler and the baker,
and Bigtan and Teresh, were both described in relation to
anger with the same root word of “katzaf,” and in both cases
make the protagonists of their respective stories
great. Bigtan and Teresh were enraged with
King Achashverosh and plotted to kill him,
and Mordechai revealed this to the king. According
to Rashi, Bigtan and Teresh brought out Mordechai’s talent
with languages. Also, this occurrence was written in the
king’s book of records, and led to Mordechai’s great parade
through the streets of Persia. In the story of Yosef, the but-
ler’s and the baker’s mistakes infuriated Pharaoh, as he be-
lieved that they were plotting to kill him. He therefore im-
prisoned his two servants. In jail, Yosef met them and inter-
preted their dreams, revealing his talent which brought him
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‫אדר תש“ע‬
out of jail and made him second to the king. Both Bigtan and
Teresh, and the butler and the baker, began the main charac-
ters’ rise to power. Without their small contributions, Mor-
dechai would not have been able to rescue the Jews from Ha-
man, and Yosef could not have saved Egypt from a famine.
This correlation shows that even at a time when
HaShem is not visibly present such as in the Megillah, every-
thing has an important purpose. People and events may seem
unimportant, but they are actually essential for HaShem’s
master plan. Bigtan and Teresh, who were only granted
three pesukim in the Megillah and had very
few mefarshim write about them, in fact made a significant
difference in the story. If not for them, the entire future of the
Jews from that point on would have been altered drasti-
cally. This lesson of small details having an impact can be
extended to our lives. Even though HaShem is not noticeably
involved, He manipulates the events in our world. Every
seemingly trivial thing that is done can have great effects on
others and on the course of the world.
Written with the help of Ms. Gordon, Shani Taragin, and people who walk
through Ms. F.’s office.
Hidden Views
Shira Hanau (’13)
Since today we only have hidden miracles, nisim
nistarim, it is very easy to attribute them to nature or happen-
stance. It is hard to see an event as it is happening in the pre-
sent as the work of HaShem. But as the saying goes,
“hindsight is 20/20.” When one looks back on an event, it
can seem much more obvious that it is indeed from
HaShem.
Rashi points out, in Devarim 25:17, that the idea that
everything is mere chance and that every event is random and
coincidental is the view of the nation of Amalek. On Purim,
Haman (who was a direct descendant of Amalek) used a lot-
tery, sheer randomness, to determine the best day to kill the
Jews. When Amalek attacked the Jews after they left Egypt,
the people of Amalek were trying to prove their belief in co-
incidence by challenging Bnei Yisrael’s reputation of inde-
structibility. Unfortunately, though they did not succeed in
defeating the Jews, they did succeed in infusing Jewish
minds with their belief in chance. Since then, Jews have
struggled with the opposing views of coincidence and
HaShem’s providence.
In Megillat Esther, HaShem’s name is never men-
tioned or hinted to (although according to some opinions, the
word “ha-melech” does allude to HaShem). This makes it
exponentially harder to see HaShem as the cause of the Jews’
salvation. But after reading the Megillah in its entirety, one
can clearly see that Haman’s defeat is no mere coincidence; it
is clearly a product of HaShem’s intervention. In fact, the
name of the Megillah, Megillat Esther, can be translated as
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 Volume XII Issue 4 MA’AYANEI TORAH
“exposure of hiddenness,” from the words le-galot and se-
ter. This translation summarizes the Megillah’s message of
seeing HaShem’s influence in the world, as does the very
name of the holiday, Purim (lots).
Today, like in the time of the Purim story, we do
not have open miracles. Therefore, many of us struggle to
see how HaShem is constantly active in our daily lives. Yet
we can learn from the message of the Megillah. We can try
to see HaShem’s influence in our day-to-day lives through
hidden miracles, rather than just natural occurrences. Once
we do so, we can understand the Megillah’s message better
and appreciate HaShem’s subtle yet miraculous involvement
in our lives.
Sources: Rabbi Avraham Gordimer, Rabbi Yosef Edelstein,
Mrs. Nadler, Rabbi Prince, and Avi Lazeron.
Esther’s Identity Crisis
Rikki Novetsky (’10)
It is often a challenge to maintain Jewish unique-
ness, especially in an open society where non-Jews do not
forcibly remind Jews of their identity. Ancient Persia was an
open society, where the king welcomed all the residents of
the capital city to his parties, and assimilation was indeed a
problem of that time according to Chazal. Was Esther, too,
subject to the winds of assimilation? After all, she hid the
fact that she was Jewish.
The reason for Esther’s choice to keep her identity
secret until the end of the narrative in the Megillah has baf-
fled commentators for generations. The idea of Esther hid-
ing her identity is mentioned two times in the Megillah:
2:10 and 2:20. These two instances sandwich one of the
most defining moments in the Megillah: when Esther is ap-
pointed as queen. Mordechai’s telling Esther to hide her
identity seems understandable, and even relatable; who
wants to be known as the “Jewish girl” in a glitzy Persian
palace? This justification, however, becomes flipped on its
head as soon as one sees Mordechai’s own behavior: Mor-
dechai is not embarrassed to portray himself as the “token
Jew” of Shushan, and he refuses to bow down to Haman,
even though his actions endanger his life.
Rashi (based on Chazal) explains Esther’s behavior
as completely justifiable, saying that she hid her Jewish
identity and lineage precisely in order that she not be chosen
to be the queen. If she had revealed to Achashverosh that
she was a Jew, she would have had to expound upon her
lineage; if she had expounded upon her lineage, she would
have had to disclose that she was a descendent of King
Shaul. If Achashverosh had known Esther’s true identity as
a Jew of royal descent, Rashi explains, there is no way he
would have been able to deny her the appointment of queen
over his empire. Esther’s explicit passivity throughout the
Megillah supports Rashi’s belief that she did not want to be
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‫אדר תש“ע‬
queen; the text implies several times that things were done to
her, rather than her doing them. Rav Avraham Shama of Ye-
shivat Har Etzion believes, however, that Rashi’s opinion is
not peshat, since nowhere in the text does it hint of Esther’s
connection to King Shaul, apparently the sole reason she
would have been appointed. A more significant problem
with Rashi’s interpretation is that according to Rashi’s logic,
once Esther’s “plan” failed and she was indeed appointed
queen, she could have revealed her identity then. Despite
this, the Megillah emphasizes that Esther did not reveal her
Jewish identity even after she was appointed queen.
Rav Avraham Ibn Ezra presents three different solu-
tions to the conundrum of Esther’s insistence on hiding her
identity. Rav Shama critically analyzes and questions each of
these proposals. Firstly, Ibn Ezra suggests that Mordechai
wanted to hide Esther’s identity so she would be chosen as
queen – the exact opposite of what Rashi thinks. Ibn Ezra
thinks that Mordechai acted inappropriately here, and the
fact that Esther was encouraged to become queen shows the
unfortunate amount of assimilation in Persian society. Rav
Shama, once again, finds this explanation troubling, for it
implies that Mordechai – the man with the strongest Jewish
identity – was a proponent of Jewish assimilation. Ibn Ezra
presents an alternative answer that Mordechai wanted Esther
to hide her identity precisely so that she would become
queen, not because of assimilation, but because he had a ne-
vu’ah that Esther would provide salvation for the Jews. This
answer does seem more probable than Ibn Ezra’s first, be-
cause it presents positive motivations for Mordechai to seek
Esther’s appointment as queen, which is consistent with the
respectful portrayal of Mordechai in the text of the Megillah.
Rav Shama points out, however, that Mordechai’s reaction
of the decree of annihilation, sitting at the king’s gate wear-
ing sackcloth and crying, seems to be more spontaneous than
it would have been had he previously known the fate of the
Jews through prophecy.
Ibn Ezra’s third answer to the reason Esther hid her
identity can perhaps serve as a response to Rav Shama’s
challenge to Rashi: why Esther continued to keep her iden-
tity a secret even after she was appointed queen. Ibn Ezra
suggests that Esther chose to hide her identity so she would
be able to observe mitzvot such as kashrut and Shabbat while
in the Persian palace. This answer is supported by
the Gemara that states that Esther kept these two mitzvot
while in the palace. It can also provide the reader with an
important lesson: keeping mitzvot in a secular environment is
not easy, and therefore, one must strategize in advance to
ensure that a Torah lifestyle is always possible. For Rav
Shama, the third answer of Ibn Ezra is his most realistic sug-
gestion. It includes both a positive representation of Mor-
dechai (who wanted Esther to hide her identity so as to in-
crease her observance of mitzvot), and an explanation to why
Esther did not reveal herself even after she was appointed.
 Volume XII Issue 4 MA’AYANEI TORAH
This answer, however, still seems distant from peshat: no-
where is there any insinuation that Esther desired to keep
the mitzvot in the palace. In fact, Rav Shama points out, the
opposite seems to be true – Esther camouflages herself as a
normal member of the royal palace.
Rav Shama suggests his own reason for why Esther
chose to hide her identity. He proposes that Esther had dif-
ferent motivations before and after she was chosen by
Achashverosh. Rav Shama’s explanation also emphasizes
Mordechai’s crucial behind-the-scenes involvement in
Esther’s reign.
Before Esther was chosen, the text mentions Mor-
dechai's coming every day to check on Esther’s wellbeing;
therefore, his original motivation for commanding Esther to
hide her identity from the king must have been because he
was concerned for her safety as a Jew in the Persian palace.
This explains why Esther’s primary concern was maintain-
ing the secrecy of her “nation,” with the secrecy of her de-
scent as a second priority. After Esther was
chosen, however, her situation drastically
changed. Once Esther was queen, she was no
longer concerned that Achashverosh would
persecute her for being Jewish, because he
would never execute two consecutive queens.
Mordechai, working as the guiding force be-
hind Esther’s actions, now turned his attention
to the welfare of the Jewish nation.
This idea is supported by the subtle
switch in the text of Esther’s first not wanting
to reveal her “nation and descent” (2:10), and
after she was appointed, not wanting to reveal
her “descent and nation” (2:20). At this point in the story,
Esther’s priorities changed. If anyone knew of Esther’s rela-
tionship to Mordechai, the two would no longer be permit-
ted to talk. Esther, however, needed Mordechai so he could
advise her how to benefit the Jews in her position of leader-
ship. Now, her priorities changed to hide her “descent,” or
her connection to Mordechai, rather than the fact that she
was Jewish. Instead of thinking of Esther’s confusion over
her identity in regard to her nation and lineage as a crisis of
identity, it can be instead considered as a change of situa-
tion, and thus, a change in Esther’s priorities. It was pre-
cisely in order to protect her descent and nation that she had
to hide them.
This devar Torah is based on an article by Rabbi Chaim Jachter of TABC
and one by Rav Avrhaham Shama of Yeshivat Har Etzion.
Where is Hallel?
Yifa’t Adler (‘11)
Why is Purim the only chag for which we do not
recite Hallel? Saying Hallel is the act of praising HaShem
and giving thanks to HaShem. Why don’t we praise
Ma’ayanei Torah is a chagim publication produced by the students of Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls
‫אדר תש“ע‬
HaShem for saving us from Haman’s evil decree? The Ge-
mara in Megillah 14a asks this question and gives a couple
of answers.
One explanation is that the Purim miracle happened
outside of Israel, and we only say Hallel for events that hap-
pened in Israel. However, we still say Hallel on Pesach, and
we had not entered Eretz Yisrael yet. Another explanation is
that reading the Megillah is equivalent to reciting Hallel.
Rav Nachman explains that we praise HaShem on Purim,
just not in the form of Hallel. He says “kriyata zo hallela”-
by reading the Megillah it is as if we said Hallel. Rav So-
loveitchik compares reading Megillat Esther to Pesukei De-
Zimra. In Pesukei De-Zimra, the last line of Az Yashir and
the last line of the fifth “Hallelu-kah” are doubled to sym-
bolically show that our praise is doubled and eternal. Simi-
larly, this idea can be applied to the reading of Megillat
Esther. By reading the Megillah twice, once at night and
once during the day, we are symbolically doubling and eter-
nalizing our praise for HaShem.
How is reading the Megillah considered
praising HaShem, if HaShem’s involvement in
Purim is hidden and there is no mention of his
name in Megillat Esther? The praise for HaShem
occurs at the end of the Megillah reading when we
say the brachah, “Ha-rav et riveinu ve-ha-dan et
dineinu,” which says that “HaShem is the one who
fights our battles and brings us justice.” This
brachah shows that even though this story does
not have HaShem’s name in it, we still acknowl-
edge HaShem’s involvement in this story. This
sort of praise is considered the highest of praises.
The Meiri goes one step further (and although we don’t
paskin like this, he brings across a great point): if one is in a
place where he is unable to hear the Megillah reading, he
must say Hallel instead. But we don’t say Hallel on Purim
because we recognize HaShem’s greatness through ordinary
actions by reading the Megillah, and we achieve a higher
form of praise than we do by mentioning overt miracles like
we do in Hallel.
The Jews have survived many anti-Semitic incidents
and the story of Purim is an example. The message we learn
from the story of Purim is that HaShem is part of our every-
day lives, and he is involved in everything that happens to
us. As we say in the brachah of Modim in Shemoneh Esreh
every day, “Ve-al nisecha she-be-chol yom immanu,” “for
Your miracles that are with us every day.” There are con-
stantly miracles among us. The same way we praise
HaShem for hidden miracles from the time of the Megillah,
similarly we should be thankful for hidden miracles in our
own time.
Adapted from a shiur by Rabbi Yehoshua Grunstein.
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Volume XII Issue 4 MA’AYANEI TORAH
Achashverosh: Clever or Foolish?
Rena Levin (’10)
The first time we learned Megillat Esther, most of
us were taught that Achashverosh was a silly king who
spent a significant portion of his life drunk. But there are
two parts of this statement that can, in fact, be disputed. It is
quite possible that Achashverosh was not a king, but rather a
military leader of the conquest of Babylonia, and after his
victory, was given Vashti, the granddaughter of Nevuchad-
nezar, as a wife. Through this marriage, Achashverosh was
bestowed the honorary title, “king.” The first part of the
statement, however, which claims that Achashverosh was
“silly,” is debated in the Talmud itself. There is a machloket
between Rav and Shmuel in Megillah 12a that examines
Achashverosh’s character “one says tipesh hayah; one says
pikeach hayah.” The term “tipesh” is defined in this
machloket as one who is foolish because of his lack of un-
derstanding. “Pikeach” is defined as a sharp-minded, street-
smart, savvy person. The evidence for either side of this
argument is strong and rampant throughout the Megillah.
The first time such a case appears is Esther 1:10:
“Ba-yom ha-shivi’i ke-tov lev ha-melech ba-yayin…” – “On
the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with
wine…” The side that maintains that Achashverosh was
foolish would say that since the first day of his party, he was
drunk. After all, only a tipesh would voluntarily intoxicate
himself, thereby preventing him from thinking clearly and
making intelligent decisions as the leader of the country. He
who is of the opinion that the king was pikeach, though,
makes the argument that Achashverosh only got drunk on
the seventh and last day. This allowed the people to witness
the king enjoying his own party while, at the same time,
permitting Achashverosh to be aware of what was going on
around him for the first six days of the festivities.
The second time this dispute arises is in Esther
1:13, when Achashverosh consults his advisors regarding
the fate of Vashti, who has just refused to come down to the
party. A tipesh Achashverosh would be the one who is un-
deserving of being king, so much so that he does not even
know the laws of his own land and therefore must confer
with his chachamim. Understanding him as a pikeach, how-
ever, would tell us that Achashverosh was emotionally inse-
cure as a king, and as a human. If it is true that Achash-
verosh was in fact not a king by birthright, but by marriage
into a royal family, then his lack of confidence is accounted
for by the fact that he was not a true king. In this case, he
perhaps felt more comfortable having his advisors make the
decision for him.
In Esther 2:2-4, we see that Achashverosh follows
the advice not of his close advisors, but of the na’arim, and
decides to host a pageant of all the women of Paras u-
Page 6 Ma’ayanei Torah is a chagim publication produced by the students of Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls
‫אדר תש“ע‬
Madai in hopes of acquiring a new wife. The fact that the
king would adhere to the advice of the na’arim, youths with-
out much experience in the politics of the land, is convincing
proof that Achashverosh was indeed tipesh. But it can be
argued that a wise man takes guidance without discrimina-
tion based on rank. Achashverosh, if pikeach, knew that
even if one’s status is not as great as others, a na’ar could
potentially have good advice, if not better than that of those
higher up than he.
Another time when Achashverosh’s character is
questioned is in Esther 3:13: “Ha-kesef natun lach ve-ha-am
la-asot bo ke-tov be-enecha” – Achashverosh
declines Haman’s offer of money after Haman
offers to compensate the king for the king-
dom’s financial losses if Achashverosh permits
him to fulfill his plan to destroy the Jews. This
seems strange, considering that Haman’s offer makes sense:
the loss of the Jews would be an economic loss to the king-
dom. If we say “tipesh hayah,” it is obvious why Achash-
verosh did this – he wants to avoid responsibility; by thrust-
ing money upon Haman, he is no longer held accountable for
anything bad that happens. He is therefore also considered
foolish for losing money and not gaining anything. On the
other hand, “pikeach hayah” would argue that Achashverosh
was quite clever in his decision to give money to Haman: not
only does Achashverosh evade the blame of the situation,
which is difficult to deal with, but also he is not in debt to
Haman. By giving him money, Achashverosh rids himself of
all debts and duties – a clever decision on the king’s part.
If we fast forward to 5:3, when Esther approaches
Achashverosh uninvited, he extends his scepter to her and
says the famous line: “Mah lach Esther ha-malkah u-mah
bakashatech, ad chatzi ha-malchut ve-yi-naten lach” -
“What do you need Queen Esther, and what is your request?
Even to half the kingdom it will be granted to you.” When
analyzing this line, we usually focus on the odd phrasing –
why only half the kingdom? Yet there is a deeper question
which further illuminates the machloket: if Achashverosh
was tipesh, it would validate an action as foolish as offering
to Esther half his kingdom – the king is certainly lovestruck
and careless in his proposal to his beautiful wife. Neverthe-
less, the pikeach case is also strong: Achashverosh knows
that Esther will not accept and therefore feels secure in his
extremely generous offer.
If you still can’t make a decision about Achash-
verosh’s personality, Perek 6 will tip the scales. It says that
the king was having trouble sleeping, so his na’ar read to
him from sefer ha-zichronot. As the king realizes that Mor-
dechai has not yet been rewarded for saving the king’s life,
Haman enters the courtyard and startles Achashverosh. In-
stead of kicking Haman out for disturbing his slumber,
Achashverosh asks him what to do for a man who deserves
 Volume XII Issue 4 MA’AYANEI TORAH
the king’s respect. Haman’s response in pasuk 8 is: “Dress
him in the king’s finest royal garb, place him on the king’s
horse and give him the king’s crown.” One pasuk later, Ha-
man adds that while riding down the streets, the king’s offi-
cers should proclaim: “Kacha ye’aseh la-ish asher ha-
melech chafetz bikaro!” – “This is what is done for the man
whom the king especially wants to honor!” To Haman’s
utter shock and dismay, Achashverosh orders him to do all
the above to Mordechai – with the exception of the crown.
Although it can be argued that Achashverosh was either
tipesh and therefore relieved to have someone to talk to on a
night when he particularly cannot sleep, or pikeach for sus-
pecting Haman’s answer, it is evident that Achashverosh is,
in fact, pikeach for conspicuously omitting the crown. Even
if the tipesh reasoning is deemed correct throughout the rest
of the Megillah, there is no machloket when it comes to this
pasuk. Achashverosh could have been a totally ambiguous
character up until Esther 6:9, but come pasuk 10, anyone
who reads it will finally view Achashverosh as the sharp,
savvy ruler he is not often made out to be. He thus bears
moral responsibility for accepting Haman’s evil plan.
Purim and Giving
Jennifer Lebowitz (’11)
We are all well aware of the greatness and quality
of “ve-ahavta le-re’acha kamocha,” loving one’s fellow as
one would love oneself. Rabbi Akiva defines this as the
fundamental principle of the Torah. Sometimes, loving
someone is not as easy as it seems. Rav Eliyahu Dessler
beautifully explains that in order to love someone else
wholeheartedly, one should give to that person. By provid-
ing for someone, one can strengthen a relationship. This
important trait is exemplified through the mitzvot we per-
form on Purim.
In Megillat Esther 9:22 it is written: “These were
the same dates that the Jews had rested from their enemies,
and this was the month that was changed from worry to joy,
from mourning to a holiday. These should be days of par-
ties and happiness and sending gifts of food to their friends,
and gifts for the poor” (translation from Artscroll Mesorah
Series). From this single pasuk, we learn about two great
mitzvot, both which entail giving to another. The mitzvot of
mishloach manot, gifts of two different types of food, and
matanot la-evyonim, providing for the poor, are important
aspects of the holiday of Purim. Food packages are extrava-
gantly prepared and sent out to many recipients. Gifts for
the poor are collected and distributed on Purim. These mitz-
vot are essential to the holiday, and they add to one’s
mishteh.
Devarim 15:7-11 introduces the important mitzvah
of tzedakah. The Rambam provides us with 8 levels of giv-
Ma’ayanei Torah is a chagim publication produced by the students of Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls
‫אדר תש“ע‬
ing tzedakah. The highest level is to help the evyon by find-
ing him a job. This way, the poor person can earn money on
his own, because of the guidance that led him to his new
position. Levels 2-6 involve cases in which the giver does
the mitzvah anonymously or when the giver does not know
who is receiving his charity. These levels also include cases
when one gives money before being asked.
I would like to focus on the 7th level of tzedakah,
which the Rambam writes is “she-yiten lo pachot min ha-
ra’uy be-saver panim yafot” (Hilchot Matanot Aniyim
10:14). The Rambam explains that, even if one cannot give
much money, it is crucial for one to give tzedakah with a
smile. This allows the recipient to be more comfortable with
the situation.
How an action is done is extremely significant and
has the potential to be extraordinary. A professional chef
will be sure to present his dishes in an appetizing man-
ner. Cooking experts know that presentation is essential to
success. Similarly, those surrounding us notice the way in
which we present ourselves when we perform actions. A
sincere smile and a friendly manner can enhance any interac-
tion.
Let us each take advantage of the opportunity to
give to others this Purim. As Rav Dessler said, in order to
truly love someone we should not take from him, rather we
should constantly give to him. Additionally, we should each
be meticulous to do this in a friendly matter, as it can make
all the difference.
How Not to Know
Allison Alt (’11)
When Yosef’s brothers first travel to Egypt; they do
not recognize their brother Yosef. Eventually Yosef reveals
his true identity to his brothers and gives most of them a gift
of one new suit. However, Yosef gives Binyamin an addi-
tional five new suits and three hundred silver coins—the
price of one suit. Why does Binyamin receive five new suits,
while all the other brothers only receive one?
The Gemara Megillah 16a states that Yosef is sold
into slavery since he has a suit that is worth two sela’im,
more than his brothers’ suits are worth. Yosef is fully aware
that giving Binyamin the extra gifts will create jealousy
among his brothers, yet he still gives it. Why? The Gemara
continues and states that Yosef gives Binyamin the suits be-
cause he is hinting to Binyamin and his brothers that in a
thousand years Mordechai, a descendant of Binyamin, will
publicly wear the 5 articles of clothing a king typically
wears. This hints at a deeper connection between the story of
Yosef and the story of Megillat Esther.
The connection between Megillat Esther and Yosef’s
meeting with his brothers is that “what is hidden is eventually
revealed.” In Megillat Esther, we think Haman is in charge, but
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 Volume XII Issue 4 MA’AYANEI TORAH ‫אדר תש“ע‬

then it is revealed that HaShem is. We think Mordechai will be and has power. The Maharal says that when a person drinks he ad-
hanged, but then we see that Haman is hanged. Also, Achashverosh mits that he is helpless. On Purim we recognize that HaShem only
thinks Esther is not Jewish, but then she reveals that she is Jew- masks himself in response to us masking ourselves. In the Path of
ish. All the “masks” come off, and everything in the Purim story is the Just, by Rav Moshe Chaim Luzzato, it states that people laugh
eventually revealed. themselves silly because they believe they are depressed, unlike a
The same is true in the story of Yosef and his brothers. The person who understands that HaShem is always there and has the
obvious example is that Yosef takes off his “mask” and reveals that courage to take off his masks and say “I am lost and upset, and I do
he is their long lost brother. However, Yosef is not the first to dis- not know, so please HaShem take off your mask and show me
guise himself; there are many other deceptions. Yosef only masks where you are.”
himself in reaction to his brothers’ deception. The brothers hold When the great twentieth century rabbi Rav Chaim
their own “costume party” when they dip Yosef’s beautiful multi- Shmulevitz was confused in his learning, he begged HaShem to
colored coat in blood and tell their father that Yosef was eaten by enlighten him. Rav Shmulevitz unmasked and admitted to HaShem
wild animals. The brothers “mask” the truth as well and Yosef is that he did not understand. Therefore, HaShem took off His own
just showing them that deception is unceasing. mask and gave Rav Shmulevitz the answers. On Purim and the en-
Yosef’s brothers, however, feel that they have a reason to tire month of Adar, we have the ability to take everything and turn it
deceive Yaakov, since they believe that Yosef started the deceit upside down. We should do as Bnei Yisrael did on Purim and tell
before they sold him. They think that Yosef fooled Yaakov into HaShem that we need His help, and then HaShem will listen to us as
thinking he is the bechor, deserving the rights of the firstborn. The he did with our fellow Jews two thousand years ago.
brothers think this because: (1) Yaakov dressed Yosef up as a be-
chor, by giving him the coat; (2) Yosef is Rachel’s first son, and (3)
Yosef disregards Leah as Yaakov’s first wife (and her firstborn son Editor-in-Chief: Talia Friedman
Associate Editor: Chaya Kanarfogel
as bechor), since Yaakov was tricked into marrying her. Staff Editors: Marcella Berman
Even this deception is not the first round of deceit, because Rachel Friedman
if you look a little further back you will see that Yaakov dressed up Hannah Lockspeiser
as Esav to fool Yitzchak. But Yaakov in turn dressed up as Esav Rebecca Peyser
Michal Wiseman
because Esav dressed up as a tzaddik to fool Yitzchak into believing Managing Editors: Aliza Friedman
that he was deserving of the bechorah. Daniella Grodko
Esav is thus the first character to don a mask, and he does Layout Editors: Kayla Applebaum
so out of jealousy of Yaakov. Esav starts the whole chain of events Atara Clark
Assoc. Layout Editor: Hanna Erdfarb
which ultimately result in Yosef taking off his mask. After Yosef Production Editors: Talia Pruzansky
reveals himself in Egypt, the brothers bring Yaakov to see him, es- Batya Sadek
sentially bringing him to galut, since Yaakov will not return to Is- Distribution Editors: Ayala Laub
rael in his lifetime. Yosef senses that Yaakov is nervous to leave the Amalya Sherman
Staff Writers : Yifa’t Adler
land of Israel so he says, by giving Binyamin the five suits, “Don’t Allison Alt
worry, the Shechinah is with us, even though He is hidden, masked. Jennifer Lebowitz
Sometimes HaShem wears a mask just like we all have to, but the Rivka Rosenblatt
ultimate mask will not be worn for a thousand years—in Persia.” Talia Stern
Faculty Advisor: Mrs. Shifra Schapiro
In the Purim story, Ramban says HaShem reveals Himself
when Mordechai is given the king’s clothing, which represent the Thank you to Mrs. Orly Nadler, Mrs. Fran Rochwarger, Mrs.
kohanim’s clothing. The important message from this is that even in Madeline Schmuckler and Mrs. Andrea Winkler for their
galut, when there is no Beit HaMikdash, and HaShem is wearing a technical assistance.
mask, HaShem is still there and still visible—just waiting for us to If your shul would like to receive Ma’ayanei Torah, or to sponsor
be great like Mordechai was. This is the message Yosef realizes he an issue, please contact:
must explain to Yaakov. The Gemara in Arachin 10b says that Pu- Ma’ayanot
rim is not a totally happy holiday, since the Megillah starts with 1650 Palisade Ave.
Teaneck, NJ 07666
Achashverosh reigning when there is no Beit HaMikdash. However, 201-833-4307
the story becomes more positive when both the Jews and HaShem Maayaneitorah@maayanot.org
unmask. Once we unmask ourselves and show the world and
HaShem just how helpless we were and how much we need Him, Mrs. Rookie Billet, Principal
Mrs. Ruth Wang Birnbaum, Mrs. Evelyn Gross
HaShem unmasks Himself and reveals Himself to us even in the Associate Principals
middle of galut. (This is part of the reason that Pesach is the next Ms. Elana Flaumenhaft, Mrs. Rivka Kahan
holiday, since we can only find HaShem after we take off our Assistant Principals
masks.) Mrs. Rachel Feldman, Administrator
The Maharal says the reason to get drunk on Purim is so
we do not know, because we never know, who really is righteous

Page 8 Ma’ayanei Torah is a chagim publication produced by the students of Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls