The Opposite of Achashveirosh
Ki Sisa - Purim
The concluding verse of the Megillah reads כי מרדכי היהודי משנה למלך אחשורוש וגדול ליהודים... דורש טוב לעמו, “for Mordechai the Yehudi was viceroy to Achashveirosh the king and was a great man among the Jews”.
The word משנה can also mean different or opposite. Mordechai was the opposite of Achashveirosh.
From the very beginning of the Megillah, we see that king Achashveirosh sought only to publicise his own greatness. This was why he made his feast. He was only interested in his own benefit and aggrandisement, not in the needs of his people. We also see this at the end of the Megillah where Achashveirosh levied taxes on the people, to recoup the cost of his feast.
Mordechai was the opposite. He was דורש טוב לעמו seeking the good of his people. Tzaddikim, like Mordechai, live only to serve their generation and seek their benefit. The Megillah’s description that Mordechai was גדול ליהודים, literally “a great man among the Jews”, can also mean that Mordechai’s greatness was only to be ליהודים, “for the Jews”, to seek their goodness.
This is alluded to in the words of Dovid Hamelech in Tehillim טוב אתה ומטיב למדני חוקיך, “You are good and bestow goodness, teach me Your statutes.” Hashem is the ultimate Good, who seeks to bestow goodness. This is the reason why, according to the Jewish mystics and philosophers, He created the world - to bestow goodness upon the creations.
Dovid was asking Hashem למדני, let me learn and become accustomed to emulating Your ways, so that as a leader, I too will seek only to do good and kindness for others.
This is also the inner meaning of the prayer from the Yomim Noraimובכן צדיקי' יראו וישמחו וישרים יעלוזו “and then the Tzaddikim will see and be glad, the upright will rejoice.” The Tzaddikim rejoice and are glad, when they see the upright - the Jewish people - are themselves in a state of joy.
This idea is also alluded to in the Musaf of Rosh Hashana כי דורשיך לעולם לא יכשלו ולא יכלמו לנצת “for those who seek You will not stumble forever and… will not be shamed forever”. The word לעולם can mean forever, but it also means the world. The prayer could be read as; those who seek and pray for the benefit of the world, they will not falter or and their merit will stand forever without weakening.
This theme is reflected in the opening of Parshas Ki Sisa as well. The Parsha opens with the words כי תשא את ראש בנ"י לפקודיהם ונתנו... כופר נפשו לה'. “when you will lift up the heads of (count) the Jewish people… they shall give an atonement for their soul to Hashem.”
The heads of the Jewish people refer to the Tzaddikim, who are appointed as the leaders of Klal Yisroel. When the Tzaddikim are entrusted as leaders of the generation, they must ונתנו “give themselves over” with self-sacrifice for the benefit of the generation and to be an atonement for the lacking or sin of the generation if necessary.
When the Parsha describes the making of the anointing oil, Moshe is told ואתה קח לך בשמים ראש מר דרור , “take for yourself choice spices (Besamaim Rosh), pure myrrh (Mor Deror)”. The sages relate that the words Mor Deror in Aramaic - מירא דכי, is an allusion to Mordechai.
Besamim can be read as Bashamayim, from Heaven and the word Rosh means a leader. The verse alludes to the fact that Mordechai was chosen from Heaven to be the Rosh and Manhig of Klal Yisroel. This was because he possessed the quality of selflessness and devotion to others.
Based on the Zohar, Chassidus describes how Mordechai was the Moshe Rabbeinu in his generation. He received his leadership quality from Moshe, the greatest-ever leader of our people. Tanna D’bei Eliyahu teaches that Moshe merited to become the leader because his entire life, he sought only the honour of the Jewish people and to bring peace between them and their father in Heaven.
The word משנה can also mean different or opposite. Mordechai was the opposite of Achashveirosh.
From the very beginning of the Megillah, we see that king Achashveirosh sought only to publicise his own greatness. This was why he made his feast. He was only interested in his own benefit and aggrandisement, not in the needs of his people. We also see this at the end of the Megillah where Achashveirosh levied taxes on the people, to recoup the cost of his feast.
Mordechai was the opposite. He was דורש טוב לעמו seeking the good of his people. Tzaddikim, like Mordechai, live only to serve their generation and seek their benefit. The Megillah’s description that Mordechai was גדול ליהודים, literally “a great man among the Jews”, can also mean that Mordechai’s greatness was only to be ליהודים, “for the Jews”, to seek their goodness.
This is alluded to in the words of Dovid Hamelech in Tehillim טוב אתה ומטיב למדני חוקיך, “You are good and bestow goodness, teach me Your statutes.” Hashem is the ultimate Good, who seeks to bestow goodness. This is the reason why, according to the Jewish mystics and philosophers, He created the world - to bestow goodness upon the creations.
Dovid was asking Hashem למדני, let me learn and become accustomed to emulating Your ways, so that as a leader, I too will seek only to do good and kindness for others.
This is also the inner meaning of the prayer from the Yomim Noraimובכן צדיקי' יראו וישמחו וישרים יעלוזו “and then the Tzaddikim will see and be glad, the upright will rejoice.” The Tzaddikim rejoice and are glad, when they see the upright - the Jewish people - are themselves in a state of joy.
This idea is also alluded to in the Musaf of Rosh Hashana כי דורשיך לעולם לא יכשלו ולא יכלמו לנצת “for those who seek You will not stumble forever and… will not be shamed forever”. The word לעולם can mean forever, but it also means the world. The prayer could be read as; those who seek and pray for the benefit of the world, they will not falter or and their merit will stand forever without weakening.
This theme is reflected in the opening of Parshas Ki Sisa as well. The Parsha opens with the words כי תשא את ראש בנ"י לפקודיהם ונתנו... כופר נפשו לה'. “when you will lift up the heads of (count) the Jewish people… they shall give an atonement for their soul to Hashem.”
The heads of the Jewish people refer to the Tzaddikim, who are appointed as the leaders of Klal Yisroel. When the Tzaddikim are entrusted as leaders of the generation, they must ונתנו “give themselves over” with self-sacrifice for the benefit of the generation and to be an atonement for the lacking or sin of the generation if necessary.
When the Parsha describes the making of the anointing oil, Moshe is told ואתה קח לך בשמים ראש מר דרור , “take for yourself choice spices (Besamaim Rosh), pure myrrh (Mor Deror)”. The sages relate that the words Mor Deror in Aramaic - מירא דכי, is an allusion to Mordechai.
Besamim can be read as Bashamayim, from Heaven and the word Rosh means a leader. The verse alludes to the fact that Mordechai was chosen from Heaven to be the Rosh and Manhig of Klal Yisroel. This was because he possessed the quality of selflessness and devotion to others.
Based on the Zohar, Chassidus describes how Mordechai was the Moshe Rabbeinu in his generation. He received his leadership quality from Moshe, the greatest-ever leader of our people. Tanna D’bei Eliyahu teaches that Moshe merited to become the leader because his entire life, he sought only the honour of the Jewish people and to bring peace between them and their father in Heaven.