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A Stunning Exchange

The Gemara (Megillah 16a) records a stunning exchange between Mordechai and Haman (Megillat Esther itself, interestingly, never mentions their conversing) that is brimming with great meaning waiting to be unveiled.  

When he went, he found Mordechai as the Sages were sitting before him, and he was demonstrating to them the Halachot of the handful, i.e., the scooping out of a handful of flour from the meal-offering in order to burn it on the altar (Kemitza). Once Mordechai saw him coming toward him with his horse’s reins held in his hands, he became frightened, and he said to the Sages: This evil man has come to kill me. Go away from him so that you should not get burnt from his coals, i.e., that you should not suffer harm as well. At that moment Mordechai wrapped himself in his prayer shawl and stood up to pray. Haman came over to where they were and sat down before them and waited until Mordechai finished his prayer.

In the interim, as he waited, Haman said to the other Sages: With what were you occupied? They said to him: When the Temple is standing, one who pledges a meal-offering would bring a handful of fine flour and achieve atonement with it. He said to them: Your handful of fine flour has come and cast aside my ten thousand pieces of silver, which I had pledged toward the destruction of the Jewish people. 

Let us try to unpack the manifold meanings of this rich Talmudic text.  

Mordechai Learning Torah with His Talmidim

Despite the imminent threat of destruction looming over the Jewish People, Mordechai was learning with his Talmidim. This magnificent display of Jewish/Torah strength reflects Rabi Chanania ben Tradyon (Avoda Zara 18a) and Rabi Akiva’s (Brachot 61b) learning Torah with their Talmidim in unabashed defiance of Roman decrees. The strength and eternity of our people are inextricably linked to our profound commitment to Torah learning and observance. It is why we overcame Haman and the Romans in later generations.  

Ordering the Talmidim to Scatter

Interestingly, Mordechai orders his Talmidim to scatter as he fears Haman approaches to kill him. Why does Mordechai not run away if he fears for his life? I suggest that Mordechai risks his life to save the Talmidim, like Rav Yisrael Meir Lau relates (Out of the Depths, pages 12-13) about his father, Rav Moshe Chaim. Rav Lau tells us that his father decided not to hide from the Nazis; if he did, they would thoroughly search and discover all the Jews. However, if they had the rabbi, their search would be less intense, and some Jews would escape.  

Similarly, if Mordechai hides, Haman would order a search party and discover every Talmid. If he faced Haman alone, Haman would capture his primary target and might relent from venting his anger on the students.    

Interestingly, the Talmidim did not flee and even gathered around Mordechai and spoke with Haman. Perhaps they scattered at first but returned to the scene, realizing Haman did not come to kill Mordechai.  

Another possibility is that Mordechai did not flee as a form of resisting Haman. Even before learning about the parade, Mordechai refused to be intimidated by Haman. Mordechai felt “Techilat Nefilla Nisa,” the first step in failure is fleeing (Sotah 44b). The Talmidim, inspired by Mordechai’s courage, joined his defiance. They likely noticed how Mordechai did not rush to end his Tefilla to accommodate Haman and felt empowered to join their Rebbe’s courageous stand.         

Earlier, the Gemara described how Haman tried to evade Achashverosh’s order to honor Mordechai. Accordingly, had Mordechai fled Haman, the latter would have had an excuse not to parade Mordechai on the king’s horse. Mordechai’s courageous stand yielded strong dividends in the parade, which turned around the Jewish people’s fate. 

The Parade

Interestingly, Haman recognizes that the parade signaled the thwarting of his plan. Although his advisors later told him that when the Jews’ fortunes begin to rise, it signals Haman’s defeat, Haman already knew it. He understood that Achashverosh ordering him to honor Mordechai indicated the beginning of his end.  

The Mincha Offering - Timing

Rashi explains that Mordechai and his Talmidim do not just happen to be learning about Kemitza. Chazal (see Megillah 15a) identify the sixteenth of Nissan as the day when Haman paraded Mordechai around Shushan. This date is when we offer the Korban HaOmer, and thus Mordechai devoted the learning to a topic relevant to the day as instituted by Moshe Rabbeinu (Megillah 32a).  

The Mincha Offering – Its Power

On a basic level, this Gemara teaches the power of learning about Korbanot. Menachot 110a teaches that learning about the Korbanot is the equivalent of offering them. Thus, Haman correctly assesses the strength of Mordechai and his Talmidim learning about the Korbanot.  Significantly, Mordechai demonstrates how to perform Kemitza, much like Rebbeim teaching Talmidim practical subjects such as writing a Sefer Torah or performing Shechita.  Although they are very far from Yerushalayim, the Avodat Beit HaMikdash is close to the hearts of Mordechai and his students. 

The Meaning of Korbanot

We may reveal a deeper meaning of our Gemara by examining the power of a Korban Mincha. The most well-known explanations for Korbanot do not seem to fit the Korban Mincha. For example, The Rambam’s (Moreh Nevuchim 3:46) explanation that we reject foreign gods works well with Korban Pesach but not Menachot. The Ramban’s (Vayikra 1:9) approach that the animal replaces us as the ram replaced Yitzchak Avinu at the Akeida also explains animal sacrifices but not flour offerings.  

The power of Menachot seems to stem from the Kabalistic idea of Tzimtzum, limitation. Every relationship hinges on each party limiting himself for the betterment of the connection. Even Hashem, teaches the Kabala, “contracted” Himself for us to exist. Had Hashem not limited Himself, Hashem’s infinity would have precluded our existence. In other words, He contracts Himself to make room for us in His universe. We reciprocate and limit ourselves to make room for Him in our world. 

Menachot 110a teaches us a cornerstone principle, “Echad HaMarbeh V’Echad HaMamit U’bilvad SheYechaven Libo LaShamyim.” The size and value of our Korbanot hardly matter to Hashem; He evaluates an offering based on the quality of feeling and commitment we invest in our Korbanot.  Thus, the Tzimtzum, a poor person (the typical person who brings a Korban Mincha), expresses when offering a bit of flour is as beloved to Hashem as a wealthy person’s offering a large animal. The crucial point is that the person limits himself to make room for Hashem in his world.  

Haman realized the power unleashed by Mordechai learning about Kemitza and the Omer flour offering. Tzimtzum prompted Hashem to intervene to save us from Haman.

Parenthetically, we should not be shocked at Haman knowing much about Torah. The wicked Adolph Eichmann also learned much about Jewish life to help him execute his evil plans to exterminate our people. 

In Haman’s mindset, wealth and power accomplishes all. The ten thousand silver talents (Kikar) he offered Achashverosh were the equivalent of approximately 24 million ounces of silver, worth about 530 million dollars in February 2024. However, at the outset of his downfall, he recognizes the greater power of restraint, to which he previously attached no significance. Thus, a Korban Mincha’s drop of flour worth a few pennies wields more impact than Haman’s grand fortune.    

Conclusion

A bit of flour overcame Haman’s massive fortune, for Torah is our most potent weapon. Learning and fulfilling the Torah gave our heroes the fortitude and merit to overcome Haman.  

Haman thinks money is the most potent weapon for achievement. However, as he is about to fall, he realizes the bankruptcy of his stance. He recognizes Tzimtzum’s limiting ourselves to bring Hashem as a partner in our endeavors is a much more potent tool than wealth. 

Ken Tihyeh Lanu, may our Torah commitment and Tzimtzum similarly merit victory over our many enemies.