5783/2023
Imagine we had a hidden recorder taping the conversation in
which Haman convinced Achashverosh to eliminate the Jews. Chazal, in their profound wisdom, present us with a transcript of their conversation. There are multiple lessons just waiting to be gleaned from this rich and insightful Gemara.
Lashon Hara Master
The Gemara (Megillah 13b) cites Rava, who states that, "No one was as skilled at Lashon Hara (slander) as was Haman," meaning that Haman was a master manipulator.
The first lesson we learn is the incredible damage inflicted by Lashon Hara. Our entire nation was nearly eliminated by Lashon Hara! No wonder the Rambam (Hilchot Dei’ot 7:3) equates Lashon Hara with murder! What a powerful motivator to refrain from Lashon Hara – just as we hated being victims of Lashon Hara, we should make every effort to refrain from victimizing others in this horrendous manner.
Rava interprets Haman (Esther 3:8) as convincing Achashveirosh to view the Jews as a threat to his kingdom who could be eliminated with no cost to his rule. This passage provides a fascinating behind the scenes look at the conspiracies and thought processes of our enemies. The conversation that Rava describes between Haman and Achashveirosh seems, regrettably, to have occurred on many occasions throughout our turbulent history.
Haman Does Not Fear Hashem
Haman begins the conversation saying, "let's eliminate them (the Jews)." Achashveirosh responds, "I am afraid of their God," for he knew that the enemies of the Jews are severely punished. Haman, in turn, says, "They neglect the Mitzvot," and their God will not save them. Achashveirosh responds that their Rabbis, though, observe the Mitzvot faithfully. Haman responds, "They are one nation," and their Rabbis will not save them.
This passage teaches that each Jew must assume spiritual responsibility and not assume that others will perform Mitzvot on his or her behalf. We have a tendency to either consciously or unconsciously think we can outsource our Mitzvah observance to our rabbis. Haman, ironically, teaches us to utterly reject this line of thinking.
It is also highly significant that Haman, like Amalek of yore, had no fear of Hashem (see Rashi and Ibn Ezra to Devarim 25:18). He adopts the same stance as Titus who recognizes the greatness of the Jewish people, but that he can make a Faustian choice of accepting his eternal punishment in order to accelerate his rise to power by leading the charge against the Jews (see Gittin 56b). Haman tragically mimics Nimrod who Rashi (to Breishit 10:9) is fully cognizant of Hashem and intends to rebel against Him.
We should not be shocked at the depth of Haman’s grasp of Jewish life. Adolph Eichmann, Yimach Shemo VeZichro, the chief architect of the Sho’ah, acquired extensive knowledge of Jews and Jewish life that he used to help him execute his diabolical plan.
Of course, Haman conveniently omits in his discussion with Achashveirosh that those who act as God’s agent to punish the Jews, wind up punished severely (as we find, for example, happened to Paroh). A master manipulator, Haman omits highly relevant information in his efforts to sway the foolish (according to Rava) Achashveirosh.
A Bald Spot in his Kingdom
Haman then tells Achashveirosh (because, according to this view, Achashveirosh is too simple to perceive these threats) that he should not be concerned that eliminating the Jews will create a "bald spot" in his kingdom, meaning that a vacuum will not be created by eliminating the inhabitants of a portion of his kingdom, which would cause instability and a major disruption in the empire. Haman explains that since the Jews are scattered throughout the empire, their elimination will not create a vacuum.
This portion of the Gemara communicates the critical importance of Jews living together in large communities. The isolated Jew is both at spiritual and physical risk, as taught by the Netziv in his comments to Shemot 1:7.
Jews as Mules?
Haman continues that Achashveirosh should not be concerned that the empire benefits from the Jews, because they are comparable to mules that do not produce any offspring.
We Jews have understood throughout the generations that we must benefit the national weal, in order for our presence to be tolerated. On a global scale, the State of Israel must contribute to the world’s economy lest its existence not be tolerated.
Haman then tells Achashveirosh not to be concerned about an entire area in which there is a large concentration of Jews (who could effectively resist an extermination plan), since they are spread out throughout the kingdom (this again teaches us that Jews should live in close proximity to each other; see the Netziv's comments to Shemot 1:7).
Hashem helped dispel this notion from Achasveirosh by arranging for Mordechai to uncover the Bigtan and Teresh plot and for Achasveirosh to be reading about this episode just as Haman approached the emperor to ask permission to kill Mordechai.
Kashrut Observance and Lack of Intermarriage
Haman then tells Achashveirosh that the Jews' rules differ from everyone else's, as the Jews do not eat with the Persians nor intermarry with them.
This point teaches that Kashrut preserves our cultural identity. It is for this reason Chazal forbade us to consume non-Jews' wine and cheese as a bulwark against intermarriage. Jews who work in the business world do report on the awkward nature of having to respond to colleagues’ questions as to why wine must be kosher.
Jews Never Work
Haman adds that the Jews do not honor the king's rules, as they always have some sort of excuse for why they cannot work, such as by claiming that "today is Shabbat" or "today is Pesach."
This is a typical technique of a slanderer; they make a claim that bears a minor resemblance to the truth, which is far removed from its proper context and proportion (see Rashi to BeMidbar 13:27). This continues to be a tactic of many current anti-Israel slanderers, who make spurious claims of Israeli massacres, for example, in their efforts to demonize the Jewish People and the Jewish State.
Nonetheless we should never use Shabbat or Yom Tov as a tool to “slack off” at work. We must make up the time taken off for Shabbat and Yom Tov observance by working nights or on Sundays if necessary.
Paying Taxes
Rashi here adds that Haman claimed that Jews did not pay their taxes. This teaches that paying taxes is not only Halachically required (see Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat 369) but is also quite a threat to our safety if ignored.
Haman’s Clincher
Haman concludes his speech to Achashveirosh in a most dramatic and effective manner. We must recognize that many of our enemies are effective speakers who have the ability to sway audiences with their words; Hitler, Yemach Shemo VeZichro, unfortunately, was a mesmerizing speaker.
Haman clinched his point by telling Achashveirosh that he should destroy the Jews because they eat, drink and disgrace the king. Haman explained, "If a fly falls into a Jew's wine, he removes the fly and drink the remaining liquid. If, however, the king would touch the wine of a Jew, the Jew would stamp the goblet into the ground and not drink the wine." This is yet another example of the deceptive exaggerations of the anti-Semite.
The separations we make are to preserve our identity and not intended to denigrate those outside our community. The accusation of the Jews stamping the king’s goblet in the ground is entirely baseless. Sadly, ignorant fools often uncritically accept such ugly accusations without making the slightest effort to investigate their veracity.
Rava portrays Achashveirosh as a fool who was manipulated by Haman to annihilate the Jews. A basis for this approach is that in the first chapter of Megillat Esther, Achashveirosh is manipulated by one of his advisors (whom Chazal, not surprisingly, identify as Haman; see Megillah 12b) to kill his own queen. We should note that even according to this approach, Achashveirosh is not an individual of strong
moral character who was overtaken by Haman. In addition, he harbors negative feelings towards Jews and needed only a Haman to overcome his inhibitions to express them.
Conclusion
The Gemara’s presentation of Haman’s verbal violence against our people is not intended to satisfy our curiosity. Chazal share this conversation due to the vital and manifold lessons we must derive from it. Sometimes there is nothing we can do (other than pray for Hashem’s intervention) to protect ourselves from anti-Semitic slander. Nonetheless, it is incumbent upon us to stay far away from behaviors that unnecessarily reinforce the anti-Semite’s foul allegations.
God forbid for us to bend even one millimeter in regard to Kashrut, working on Shabbat, and respecting the social barriers created by Chazal, to mollify Jew-haters. However, we must be contributing, hard working, tax-paying and law abiding citizens. While we cannot completely prevent the baseless accusations of virulent anti-Semites, it is the height of recklessness and irresponsibility to provide fodder for these vile individuals. Poor citizenship is not only Halachically forbidden and Hashkafically condemned (see Yirmiyahu 29:7), it is short-sighted and profoundly foolish.
Megillat Esther informs us that our enemies accuse us of failing to honor the king’s laws. We dare not prove our enemies correct!