Who Is the King?

Advertisements
Advertisements

3 min read

FacebookTwitterLinkedInPrintFriendlyShare

Parshat Zachor (Deuteronomy 25:17-19 )

In accordance with the festivities of Purim, I present another Torah thought from Megillat Esther.

Esther 1:2

"In those days, as the king Achashveirosh sat on his royal throne which was in Shushan the Capitol."

 

ON THIS VERSE THE MIDRASH HAS THE FOLLOWING COMMENT

The King Achashveirosh - Midrash: Rav Yochanan said: Whenever it says the 'King Achashveirosh' in this Megillah it refers to the King Achashveirosh, and every place it says just 'king' it means both Holy and secular.

This Midrash highlights a fundamental point of the Megillah.

 

WHAT IS THE MIDRASH SAYING?

When it doesn't say explicitly "King Achashveirosh," the word "king" in the Megillah refers to God, Who is the King of the universe. God's name in not mentioned even once in the Megillah. This is unique for there is no other book in the Bible where God's name does not appear. On the other hand, says this Midrash, God is referred to many times in the Megillah, albeit obliquely, for whenever the word "king" is mentioned it actually alludes to God. This is quite an apt technique for mentioning God. For in the story of Purim, God's presence is hidden from the naked eye. So too His name is hidden and referred to only in disguised form.

 

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE MIDRASH

The exact words of the Midrash are "every place where it says 'king' it means both Holy and secular."

What would you ask about these words?

Your Question:

 

QUESTIONING THE MIDRASH

A Question: We understand what the Midrash means when it says that "Holy" refers to God. But what does it mean when it says "secular"? Does this refer to Achashveirosh, the secular king? But that cannot be. For if it means God, then it cannot also mean Achashveirosh.

How do you understand this?

Your Answer:

 

UNDERSTANDING THE MIDRASH

An Answer: The Midrash is making a profound point. Although God is hidden and only alluded to in the Megillah story, His influence is evident in the events and in the shaping of the development of this story. By telling us that the word "king" is both Holy and secular we are being enlightened that God works behind the scenes by working through the secular, earthly king, Achashveirosh. Thus many, if not all, of Achashveirosh's actions, his decisions and revisions, were made, unbeknownst to him, as he was acting as an agent of a Higher Power. In this way, the secular king's actions fulfilled the Holy King's plans. We have two kings, but one authority.

 

A SCRIBAL CONFIRMATION

Many handwritten Megillas are written such that every column in the Megillah scroll begins with word "the king." This a graphic scribal expression of the concept that the King – God - is at the head of events, leading developments that transpire in an apparently mundane way.

This is an additional confirmation that the natural and the supernatural are combined and intertwined in an inextricable mixture whose sum product is history as we know it.

 

Shabbat Shalom,
Avigdor Bonchek

Click here to comment on this article
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
EXPLORE
LEARN
MORE
Explore
Learn
Resources
Next Steps
About
Donate
Menu
Languages
Menu
Social
.