This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC.
Consider:
What lesson do you think the artist was trying to teach us, by creating an image that can be seen in two different ways?
Can you think of other another example of something that can be seen, heard or understood in two (or more) totally different ways?
Can you think of a scenario in which Haman was justified in displeasure that Mordechai would not bow to him? Can you think of a scenario in which Mordechai was at fault for not bowing to Haman?
Of the dew of heaven and the fat of the earth,
Abundance of new grain and wine. (29) Let peoples serve you,
And nations bow to you;
Be master over your brothers,
And let your mother’s sons bow to you.
Cursed be they who curse you,
Blessed they who bless you.”
In Jewish law, there is no prohibition against bowing to a fellow human being, either as a social custom or as a sign of respect.
Consider:
Why do you think Mordechai refused to bow down to Haman?
Was Mordechai’s decision a sign of good leadership or not?
...אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה גִּדַּל הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ אֶת הָמָן בֶּן הַמְדָתָא הָאֲגָגִי וַיְנַשְֹּׂאֵהוּ, וְצִוָּה הַמֶּלֶךְ שֶׁיְהוּ כּוֹרְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים לוֹ, מֶה עָשָׂה הָמָן, עָשָׂה לוֹ צֶלֶם מְרֻקָּם עַל בְּגָדָיו וְעַל לִבּוֹ, וְכָל מִי שֶׁהָיָה מִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לְהָמָן הָיָה מִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לַעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים.
“Some time afterward, King Achashverosh promoted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite; he advanced him and seated him higher than any of his fellow officials. All the king’s courtiers in the palace gate knelt and bowed low to Haman, for such was the king’s order concerning him; but Mordecai would not kneel or bow low.” (Esther 3:1-2) What had Haman done? He attached an embroidered [idolatrous] image to his garment upon his breast, and everyone who bowed down to Haman bowed down to the idolatrous image.
Consider:
Is there textual evidence in the story in the megillah for this explanation of why Mordechai refused to bow to Haman? Do you find it convincing?
What do you think motivated the writer of this midrash to read the scene this way?
בבלי מסכת מגילה טו ע''א - טו ע''ב (כ"י ספרייה בריטית (044) 0045 .LRAH, אשכנזי)
פעם אחת נתן להם המלך ממון ושיגרו ראשי גייסות לכבוש את המדינה. נטל המן חציו של ממון ואכלו ולא נשתייר הימנו כלום וכשבא להוציא על בעלי המלחמה לא היה בידו כלום. בא אצל מרדכי שכל הממון שלם בידו כשם שנתנו לו המלך. אמ' לו המן למרדכי הלויני מן ממון זה שיש בידך. אמ' לו איני מלווך אלא אם כן תמכור לי נפשך לעבד קיבל על נפשו והלווהו כתב ליה הכי בשטרא המן עבדא דמרדכי זבין נפשיה למרדכי בטולמא דנהמא והינו דקאמ' ליה מרדכי להמן עבדא דקני ניכסי עבדא דמן ניכסי דמן.
Babylonian Talmud, Megillah 15a-15b - Mss. British Museum 400
Once King Achashverosh issued money to his heads of armies and dispatched them to conquer the province. Haman took his portion of the money [he received from the king] and spent it, and there did not remain anything, so when he came to spend it on the soldiers he did not have anything left. He approached Mordechai because (Mordechai was a possessor of money, and) the money was in Mordechai’s hand just as the king had issued it to him. Haman said to Mordechai: “Lend me from this money which is in your hand.” Mordechai said to him: “I will not lend to you unless you sell yourself to me as a slave.” Haman accepted this upon himself and Mordechai made him the loan, and he wrote a contract as follows: ‘Haman, the slave of Mordechai, has sold himself to Mordechai for a loaf of bread.’ And this is what Mordechai says to Haman [when Haman expects Mordechai to bow to him]: When a slave acquires property - to whom does the slave belong? Therefore, to whom does the property belong? [Therefore, Mordechai refused to bow to Haman, because Mordechai thought it inappropriate to bow to his own slave.]
Consider:
Is there textual evidence in the story in the megillah for this explanation of why Mordechai refused to bow to Haman? Do you find it convincing?
What do you think motivated the writer of this midrash to read the scene this way?