5 min read

Haman Dressed Mordechai and His Daughter Threw the Pot

Esther Rabbah follows Haman step by step through his worst morning: bathman, barber, horse-leader, and then his daughter watching from above with a chamber pot.

Curated by Arthur · Told by Maggid ·
Table of Contents
  1. The Night Everything Changed
  2. The Bathman and the Barber
  3. What Haman Said While He Led the Horse
  4. The Daughter at the Window

The Night Everything Changed

Haman left his house that morning planning to ask the king's permission to hang Mordechai. He had built the gallows himself, fifty cubits high, tall enough to be visible across the city. He had the authorization drafted. He had imagined the scene so many times he almost felt it was finished. He walked through the palace gate with the petition ready.

He did not know that the king had spent the previous night listening to the royal chronicles being read aloud, and had discovered that Mordechai, the Jew who sat daily at the king's gate, had once saved the king's life by reporting a plot against him and had never been rewarded for it. The king, in the way kings think about such things, had decided this needed to be corrected. Haman walked in to ask for a man's death, and the king spoke first.

What should be done for the man the king wishes to honor?

Haman, certain the king was thinking of him, proposed the most elaborate public honor he could imagine: royal robes, a royal horse, a prominent nobleman to lead the horse through the city square proclaiming the honoree's name. The king said to do exactly that. For Mordechai the Jew. Omit nothing.

The Bathman and the Barber

The full account of what happened next, preserved in Esther Rabbah with a detail that borders on theatrical pleasure, does not let the humiliation be summarized. It insists on each step.

Mordechai was sitting with his students when Haman arrived. He told them to run, that Haman was coming to kill him. They said they would stay and die with him if it came to that. What arrived was not execution. Haman found Mordechai in sackcloth and ash, sitting in mourning for the decree against his people. He told him to get up and wash.

Mordechai said he had no bathwater. Haman fetched water and bathed him. He said he had no oil for his hair. Haman oiled his hair. He said he had no clean clothes. Haman dressed him. He needed sandals. Haman went and found sandals. He needed the horse brought and the horse saddled. Haman, who had commanded armies and designed gallows and sat at the king's right hand, fetched the horse and saddled it.

Then he needed a step stool to mount, because Mordechai was weak from fasting. Haman bent down and Mordechai climbed onto Haman's back to reach the horse.

What Haman Said While He Led the Horse

He walked through the city square calling out the king's proclamation. The midrash preserves a separate interior monologue running beneath the public announcement. Last night I was arranging a gallows for this man, and the Holy One was arranging a crown. I had ropes and nails, and He had royal garments. I went to the king to hang him, and the king told me to put him on a horse.

The proclamation Haman made was directed at a specific audience. The tradition says he called it out before the people of Israel, announcing that God had not abandoned them, that the man riding the horse was the man the king of all kings wished to honor. Mordechai, riding above the crowd that had watched him sit in ash and sackcloth outside the palace gate, prayed aloud. He quoted from Psalms, the psalms of being lifted up after being brought down, the psalms of enemies not rejoicing over him. His voice carried over the crowd while Haman's voice carried the proclamation.

The Daughter at the Window

Haman's daughter had been watching from a window above. When she saw a man in royal garments being led on a horse by a figure bent over in the leading position, she assumed the servant was Mordechai and the rider was her father. She had prepared something to throw on Mordechai as he passed below, something specifically designed to humiliate him at his most degraded moment.

She threw it on Haman's head.

When she understood what she had done, when her father looked up and she saw his face, she threw herself from the window. Haman arrived home covered in filth, in mourning, his head bowed, and the first news he received there was that his daughter had died. His wife Zeresh and his advisers told him plainly: if Mordechai is of Jewish seed, you will fall before him and not prevail. You have begun to fall and you will not stop.

He had time for almost nothing before the king's servants arrived to take him to Esther's banquet, where the story reached its conclusion.

HolidaysPrayerWisdom
← All myths

From the tradition

Sources

5 sources

The texts this telling draws on, in full. Open a card to read inline, or expand it for a wider, quieter read.

Esther Rabbah 10:4Esther Rabbah

“The king said to Haman: Hurry, take the garments and the horse; as you have said, do so to Mordekhai the Jew who sits at the king’s gate. Do not omit anything that you spoke of. Haman took the garments and the horse, dressed Mordekhai and led him, riding, through the city square and proclaimed before him: ‘So shall be done for anyone the king wishes to honor!’” (Esther 6:10-11).“Take the garments and the horse… Haman took the garments and the horse.” He went to Mordekhai. When he [Mordekhai] was told that he was coming, he was very afraid, and he was sitting with his students before him. He said to his students: ‘My children, run and remove yourselves from here that you are not burned with my coal, as the wicked Haman is coming to kill me.’ They said: ‘If you die, we will die with you.’ He said to them: ‘If so, let us stand in prayer and pass away while praying.’ They completed their prayers and sat and engaged in the halakhot of Sefirat ha-Omer,5 The commandment to count the days between Passover and Shavuot (the Festival of Weeks). When the Temple stood, they would bring a meal offering of barley measuring one omer (the omer offering) on the 16th of Nisan, the second day of Passover. as that day was the 16th of Nisan and on that day they would bring the omer offering at the time when the Temple stood. Haman came to them and said to them: ‘What are you engaged in?’ They said to him: ‘In the commandment of the omer. That is what it says: “And if you present an offering of the first fruits to the Lord…”’ (Leviticus 2:14). There6For the residents of the Land of Israel, “there” refers to Babylonia, and vice versa. In the Babylonian Talmud (Megilla 16a) it is stated that Mordekhai was demonstrating to his students how to take a handful of a meal offering (Etz Yosef). they say: They showed him the halakhot of taking a handful [of a meal offering]. And [these interpretations] are one and the same, as they would take a handful from the omer. He said to them: ‘This omer, what is it? Is it [made] of gold or of silver?’ They said to him: ‘Not of gold and not of silver and not of wheat, but of barley.’ He said to them: ‘What is its value? Is it ten kantrin?’7Kantrin, or singular Kantar, is a measurement of silver equivalent to one talent, ~33 kg. They said to him: ‘It goes for ten manin.’8Manin, or singular maneh, in this context is equivalent to the small silver coin known as a ma’a. He said to them: ‘Rise, for your ten manin have vanquished my ten thousand kantrin of silver.’ Once [Mordekhai] had finished praying, Haman said to Mordekhai: ‘Put on these royal garments.’ He said to him: ‘Why are you dishonoring the monarchy? Is there any man who would put on royal garments without bathing?’ He [Haman] went and sought a bath attendant and could not find one. What did he do? He girded his loins and went in and bathed him. When he came out, he said to him: ‘Take this crown.’ He [Mordekhai] said to him: ‘Why are you dishonoring the monarchy? Is there any man who would put on a royal crown without a haircut?’He [Haman] went and sought a barber and did not find one. What did he do? He went to his house and brought scissors and sat and gave him a haircut. He began to sigh. He [Mordekhai] said to him: ‘Why are you sighing?’ He said to him: ‘Woe to this man’s9 Referring to oneself in the first person was considered bad luck. “This man” in this context is Haman, referring to himself. father – he [Haman] has been removed from being a high official and an overlord and has been made a bath attendant and a barber!’ He [Mordekhai] said to him: ‘That is why I asked you. Do I not know that the father of that man [Haman] was a bath attendant and a barber in Kefar Karyanus and you have found his barber tools?’ He [Haman] said to him: ‘Arise and ride this horse.’ He said to him: ‘I have not the strength [to mount it], for I am old.’ He said to him: ‘Am I not an old man?’ He said to him: ‘Was it not you who brought it on yourself?’ He said to him: ‘Get up, for I will bend my back for support and you step on me and get up and ride, to fulfill for you that which Scripture says: “And you shall tread on their high places” (Deut. 33:29).

Full source
Esther Rabbah 10:5Esther Rabbah

Another interpretation: “Haman took the garments and the horse....” (Esther 6:11). He came to Mordekhai and said: ‘Rise and get dressed.’ How unlucky is this man; last night I was engaged in arranging a gibbet for him, and the Holy one blessed be He arranged a crown for him. ‘I would have arranged for you ropes and nails, and the Holy one blessed be He arranged for you royal garments. I sought from the king to hang you on a gibbet, and he said to mount you on a horse. Stand up and get dressed.’ And he did everything we said above. When he [Mordekhai] was riding, he began praising the Holy one blessed be He: “I will exalt You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up and have not caused my enemies to rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried out to You and You have healed me. O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have given me life that I not go down to a pit” (Psalms 30:2–4). What did his students say? “Sing to the Lord, his devout ones, and give thanks to His holy name. For His anger is a moment, life is by His will; in the evening one may lie down weeping, and in the morning, joy” (Psalms 30:5–6). What did that wicked one say? “And I said in my tranquility, I shall never be shaken. O Lord, by Your will You set my mountain strong – You hid Your face, I became terrified” (Psalms 30:7–8). What did Esther say? “To You, O Lord, I will call, and to the Lord I will make supplication. What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to destruction? Will dust thank You, will it declare Your truth?” (Psalms 30:9–10) What did the congregation of Israel say? “Hear O Lord and show favor to me; [O Lord, be my aid;] You have turned my lamenting into dance for me; [You have undone my sackcloth and girded me with joy]” (Psalms 30:11–12). What did the holy spirit say? “So that I can sing to You glorious praise, and not be silent, O Lord my God, forever I will thank You” (Psalms 30:13). Haman’s daughter gazed from the window to see the hanging, and when she saw Mordekhai riding and her father declaring before him ‘so will be done for the man…,’ she cast herself to the ground and died.

Full source
Legends of the Jews 12:221Legends of the Jews

The familiar story centers on Mordecai and Haman. Haman, the villainous advisor to the king, plots to annihilate the Jews, and Mordecai, the righteous leader, stands in his way. In Legends of the Jews, Ginzberg paints a vivid picture of the moment Haman confronts Mordecai.

The scene. Mordecai sees Haman approaching, certain that his end is near. He’s surrounded by his students, his beloved pupils. Thinking only of their safety, Mordecai urges them to flee. "Don't burn yourselves with my coals," he pleads. A striking image, isn't it? He sees himself as a burning ember, dangerous to be near.

These students? They refuse. Their loyalty is unwavering. "In life as in death," they say, "we desire to be with thee."

Knowing his time is short, Mordecai turns to prayer, seeking to meet his end with words of faith on his lips.

And then Haman speaks. He doesn't address Mordecai directly, but turns to his students. "What was the last subject taught you by your teacher Mordecai?" he asks. What kind of question is that in such a moment of crisis?

Their answer is surprising. They tell him they had been studying the law of the Omer. The Omer? What's that? Well, the Omer was a sacrifice brought on that very day, a barley offering brought to the Temple in Jerusalem during the time it stood.

At Haman's request, they described some of the details of the ceremony.: these young men, facing death, are calmly recounting the details of an ancient ritual. Incredible.

And here's where the story takes an unexpected turn. After hearing their explanation, Haman exclaims: "Happy are you that your ten perutot (small coins), with which you bought the wheat for the Omer, produced a better effect than my ten thousand talents of silver, which I offered unto the king for the destruction of the Jews."

Wow. Haman, who offered a king's ransom to fuel his genocidal plot, acknowledges that the small offering, the tiny act of devotion represented by the Omer, is more powerful, more meaningful, than all his wealth and power.

What a powerful lesson! Haman, in his twisted way, recognizes the enduring power of genuine faith and devotion. Even in the face of unimaginable evil, the smallest act of goodness can have a profound impact. The Zohar tells us repeatedly of the power of even small acts, when done with intention.

This story reminds us that even when things seem bleakest, when we feel powerless against the forces of darkness, our small acts of kindness, our moments of prayer, our dedication to living a righteous life, can make all the difference. It's a message that resonates deeply, doesn't it? It suggests that true power isn't found in wealth or influence, but in the quiet strength of faith and the unwavering commitment to doing what is right.

Full source
Legends of the Jews 12:228Legends of the Jews

Legends of the Jews turns to Haman Stands in Prayer.

Ginzberg, in his Legends of the Jews, recounts a rather grim incident during Mordecai's moment of triumph. Remember that incredible scene? Mordecai, riding through the streets in royal robes on the king's horse, led by none other than his sworn enemy, Haman. Humiliating. Well, Haman's daughter was watching from a window. Now, She mistook the man on the horse – Mordecai – for her father and the leader of the procession – Haman – for Mordecai. In a fit of… shall we say, misguided loyalty… she grabbed a vessel filled with offal – that’s waste, garbage, the really nasty stuff – and dumped it on the head of the man she thought was her father being humiliated.

Can you imagine the horror when she realized her mistake? That the one covered in filth was actually her own father, being led by his nemesis? The shock, the shame, the utter despair… It was too much.

In Legends of the Jews, she threw herself from the window. Crushed on the street below. A life extinguished in a moment of mistaken identity. A truly awful end brought about by a chaotic series of misjudgments and political machinations.

Talk about a dark turn.

And what of Mordecai? Did he revel in his victory, bask in the adulation of the crowd? No. Ginzberg tells us that as soon as the procession was over, Mordecai removed the royal robes and returned to his sackcloth. He resumed his prayers and fasting, continuing until nightfall. Despite the incredible reversal of fortune, the public display of honor, and the downfall of his enemy, Mordecai remained grounded in his faith. He understood, perhaps, the fleeting nature of earthly power and the importance of remaining connected to something greater. Even amidst triumph, he remembered the suffering and the need for continued devotion.

It’s a stark reminder that even in moments of great victory, tragedy can lurk nearby. And perhaps, that true strength lies not in reveling in the downfall of our enemies, but in remaining steadfast in our beliefs, even when the world around us is in turmoil. A powerful thought, isn't it?

Full source
Legends of the Jews 12:103Legends of the Jews

It’s a wild tale, and it's not exactly in the Book of Esther. For that, we need to turn to the Legends of the Jews, that incredible compilation of rabbinic lore gathered by Louis Ginzberg.

Ginzberg recounts a fascinating scenario, a kind of prequel to the Purim story as we know it. According to the legend, King Ahasuerus sent both Haman and Mordecai on a military campaign to an Indian city. Both were given similar commissions, each leading an army of sixty thousand soldiers.

He apparently wasn’t the most responsible quartermaster. He squandered all the provisions entrusted to him, leaving his troops without rations. Can you imagine the pressure?

Desperate, Haman turned to Mordecai, hoping to borrow food on interest. But Mordecai, remembering the biblical story of Jacob and Esau – brothers, yes, but also a cautionary tale about exploitation – refused to lend to Haman with interest.

The stakes were high, and Haman was backed into a corner. His solution? He sold himself into slavery to Mordecai.

Now, here’s the bill of sale, as the legend describes it:

"I, Haman, the son of Hammedatha of the family of Agag, was sent out by King Ahasuerus to make war upon an Indian city, with an army of sixty thousand soldiers, furnished with the necessary provisions. Precisely the same commission was given by the king to Mordecai, the son of Shimei of the tribe of Benjamin. But I squandered the provisions entrusted to me by the king, so that I had no rations to give to my troops. I desired to borrow from Mordecai on interest, but, having regard to the fact that Jacob and Esau were brothers, he refused to lend me upon usury, and I was forced to sell myself as slave to him. If, now, I should at any time decline to serve him as a slave, or deny that I am his slave, or if my children and children's children unto the end of all time should refuse to do him service, if only a single day of the week; or if I should act inimically toward him on account of this contract, as Esau did toward Jacob after selling him his birthright; in all these cases, a beam of wood is to be plucked out of the house of the recalcitrant, and he is to be hanged upon it. I, Haman, the son of Hammedatha of the family of Agag, being under no restraint, do hereby consent with my own will, and bind myself to be slave in perpetuity to Mordecai, in accordance with the contents of this document."

Talk about a binding contract! It even extends to Haman's descendants. And the penalty for breaking the agreement? Well, let's just say it foreshadows Haman's ultimate fate.

This legend, while not found in the biblical text, adds a layer of complexity to the story of Purim. It suggests a pre-existing dynamic between Haman and Mordecai, rooted in financial desperation and ethical choices. It makes you wonder how much of their later conflict was shaped by this earlier power imbalance. Was Haman's hatred fueled by resentment of his former enslavement? Did Mordecai harbor any guilt or unease about owning his rival?

Food for thought, isn't it? It just goes to show, there's always more to the story than meets the eye.

Full source