“And Mordekhai went out from before the king in royal dress of blue and white wool, and a great gold crown, and a robe of fine linen and purple. The city of Shushan reveled and rejoiced” (Esther 8:15). “And Mordekhai went out from before the king in royal dress…” Rabbi Pinḥas says: Mordekhai reigned over the Jews. Just as the king wears purple, so did Mordekhai wear purple. Just as the king sets a great crown on his head, so did Mordekhai wear “a great gold crown” (Esther 8:15). Just as fear of the king is over the whole land, so was fear of Mordekhai over all of them, as it says: “For fear of Mordekhai had fallen upon them” (Esther 9:3). Just as the king’s coin is accepted in the entire land, so was Mordekhai’s coin accepted. And what was his coin? Mordekhai on one side and Esther on the other. Why? Because he was a good man and a peaceful man and sought peace, as it says: “For Mordekhai the Jew…[a seeker of good for his people and a spokesman of peace for all his descendants] (Esther 10:3). About him scripture says: “Mark the man of integrity and behold the upright one, for there is a future for the man of peace” (Psalms 37:37).