...As if a man flees from the lion and the bear meets him, and he comes to the house and leans his hand on the wall, and a serpent bites him. (Amos 5:19) ‘As if a man flees from the lion…’ refers to Babylon, which comes first like the lion. ‘…and the bear meets him…’ refers to Maday which came second like the bear. ‘…and he comes to the house…’ The Jews came to rebuild the Temple in their time and Haman the wicked opposed them, he and his son Shimshai the scribe. Mordechai went down (to Babylon) as an emissary in order that the Temple be rebuilt. The people of Israel said: Mordecai is from the tribe of Benjamin, of whom it is written “…and He dwells between his shoulders.” (Devarim 33:12) Therefore, let Mordecai go down as an emissary against them to ensure that the Temple be rebuilt. Haman went down to prevent its building as it is written “And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the dwellers of Judea and Jerusalem.” (Ezra 4:6) Therefore they all began to cry out. “Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus…” (Esther 1:1)