He cast the pur - that is, the lot: Rabbi Chama bar Chanina said, "It was taught [that] when it fell out in the month of Adar, [Haman] rejoiced with great joy: He said, 'The lot fell out in the month that Moshe, their teacher died.' But he did not know that Moshe died on the seventh of Adar and that Moshe was [also] born on the seventh of Adar. He cast the pur - that is, the lot: Rabbi Chama bar Chanina said, "You are the lot of the children. He cast lots for the days, but it did not work for him; he cast the lots for the constellation and it did work for him, the constellation of Pisces. He said, 'They are caught in my hands just like that fish.' He said to him, 'Evil one, they are not in your hands, you are in their hands. Just like this fish sometimes swallows and sometimes is swallowed; so too are you swallowed in their hands - "the opposite happened, and the Jews got their enemies in their power." He cast the lot on the first day and it did not work for him. For it is written (Jeremiah 33:35), "If not for my covenant of day and night, the ordinances of heaven and earth I have not appointed." The second day, "And the enlightened will be radiant" (Daniel 12:3). The third day, the Garden of Eden was created. The fourth day, the sun stopped in Giveaon. The fifth day, the creatures of the field were created. The sixth day, the behemoth of the thousand mountains. The Shabbat, the Jewish people observe the Shabbat. So he tried the months. In Nissan, there is the lamb (Aries) for the Pesach (Passover) sacrifice. In Iyar, the manna descended. In Sivan, the Torah was given. In Tamuz, distress does not occur twice [at the same time]; likewise Av. In Elul, there is the tithing of animals. In Tishrei, there are the holidays. In MarCheshvan, the Temple was built, in the month of Bul. In Kislev, there is Chanukah, and the work on the tabernacle was completed. Tevet's constellation is the goat (Capricorn), so it [is a reminder of], "and the skins of the young goats" (Genesis 27:16). In Shevat, its constellation is the Water Bearer (Aquarius), [bringing up] the merit of Moshe, "he surely drew [water]" (Exodus 2:19). Adar is the Fish (Pisces), to swallow them up like fish. The Sages said: The tree was a cedar tree. For Haman cast lots. He cast it on the grapevine, but it did not work for him. For the Jewish people was compared to it, as it is stated (Psalms 80:9), "You brought a grapevine from Egypt." He cast [it] on the olive tree, but it did not work for him. For the Jewish people was compared to it, as it is stated (Jeremiah 11:16), "A verdant olive tree of notable fruit." He cast [it] on the apple tree, but it did not work for him. For the Jewish people was compared to it, as it is stated (Song of Songs 8:5), "under the apple tree I roused you." He cast [it] on the pomegranate tree, but it did not work for him. For the Jewish people was compared to it, as it is stated (Song of Song 6:11), " the pomegranates were in bloom"; (Song of Songs 4:3) "like a pomegranate split open." He cast [it] on the date palm, but it did not work for him. For Chananiah, Mishael and Azariah were compared to it, as it is stated (Song of Songs 7:9), "I say, 'Let me climb the palm.'" He cast [it] on the nut tree, but it did not work for him. For the Congregation of Israel was compared to it, as it was stated (Song of Songs 6:11), "I went down to the nut grove." He cast [it] on the myrtle, on the willow and on the citron (etrog), but it did not work for him. For they are defenders of the Jewish people and seek mercy upon them, as it is stated (Leviticus 223:40), "And you shall take for yourselves on the first day, etc." He cast [it] on the reed. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "Fool, the Jewish people was compared to a reed, as it stands in the water and moves with every wind. Even though the water is hard, the reed stands in its place. But they are not compared to the cedar, since the wind breaks it. But the idolaters are compared to it, as it is stated, (Ezekiel 31:3), 'Behold, Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon.' But with the Jewish people, it is written (I Kings 14:15), 'it sways like a reed in water.' Behold, the cedar is prepared for you from the six days of creation - 'on the tree that he/He prepared for him.'"