According to Rabbi José, HAMAN wasn’t just a power-hungry villain; he was an astrologer! He meticulously cast lots – Pur, as the verse says – using the constellations to determine the most auspicious (or in this case, inauspicious) day to carry out his wicked decree (Esther 3:7). He wanted to annihilate all the Jews on the 13th of Adar, choosing that date because the constellation Leo was ascendant. Can you imagine the level of calculated malice?
When MORDECAI learned of this, his reaction was one of profound grief and righteous anger. As the text states, "And Mordecai knew all that was done" (Esther 4:1), and he cried out to God. He reminds God of the promise made to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel: to multiply their descendants like the stars (Exodus 32:13). He pleaded, how could God now deliver them like sheep to the slaughter? It's a powerful moment of intercession, isn't it?
And ESTHER? The news hit her hard. "And the queen was exceedingly enfeebled" (Esther 4:4), the text tells us. She sends HATHACH, her trusted servant, to find out what's happening with Mordecai. Now, this part takes a dark turn. Haman, ever the paranoid tyrant, sees Hathach going back and forth and, suspecting something, has him killed. Esther is left without a reliable messenger.
Desperate, Esther realizes she has to take action. She sends word to Mordecai: "Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days" (Esther 4:16). Now, here's where it gets really interesting. These days of fasting were the 13th, 14th, and 15th of Nisan – right during Passover!
Mordecai questions this: "Is not the third day (of the fast) the day of Passover?" Esther's response is striking: "If there be no Israel, wherefore is the Passover?" Her logic is brutal but clear. Survival takes precedence. According to Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, Mordecai agrees, even though it meant "he transgressed" (Esther 4:17), meaning he violated the laws of the festivals and Sabbaths. It's a stark illustration of pikuach nefesh, the principle that saving a life overrides almost all other religious considerations.
Finally, on the third day, Esther puts on her royal robes and invites the king and Haman to a banquet. And as they feast, Haman’s arrogance swells. As the text says, "Then went Haman forth that day, joyful and glad of heart" (Esther 5:9). He basks in the king's favor and Esther's attention, completely oblivious to the trap being set for him. He thinks he’s on top of the world. Little does he know…
What I find so compelling about this passage is the way it highlights the human drama within the larger narrative of the Purim story. We see Haman's meticulous plotting, Mordecai's fervent prayer, and Esther's courageous leadership, all interwoven with questions of Jewish law and destiny. It reminds us that even in the face of overwhelming adversity, faith, courage, and a little bit of strategic thinking can change the course of history.