Jacob and Ester – the power of proximity
Jacob and Ester – the power of proximity
Parallelism is an interesting phenomenon; On the one hand, it reveals closeness between two objects, thus generating a connection which was unnoticeable, until now.
On the other hand, it bears the weight of a meaningful innovation. The unexpected similarity creates an idea that needs to be explored.
This is the case of Jacob and Queen Esther.
Esther, a young queen, lacking any political experience, is ordered to break the status quo and show up – unannounced – before her husband Ahasverus, a king who has already made a name for himself by taking vengeance on disobedient wives. Esther pleads and implores for her people, revealing her own identity, carefully concealed until now. By doing this, she undermines the royal law issued by Achashverosh himself (under the advice of his beloved protégé) and by doing so practically sentences herself to death.
A dangerous threat of death hovers over Jacob and his family, as “the famine was sore in the land”1. The food stock has almost run out and the necessity to return to Egypt for a new supply has again become relevant. But this need holds within itself a great hazard: it demands that Binyamin will join the journey. Without him there is no chance of success for the expedition, as was well clearly implied by Pharaoh’s right hand-man, Joseph.
Jacob, like Esther, reacts with great rage and resentment: he is angry at his sons for the wrong they caused him when they revealed to Pharaoh’s right man the fact they had another brother, Binyamin.
Now Binyamin has to join his brothers on their journey back to Egypt and Jacob is anxious for son’s life.
Jacob’s other sons explain that they could not foresee the reaction of the Egyptian king to their answers, but Jacob’s mind is still uneasy.
After Reuben’s unsuccessful suggestion, comes Judah and asks his father – “send that lad with me and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die both, we and thou and also our little one. I will be surety for him, of my hand shalt thou require him. If I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame forever. For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time”2
Jacob consents but his approval is not a feeble one: he advises his sons to take with them the best fruits in the land3, instructs them to return the money which they had received on their first journey and he finally comes to terms with Binyamin’s participation: “And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved” (The book of Genesis, 43, 13 – 14).
Esther also rejects Mordechai’s persuasions at first, but as he insists again she gives her consent while outlining a careful plan that ties her personal fortune with the fate of the entire Jewish community: “Go and gather all the Jews who are in Shushan and fast for my sake, do not eat and do not drink for three days, night and day. My maids and I shall fast in the same way. Then I shall go to the king, though it is unlawful, and if I perish, I perish” (Esther, 4, 15 – 16).
On interpreting Jacob’s words, the commentators were unanimous: Rashi’s opinion – “If I have been bereft – of Joseph and Simon: I will be bereft – of Benyamin”4– is equivalent to Jonathan ben Uzziel’s5.
However, the “RaDak” (Rabbi David Kimhi) thinks that the ambiguity in Jacob’s words is referring to his other sons, not necessarily the youngest, Binyamin6.
Ramban7, Abarbanel8 and Rashbam found a connection between Jacobs’ saying to Esthers’:9. Even Ibn Ezra, in his commentary on Esther, finds correlation between the two10.
Jacob, a bereaved father, is ready for the worst sacrifice, in order to save his family from ruthless hunger: jeopardizing the life of his youngest son, Rachel’s son, Joseph’s brother – Binyamin.
Esther is fearful for her own life; as an orphan, she does not have relatives, apart from Mordechai. She is the only living remnant of her father’s name.
Her private loss terrifies her, as well as the destiny of the Jewish people, depending on the success of her action.
Furthermore, it seems that Esther’s involvement in the kingdom is minor at best and nonexistent at worse: the first phrase of chapter 4 opens with the description of Mordechai’s harsh actions: he tears his clothes and puts on sackcloth and ash, as was the custom. This external change is clearly evident to those who are near him in dwellings, but Mordechai doesn’t settle for that: he goes out “into the city”, so that everyone will see his sorrow and grief. He “cries loudly and bitterly”, so that even those who didn’t see can now hear and know his actions and behavior.
Phase 3 establishes beyond any shadow of a doubt that not only in Shushan but in every state under Ahasverus’s rule, the Jews were aware of the terrible edict and mourned deeply “with fasting, crying and wailing. Sackcloth and ash were spread out for the masses”11.
The Jews of Shushan and ambassadors from other states – all saw, heard and knew about Mordechai’s harsh actions, Mordechai foster father to Hadassah – Esther’s uncle.
Everyone was aware that a great catastrophe was imminent, a clear and immediate danger.
Everyone but Esther the queen.
Only when Mordechai arrives at the king’s gate without the ability to enter due to his sackcloth, the rumors reach Esther. Shocked, she then sends him clothes, so that he will take off his mourning sack. When Mordechai refuses, Esther sends Hatach “to find out the meaning of this and what it was about”12 and thus she becomes aware of all that has happened.
One repetition returns in this narrative, when Mordechai tells Esther – “For if you will remain silent at this time”13. This repetition resonates with a tripled repetition in Genesis 43: “for the man said unto us”14, “The man asked us straight”15, “could we certainly know that he would say, bring your brother down”?16.
Three repetitions, all refers to the “man”, the ruler of Egypt, Joseph.
Testimony, question, knowing – wondering, doubts, inquiring.
The ruler of Egypt wonders, asks, and demands to know.
Esther, Achashverosh’s wife, “the same Achashverosh who ruled from India to Persia, one hundred and twenty – seven provinces”, lives in her isolated palace, in her secure ignorance and doesn’t wonder, doesn’t ask and doesn’t know anything.
Was this merely ignorance? lack of knowledge, or a result of lack of interest? Indulgence in hedonistic lifestyle of the court? Or maybe a loyal obedience to Mordechai’d binding commandment – “Esther did not divulge her race or ancestry, for Mordechai had instructed her no to tell”17.
It’s evident from Esther’s behavior that the second possibility is the accurate one: “Esther would still not divulge her ancestry or race, as Mordechai had instructed her. Indeed, Esther had followed Mordechai’s instructions just as she had done while under his care” (Esther 2, 20).
Against Esther’s obliviousness, Mordechai orders Hatach to present to her “a copy of the law that was proclaimed in Shushan calling for their annihilation, to show Esther and to tell her about it, and to instruct her to the kind to beseech him and to plead with him on behalf of her nation”18.
A three-step guidance as to how to act and which goal to achieve.
Jacob’s guidance to his sons is also built in three stages, three orders as to what to bring, what to do and with whom to go.
Two convincing phases came before Jacob’s consent: Reuben and Judah.
First Reuben declares: “Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee; deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again”19.
Jacob strongly refuses: “My son shall not go down with you”20.
Reuben, who suggests death for death, pessimism for pessimism, fails. On the other hand, Judah ha a practical and positive approach: “Send the lad with me and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and thou, and also our little ones”21. This claim bears fruits thanks to its logic: there is no time to dwell or linger. Staying in Israel might protect Binyamin from a potential danger but it would sentence the rest of Jacob’s family to certain death.
Mordechai’s attitude towards Esther is also based on two arguments, but in a different way: first he tries to recruit her to the national effort, to plead before her husband for her people. But Esther refuses: clearly she remembers her predecessor, the king’s first wife, the one who was called and had declined.
Fearful, she wishes to avoid a similar fate and begs to be excused from her duty.
Her rejection compels Mordechai to adopt a more aggressive and intimidating approach: “For if you will remain silent at this time, relief and salvation will come to the Jews from another source, and you and the houses of your father will be lost. And who knows if it is not for just such a time that you reached this royal position”22.
Mordechai is the one who injects horror into Esther’s consciousness, a horror that later manifests in her repetitive usage of the word “perish”. Jacob also declares his dreadful fear of bereavement, but as opposed to Esther, the word comes from him – “and Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children”23 – and not from an outsider.
Jacob’s anxiety grew from his past traumatic experiences. Esther’s nervousness is a new feeling, undermining the concealment she took upon herself at the King’s court.
The fear of death is the strongest link that bonds Jacob and Esther together – that and the courage that they find within themselves to rise to the task. Esther asks Mordechai to gather all the Jews and fast for her as she embarks on a mission that might cost her her life. She is well aware of the potential danger in her decision but also of the other hazard – the loss of her people, if she were do to nothing. Rightfully, Esther chooses the higher, more important goal.
Jacob, who already lost one son, is now prepared to jeopardize the life of another son, for the welfare of his family. Shimon is already in Egypt and one can’t tell what will happen to Binyamin when he goes there, but Jacob comes around, guides his sons and finishes his words with great belief: “And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother and Benjamin”24.
Interestingly enough, this fact raises a great question: Esther’s words – “if I perish, I perish” – could be understood as an expression of great distress. But Jacob’s “If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved” contradicts entirely his faith which was said at the beginning of the sentence.
However, this repetition is the very embodiment of Jacob’s and Esther’s great belief: after they had finished doing everything within their power to guarantee success of their actions, they both realize that true success does not come from them but from a much Greater Power. And if was decided that they should perish and become bereaved, than there could be nothing to do
There is complicit acceptance and arises from “if I perish, I perish” – and “If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved”. Therefore Jacob and Esthers’ accomplishments are more wonderful than they ever imagined: in Esther’s case – complete salvation for the Jewish people and in Jacob’s case – unbelievable meeting with Joseph.
“There was a Jewish man in Suhshan the capital, whose name was Mordechai, son of Yair, son of Shim’iy, son of kish, a Benjaminite… he raised his cousin Hadassah, also called Esther, for she had neither father nor mother. The girl was beautiful visage and when her father and mother died, Mordechai adopted her as his daughter”25.
Mordechai and Esther are the descendants of Binyamin. The danger that hovers over the head of their great grandfather is now hovering over them.
Binyamin and Esther are both been brought before a ruler of an immense nation in order to save, not only themselves but the people on behalf they act. Many lives depend on them.
Jacob decided to hand Binyamin over as Esther decided to hand herself over. They both know that their personal loss won’t just be their own but an extinction of name, continuity and inheritance.
A tribal and national responsibility lies on Jacob and Esther and they both deal with it with great humanity and courage.
