The book of Esther
recounts that King Achashverosh ordered all of his servants who were at the
palace gate to bow and prostrate to Haman, his newly appointed prime minister.
The order is carried out, perhaps enthusiastically, but Mordechai pointedly
refuses to obey it. When asked about it, he tells them that as a Jew he is
forbidden to bow to idolatry. When the situation continues, the king’s ministers
tell Haman what’s happening to see if Mordechai’s words will prevail. When
Haman sees that Mordechai will not bow or prostate himself to him, he is filled
with rage and resolves not only kill Mordechai but to kill all of the Jews as
well. This is the beginning of the story of Purim.
The Targum Sheni is
somewhat more complicated. It recounts that Mordechai was a Persian courtier
and unlike the others he omitted to bow before Haman. The latter, not wishing
to appear disconcerted, feigned to have received his salutation. He therefore
turned round and, advancing toward Mordechai, said, "And peace be upon
thee," as though in reply to Mordechai's greeting. Mordechai thereupon
said to him, "There is no peace says the Lord to the wicked" (Isa.
xlviii. 22), an answer that particularly angered Haman's (Midr. Abba Gorion,
ed. Buber, iii., Vilna, 1886). The courtiers then asked Mordechai why he
refused to bow before Haman, when Jacob, Mordechai's ancestor, had bowed before
Esau, Haman's ancestor (Gen. xxxiii. 3). Mordechai replied that this took place
before Benjamin, from whom he (Mordecai) was descended, was born (Targum Sheni
to Esth. iii. 3). [From the Jewish Encyclopedia]
The Targum Sheni also comments
that Haman was wearing an idol say on a necklace or as a diadem on his
forehead. Rashi explains that he had set himself up as a god. In the case of
Ya’akov bowing to Esav it was a show of respect and subservience. There are
other examples in the Tanakh. Isaac blesses his first born saying that his
brothers should bow down to him. Yosef dreams that his family will bow down to
him and, when he is viceroy of Egypt, the brothers do in fact bow down to him.
Not to bow down to
idolatry is one of the 613 mitzvahs. Maimonides explains that there are four
basic services of the Holy One, blessed be He. They are bowing down, pouring of
wine libations, burning incense, and slaughtering an animal. Doing any of these
to express the idea that there is a super natural power other than Hashem is a
violation of the ban on idolatry.
Fetishism and cultism
are types of idolatry. This would include exaggerated glorification of a leader
which can take the form of constantly fawning over a person. An even worse
expression is self-degradation and graveling. These are the things that Haman
desired and these are the things that Mordechai hated. Consequently bowing to
Haman was different from Ya’akov bowing to Esav.
It is the nature of
Amalek to pursue cultism and the nature of the Jews to seek to uproot it. There
is an additional dimension when idolatry comes into contact with Jews. Idolatry
specifically wants the Torah to be subservient to it and to commit the worst
acts of self-degradation to the extent it becomes an obsession. This is what
happened to Haman. He could be happy and cheerful but when he comes across
Mordechai and Mordechai doesn't get up or move at all, Haman's day was ruined.
His riches, glory, and power mean nothing to him every time he sees Mordechai,
the Jew, sitting at the king’s gate. Deep down he knows that as long as there
are Jews there will be Jews like Mordechai; therefore he’s at war against all
of them.
An idolater reckons
his greatness according to how low others are by comparison. For a Jew
greatness is raising up another person and he is not concerned that the other’s
greatness may someday be greater than his own. Judaism desires the dignity of
man and a person’s value is reckoned according to his wisdom, good deeds, and
closeness to G-d.
לע"נ הדוד משה יוסף בו אהרן ז"ל
נלב"ע כט שבט תשל"ג
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