Welcome back to another episode of NachDaily with chapter 10 of Megilas Esther. With this we complete all of the 5 Megilos; we moved through Shir HaShirim, Rus, Eicha, Koheles and now Esther. We are moving our way through Kesuvim, having already finished Tehilim, Mishlei and Iyov! This is really incredible, as the end is in sight for finishing the entire TANACH. Coming up next we’ll have Doniel, Ezra and Nechemiah. I couldn’t think of a more appropriate time to be learning these seforim, because they all deal with Eretz Yisrael and the final redemption, a topic that’s close to my heart and super relevant to the times we’re living in, as we can see the beginning of many of these prophecies begin to take place. Mazel tov to everyone for finishing the 5 Megilos. I know there are many that are on target to finishing TANACH with Nach Daily. We currently have thousands of listeners and readers through the world. You couldn’t even imagine some of the far off places where some of our listeners live. Whether you’re a casual listener and or reader, or an avid follower, even if you just think about learning Torah when you see it in your inbox or whatsapp, you’re reaping reward in the next world. I’d also like to publicly thank Pinny Rosenbaum from L.A for loading up the e-mails every day into the constant contact and whatsapp groups, and the editor, Miriam Greenwald, who also volunteers her time to turn the transcripts into something that’s readable in a beautiful way. This is really not easy to do and takes a tremendous amount of time. She asks our readers to please have in mind that it should be an aliyas neshoma for her parents, Raizel bas Sora Esther and Avraham Aharon ben Yisroel Yitzchok. Thank you. Let’s begin the perek, which is only 3 pessukim long. The previous perek ended with Esther having her story added to the books of Kesuvim, establishing Purim as a Jewish holiday forever. This perek speaks about Mordechai’s appointment as the viceroy.

The chapter opens with Achashverosh placing a tax on all the lands and islands over which he ruled. In Rabbi Ginian’s sefer, Navi Journey on Esther, he explains that for Achashverosh it was all about the money. Originally the king had lowered taxes in hopes that Queen Esther’s nation would claim her. However, now that the whole ordeal was over, instead of celebrating the good deed that he did in saving a nation from extermination, he raised taxes. All of Mordechai’s greatness was written down in the book of Chronicles of the King. Verse 3 says, “Ki Mordechai ha’Yehudi mishneh lamelech Achashverosh, v’gadol laYehudim v’ratsuy l’rov echov, doresh tov l’amo, v’dover shalom l’chol zaro – For Mordechai the Jew was viceroy to king Achashverosh, a leader among the Jews, and approved of by most of his brethren. He sought the good of his people and was an advocate for peace for all their descendants.” Rashi asks what is meant by, “he was liked by ‘most’ of his brothers”? He answers that some of Mordechai’s colleagues separated from him in the Sanhedrin because as he was now involved in dealing with the King’s affairs, he didn’t have as much time to devote to learning. Alternatively, I once heard that even after a tzaddik does tremendous good, there are always people who detract from his greatness. Although Mordechai saved Am Yisrael, there was a small group that held that he wasn’t as great as he was made out to be. And now to end with a different thought: The story of the Megila, it can be said, ends on a sad note. Esther is still married to a non-Jewish megalomaniac, with whom she has a child, and even though Mordechai is elevated, he has lost some of his prestige among the chachomim. In other words, life goes on. The Jews are still in exile, and Esther lives the rest of her life as a prisoner in the palace. But I think this is precisely the message of the Megila. Although everything looks normal, people go about their daily lives and it looks

to the outside world as if not much is happening, or may look sad, the Megila teaches us that even the ordinary, mundane, and regular, are spectacular events in the spiritual world. So while we live our ordinary lives and fumble through the days, Hashem wants us to know that although He’s hidden, He’s with us, guiding the geula hand making the world a better place. Of course it was Esther’s son, Daryavesh, who went on to give the Jews permission to rebuild the 2ndBeis Hamikdash. We all eagerly await and yearn for Hashem to shine His light upon His cast-aside nation. He promised through His holy Neviim that one day He will rebuild the 3rdBeis Hamikdash, which will be greater than anything we’ve ever seen. The entire world will be filled with the knowledge of God like the waters that cover the sea, there will be no more war on His holy mountain, and the world will no longer practice the art of warfare. The lamb will lie down with the lion, all death will end forever, and the dead will be revived and come back to life. Hashem will give us the 3rdBeis Hamikdash that He showed Yechezkel, and all will come singing and dancing in Yerushalayim Ir Hakodesh. Mazel tov to everyone for finishing. We hope to be starting Sefer Doniel in the next shiur. Thank you for listening and have a wonderful day.