Welcome back to another episode of NachDaily, with the 5^th perek in Megilas Esther. The previous chapter ended with Esther agreeing to speak with Achashverosh although doing so might threaten her life. She asked Mordechai to have the nation join her in a three day fast. On the 3rd day, Esther put on her royal clothing and entered the King’s court. Verses 2 and 3 tell us that “she found favor in his eyes.” Achashverosh extended his golden scepter to her and asked, “What is your request? Ask for up to half the kingdom and it will be granted to you.” The Gemarah in Megilah 15b tells us that this was Achashverosh’s way of saying that he would only give her half the kingdom, but would not allow her to rebuild the Beis Hamikdash. Esther respectfully invited the king to a feast that very day, asking him to bring Haman as well. Achashverosh consented to her request. It should be noted that all the Meforshim ask why Esther invited Haman to the feast with Achashverosh. What was she thinking? Parenthetically, there’s an amazing new sefer that just came out on Megilas Esther by my Rebbe, Rabbi Ginian, called the Navi Journey on Esther. He brings a number of reasons based on the Gemarah in Megilah 15b as to why Esther invited Haman. 1) She set him to be trapped. 2) She had learned from her father to feed your enemy if he’s hungry. 3) He would not rebel against Achashverosh while his mazal was strong. 4) He would not figure out that she was a Jew. 5) Esther didn’t want Klal Yisrael to just rely on her and stop davening wholeheartedly. 6) Perhaps she’d be able to disgrace Haman in front of the king. 7) Hashem would see how degraded Esther had become and perform a miracle for her. 8) She would make Achashverosh jealous of Haman and kill them both. It would be worth it to die if Haman was destroyed. 9) If Achashverosh decided to kill Haman, he wouldn’t change his mind if Haman was there. If she waited until after the feast, the King’s anger might have abated. 10) To make other officers jealous of Haman. 11) Before Haman fell, he first needed to be lifted up. 12) Esther had learned from Belshatzar that when evil people drink, their demise comes more quickly. At the feast, Achashverosh again asked Esther her request. Esther answered that she will reveal it if he and Haman would come back the next day to another feast. Haman left the King’s palace happy and content, but when Mordechai, at the royal gate, refused to bow to him, he became filled with rage. Haman went home and told his wife Zeresh about all the good things that had happened to him. He had been promoted, and even invited to a royal feast with the king. He boasted that he would actually be going to another feast the next day! Verse 13 has Haman saying, “V’chol zeh ainenu shoveh li, b’chol eis asher ani roeh es Mordechai haYehudi yoshev b’sha’ar haMelech -Yet all this means nothing to me whenever I see the Jew Mordechai sitting at the royal gate.” Haman had everything he really wanted in life, but honor and wealth weren’t enough to satisfy his desires. One lone Jew wouldn’t bow to him and it drove him mad. Everything became worthless. The deeper seforim bring, on the words, “v’chol zeh ainenu shova li, all this is worthless to me,” that the last letters of gives us Hey, Vav, Hey, Yud, which is Hashem’s name YKVK spelled backwards. This was none other than Hashem behind the scenes. The reason why it’s backwards is because we never see Hashem clearly. Only through

the hints that He sends us every day can we search and realize that all of life is really Divine in nature. This is what led Zeresh to give Haman the advice to build gallows 50 amos high on which to have Mordechai hung. The idea pleased Haman, and he had the gallows built immediately. Little did Haman know that Hashem was using him to create his own downfall. Even evil isn’t separate from God, Who uses it to guide the world in the best possible way. Stay tuned to the next episode of NachDaily, when we’ll see how Mordechai Hatzaddik is lifted up and rewarded for saving Achashverosh’s life. Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.