Welcome back to NachDaily with Esther, chapter 8. In the previous chapter we learned about how Haman was hung on the very same gallows he was planning to use for Mordechai. In this perek, Mordechai rose to power, and the royal edict to allow the Jews to not only protect themselves, but to kill any armed force which stands in their way, was sent out. It’s important to note, as the pessukim say, that the original degree to exterminate all the Jews was never revoked, as a royal edict cannot be reversed. The Jews were granted permission to fightback, in itself a huge celebration. The very fact that we as a nation had the ability to protect ourselves was unusual, especially considering the long exile that awaited us in the future. We should not take for granted our ability to protect ourselves as a nation by having our own army. It’s also worth to point out that, in the times of Purim, it was really an organized army. The nation took weapons into their own hands to fight back. The very same day that Achashverosh had Haman hung, he gave Haman’s estate to Queen Esther. Achashverosh took his signet ring, which he originally had given to Haman, and gave it to Mordechai. Esther transferred Haman’s estate to Mordechai as well. The Ramad Walli explains, al pi kabbalah, that the main point of this world is to clarify the good from the bad. The sitra achra has captured much of the goodness found in this world. It’s our job to take out and clarify the tov trapped within the ra. This was all through the great power of the tzaddik, Mordechai, who suffered immensely throughout the Megilah story. Inasmuch as Mordechai accepted his difficulties as yessurim shel ahava, love pains, he was able to reverse the klippos, negative husks, of Haman H’amaleki to bring out the good that was there, which is represented by the receiving of Haman’s estate and Achashverosh’s signet ring.

The perek continues with Esther pleading with Achashverosh to revoke Haman’s decree to exterminate all the Jews, but as a royal edict written in the King’s name could not be revoked, he gave them permission to write another edict in his name to do whatever they would like. In verses 9 through 14, the King’s scribes were summoned on the 23rdof Sivan. Mordechai had his own edict written in the King’s name. He had it sent to all 127 provinces of Achashverosh’s kingdom, each written in the language of the individual province. The edict gave the Jews to permission to organize and defend themselves, to destroy, kill and exterminate, men, women and children who try to attack them, all on a single day, on the 13th of Adar. The text of the document was publicly displayed and sent out immediately with the king’s couriers. From pessukim 15 through 17, which is the end of the perek, the Jews celebrated their change of fortune. Mordechai left the King’s presence wearing royal clothing. The city of Shushan was joyful and happy. “Lay’hudim haysa orah v’simcha v’sasson vikar – The Jews enjoyed light happiness, joy and honor,” and celebrated with feasts and festivities. Many people converted to Judaism at that time. The Ramad Walli explains that in the place of fasting and crying there was now happiness, singing, and dancing. This happens when the Shechina, Divine Presence, begins to shine its awesome Light upon the Jewish nation. This inadvertently caused many people to convert, because when the Shechina shines, the negative forces are overwhelmed, leaving just the good intact to come to the side of Kedusha. Stay tuned to the next episode of NachDaily as we continue to learn about how not only how we were saved from destruction but struck fear into the hearts of the nations of the world. Thank you for listening and have a wonderful day.