Purim Style Questions 1
The Following are humorous anecdotes connected to the Megillah
"This wicked Haman" (7:6)
Question:
There is no doubt that Haman was a rasha. In the Haggadah of Pesach we are told that the way to deal with a rasha is to knock out his teeth. Why didn't Mordechai knock out Haman's teeth?
Answer:
According to the Midrash, Achashveirosh once sent two divisions of his army to battle. One was headed by Haman and the other by Mordechai. He gave each one an equal supply of food. Haman was careless and let his soldiers finish the food in a short period of time. He ran out of food and came begging Mordechai to give him some of his food, but Mordechai refused. Haman, fearing that his soldiers would revolt against him, sold himself to Mordechai as a slave and, thus, Mordechai supplied him with food.
When a Jewish master knocks out the tooth of his non-Jewish servant he becomes free. Not wanting to lose such a slave as Haman, Mordechai refrained from knocking out Haman's teeth.
"And Vaizata" (9:9)
Question:
Why is the name "Vaizata" written with a long "vav"?
Answer:
According to Halacha, when a person has ten cows (beheimot), he is to bring them into a room and let them come out through a door. The tenth cow to pass through the door is considered ma'aser beheimah, and is given to the Kohen. If the tenth cow jumps through the roof, the farmer is not obligated to give it away to the Kohen as ma'aser beheimah.
The Kohanim in Shushan Habirah considered Haman's ten sons as ten animals. Haman also thought very little of his children, and agreed with the Kohanim that they were like beheimot. A Kohen came to Haman and told him that since his children were like animals, he was supposed to give one of them away as ma'aser beheimah. Haman agreed with the Kohen and told him that he would take them into a room and let them walk out one by one. After nine of Haman's children walked out and Vaizata was about to come through, Haman grabbed him, and attempted to pull him by his head through the roof. The Kohen, wanting to get him, tried to pull him by his feet. Thus Vaizata was stretched, and the big "vav" symbolizes this.
"On the thirteenth day of the month Adar and Noach..." (9:17)
Question:
What is Noach's connection with the Megillah?
Answer:
Haman was very upset with Mordechai and did not know how to deal with the problem. His wife Zeresh suggested that he make gallows 50 amot (cubits) high upon which they would hang Mordechai. Haman ran all around town, searching for a massive piece of wood. Suddenly, he remembered that many years ago Noach had built a Teivah which was 50 amot wide, so he must have very large pieces of lumber. Haman ran all over until he finally found Noach and said to him, "Do me a favor, please lend me a 50 amot piece of lumber."
Old Noach asked wicked Haman, "Could you tell me what you need this for?" Haman replied, "I want to hang Mordechai." Old Noach began to yell, "Are you crazy? Do you think I am going to permit you to hang Mordechai the Tzaddik on my lumber?" Haman began to fight with old Noach, trying to get a piece of lumber away from him. Noach held on to it with all his might, but unfortunately Haman, being much younger, dragged the piece of wood together with Noach all the way into the Megillah.
