---
title: "Pirkê de Rabbi Eliezer"
author: "Attributed to Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus"
translator: "Gerald Friedlander"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Rabbinic"
section: 50 of 53
url: https://scriptura.si/works/pirkei-de-rabbi-eliezer-friedlander/50/
cite: "Attributed to Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus, tr. Gerald Friedlander, Pirkê de Rabbi Eliezer, section 50. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/pirkei-de-rabbi-eliezer-friedlander/50/"
---

# Pirkê de Rabbi Eliezer

*Attributed to Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus, tr. Gerald Friedlander*

A Midrashic retelling of creation, the patriarchs and the Exodus, with rich Jewish legend.

## 50. Chapter 50 · Haman

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/pirkei-de-rabbi-eliezer-friedlander/50/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/pirkei-de-rabbi-eliezer-friedlander/50/#p-N

[¶0] “There was a certain Jew in Shushan, the capital whose name was Mordecai” (Esth. ii. 5). Rabbi Shema'iali said : Was there then no other Jew in Shushan, the capital, except Mordecai alone ? Lo ! it is written, “And the Jews that were in Shushan” (ibid. ix. 15). But because he was a Jew, and a direct descendant of the patriarchs and also of the royal seed, and he was engaged in (the study of) the Torah all his days, and he was not defiled by any forbidden food in his mouth, therefore was his name called “a Jew.” “Whose name was Mordecai” (ibid. ii. 5), because his prayer ascended before the Holy One, blessed be He, like the scent of pure myrrh (on id). “The son of Jair” (ibid.), because he enlightened (Mair) the faces (of the scholars) in Halakhah.' “The son of Shimei” (ibid.), who went forth to curse David.' “The son of Kish” (ibid.), of the seed of it out before him, and he found therein the deadly poison, and he commanded that they should be hanged, as it is said, “They wen; both hanged on a tree” (ibid. 23). They were both hanged on one tree, one after the othcr, as it is said, “Upon a tree” (ibid.); it is not written, “Upon trees.” All affairs which were enacted before the king they wrote before him, and they placed it in the king's box, and when the king wished to discover what had happened to him they read the documents, and he knew what had happened to him. So they wrote in the book the word which Mordecai had told, as it is said, “And it was written in the book of the chronicles” (ibid.).

[¶1] Rabbi Phineas said : Two wealthy men arose in the world, one in Israel and one among the nations of the world, Korah in Israel, and Haman among the nations of the world,“who took the treasures of the kings of Judah. (When) the king saw his wealth and his ten sons keeping guard before him, he exalted him, and aggrandized him, as it is said,” After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman, the son of Hammedatha“(ibid. iii. 1). The king commanded concerning him that all the people should lot,i before Haman from day to day, and from month to month” (Esth. iii. 7). He wrote and sent throughout all the provinces to destroy and to slay and to exterminate all the Jewson the thirteenth day of the month Adar, on the third day in the constellation Leo. Mordecai heard (thereof), and rent his garments, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and he went forth into the midst of the city, as it is said, “And Mordecai knew all that was done” (ibid. iv. 1) ; and he cried before the Holy One, blessed be He, saying : Sovereign of all the worlds ! Thou didst swear to our forefathers to multiply their seed like the stars of the heaven, and now hast Thou given them like sheep to the slaughter.' “Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel ... to whom thou swarest ... I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven” (Ex. xxxii. 13). Esther heard (thereof), and her strength failed, as it is said, “And the queen was exceedingly enfeebled” (Esth. iv. 4). She sent and called for Hathach, the trusty (servant) of her household, to know what had been done to Mordecai. Hathach went forth to Mordecai, who told him the words.“(Hathach) went in and told Esther. Haman saw Hathach coming and returning, and he slew him,” and Esther did not find another and Haman rejoiced very much in his heart, as it is said, “Then went Haman forth that day, joyfuP and glad of heart” (ibid. v. 9). many named Mordecai. The king answered : “The Jew.” (Haman) said to him : There are very many Jews. The king said to him : “He who sits at the king's gate” (ibid. 10).2

[¶2] Haman took the apparel and the horse and went to Mordecai. (Haman) said to him : Arise, and put on the purple of the king. (Mordeeai) said to him : Villain ! Dost thou not know that for three days I have put on saekcloth with ashes, sitting on the ashes, beeause of that which thou hast done to me ? Now take me to the bath-house,' and afterwards will I put on the purple of the king. And he washed him and dressed him. (Haman) said to him : Mount and ride upon the horse. He said to (Haman) : On account of the affliction of the fast I have no strength to mount and ride upon the horse. What did Haman do ? He lowered himself, and Mordecai put his foot upon his to the banquet which she had prepared on the sixteenth of Nisan. When they had eaten and taken (wine) the king said to Esther : " What is thy petition, queen Esther ? and it shall be granted thee ; and what is thy request ? " (ibid. vii. 2). She said to him : My lord, O king ! I ask nought of thee, except my Hfe, and my people. Because one man has come and has bought us to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish.' " But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my peace " (ibid. 4). The king said to her : "' Who is this man ? She answered him : This one is the wicked Haman,! as it is said, " And Esther said. An adversary and an enemy, even this wicked Haman " (ibid. 6). " The king arose in his wrath " (ibid. 7).' What did the angel Michael do ? He began to cut down the plants in his presence. Intense wrath was kindled within him, and the king returned from the palace garden to the place of the banquet of wine. What did the angel Michael do ? He lifted up Haman from Esther. The king exconcerning the Jews as seems good in your eyes in the name of the king. They wrote official letters, and they sent throughout all the provinces to destroy, to slay, and to cause all the enemies of the Jews to perish on the thirteenth of the month of Adar, on the third day in the constellation of Leo. Just as the lion is the king over all the beasts, and he turns his gaze towards any place as he wishes ; likewise did he think fit, and he turned his face to destroy and to slay all the enemies of Israel, as it is said, " In the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have rule over them " (ibid. ix. 1).'

[¶3] Rabbi Eliezer said : Haman had forty sons ; ten of them were the scribes of the books of the king, and thirty were ruhng in all the provinces, as it is said, “And the ten sons of Haman, in the rest of the king's provinces” (ibid. 12). They were all hanged upon the gallows of their father, as it is said, “And they hanged Haman's ten sons” (ibid. 14) upon the gallows. Another Scripture text says, “And they hanged Haman's ten sons” (ibid.).

[¶4] Rabbi Phineas said : Mordecai ruled i" over the Jews. Just as the king is dressed in purple, so was Mordecai dressed in purple, as it is said, " And Mordecai went forth from the presence of the king in royal apparel " (ibid. viii. 15).i Just as the king has a crown upon his head, so Mordecai had a crown upon his head, as it is said, " And Mordecai went forth . . . with a great crown of gold "