The Gemara relates (Gittin 57b) that some of the grandchildren of Haman studied Torah in Bnei Brak. How are we to understand this? The descendants of our greatest enemy joined the Jewish people?
Rav Chaim Kanievsky related a parable given by the Dubno Maggid: A prince was choking on a bone. An enemy of the king passed by, and seeing the son of his enemy, he gave the prince a powerful blow. The blow hurt the prince but succeeded in dislodging the bone from his throat. The king’s enemy was brought to judgment for striking the prince. It was ruled that since he struck the prince, he must be executed. However, since he had also (unwittingly) saved the prince’s life, his children would be granted titles of nobility.
The same happened with Haman. He indeed struck the Jews a mighty blow, and for that he was punished, as he deserved. However, Haman’s decree inspired the Jews to repent. As the Gemara states (Megillah 14a), all the nevi’im, with their numerous warnings, could not get the Jews to repent completely, but when Haman received Achashveirosh’s ring, the Jews repented and reaffirmed their acceptance of the Torah. For this, Haman deserved some reward, and thus some of his descendants merited to join the Jewish people and study Torah.
Pharaoh’s Reward
Rav Chaim adds that Pharaoh was similarly rewarded, for the same reason. Although he mercilessly subjugated the Jews, our slavery made us worthy of receiving the Torah. Since in Heaven no good deed is left unpaid, Pharaoh was rewarded, as the Medrash states (Otzar HaMidrashim p. 361), by surviving the splitting of the Yam Suf and later becoming king of the city of Nineveh.
