“What is more,” said Haman, “Queen Esther gave a feast, and besides the king she did not have anyone but me. And tomorrow too I am invited by her along with the king. Yet all this means nothing to me every time I see that Jew Mordechai sitting in the palace gate.”
Let us dive into the mind of Haman. Here is a person who have great respect in the eyes of King Achashveirosh, and he alone was invited to dine with the King and Queen Esther. Posuk 5 says:
“and Haman told them about his great wealth and his many sons, and all about how the king had promoted him and advanced him above the officials and the king’s courtiers.”
Besides the Megillah states 3:2 “All the king’s courtiers in the palace gate knelt and bowed low to Haman, for such was the “king’s order” concerning him; but Mordechai would not kneel or bow low.” This was not a custom, but a decree by the king ordering everyone to bow to Haman. Imagine a person that has great wealth, and such honor that wherever he goes, people bow low to him. He also has many children, yet one small thing is missing from his fantasies, and he could say Yet all this means nothing to me. Why? every time I see that Jew Mordechai sitting in the palace gate and doesn’t bow to me! Millions of people are respecting him and one old Jew doesn’t respect him, is that a reason to be in such a great despair?
The answer may be, when a person who believes that everything in the world is run by nature, and the person is the one that controls his destiny. He feels that his great wealth came from his hard work and smart investing. He feels his being honored by all, is in his power. Such a person begins to think where did I go wrong when a person disrespects him. He might try to bribe that person and shower him with gifts in order to regain his respect. Others might try to retaliate and harm that person physically for being disrespectful.
If these two options don’t work, his ego begins to fall, as it shows his weakness and that he does not control his destiny. Haman tried everything to have Mordechai respect him, but it didn’t work. This hurt his ego, and exclaimed all I have means nothing to me, since I really don’t control my destiny.
He begins to think deeper as to why Mordechai is not afraid of him! He slowly realizes that there is a spiritual force in the world which when a person relies on that force, he is happy with what he has. That was why Mordechai was always happy with what he had, and wasn’t afraid of Haman, who represents Amalek, who is in a war against Hashem. He wants to have Yidden refrain from learning the Torah. As the name mi ¦ci ¦t §x Rephidim whish says before the war on Amalek, is broken down to represent dxezd on mdici etx meaning "their hands became weak/relaxed from the Torah".
Amalek, is also the embodiment of evil in this world, who interrupts our journey. Amalek comes to create a disconnect between us and Hashem, to divert our focus and to break our stride. By weakening the Yidden from Torah, they become further from Hashem. It seeks to weaken mankind’s belief in Hashem’s cosmic design, and to diminish our involvement and enthusiasm in His great plan.
These intentions of Amalek are apparent from the Torah’s words, K ¤x ¤c ©a L §x ̈w x ¤y £`. Korcha derives from mikreh, happenstance. While other nations were astonished by the miracles at the sea, Amalek argued that the Jewish nation’s success was happenstance, a random event not orchestrated by Hashem. They sought to discredit the concept of Hashgachah pratis, Hashem’s individualized supervision of our lives, by demonstrating that Klal Yisrael was not untouchable and could be attacked. This is expressed in the word “Purim.” Haman cast lots li ́¦t ¦d l ¹ ̈x eB ©d `E ̧d ÁxER underscoring his belief in blind fate.
Mordechai was at war with Amalek, and Haman was furious. Hence, his stance is all this means nothing to me.
The Ehriche Yid has the obligation to obliterate the idea of Amalek, and be confident that Hashem is running the world and nothing is coincidental. Mordechai won the war, and we received a Purim. The miracles of Purim are repeated every year. Parshas Zachor is our preparation of destroying Amalekú and therefore we will receive the Purim miracles.
(Yehuda Z. Klitnick)
