Remez – An Incredible
וכל זה איננו שוה לי
“Yet all this means nothing to me.” (Esther 5:13)
In the above pasuk, the word: זה – “this”, seems superfluous; it could have just said: ואיננו שוה לי - “and it means nothing to me”?
The Likutim MiPardes explains as follows: Haman told his wife Zeresh and his advisors about the royal treatment the King had afforded him. In the course of the conversation, he also expressed his fear of Mordechai and Esther, observing that together the numerical value of their names (מרדכי-אסתר) totaled 26 (in “single numerals,” taking 40 as 4, 200 as 2, etc.), which is the numerical value of Hashem’s four-letter Name, indicating that He was with them.
Zeresh comforted Haman that he had nothing to worry about, because their names, Haman (המן) and Zeresh (זרש), also added up to 26 (in “single numerals”). Haman responded, “Mordechai alone adds up to 13 as does Esther alone. Thirteen, is also the numerical value of the word “echad” (אחד), indicating that the One and Only — Hashem — is with each of them. It also indicates that there is unity between them, and in unity there is strength. However, my name alone adds up to 14 and I am short 12. Thus, the ‘zeh’ (זה), which has the numerical value of 12, which you, Zeresh, contribute, is worthless because Hashem is not with us and there is also no unity between us.” (R’ Moshe Bogomilsky)
