People ask: What’s the big celebration of Purim, if in the end Esther remains married to such a Rasha? The greatness of Yaakov, the: בְַח ַירַשֶַׁבְַא ַבוַֹתַ greatest of all three Avos is because he was in the same belly with Eisav and grew up with him. He also said: ע ַםַל ַב ַןַַג ַרְַת ַיַוְַת ַרְַי "גַמ ַצְַוַֹתַש ַמ ַרְַת ַי I lived together with Lavan, yet I kept all 613 Mitzvos. Being overly exposed and still holding pure is the greatest accomplishment. After the Churban Bayis Rishon, the Nisyonos were horrific, and many Yidden married gentile women. So the strong Yidden made extra restrictions. No oil, wine, or bread of a Goy.
And Daniel and his friends ate seeds. Chazal say that for 75 years, Esther saw not a single man except for Mordechai. Mordechai and Esther had extreme precautions, and despite living with a Melech, Esther had zero pleasure from him and all his luxuries. When she stood by her greatest Nisyonos, it says: וּבְה ג יע ַתֹרַאֶׁסְתֵרַב תַַאֲב יח י לַדֹדַמ רְ דֳּכ יַַבַטו she was the daughter of Avichayil. Notice how she lived in the past, and insisted remaining the true Bas Avichayil who was a Tzadik, and she always remained connected to Mordechai.
When Mordechai said to her: וְא תְַוּבֵיתַא ב יךְַַתֹאבֵדוַַּדַיד you and your father’s house will be lost, we see how she was connected to her father (whom she never knew!) Both Mordechai and Esther had heavy Mussar and great expectations to be great in Ruchaniyus to weather the storms of their Nisyonos. We can suggest that her father “Avichayil” can be a Remez to being the father (“Avi”) of the greatest Eishes “Chayil”, Esther.
She was indeed strong and not yielding to the horrific pressure of the gentile world, and: אֵיןַַאֶׁסְתֵרַ מ גֶׁדֶׁתַַבַ כַ she would not reveal her identity. Both Mordechai and Esther were fortified again and again with extra Mussar and inspiration. As a result, they were both “steel” and unyielding, and were worthy of creating the Chag of Purim for Klal Yisroel.
During this time of the year, Novardokers are involved in trying to emulate Mordechai: וּמ רְ דֳּכ יַלֹאַַי כְר עַוְלֹאַי שְת חֲוֶׁהַאסתרַגַב who refused to bow to Haman.
