Mi Yodeya is a question and answer site for those who base their lives on Jewish law and tradition and anyone interested in learning more. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this community
A certain disgustingly Comic Sans-laden website makes the following claim:
The medieval Jewish scholar Maimonides (1135-1204) considered Esther the most important biblical book after the Torah.
I cannot find any source that confirms this. Is it true? Did Maimonides make a similar claim somewhere?
It's probably referring to this:
All the books of the Prophets and all the Holy Writings will be nullified in the Messianic era, with the exception of the Book of Esther. It will continue to exist, as will the five books of the Torah and the halachot of the Oral Law, which will never be nullified.
Although all memories of the difficulties endured by our people will be nullified, as Isaiah 65:16 states: "For the former difficulties will be forgotten and for they will be hidden from My eye," the celebration of the days of Purim will not be nullified, as Esther 9:28 states: "And these days of Purim will not pass from among the Jews, nor will their remembrance cease from their seed."
In the Rambam Edition linked by Double AA the bene Binyamin commentary reported a Talmud Yerushalmi in Megilah Chapter 1 halacha 5.
ר' יוחנן ורשב"ל ר' יוחנן אמר הנביאים והכתובים עתידין ליבטל וחמשה סיפרי תורה אינן עתידין ליבטל מה טעמא (דברים ה) קול גדול ולא יסף רשב"ל אמר אף מגילת אסתר והלכות אינן עתידין ליבטל נאמר כאן קול גדול ולא יסף ונאמר להלן (אסתר ט) וזכרם לא יסוף מזרעם הלכות (חבקוק ג) הליכות עולם
The Yerushalmi exposes two views, Rabbi Yochanan thinks that Pentateuch only will remain and Resh Lakish adds Megilath Esther.
The words pf Rambam are based on this text, following Resh Lakish's opinion.
The Or Sameach refers to a Midrash on Kohelet which says that the books of the King Salomon are not relevant knowledge but advisories against sin.
Most cpmmentaries refered to a Gemara in Nedarim 22b which says similar things about Prophets an agiographs excepted sefer Yehoshua ( which describes the partition of Erets Israel).
Lechem Mishne explained that the Raavad who reject the Rambam's statement mainly rejected thelack of delimitation of holly books cancellation.
Anyway, this matter is not a consequence of the a personal opinion of Rambam regarding Esther book. As almost all halachot in this book this halacha is a Rambam's paraphrase of Chazal conclusions. May be that most people know this but I want to make it clear.
the books of theKing Salomon are not relevant knowledge but advisories against sin. Why aren't advisories against sin relevant? Relevant to what?