5

The gemara implies that after the Jews were victorious they restarted the mitzvah of circumcision which Haman decreed against. Are there any other source-based indications that Haman had made such decrees?

EDIT: After reading the comments I realize I should have clarified that Rashi makes the implication that Haman made these decrees.

Improve this question
6
  • I don't see where that g'mara mentions Haman. – msh210♦ Mar 12 '17 at 23:02
  • All the Gemara says is that they had Bris Milah. Where does it say anything about them resuming it? – DonielF Mar 12 '17 at 23:33
  • 2
    Art Scroll Gemara Megilla 16b2 footnotes 27 & 30 cite Rashi that Haman decreed that the Jews may not study Torah or circumcise their children. After his death they were able to return to the study of Torah and the mitzvah of milah. ועל כל אלה גזר – sabbahillel Mar 13 '17 at 0:21
  • What do you mean by source based? – user6591 Mar 13 '17 at 2:49
  • 2
    It just seems strange to me that the only mention of this incident is the return to keeping the mitzvah of milah. I would expect there to be some other indication. Perhaps a comment of a mefaresh on an earlier part of the megilah or a medrash there. I'm basically asking "when" did Haman decree against milah in the megilah as understood by chazal/mefarshim – user14389 Mar 13 '17 at 8:53
1

Just a thought of my own: perhaps the decree of destruction of the jews was the decree itself banning the circumcision (and many other mitzvot), since the Jews wouldn't be able to fullfil them once they would be dead.

The Shelah Hakadosh (דרוש תצוה אות א) asks why only this four are alluded in the Megillah. He answers that when the evil decree of Haman was revoked, they devoted themselves to practicing these particular four with more emphasis/willing than before:

וקשה, למה חשיב אלו יותר מכל תרי"ג מצות שהיו בטילין בביטול ישראל חס ושלום. ורש"י פירש, אלו רצה המן לבטל.... והנראה בעיני, שהכוונה אלו ארבע נתהוו ביתר שאת ועוז ממה שהיו מקודם אף בעת שלוה.

Improve this answer
0

As Sabbahillel notes the gemara in his insightful comment, Dafyomi explains Megillah 16b:

"ליהודים היתה אורה ושמחה וששון ויקר" - "The Jews had light, happiness, joy, and glory." (Esther 8:16).The Gemara equates "Orah" with Torah, "Simchah" with Yom Tov, "Sason" with Bris Milah, and "Yekar" with Tefilin. Haman chose to include these Mitzvos in the decree in order to cloud Yisrael in darkness (Torah), to negate all happiness (Yom Tov and Bris Milah), and to extinguish the glory of Yisrael (Tefilin).

Improve this answer
1
  • 1
    See my comment above. This isnt really an answer to my question. – user14389 Mar 13 '17 at 8:53

You must log in to answer this question.