Questions tagged [haman]
A minister in the ancient Persian empire of King Ahasuerus who sought to exterminate the Jewish people. He is the primary antagonist in the book of Esther.
59
questions
16
votes
2
answers
12k
views
What meaning do the names of the ten sons of Haman have?
Is there a meaning behind the names of the ten sons of Haman who were killed and hung (Esther 9:7-9)? They are:
פַּרְשַׁנְדָּתָא Parshandasa
דַּלְפוֹן Dalphon
אַסְפָּתָא Aspasa
פּוֹרָתָא Porasa
...
- 161
13
votes
5
answers
448
views
Were Haman's possessions hung on a tree?
In Maoz Tzur we say:
רב בניו וקנייניו,
על העץ תלית
His many sons and his possessions,
You hung on a tree
Were Haman's possessions really hung on a tree?
- 32.9k
13
votes
3
answers
536
views
Why did Haman change his mind and decide to immediately hang Mordechai?
In Esther 3:6, it states that Haman was embarrassed to harm Mordechai alone, so he casts lots to decide which date to kill the entire Jewish people.
In 5:14, Haman builds a special gallows for ...
- 69.6k
11
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Why is Haman called an Agagite and not an Amalekite?
In Megillas Esther 3:1 Haman is called the Agagite which I always assumed meant he was a descendant of Agag the king of the Amalekite in 1 Shmuel 15:8. His lineage is confirmed in Megillah 13a as ...
- 3,785
9
votes
3
answers
335
views
Does anyone draw a parallel between Haman selling himself to Mordechai and Esav selling the birthright to Yaakov?
There’s a famous Yalkut Shimoni (Nach 1056:18, referenced by Rashi in explaining Megillah 15a), which reads as follows:
א"ר חסדא זה בא בפרוזבולי וזה בא בפרוזבוטי, פעם אחת נתן המלך ממון ושגרם בראשי ...
- 33.8k
9
votes
2
answers
272
views
Was Haman so discourteous as to bother the king's sleep?
There are 2 related parts to this question:
1) Haman is annoyed with Mordechai and discusses with Zeresh, his wife and his wise advisers what to do. In Esther 5:14, they tell him to make a tall tree, ...
- 69.6k
8
votes
4
answers
427
views
What happened to Haman's money?
One of the more interesting encounters in the megilla takes place between Achashveirosh and Haman right after Haman decides to kill the Jewish people. Having decided on a date, Haman approaches ...
- 1,422
8
votes
2
answers
471
views
Why did Mordechai not stand before Haman?
I understand that (one of) the reason(s) that Mordechai did not bow before Haman was that Haman wore an idol around his neck and therefore bowing to him would (appear to?) be bowing before an idol. ...
- 1,317
8
votes
4
answers
261
views
Why does the Targum switch the order when identifying Memuchan and Hasach?
Targum on Esther identifies Memuchan as Haman (in 1:16):
ממוכן הוא המן
Memuchan, who is Haman
Yet on 4:5, when he identifies Hasach as Daniel, he switches the order:
דניאל דמתקרי התך
...
- 33.8k
7
votes
5
answers
759
views
When and how did Haman amass so much wealth?
In Megillah 15a at the bottom, Rav Chisda brings a teaching on the passuk in Esther 5:13 that Mordechai came with his wealth and Haman came with his poorness as Rashi explains the situation:
וזה ...
- 40.3k
7
votes
2
answers
240
views
Why would Haman "restrain himself"?
In Esther (5:9), when Haman leaves the king's palace after Queen Esther's first party, all happy and feeling on top of the world, gets very upset when he sees Mordechai sitting there, and not bowing ...
- 18.9k
6
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Why only ten? Why not all of Haman's children?
According to the Gemara Megila 15b Haman had 208 children. Why did they only hang 10 of them?
- 138k
6
votes
1
answer
284
views
Haman's gallows originating from Noach's ark
There is an interesting Yalkut Shimoni, remez 256 (on parshas Beshalach) where it details that when Haman was searching for a large enough beam of wood with which to make the gallows - he ended up ...
- 25.5k
5
votes
2
answers
323
views
How did Haman know Moshe Rabeinu's Yahrzeit but not his Birthday?
I remember learning some years ago in Gemarah Megillah 13: that when Haman drew lots he was happy it landed in Adar since it is the month that Moshe Rabeinu died. However, he didn't know that Moshe ...
- 670
5
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Why are some letters in the names of Haman's sons little?
In Esther 9:7,9 there are letters in the names of Haman's sons which are written smaller than usual in the megillah. Barring the purimfest 1946 explanation, what is the reason for these letters being ...
user5092
5
votes
1
answer
354
views
Source to make noise when Haman's name is mentioned?
Where is the source to make noise when Haman's name is read from the Megillah?
- 6,825
5
votes
2
answers
219
views
Does anyone say not to make noise for Haman?
Here is the source that you should make noise at the mention of Haman's name.
However, as I was listening to the Megillah this year it occurred to me how counterproductive it is as an act of erasing ...
- 57.9k
4
votes
1
answer
797
views
Haman going to the second feast dirty
In all story tapes/videos I've seen it always portrays that Haman was taken to Esther's second feast dirty while in the Megillah all it says is just that they took him while "he was still talking" "...
- 297
4
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Did both King Ahasuerus and Haman practise Zoroastrianism?
What, if anything, do Jewish sources say about the religion practiced by King Ahasuerus and Haman? Does Jewish legend support the conjecture that they were Zoroastrian?
user12091
4
votes
2
answers
235
views
How was Charvonah at Esther's private party?
If, as Haman states (Esther 5:12), only Haman and Achashveirosh were invited to Esther's party what is Charvonah doing there?
4
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Haman's daughter's name
Masechet Megilah says that Haman's daughter threw the garbage on him. Does the gemoro mention her name anywhere?
I looked in Gemora Megilla 16a where the story is but it does not mention a name. Does ...
- 41
4
votes
3
answers
308
views
How does Rashi knows that Shimshai safra is Hamman's son?
In Ezra, 4:8, a person called Shimshai is mentioned:
רְחוּם בְּעֵל-טְעֵם, וְשִׁמְשַׁי סָפְרָא, כְּתַבוּ אִגְּרָה חֲדָה,
עַל-יְרוּשְׁלֶם--לְאַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׂתְּא מַלְכָּא, כְּנֵמָא.
translation:
...
- 780
4
votes
1
answer
309
views
Source for Haman's hat
As a little kid, I was always told that a Hamantasch is representative of Haman's three cornered hat. Is there an actual source that says Haman wore a three cornered hat or is it just Folklore?
- 4,627
4
votes
1
answer
173
views
What does the Targum have against Tattenai?
In Ezra 5-6 appears the governor of Ever Hanahar (the southern side of the Euphrates in this case), Tattenai. Tattenai, upon seeing that the Jews got back to building the Temple after several years of ...
- 23.7k
4
votes
0
answers
65
views
How can Rashi seemingly say that Mordechai had attended the feast of Achashverosh?
We find in a discussion in the Gemara (Megillah 12a):
״לַעֲשׂוֹת כִּרְצוֹן אִישׁ וָאִישׁ״, אָמַר רָבָא: לַעֲשׂוֹת כִּרְצוֹן
מָרְדֳּכַי וְהָמָן
"That they should do according to every man's [ish, ...
- 555
3
votes
1
answer
914
views
Did Haman kill Daniel?
Are there sources on the death to Daniel?
Is there any truth in that there is a source that says Haman killed him?
- 971
3
votes
4
answers
278
views
Why was Achashverosh so angry about Haman's plot?
In Megilas Esther 7:4, Esther tells Achashveros that someone is planning on wiping out her people:
כִּי נִמְכַּרְנוּ אֲנִי וְעַמִּי, לְהַשְׁמִיד לַהֲרוֹג וּלְאַבֵּד; וְאִלּוּ לַעֲבָדִים וְלִשְׁפָחוֹת ...
- 24.5k
3
votes
6
answers
158
views
Was Haman rewarded for supporting Torah learners and building the Beis HaMikdash?
The Midrash Shochar Tov (22:25) writes
לשלשה חלקים נחלק ממונו של המן. שליש למרדכי ואסתר. ושליש לעמלי תורה.
ושליש לבנין בית המקדש - Haman's money was divided into thirds: 1/3 was given to Mordechai ...
- 13.2k
3
votes
2
answers
112
views
Purim in Adar and not Av?
We all presume that Haman was well literate and familiar with our Tanachic sources. It is widely known that since the sin of the Spies (Meraglim) 9th of Av was chosen for all kinds of misfortunes for ...
- 25.5k
3
votes
3
answers
94
views
Why does Achashveirosh ask who is responsible for the decree against the Jews?
In Esther 7:5 it says
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵר֔וֹשׁ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר לְאֶסְתֵּ֣ר הַמַּלְכָּ֑ה מִ֣י ה֥וּא זֶה֙ וְאֵֽי־זֶ֣ה ה֔וּא אֲשֶׁר־מְלָא֥וֹ לִבּ֖וֹ לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת כֵּֽן׃
Thereupon King Ahasuerus ...
- 13.1k
3
votes
1
answer
119
views
How did Haman think he could get away with murdering Mordechai?
Haman persuaded Ahashverosh to sign a decree enabling the genocide of the Jews in the Persian empire. This much is clear from the text. But in between Esther's parties, Haman constructs a gallows 50 ...
- 41.3k
3
votes
1
answer
280
views
Who was worse: Lavan, Pharaoh or Haman?
In the hagadah we seem to indicate that Lavan was a worse enemy of the Jewish people because Pharaoh only decreed against the males while Lavan sought to uproot all. Based on this logic it would seem ...
3
votes
0
answers
140
views
Is Purim recorded in Persian/Medean records?
In the book Let My Nation Live, there are sources brought down that one of the reasons Purim was established even in spite of possible tensions with gentiles was that either way it would be recorded ...
- 971
2
votes
2
answers
95
views
Is Haman actually from Amalek?
From where do we know that Haman is actually descendant from Amalek?
(I am looking for places besides Gemara Megillah https://www.sefaria.org/Megillah.13a.1?lang=bi)
Please be specific with sources ...
- 555
2
votes
1
answer
883
views
Who was Haman's mother?
Is there any mention of Haman's mother in rabbinic literature (Gemara, Midrash, etc.)?
If she was discussed in the Gemara or other sources, what was her name?
- 18.9k
2
votes
2
answers
546
views
Was Haman Jewish?
I read the question about whether Achashverosh was Jewish and I was wondering, why isn't Haman Jewish? He was Mordechai's slave (see Megillah bottom of 15a through the top of 15b with Rashi) and as an ...
- 5,335
2
votes
2
answers
328
views
Haman servant of Mordechai: text of document
The gemara in Megillah 15 writes that Mordechai acquired Haman for a piece of bread. Rashi writes:
וזה בא בפרוזבולי - מרדכי בא אליו בטענת עושר המן בא בטענת עוני שמכר המן את עצמו למרדכי קודם לכן ...
- 40.3k
2
votes
2
answers
182
views
How was Daniel in the Great Assembly?
I have heard people say that the Knesses Hagdolah was established in the beginning of Bais Sheni. Is that correct?
As quoted from chabad.org "Anshei Knesses Hagdolah ... among its more prominent ...
2
votes
1
answer
143
views
When was the war in which Haman sold himself to Mordechai?
There’s a famous Yalkut Shimoni (Nach 1056:18, referenced by Rashi in explaining Megillah 15a), which reads as follows:
א"ר חסדא זה בא בפרוזבולי וזה בא בפרוזבוטי, פעם אחת נתן המלך ממון ושגרם בראשי ...
- 33.8k
2
votes
2
answers
691
views
Why did Memuchan make the decree on all women?
Memuchan states (Esther 1:16-20) that Achashveirosh should kill Vashti and decree that all women who rebel against their husbands should also be put to death. Achashveirosh (v. 21-22) agrees and does ...
- 33.8k
2
votes
1
answer
131
views
Singing shoshanas yaakov on Pesach
I have seen that some sing Shoshanas Yaakov on Pesach to commemorate the death of Haman. Can someone please direct me to an authoritative source for this custom?
See references to it here: http://...
- 586
2
votes
2
answers
76
views
Did King Achashverosh really not know that Haman was planning to kill the Jewish people?
It seems from the flow of the megillah that King Achashverosh had given Haman the authority to do what he wanted.
Haman approached the king with the complaint that there was "a people who were ...
- 555
2
votes
0
answers
283
views
Were the ten sons of Haman specifically Zeresh's sons?
Megillah 15b records three opinions as to how many children Haman had:
Rava: Ten died in childhood, ten died at the end of the Megillah, and ten were reduced to poverty, totaling 30.
Rabbanan: There ...
- 33.8k
2
votes
0
answers
149
views
How old was Haman in the Megillah?
I'm on a bit of a quest to contextualize the story of Purim by getting a better sense of the ages of the main characters. So far, with Mi Yodeya's help, I've explored the age of Esther, and I have ...
- 4,303
2
votes
1
answer
139
views
How could Haman be a gilgul of Eisav?
The Arizal in Sefer HaGilgulim ch. 35 says that Haman was a gilgul (reincarnation) of Eisav. How is that possible being that Eisav had the din (status) of an Yisroel meshumad (apostate Jew Kidushin ...
- 945
2
votes
1
answer
121
views
Why curse Mordechai?
The Gemara Megilla 7b writes
אָמַר רָבָא מִיחַיַּיב אִינִישׁ לְבַסּוֹמֵי בְּפוּרַיָּא עַד דְּלָא
יָדַע בֵּין אָרוּר הָמָן לְבָרוּךְ מָרְדֳּכַי - Rava said: A person is
obligated to become intoxicated ...
- 13.2k
1
vote
1
answer
119
views
What was Esther’s reaction to Haman’s begging and ambush
In Megillas Esther it says Haman stood to beg for his life...........fell on the couch Esther was reclining on.
Question is:
What was her reaction, and her action in response?
why is there no mention ...
- 420
1
vote
2
answers
112
views
Why 'They hanged' rather than 'You hanged' in Al Hanissim?
In Al Hanissim on Purim, we praise Hashem directly
וְאַתָּה בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים. הֵפַרְתָּ אֶת עֲצָתו. וְקִלְקַלְתָּ
אֶת מַחֲשַׁבְתּו. וַהֲשֵׁבותָ לּו גְּמוּלו בְּראשׁו. וְתָלוּ אותו
וְאֶת ...
- 13.2k
1
vote
2
answers
145
views
Banging by Zeresh in the Megillah
In The Monsey Mevaser (page 100), a six-year-old child child asked the following:
We have the custom to bang when we hear Haman's name in the Megillah. Why don’t bang the two times his evil wife ...
- 361
1
vote
1
answer
355
views
Zeresh and Haman's children
In Megillas Esther it says that Haman told the ones who loved him, and zeresh, about his wealth and his many children. Why did he have to tell zeresh about his many children? Hadn’t she birthed them? ...
- 2,841