Post date: Mar 07, 2012 5:13:17 AM
כי אין לבוא אל שער המלך בלבוש שק
Ki ein lavo el sha’ar hamelech bilvush sak
(4:2)
Our Pasuk is another example of the solitary term “Hamelech” possibly referring to Hashem (as opposed to the more explicit “Hamelech Achashveirosh” clearly referring to Achashveirosh).
When Mordechai learned the details of the decrees sent out by Haman, he tore his clothes and donned sackcloth with ashes. He then approached the “Sha’ar hamelech” (the king’s gate) but stopped short of actually entering it.
A Navi who is in a state of sadness is not capable of receiving a message from Hashem. Therefore, in his current state of mourning, Mordechai was not fit to receive such communication.
It could be that the Megilah is not really telling us where Mordechai was at that point in time, but is actually revealing to us the status of his connection to Hashem at that very moment.
[Inside Purim]
אבל גדול ליהודים
Eivel gadol layehudim
(4:3)
As the contents of the decrees became known, the reality and severity weighed heavily on the Jew’s shoulders, and they all started to mourn the situation that they found themselves in.
In most cases, when a person mourns, the pain diminishes with each passing day.
In this case, their pain and anguish increased with each passing day. This is why the Megilah describes their mourning as “Gadol.”
[Al Hanissim]