Post date: Mar 08, 2017 5:36:39 AM
A good book reads itself
“Va’yih’yu nikra’im lifnei Hamelech”
And they became read before the King
(6:1)
The Gemara (Megilah 15b) tells us that Shimshi, the royal record keeper (and Haman’s son), erased the record of Mordechai saving the King’s life, but the words miraculously reappeared in the record book. The Gematriah of the phrase “Vayimatzei chasuv asher higid Mordechai al” (6:2, and it was found written that which Mordechai had reported about) is equal to the Gematriah of the phrase “Shimshi machak v’Gavriel kasav” (Shimshi erased and Gavriel wrote). Since he was unable to permanently wipe the record book of the event, Shimshi decided to simply skip that section when reading from it to Achashveirosh. However, as our Pasuk states “Va’yih’yu Nikra’im Lifnei Hamelech,” (and they became read before the King). The Rokeach points out that the Roshei Teivos of those words has a Gematriah that is the same as the word “Malach” (angel). Since Shimshi refused to read the record to Achashveirosh, Gavriel read it in such a way as to give the impression that the book was reading itself that fateful night.
[Inside Purim, p. 279]
I owe you one
“Vayimatzei kasuv”
And it was found written
[6:2]
“And it was found written” is an unusual choice of words. The royal record keepers were always keeping track of significant events. So what’s up with the seemingly clumsy wording?
The Alshich tells us that when Mordechai discovered the plot to kill Achashveirosh, Esther reported it to the King “in the name of Mordechai” (2:22), and the next Pasuk tells us that this was recorded in the Book of Chronicles. However, we see in our Pasuk that when they read to Achashveirosh from the Book of Chronicles about this event, there was no mention of Esther’s name at all. This omission was another instance of Hashem arranging events behind the scenes in order to set up future situations just right. Hashem made sure that only Mordechai was mentioned in the Book of Chronicles so that when it came time for Achashveirosh to repay the good deed, he was guaranteed to reward Mordechai. Has Esther’s name also been mentioned, it’s possible that Achashveirosh might have found some wiggle room to allow himself to reward Esther instead of Mordechai. But with Mordechai being the sole person mentioned, it left no room for Achashveirosh to avoid rewarding him.
[Megillas Esther: The Answer Is..., p. 174]