Post date: Mar 09, 2017 4:18:56 AM
Who goes there?
“Vayomer Hamelech mi bechatzeir”
And the king said, “Who is in the courtyard?”
(6:3)
After Achashveirosh’s royal scribe read to him about Mordechai saving his life from the assassination plot, he asked how Mordechai had been rewarded for this deed. His attendants responded that nothing had been done, and Achashveirosh asked who was in the courtyard. It seems to be a peculiar question for the moment. Why ask such a question at that juncture?
The Alshich tells us that Achashveirosh wasn’t asking literally “Who is in the courtyard?” Rather he was asking the attendants to tell him the name of the minister presiding over the king’s court, the person who was responsible to ensure that the king’s affairs were always in order, and specifically who was responsible for rewarding the benefactors of the king. However, the attendants misunderstood his inquiry and responded that Haman was literally standing in the king’s courtyard.
The Maharal explains that that there were always people milling about in the King’s courtyard. After all, he was quite possibly the most powerful man in the world—sure in his empire. He, no doubt, and plenty of hired help always ready at his beck and call. Achashveirosh was looking for help with deciding how to reward Mordechai, but he didn’t want to single out anyone in particular in asking for help so as not to cause jealousy among those present. He therefore asked casually who was available.
R. Shmuel di Uzida has a slightly different take on Achashveirosh’s reason for inquiring about who was in the courtyard. The attendants present when Achashveirosh asked, “What honor or majesty has been done for Mordechai for this?” understood that Achashveirosh was looking to reward Mordechai for his action. Achashveirosh wanted help in deciding how to reward Mordechai, but he felt that he wouldn’t be able to get an objective opinion from anyone already in the room because of their potential animosity towards Mordechai, the Jew. He therefore sought the advice of someone who was unaware of the topic of conversation, and asked who was in the courtyard.
[Megillas Esther: The Answer Is..., p. 177]
You can’t touch this
“Al tapeil davar mikol asher dibarta”
Do not omit a single detail that you mentioned
(6:10)
Haman gave Achashveirosh a detailed list of honors that should be bestowed upon the person whom the king wishes to honor, to which Achashveirosh responds that he should in fact do so to Mordechai the Jew, and he ends with a warning not to omit anything that had been discussed.
The Rokeach tells us that while speaking to Haman, Achashveirosh unknowingly hinted to Haman that despite all of his efforts, Klal Yisrael will never disappear. The word “Tapeil” is related to the word “Lipol” (to fall). The Gematriah of “Al tapeil” is equal to that of the word “Yisrael.” From this we can understand that Achashveirosh was basically telling Haman that despite his effort, that the Jews will never completely fall.
[Inside Purim, p.282]