1)

(a)Rava comments on the Pasuk "Lo Na'asah Imo Davar" (the servants reply to the king, that Mordechai had not yet been rewarded for saving his life) - it was (not because they were particularly fond of Mordechai, but) because they hated Haman,.

(b)On the Pasuk "al ha'Etz Asher Hechin Lo", the Beraisa comments "Lo" - 'Lo Hechin' (he prepared it for himself).

(c)When instructing Haman to reward Mordechai, Achashverosh needed to describe him as ...

1. ... "ha'Yehudi" - in response to Haman's question 'But there are many Mordechais!?'

2. ... "ha'Yoshev b'Sha'ar ha'Melech" - because he asked 'But there are many Jews by the name of Mordechai!?'

3. ... "Al Tapel Davar mi'Kol Asher Dibarta" - in reply to Haman's comment 'That Mordechai! Surely one village or one river will suffice for him'! So the king replied 'Give him that in addition to everything that you suggested!'

2)

(a)When Haman came to do the king's bidding, together with the royal robes and the royal steed, he found Mordechai learning with the Rabanan - the laws of Kemitzah (according to Rashi, this refers to the Minchas ha'Omer - see Agados Maharsha).

(b)When Mordechai saw Haman walking towards him leading a horse - he thought that he was coming to kill him (to hang him on the gallows that he had prepared). So he advised his disciples to leave, so as not to come to any harm (It appears however, that they remained with their Rebbe).

(c)When Haman discovered what they had been learning - he commented that their one fistful of flour had succeeded in negating his ten thousand silver Kikar.

(d)Mordechai retorted - that his money was not his anyway (since he was his slave, and whatever a slave owns belongs to his master).

3)

(a)Mordechai initially declined to wear the royal robes and to ride the king's horse - because it was not fitting to ride on the king's horse and to wear his robes in the state that he was in (and he first needed to have his hair cut and to take a bath).

(b)Esther (who presumably knew what was going on through Ru'ach ha'Kodesh) effectively forced Haman to bathe Mordechai and cut his hair (like a slave to a master) - by ordering all the barbers and the bath-houses shut for the day.

(c)When Haman complained how undignified it was for a prime-minister to act as a barber and a bath-attendant - Mordechai reminded him of the twenty-two years he had spent as the barber of Kefar Kartzum.

(d)When Mordechai declared himself incapable of mounting the horse, due to the weakness caused by his three-day fast - Haman was forced to bend down for Mordechai to climb on. But in the process of climbing, he gave him a kick in the pants.

4)

(a)When Mordechai kicked him - Haman complained that Mordechai had contravened the Pasuk in Mishlei "bi'Nefol Oyivcha al Mismatch".

(b)Mordechai replied that - that this Pasuk is confined specifically to a Jewish enemy, but as far as he (Haman) was concerned, the Pasuk says in v'Zos ha'Berachah "va'Atah al Bamoseimo Sidroch" ('And you will tread on their high places') .

5)

(a)Haman's daughter made the mistake - of confusing who was leading whom. She thought that it was Mordechai leading Haman. So she emptied her sewage on to the man she took to be Mordechai.

(b)When the Pasuk writes ...

1. ... "va'Yashav Mordechai el Sha'ar ha'Melech", says Rav Sheshes - it means that he returned to his sackcloth and his fasting (the great honor just afforded him did not go to his head).

2. ... "v'Haman Nidchaf el Beiso Avel v'Chafuy Rosh" - it means that he was a. in mourning for his daughter (who, realizing her mistake, jumped off the roof and committed suicide), and b. covered with the sewage which she had just poured on him.

(c)To reconcile the Pasuk which first refers to his family as "Ohavav", and then as "Chachamav" - Rebbi Yochanan explains that the latter refers to Haman's loved ones after they made their wise observation, and anyone (even a Nochri) who makes a wise statement is called a Chacham.

(d)When Haman's loved ones said to Haman "Im mi'Zera ha'Yehudim ... ", they meant - that if Mordechai hails from any of the other tribes (besides Binyamin, Ephrayim or Menasheh), then it might be possible to defeat him; but not if he is from one of those three (due to Pesukim in Vayechi and Tehilim which accredit them with invincibility). Note: It is unclear how the words "mi'Zera ha'Yehudim" indicate those three tribes in particular.

(e)Rebbi Yehudah b'Rebbi Ilai explains the Pasuk "Ki Nafol Tipol le'Fanav" to mean - that Yisrael are compared to the dust, and they are compared to the stars. When they begin to fall, they fall to the bottom, but once they begin to rise, they rise to the top.

6)

(a)The Pasuk ...

1. ... "v'Sarisei ha'Melech Higi'u va'Yavhilu l'Havi es Haman" means - that the servants rushed Haman off to Esther's party without the least respect (even though he was the Prime Minister - because of the Pasuk in Koheles "Ein Shilton b'Yom ha'Maves"), and even though he had not yet had a chance to clean himself.

2. ... "Ki Ein ha'Tzar Shoveh b'Nezek ha'Melech" means - that Haman cares not in the least for the king's well-being. He became angry with Vashti, and had her killed, and now, said Esther, he was angry with her, and wanted to have her killed too.

(b)The double expression "va'Yomer ha'Melech Achashverosh, va'Yomer l'Esther ha'Malkah", Rebbi Avahu explains, means - that until now, not knowing who Esther was, Achashverosh spoke with her only through an interpreter. But now that she had divulged her royal ancestry (King Shaul), he began to speak to her directly.

(c)Rebbi Elazar comments that when Esther said "Ish Tzar v'Oyev Haman ha'Ra ha'Zeh" - she had in mind to accuse Achashverosh himself of plotting to kill the Jews. However, an angel came and turned her extended finger from Achashverosh to Haman. Note: Exactly what Esther hoped to gain from this is unclear (unless she was relying completely on Hash-m to take matters in hand).

7)

(a)We learn from the combination of the two Pesukim "v'ha'Melech Kam ba'Chamaso", and "v'ha'Melech Shav mi'Ginas ha'Bisan" - that just as Achashverosh arose from the table in anger, so too, did he return from the garden in anger; because when he arrived in the tree-garden he found angels cutting down trees, who explained that they were doing so on the instructions of Haman (possibly a hint to the Tzadikim of Klal Yisrael, who are compared to trees).

(b)Rebbi Elazar (the author of most of the current Derashos) comments on the Pasuk "v'Haman Nofel" (in the present tense, when it should really have written "v'Haman Nafal", in the past) - that he kept on falling, because, whenever he tried to get up, an angel came and pushed him down.

(c)The king's responded with a furious - 'Woe to me from inside and woe to me from outside!', adding "Would you also accost the queen in the house in my presence?!"

(d)Charvonah - was originally part of Haman's plot, Rebbi Elazar explains ...

(e)... only when he saw that things were turning against Haman, he decided to change sides, in order to save his own skin so he informed Achashverosh about the tree that Haman had prepared to hang Mordechai).

8)

(a)According to some, the Pasuk writes "va'Chamas ha'Melech Shachachah" (with two Chafs), to inform us that both the anger of Hash-m and that of Achashverosh died down. Others explain - that Achashverosh's anger died down, both from what Haman did to Vashti, and from what he had planned to do to Esther.

(b)The problem with the fact that Yosef gave Binyamin five sets of clothing, and the other brothers only one - is how it is possible that Yosef, who suffered so badly on account of the jealousy caused by his father's favoring him, should now make the same mistake.

(c)Rava bar Machsayah ... Amar Rav comments - adds to that by pointing out how, as a result of the mere two Sela's weight of fine wool that Yakov gave to Yosef, our fathers had to suffer Galus Mitzrayim, in which case Yosef ought to have been doubly careful not to repeat the same mistake.

(d)Rebbi Binyamin bar Yefes explains - that Yosef was merely hinting at the five kinds of royal robes that Mordechai (a descendant of Binyamin) would wear in Shushan when he was appointed Prime Minister. Note: The Gra explains that in fact, the value of the five sets of clothing that Yosef gave Binyamin, was equivalent to the one set that he gave to each of the brothers.

9)

(a)The Torah records that Yosef and Binyamin fell around each other's necks and wept. Rebbi Elazar explains ...

1. ... the Torah's switch from "Tzavrei Binyamin" to "Tzavarav" - in that Yosef wept because of the two Batei Mikdash that would be built in Binyamin's portion of land and destroyed, whereas Binyamin wept on account of the one Mishkan that would be built in Shilo, in Yosef's portion of land, and would be destroyed.

2. ... Yosef's reference to Binyamin in the Pasuk "v'Hinei Einechem Ro'os v'Einei Achi Binyamin Ki Fi ha'Medaber Aleichem" - to point out to his brothers that in the same way as he bore Binyamin no grudge (because he had no reason to), so too, did he not bear them a grudge either.

3. ... "Ki Fi ha'Medaber Aleichem" - to mean 'My heart is as one with my mouth' (as if the Torah had written 'k'Fi').

(b)The Torah writes that Yosef sent his father "Asarah Chamorim Nos'im mi'Tuv Mitzrayim". Rebbi Binyamin bar Yefes Amar Rebbi Elazar defines "mi'Tuv Mitzrayim") as - old wine, which is popular with old men (because, they say, unlike most other foods, it improves with age).

10)

(a)Rebbi Binyamin bar Yefes Amar Rebbi Elazar teaches that one does to a fox, when the fox's day arrives - even the lion must prostrate oneself before him.

(b)We cannot learn this from the Pasuk "Va'Yeilchu Gam Echav va'Yiplu le'Fanav" - because, seeing as Yosef's brothers were not superior to him, why would the Pasuk refer to him as a fox?

(c)He therefore learns it - from Yakov Avinu, by whom it is written (also in Vayechi) "va'Yishtachu Yisrael al Rosh ha'Mitah", even though there is no question that he was greater than Yosef.

(d)When Yosef spoke to his brothers, the Torah writes "va'Yanchem Osam va'Yedaber al Libam". Rebbi Binyamin bar Yefes Amar Rebbi Elazar explains that he convinced them that he was not bent on revenge - by means of a 'Kal va'Chomer': If ten candles, he said, were unable to extinguish one candle, how could one candle extinguish ten!?

11)

(a)The Pasuk says "la'Yehudim Hayesah Orah, v'Simchah, v'Sason vi'Yekar". Based on other Pesukim, Rav Yehudah explains that ...

1. ... "Orah" means - Torah.

2. ... "Simchah" - Yom Tov.

3. ... "Sason" - Bris Milah.

4. ... "Yekar" - Tefilin.

(b)They are mentioned here - because Haman issued a decree, forbidding all of them. So when they emerged victorious, they were free once more to practice them.

(c)Rebbi Eliezer explains the Pasuk in Ki Savo "v'Ra'u Kol Amei ha'Aretz ki Shem Hash-m Nikra Alecha, v'Yar'u Mimeka" - with reference to the Tefilin shel Rosh.

12)

(a)Rav Ado d'min Yafo explains that the Ba'al Korei reads the ten sons of Haman and the word "Aseres" in one breath - to indicate that they all died at the same moment.

(b)According to Rebbi Yochanan, the 'Vav' of Vayzasa is written long 'like a barge-pole' - to indicate that they were all hanged on the same tree (one below the other).

(c)On the one hand, most Shiros are written like the bricks of a wall, two small bricks on top of one large one and vice-versa (i.e. writing on top of an empty space, and an empty space on top of writing - on the other hand, the ten sons of Haman and the kings of Cana'an are written writing on top of writing and space on top of space ...

(d)... to indicate that the sons of Haman and the kings of Cana'an were not stable and would fall easily.

13)

(a)What causes Rebbi Avahu to say that an angel came and slapped Achashverosh on the mouth - is the fact that the Pasuk begins by Achashverosh informing Esther how many Persians died in Shushan (which appears to be a complaint), and ends with his promise to give Esther whatever she requested. Clearly something drastic happened, to make him change his tune in the middle of a sentence.

(b)Regarding the Pasuk "uve'Vo'ah Lifnei ha'Melech Amar im ha'Sefer", Rebbi Yochanan explains the word "Amar"(in the masculine), when it ought to have written 'Amrah'- to mean that she asked the king for permission to read annually the Megilah that was already transcribed.

(c)From the fact that the Pasuk writes (with regard to the Megilah) "Divrei Shalom v'Emes" - Rebbi Tanchum (or Rebbi Asi) learns that the Megilah requires Sirtut (lines scratched on the parchment, underneath which one writes), just like a Sefer-Torah.

(d)Rebbi Yochanan explains the Pasuk "u'Ma'amar Esther Kiyam Divrei ha'Purim ha'Eileh" - to mean that it was Esther's words (that she spoke to Achashverosh), in addition to (not to the exclusion of) the fasts, which caused Purim to come into being.

14)

(a)We learn from the Pasuk "v'Ratzuy le'Rov Echav" - that Mordechai was not accepted by a minority of the Sanhedrin ...

(b)... because he left the Beis ha'Midrash in order to become involved with matters of leadership.

(c)Rav Yosef proves from the Pasuk itself, from a combination of two Pesukim (in Ezra and Nechemyah), that Talmud-Torah per se, is greater than saving lives - because, when Mordechai returned to Yerushalayim in the time of Koresh the first, he is listed fourth, whereas when he returned the second time, in the time of Daryavesh the second (after he had assumed the role of a leader), he is listed fifth.

(d)We learn that learning Torah is greater than...

1. ... building the Beis Hamikdash, says Rav (or Rav Shmuel bar Marsa) - from Ezra, who remained in Bavel as long as his Rebbe Baruch ben Neri'ah was still alive, even though this meant that he would not be able to participate in the building of the Beis Hamikdash, which was taking place at the time.

2. ... Kibud Av va'Em (says Rabah Amar Rav Yitzchak bar Shmuel bar Marsa [though it does not override it under all circumstances]) - from Yakov Avinu, who was punished (by losing his son Yosef for twenty-two years) for the twenty-two years that he was away from his parents, but not for the fourteen years that he spent in the Yeshiva of Shem and Ever, as we shall now see.