1)

(a)Chanamel, Baruch ben Neriyah, and Sarayah ben Machseyah were all Nevi'im. Chanamel was Yirmeyahu ha'Navi's cousin. Baruch and Sarayah were both disciples of Yirmeyahu.

(b)We know that Neriyah and Machseyah were also prophets - because they are listed as being the fathers of Baruch and Sarayah (respectively, and in connection with their prophesies to boot), and whenever a father is mentioned together with his son the prophet, we know that he was a prophet too (and whenever he is not, then we know that the son only was a prophet, but not the father).

(c)We know that ...

1. ... a Navi whose hometown is not mentioned - hails from Yerushalayim.

2. ... Nesanyah and his father Elishama (father and grandfather respectively of Yishmael, the murderer of Gedalyah ben Achikam) - were wicked like Yishmael, because although their deeds are unknown, when the Pasuk mentions Yishmael, it mentions them too.

2)

(a)If, as Rav Nachman maintains, Mal'achi was Mordechai, he was called Mal'achi - because he was the viceroy of Shushan.

(b)Besides Baruch ben Neriyah, Sarayah ben Machseyah and Daniel, the Beraisa lists as Nevi'im - Chagai, Zecharyah, Mal'achi and Mordechai, proving Rav Nachman wrong.

(c)All these prophets - prophesied in the second year of Daryavesh the second (the year that Galus Bavel ended).

(d)According to the Rabanan, Mal'achi was not Ezra. Rav Nachman however, prefers the opinion of Rebbi Yehoshua ben Korchah, who says that he was - on the basis of one of Malachi's prophesies, where he complains about Yisrael having married non-Jewish women, and Ezra was the one who went to great lengths to separate them from their non-Jewish wives.

3)

(a)Two of the four most beautiful women in the world listed by the Beraisa were Sarah and Rachav. The other two were - Avigail and Esther

(b)Chavah is not mentioned, says Tosfos DH 'Arba') - because she was formed by Hash-m and not born from a mother.

(c)According to those who hold that Esther was green - the fourth woman was Vashti.

(d)The Beraisa explains that Rachav would affect men by her name, and Yael by her voice - remembering Avigail and seeing Michal (Shaul's daughter) had the same effect.

(e)Rav Nachman remained unaffected - because he never knew her.

4)

(a)According to Rav, Mordechai cried out that Haman had prevailed upon Achashverosh (who had previously been afraid to annihilate the Yisrael). Shmuel explains - that what he called out was that a human king had prevailed (kiv'Yachol) over the King in Heaven.

(b)According to Rav, "va'Tischalchal ha'Malkah Me'od" means that she had a sighting of Dam Nidus. Shmuel explains - that she needed to relieve herself.

(c)Hasach was Daniel. According to Rav, he was called by that name because they cut him down (from the Lashon 'Chatach') from his greatness. Shmuel explains - that it was because all the matters of kingdom were 'cut' (decided) through him.

(d)When Esther sent to Hasach "la'Da'as Mah Zeh v'Al Mah Zeh", she meant to say - that maybe the evil decree was caused by Yisrael having transgressed the Torah, about which it is written "mi'Zeh u'mi'Zeh Hem Kesuvim".

5)

(a)Others (and not Hasach) went to inform Mordechai that Esther initially refused to appear before the king - because he did not want to bring back a bad report (though it is not forbidden to do so [see Agados Maharsha]).

(b)Rebbi Aba explains Esther's message to Mordechai ...

1. ... that she would go after all "Asher Lo cha'Das", to mean - that her going to the king now (implying intimacy) would not be the same as it had been until now, because until now she had been forced, but now she was going of her own volition.

2. ... "v'cha'Asher Avadti Avadti" - to mean that, in the same way as she was lost to her father's house, she would now be lost to him (because, once a woman goes willingly to another man, she becomes forbidden to her husband (even if, under the circumstances, she is considered an O'nes - as was the case here).

(c)Rav interprets the Pasuk "va'Ya'avor Mordechai" to mean that the three-day fast initiated by Mordechai incorporated the first day of Pesach. Shmuel interprets it to mean - that he passed through a pool of water to gather the people together for the fast (even though Esther had only told him to gather the Jews in Shushan - Agados Maharsha).

6)

(a)Rebbi Elazar Amar Chanina (the author of the next series of statements) learns from the 'Gezeirah-Shavah' "va'Tilbash Esther Malchus" (Esther) and "v'Ru'ach Lavshah es Amasai" (Divrei ha'Yamim) - that Esther 'dressed' in Ru'ach ha'Kodesh when she made her journey to the king's inner chamber.

(b)

1. Aravnah conferred upon David - the blessing that the plague should stop (and it did).

2. Daryavesh confer upon Daniel - the blessing that Hash-m should save him from the lions (and He did).

(c)We learn from here - that one should not treat the blessings of an ordinary person (even if he is not a Tzadik) with disdain.

(d)Avimelech's curse on Sarah also came true. He cursed her that she should become blind - and although it did not materialize on her, it did materialize on her son Yitzchak; to teach us that one should not take the curses of an ordinary person lightly either.

7)

(a)A human being first places the pot on the stove and then fills it with water. Hash-m - first places the rain in the sky, and then the clouds (that contain it).

(b)Rebbi Elazar Amar Chanina learns from the fact that Esther informed the King of Bigsan and Teresh's plot in the name of Mordechai (had she not done so, Mordechai would have been hanged by Haman and the miracle of Purim would not have occurred) - that quoting something that one heard from someone in his name has the potential to bring about the redemption.

(c)We compare a Tzadik who died to a pearl that got lost - inasmuch as, just the latter is a pearl wherever it is, and it is the owner who suffers when it gets lost, so to, is a Tzadik a Tzadik wherever he is, and it is the world who suffers the loss when he dies (not the Tzadik himself).

(d)When Rav Chisda said 'Zeh Ba bi'Pruzbuli v'Zeh Ba bi'Pruzbuti' (meaning the one came with his riches and the other, with his poverty) - he was referring to the episode when Mordechai and Haman were both in the royal army, and when the greedy Haman devoured his sparse rations on the day that he received them. The only person who was willing to save him from starvation was Mordechai. However (in anticipation of Haman's wickedness) he made a condition - that Haman would be his slave (which would render everything that he owned his [Mordechai's]). That is why Haman became known as the slave who sold himself for a loaf of bread, says Rav Papa.

8)

(a)"v'Chol Zeh Einenu Shoveh Li" (said by Haman when he saw Mordechai sitting at the gate of the King) - teaches us that he had an inventory of all his wealth engraved on his heart.

9)

(a)Rebbi Alazar Amar Rebbi Chanina discusses the Pasuk in Yeshayah "On that day, Hash-m will be a crown on the head of every Tzadik that does His will and hopes for His glory". Six additional conditions however, are still required: Two of them are "li'She'ar Amo" (that one is exceedingly humble) and "ul'Ru'ach Mishpat" (that one compels oneself to do Teshuvah however difficult it might be). The phrase ...

1. ... "ul'Yoshev al ha'Mishpat" - refers to those who judge the absolute truth (using a their common sense to search out lies even when they are not evident in the words of the witnesses).

2. ... "v'li'Gevurah" - to those who overcome their Yetzer ha'Ra.

3. ... "Meshivei Milchamah" - who engage in Halachic intercourse.

4. ... "Sha'arah" - who guard the gates of the Beis-ha'Medrash (by being there early in the morning and late at night).

(b)The other people of that time were incapable of reaching these levels - because they were too busy drinking wine (enjoying the pleasures of life), something which would only lead them to Gehinom.

10)

(a)Rebbi Levi explains that when Esther reached the idol-house, the Shechinah left her. She was surprised, despite the fact that she was about to give herself willingly to a Nochri - because, as we explained earlier, she was nevertheless an O'nes (because she was doing so (on Mordechai's orders) to save Klal Yisrael from destruction. Moreover, she was permitted to do what she was doing because she intended to be no more than a passive partner.

(b)She ascribed the Shechinah's departure - to the fact that she had displayed disrespect to Achashverosh (a king appointed by Hash-m to rule) by asking Hash-m to save her from 'the dog' (as recorded in Tehilim 22), a mistake that she immediately rectified by referring to him as 'a lion'.

(c)The purpose of the three angels who were sent to help her find favor in the king's eyes (when really, the king might well have killed her for her audacity) was - one to straighten her neck (a powerful attraction in a woman); one to envelop her with a 'thread of grace', and one to stretch her scepter.

(d)According to the various opinions, the two-Amah scepter that she was holding stretched to unbelievable lengths; twelve (Rebbi Yirmeyahu), sixteen (others) or twenty-four Amos. The other two possibilities are - sixty Amos (the Beraisa) and two hundred Amos (Rabah bar Ofran citing Rebbi Elazar in the name of his Rebbe ... ).

11)

(a)According to the Beraisa - Bisyah, the daughter of Paroh's arm also stretched to sixty Amos.

(b)And the same, says the Tana, happens to the teeth of Resha'im. Resh Lakish learns this from the Pasuk in Tehilim "Shinei Resha'im Shibarta" - by reading the word "Shibarta" as if it had said "Shribavta" (meaning bent) ...

(c)... with reference to Og Melech ha'Bashan, whose teeth stretched sixty Amos before bending, to hook round the rock which he had uprooted to throw on top of Yisrael, after worms had bored a large hole in its base, causing it to descend upon his head.

(d)This remarkable miracle is also hinted in the words "Shinei Resha'im ... " - inasmuch as the Pasuk ought to have written 've'Shein Rasha', rendering the 'Yud' of "Shinei" and the 'Yud' 'Mem' of "Resha'im" superfluous. And 'Yud' + 'Yud' + 'Mem' = sixty.

(e)When Achashverosh offered Esther anything up to half the kingdom, he meant - that the one thing that he would not grant her was the re-building of the Beis Hamikdash, which stood in the middle of the kingdom (see also Agados Maharsha).

12)

(a)The Tana'im and Amora'im give twelve reasons to explain why Esther invited Haman to her party with Achashverosh: all in all, she aimed at manipulating Haman, Achashverosh and his ministers, Klal Yisrael and even Hash-m (kiv'Yachol). She manipulated ...

1. ... Haman - (anticipating his downfall at the table by keeping him under her control), by arousing the king's jealousy, thereby bringing about his death, and by causing him to become proud, which always precedes one's downfall.

2. ... Achashverosh - by preventing him from changing his mind when Haman's wickedness was divulged, and by encouraging him to become jealous and suspicious of Haman.

3. ... Klal Yisrael - by preventing them from relying on 'their Jewish sister' in the royal palace, and forcing them to turn to Hash-m in prayer.

4. ... Hash-m - by inducing Him to have pity on 'poor Esther', who had to stoop so low to save Klal Yisrael as to invite their arch-enemy to her party with the king.

(b)In the last reason, Abaye and Rava cite the Pasuk in Yirmeyahu "b'Chomam Ashis es Mishteihem", by which she meant - that Haman would be exposed and meet his end at a party.

(c)They were referring to - the party of Belshatzar, following his defeat of Daryavesh and Koresh (who had been besieging Bavel). The very same day, he was killed.

(d)She even endangered her own life in the process - because the king might have suspected her of having an affair with Haman, and killed them both (which she was prepared to do, as long as Haman was killed, too).

(e)Rabah bar Avuhah asked Elayihu which of the reasons she really had in mind. He replied - that she had in mind each and every reason given by the Tana'im and Amora'im.

13)

(a)According to Rav, Haman had thirty children - of whom ten died (presumably they were killed in the fighting) ten were hanged, and the remaining ten became beggars.

(b)The Rabanan disagree on the basis of the Pasuk in Shmuel "Seve'im ba'Lechem Niskaru" - which they read as if it was written "Shiv'im ba'Lechem Niskaru" (referring to the seventy sons of Haman).

(c)Rami bar Aba learns that Haman had two hundred and eight sons, which he learns from the Pasuk in Esther "Rov Banav". The word "Rov", which is missing a 'Vav' (as Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak observes), has the numerical value of two hundred and eight.

14)

(a)According to Rebbi Tanchum, the word "ha'Melech" (in the Pasuk "ba'Laylah Hahu Nadedah Shenas ha'Melech") - refers to Hash-m.

(b)The Rabanan explain 'Nadedu Elyonim, Nadedu Tachtonim' by which they mean - that Achashverosh's sleep was disturbed, because the angels pestered him all night reminding the ungrateful man to repay the good deed that Mordechai had done for him many years earlier.

(c)According to Rava, the Pasuk refers to Achashverosh, who was unable to sleep - because Esther had invited Haman to the party. Perhaps, he thought, Esther and Haman were plotting to kill him.

(d)He took out the Book of Chronicles - because he was worried that nobody was informing him of the plot. And arriving at the conclusion that it be because the people disliked him for not having repaid a good deed that someone had performed for him and about which he had forgotten, he promptly took out the Book of Chronicles to check it out.

15)

(a)We learn from ...

1. ... "va'Yih'yu Nikra'im" - that the pages were turning themselves.

2. ... "va'Yimatzei Kasuv" (instead of 'Ksav') - that Shamshai (Haman's scribe, and according to some, his son) kept on erasing the episode of Mordechai and Bigsan and Teresh from the Book, and each time Gavriel re-wrote it.

(b)Rebbi Asi citing Rebbi Shilo a man from the village of Tamarta learns from there - that if the earthly script that is written in the merit of Yisrael cannot be erased, how much more so the script that is written in Heaven!

(c)On two earlier occasions Shamshai had caused Yisrael trouble - by causing the building of the Beis-Hamikdash to be stopped, both in the days of Koresh (when the construction had already begun), and in the days of Achashverosh.