How Many?
How many provinces did Achashveirosh rule over?
127
Who was Heigeih?
He was in charge of watching over the women in the beauty contest… shomeir hanashim
In what year of Achashveirosh’s reign did he make a party?
3
How long was Achashveirosh’s party for the people of Shushan?
7 days
וַיִּזְעַק זְעָקָה גְדוֹלָה וּמָרָה -
Mordechai
How many wars between Bnei Yisrael and Amaleik are mentioned in Tanach?
Actually, there were at least eleven (11) battles with Amalek in Tanach, in one form or another. In the Torah--3 BATTLES: a) Shemos 17: 8 and Devorim 25:17; b) Bamidbar 14:45; and c) Bamidbar 21:1 and 33:40. In Neviim-- 6 BATTLES : a) Shoftim 3:13; b) Shoftim 6:3; c) Shoftim 6:33; d) Shmuel Aleph 14:48; e) Shmuel Aleph 15:3; f) Shmuel Aleph 30:1. In Kesuvim--2 BATTLES: a) Divrei HaYamim Aleph 4:43…and of course b) MEGILLAS ESTHER! It is clear that this nation has really been out to get us--but in the end we will prevail!
How many mishtaos, or parties, are mentioned all-told in the Megillah?
6
How many silver talents (כִּכַּר כֶּסֶף) did Haman say he would give Achashveirosh if he would wipe out the Jewish people?
10,000
Who was Mordechai’s grandfather?
Shimi
On what day of Achashveirosh’s party did he order for Vashti to come? (i.e. the 1st day, 2nd day, etc.)
7th
How long was each woman prepared with makeup etc. before appearing before Achashveirosh?
12 months
חֲפוּי רֹאש
Haman
What other name was Achashveirosh known by in Tanach?
Artachshaste, mentioned in Ezra 4:7. Chazal (Esther Rabbah 1:3) note and interpret each name.
Identify six instances of Middah K’neged Middah that appear in the Megillah.
a) Vashti made Jewish girls who were her captives work for her unclothed--and so she was ordered to come before the king unclothed (Megillah 12B); b) Haman was hung on the tree that he prepared for Mordechai; c) Bigsan and Seresh wanted to kill the king, yet they were killed instead; d) The Jews ate and drank at Achashveirosh’s party, so they were forced to fast for three days; e) Haman wanted everyone to bow to him--at the penalty of death, and in the end Achashveirosh ordered him to be killed--because he fell before Esther; and f) Mordechai put on sackcloth and ashes on his head over what Haman had decreed, and in the end, took over Haman’s position, wearing the royal apparel and a large gold crown.
How many amos high was the gallows that Haman made to hang Mordechai?
50
Who was Shaashgaz?
The “sris haemlech, shomer hapilagshim” Women went to him after being with Achashveirosh.
On what date (month / day) were the king’s scribes summoned to write Haman’s decree to destroy the Jews?
13 nissan
Esther told Mordechai that she was afraid to come to Achashveirosh uninvited, because she had not been summed to the king for the past _____
30 days
לֹא תוּכַל לוֹ כִּי נָפוֹל תִּפּוֹל לְפָנָיו
Haman will fall before Mordecahi
Why didn’t Achashveirosh force people to drink to join in his joy---why was there no “Oness” to drink?
Achashveirosh wanted the Jews to sin willingly--”Kedi SheYehenu Beratzon.”
How many words are there in the “Al Hanisim” of Purim?
In Nusach Ashkenaz, there are 68. HaRav Yaakov Emden in his Siddur writes that 68 is the Gematria of “Chaim”--and we thank Hashem for the life he granted us at that time--which has its life-bearing effects to this day, which will continue forever and ever!
How many men did the Jews kill in Shushan on 13 Adar?
500 PLUS 10 sons of Haman… so 510
Who was the messenger who passed messages between Esther and Mordechai?
Hatach/ Daniel
In what month was Esther taken to Achashveirosh for the first time?
Teves
How long was Haman in power for?
מִי הוּא זֶה וְאֵי זֶה הוּא
Haman
At the first Mishte--Esther’s request was that Achashveirosh and Haman come back for a second Mishte--why couldn’t she accomplish her goal at the first Mishte?
Esther did not sense any change that had occurred in K’lal Yisrael’s situation at the time--and she was expecting to see a sign that the Tefillos and fasts were accepted. Indeed, the next morning brought Haman parading Mordechai through the streets of the capital--the sign was there! (Ibn Ezra) Alternatively, the Chasam Sofer explains that Amaleik is defeated by “Machar”--you wait until ‘tomorrow’ in order to defeat them (see Rashi to Shmuel I 30:17).
In addition to his plan to kill all the Jews, what edicts did Haman immediately issue against them?
Chazal (Megillah 16B) teach us what the other edicts were from the Pasuk “LaYehudim Hoysa Orah…” (Esther 8:16 ): The additional decrees included prohibiting the study of Torah, the observance of Shabbos and Yom Tov, performing a Bris Mila and the wearing of Tefillin (see Targum Sheini).
How many men did the Jews in the rest of the cities kill?
75,000
Vashtis grandfather
Nebuchadnezzar
On what date (month / day) did the Achashveirosh’s scribes write that Jews can assemble and protect themselves on 13 Adar?
23 sivan
How many years did Purim occur before Chanukah?
216 years
אשר הוגלה מירושלים
mordechai and yechonia
What did Mordechai do during the seven days of Achashveirosh’s party?
He served as a Sar HaMashkim, as did Haman (see Rashi to Megillah 1:8). HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, Shlita, explains that he did this in order to save Bnei Yisrael from Ma’acholos Asuros. However, the Targum teaches that he wasn’t there and that he davened, and did not eat and drink, for the seven days ofthe party (Targum Esther 1:10 ).
Why did Esther invite Haman to her party with Achashveirosh? The Gemara gives 12 reasons and Eliyahu HaNavi (as quoted in the Gemara) confirms that Esther had all 12 of them in mind.
Rabbi Elazar says: She hid a snare for him, as it is stated: “Let their table become a snare before them” (Psalms 69:23), as she assumed that she would be able to trip up Haman during the banquet. Rabbi Yehoshua says: She learnedto do this from the Jewish teachings of her father’s house, as it is stated: “If your enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat” (Proverbs 25:21). Rabbi Meir says: She invited him in order that he be near her at all times, so that he would not take counsel and rebel against Ahasuerus when he discovered that the king was angry with him. Rabbi Yehuda says: She invited Haman so that it not be found out that she was a Jew, as had she distanced him, he would have become suspicious. Rabbi Neḥemya says: She did this so that the Jewish people would not say: We have a sister in the king’s house, and consequently neglect their prayers for divine mercy. Rabbi Yosei says: She acted in this manner, so that Haman would always be on hand for her, as that would enable her to find an opportunity to cause him to stumble before the king. Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya said that Esther said to herself: Perhaps the Omnipresent will take notice that all are supporting Haman and nobody is supporting the Jewish people, and He will perform for us a miracle.Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa says: She said to herself: I will act kindly toward him and thereby bring the king to suspect that we are having an affair; she did so in order that both he and she would be killed. Essentially, Esther was willing to be killed with Haman in order that the decree would be annulled. Rabban Gamliel says: Ahasuerus was a fickle king, and Esther hoped that if he saw Haman on multiple occasions, eventually he would change his opinion of him. Rabban Gamliel said: We still need the words of Rabbi Eliezer HaModa’i to understand why Esther invited Haman to her banquet. As it is taught in a baraita: Rabbi Eliezer HaModa’i says: She made the king jealous of him and she made the other ministers jealous of him, and in this way she brought about his downfall. Rabba says: Esther invited Haman to her banquet in order to fulfill that which is stated: “Pride goes before destruction” (Proverbs 16:18), which indicates that in order to destroy the wicked, one must first bring them to pride. It can be understood according to Abaye and Rava, who both say that she invited Haman in order to fulfill the verse: “When they are heated, I will make feasts for them, and I will make them drunk, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep” (Jeremiah 51:39). The Gemara relates that Rabba bar Avuh once happened upon Elijah the Prophet and said to him: In accordance with whose understanding did Esther see fit to act in this manner? What was the true reason behind her invitation? He,Elijah, said to him: Esther was motivated by all the reasons previously mentioned and did so for all the reasons previously stated by the tanna’im and all the reasons stated by the amora’im.