Yuku free message boards

Pamela Susette wrote:

---

"And you still didn't explain where you got the idea that Estér was still a virgin when she was taken to Ahashvérosh's harem." I read it from my perverted version.

---

וַיֶּֽאֱהַ֨ב הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ אֶת־אֶסְתֵּר֙ מִכָּל־הַנָּשִׁ֔ים וַתִּשָּׂא־חֵ֥ן וָחֶ֛סֶד לְפָנָ֖יו מִכָּל־הַבְּתוּלֹ֑ות וַיָּ֤שֶׂם כֶּֽתֶר־מַלְכוּת֙ בְּרֹאשָׁ֔הּ וַיַּמְלִיכֶ֖הָ תַּ֥חַת וַשְׁתִּֽי׃

"The king loved Estér more than all the women, and she won grace and favor before him more than all the virgins ; so he set a crown of royalty on her head and appointed her queen in Vashti 's place." (Estér 2:17)

ר' חֶלְבּוֹ אָמַר: מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאַף הַנְּשׂוּאוֹת הֵבִֽיאוּ לְפָנָיו, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר מִכָּל הַנָּשִׁים וּמִכָּל הַבְּתוּלוֹת׃

R. Helbo said: This shows that married women were also brought before him [even though the original suggestion had been that only virgins should be assembled for the king to choose from, see Estér 2:2], which is why the verse (Estér 2:17) says "more than all the women" and also "more than all the virgins". (from Midrash Rabbah)

צָרִיךְ עִיּוּן: הָא הַפְּקוּדָה הָיְתָה לְהָבִיא רַק בְּתוּלוֹת כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב "וְיִקְבְּצוּ אֶת כָּל נַעֲרָה בְתוּלָה", וְקָשֶׁה לוֹמַר שֶׁבָּאוּ מֵעַצְמָן. וְקָרוֹב לוֹמַר שֶׁעַל פִּי הַפְּקוּדָה לְהָבִיא נַעֲרוֹת בְּתוּלוֹת הָיוּ כַּמָּה מֵהַבְּתוּלוֹת מִשְׁתַּמְּשׁוֹת עַצְמָן בָּאֲמַתְלָה שֶׁנְּשׂוּאוֹת הֵן, וְלָכֵן כֵּיוָן שֶׁלֹּא יָכְלוּ לְבָרֵר הָאֱמֶת הֵבִיאוּ גַם הַנְּשׂוּאוֹת׃

This requires consideration: you see, the decree was to bring only virgins, as it is written "let them assemble all the virgin girls" (Estér 2:3)! Now, it's hard to believe that [the married women] would have come voluntarily; but it seems more likely that, although the decree was to bring only the virgin girls, some of the virgins were pretending to be married and so, because they couldn't find out the truth of the matter, they brought the married women too!

Pamela Susette wrote:

---

Thanks for answering my question about Vashti being naked. I would have refused too if he would asked me to be naked in front of all those men.

---

Don't forget, her refusal got her killed....

Ezekah wrote:

---

Prof, you could try posting this question on.... theologyweb. Surely someone there would be able to answer you.

---

I discovered that it is not worthwhile to "throw pearls in front of pigs".