Haman’s story is also uneven. We first meet him as Persia’s new political whiz, Achashveirosh’s key adviser and confidant. But that status is not enough for him, especially when Mordechai adamantly refuses to honor him. He feels the need to protect his honor by annihilating an entire nation. Later, his honor is again diminished, this time by the king. Instead of supporting Haman’s plan to hang Mordechai, the king instructs his minister to publicly honor his long-time nemesis through the streets of Shushan.
Haman’s pride is temporarily restored when he receives an invitation to attend Esther’s VIP banquet with her and the king. But after returning for a second evening, Haman’s shame and confusion reach a head, literally, when his prepared gallows become his personal downfall.
Esther’s rise to power is also a bit bumpy. She rises quickly and suddenly, as if without warning. (There was no logical reason for the king to choose her as Vashti’s successor. According to the Talmud, while she was one of the world’s most beautiful women, she deliberately tried to remain off the king’s radar and had not groomed herself in advance of the competition.)
Achashveirosh marries her while knowing very little about her; even her national identity is unknown to him. Most significantly, as queen she is largely removed from the public eye. When she is given an opportunity to make an impact, Esther expresses a lack of clarity, balking at the opportunity (at least at first) to step up and save her beleaguered nation (Esther 3:11).
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The only character of significance in the Purim story who seemed to avoid confusion and haziness was Mordechai. He was clear from the outset as to what needed to be done to combat the glittery lure of Achashveirosh’s feast and then the existential threat posed by Haman. After hearing of the latter’s decree, he wasted no time in donning sackcloth, fasting, praying, and taking things up with the queen.
When Esther hesitated, Mordechai responded (Esther 4:13-14) with one of the most powerful lines in the annals of Jewish history, a jarring statement that spoke not only to the Jews’ collective peril but to the capacity of each individual to impact his or her own future and perhaps even the nation’s:
“Do not think that you will escape [the fate of] all the Jews by being in the king’s palace. For if you will remain silent at this time, relief and salvation will come to the Jews from another source, and you and the house of your father will be lost. And who knows if it is not for just such a time that you reached this royal position.’ ”
By being inactive, Esther would not even save herself. If the decree in heaven was for Haman’s edict to be realized, it would affect her as well (a lesson borne out repeatedly in our history.) Moreover, this was her opportunity to act; to make a difference. Finally, the reason for her ascension to the throne had become clear and she would be wise to take full advantage.
It was at this moment of breakthrough that Esther reversed course. Not only would she advocate for her people, but the entire community would need to fast and pray for her success. Only with their collective efforts and newfound commitment to the God of Israel would they survive.
Not surprisingly, it was a breakthrough in emunah u’bitachon – the clarity to realize that salvation is always possible despite the number or strength of the enemy – that turned the tide. Through fasting and repentance, the Jewish people reconnected with Hashem to such a degree that they came to “reaccept” His Torah (Kimu v’kiblu – kiblu mah shekiblu kvar, Shavuos 39a, based on Esther 9:27).
