Megillat Esther | Esther's Brilliant Plan

Megillat Esther | Esther's Brilliant Plan, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom

Why do we need to hear so many details of the Persian court in Esther 1 and 2 - when the plot only begins in chapter 3? 

The first two chapters of Esther seem superfluous to the critical part of the plot - the decree to kill Mordekhai's nation and the successful stratagem that defeated it. Why does the reader need to hear about the Persian Emperor's "glory" and extended coronation party, and about the excessive preening and primping involved in getting the young maidens ready for their "night with the king"? We explore the psychological profiles that each chapter gives us about Achashverosh and Esther, respectively, and then the profile that chapter 3 and 5 give us about Haman; without which we wouldn't be able to understand Esther's brilliant strategy that outfoxed our two enemies and opened the door to national salvation.