During the era of the Purim story, our people were known as “Yehudim” - Judeans. According to some language scholars, the term “Judeans” is the origin of the English term, “Jews.” The Book of Esther tells the story of how the Yehudim were saved from Haman’s genocidal plan, and the following verses reveal one of the reasons for Haman’s hatred of the Yehudim:


“After these things King Achashverosh promoted Haman... he set his seat above all the officers who were with him. All the king’s servants at the king’s gate would bow down and prostrate themselves before Haman, for this is

A literal translation would be, “And Mordechai will not bow down.” Why was the phrase written in the future tense?

what the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordechai would not bow down nor prostrate himself.” (Esther 3:1,2)


“But Mordechai would not bow down or prostrate himself” - for Haman had made himself into a god (according to the commentary of Rashi).


It was common within the pagan world for very powerful or very wealthy individuals to view themselves as gods. Haman had this arrogance, and Mordechai had the courage and the chutzpah to defy Haman.


The Book of Esther reveals that Haman was enraged at Mordechai’s refusal to bow before him; moreover, Haman realized that Mordechai’s refusal was based on the spiritual beliefs of the Yehudim - a people who believed in the One Creator and who therefore refused to deify any fragment of the creation, including a human being. Haman therefore decided to punish all the Yehudim, as it is written: “So Haman sought to destroy all the Yehudim who were throughout the entire kingdom of Achashverosh - the people of Mordechai.” (3:6)


“But Mordechai would not bow down.” If we read these words in the original Hebrew - Mordechai lo yichra - we notice that the phrase “not bow down” is actually written in the future tense; thus, a literal translation would be, “And Mordechai will not bow down.” Why was the phrase written in the future tense?


My friend, Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Freifeld, shared with me the following answer of the noted Chassidic sage, the Sefas Emes: The verse is alluding to the idea that there will always be a courageous “Mordechai” among our people in each generation “who will not bow down” - who will refuse to give up his faith in HaShem, the Compassionate and Life-giving One, despite the various attempts to force us to abandon HaShem and His Torah. (From the Sefas Emes’s talk on Purim in 5643)


In fact, the Yehudim took on the courageous role of Mordechai in later generations, especially during the rise of Christianity. Although Christianity was influenced to some degree by Judaism and accepted the belief in the Creator of all life, Christianity also deified a human being. The Christians thought that they could win over the Yehudim to their religion, for they had deified a Yehudi. This appeal to the ethnic pride of the Yehudim did not work, for the Yehudim were the people of Mordechai, the Yehudi who remained loyal to HaShem; thus, they refused to deify a human being, even if he was one of their own. This caused the Christian Church to persecute and murder the Yehudim. When the Yehudim were offered the choice of “the cross or death,” many Yehudim went to their death proclaiming the Divine Oneness and Unity: "Hear O Israel, HaShem is our God, HaShem is One!"

When the Yehudim were offered the choice of “the cross or death,” many Yehudim went to their death.



There is a custom to chant Psalm 22 on Purim - a psalm that describes the lonely journey of the Yehudim in a hostile world. According to tradition, King David dedicated this psalm to Queen Esther, as through the holy spirit, he foresaw the courageous role of Esther who risked her life to save her people. In fact, we have a tradition that Esther herself chanted this psalm before she went to meet with the king. The psalm opens with the words, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” - words which were said throughout the generations by Yehudim who were persecuted and murdered for their belief in HaShem and for their loyalty to the Torah of HaShem.


Towards the end of this psalm, however, we find a prophecy of hope, which proclaims that all humankind will one day accept the unifying belief of the Yehudim: “All the ends of the earth will remember and return to HaShem, all the families of nations will bow before You.” (Psalm 22:28)


In this new age of enlightenment, we, the Yehudim, will be vindicated. The nations who despised us for our chutzpah and for our refusal to adopt their beliefs will become our allies. As the prophet proclaimed in the name of HaShem, God of the hosts of creation: “In those days it will happen that ten men of all the (different) languages of the nations, will take hold, they will take hold of the garment of a Yehudi man, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’ ” (Zechariah 8:23)


The ultimate vindication of our people and our holy chutzpah is alluded to in the concluding section of the Purim story:


“Mordechai left the king’s presence clad in royal apparel of turquoise and white with a large gold crown and a robe of fine linen and purple; then the city of Shushan was cheerful and joyous. The Yehudim had light and joy, bliss and honor.” (Esther 8: 15, 16)


Related Comment
Information on the connection between Psalms 22 and Esther can be found in the Talmud, Yuma 29a and Megillah 15b. In addition, one can find information in the midrashic commentaries on this psalm.