Hatach

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1. What Happened to Hatakh?

   Prof. Jonathan Grossman

   Mordekhai rent his clothing and cried a great and bitter cry. Mordekhai's cry is compared with Esav's, and the significance of renting one's clothing is discussed. Esther responds to her uncle's actions by sending him new clothing - confirming her distance from Mordekhai's cause. The gap between Mordekhai and Esther is expressed by the character of the messenger, Hatakh. Throughout the dialogue, Hatakh suddenly disappears. What is the significance of his disappearance?

2. The Mystery of the Disappearing Servant: On the Pivotal Dialogue between Mordekhai and Esther

   Prof. Jonathan Grossman

   In chapter 4 of Megillat Esther, we leave the Persian setting of the Megilla and encounter the "Jewish dialogue" between Mordekhai and Esther. Through an analysis of Hatakh’s significance within the narrative, we notice that this dialogue represents a turning point in the story of the Megilla, in which Esther undergoes a process. At the beginning, the narrator hints at some criticism of Esther for a degree of assimilation within the palace norms; at the end, the "Hadassa" who is hidden inside Queen Esther – her Jewish identity – has come to the fore, expressing self-sacrifice for the sake of her nation.