The idea that Mordecai and Esther were a married couple has had a long history inthe Jewish tradition, originating in the Septuagint, ¯flourishing in the Talmud, and continuing on into the commentaries of the sixteenth century and beyond.
The fact that it is elaborated in the Babylonian Talmud will ensure that it will never be forgotten or overlooked. Indeed, the attitude expressed with regard to the e midrashic traditions by Alkabetz and his contemporaries marks a new phase in the treatment of this material in exegetical works and brings it back into the mainstream. From this period on the apologetic attempts to explain away, justify, or mitigate the more provocative elements of this tradition proliferate. Indeed, this phenomenon exemplifies a general trend to elevate aggadic midrash to near-canonical status, which is still prevalent in traditional circles to this very day.
a lot of these midrashim are difficult to reconcile with academic or logical thought.
ReplyDeleteConsider Ruth.
firstly she is a moabitess, which is forbidden to marry
Next, there is no conversion when she marries her Jewish husbnad.
Then, the language of the Megillah וַיִּשְׂא֣וּ לָהֶ֗ם נָשִׁים֙ מֹֽאֲבִיּ֔וֹת שֵׁ֤ם הָֽאַחַת֙ עָרְפָּ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית ר֑וּת
contradicts the halacha we are familiar with - since these intermarriages are not marriages at all, yet the text tells us they are.
Then Ruth presumably converts, but there is no mention of mikveh anywhere.
Then her late husband's uncle does Yibum - but yibum does nto apply to goyim, and she was a goy when when she was living her husband. So how can Yibum take place?
See the Artscroll explanation of this on Midrash Rus. Same with Tamar and Yehuda. They had a quasi geirus altz tannai
ReplyDeleteThere were three Jewish men in Moab. They could constitute a Bais Din and convert women to marry.
ReplyDeleteDidn't Naomi's husband die first?
ReplyDeleteIn any case, when the 2 sons died Naomi tells the 2 moabites to go back to their people - so it's implied that they were not yet Jewish.
Do they carry out these conversions in the artscroll/hareidi world today?
ReplyDeleteIt's essentially saying that they had fictional conversions.
He was around presumably when the sons married.
ReplyDeleteThe going back part does not fit with my saying they converted. Not sure how to reconcile their being Jewish with her teling them to turn around.