The Danger of Thinking Everything Is Good

It is fascinating that the word ra (evil) does not appear in the first six chapters of Megillat Esther, whereas the word tov (good) appears numerous times (see, for example, 1:10, 11, 19 and 21). Achashverosh (and, perhaps, all of Persian society) yearns to escape into an imaginary world where all is good. This desire likely drives Achashveirosh’s alcohol obsession. It allowed him to flee to a fantasy world. In addition, Achashverosh judged everything superficially, allowing him to avoid thinking deeply and distinguishing between good and bad. The Megillah repeatedly speaks about gathering women of “good appearance” because that is all that mattered to Achashverosh. The refrain, “and it appeared good in his eyes,” also appears many times in connection with Achashverosh because he judged things to the extent they appeared to his eyes.

This attitude exposed Achashverosh to the danger of Haman, who manipulated a naïve Achashverosh into the most evil of plans. Haman even convinced Achashverosh that it was “good” to annihilate an entire nation in one day, including women and children (see Megillat Esther 3:9 and 3:11).

The Power of Identifying Haman as Evil

Esther rescued Achashverosh on two levels. First, she began to train Achashverosh to think more deeply. He chose her as queen because “she found favor in his eyes,” meaning that the attraction was not limited to her fine appearance (in fact, one opinion among Chazal believes Esther was not physically attractive, see Megillah 13a). More importantly, she enabled Achashverosh to distinguish between good and evil, thereby releasing him from the clutches of Haman. Esther labeled Haman (Esther 7:6) and his plan (Esther 8:3 and 8:6) as “evil,” dispelling the moral equivalence Achashverosh had established between Haman and Am Yisrael. She appealed to him—having found favor in Achashverosh’s eyes (Esther 7:3 and 8:5)—pleading that just as he had looked beyond the superficial when choosing her, so too, he should look beyond the surface and recognize Haman’s evil. Moral equivalency is the result of shallow thinking. Only when Esther restored Achashverosh’s moral equilibrium was he able to identify who was evil and who was honorable, leading to the elimination of Haman and the concomitant elevation of Mordechai.

Purim’s Rejection of Moral Equivalence

We follow Esther’s lead and proclaim after each Megillah reading, “Cursed be Haman and blessed be Mordechai,” as is required by halacha (Yerushalmi cited in Tosafot Megillah 7b s.v. DeLo and Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim 690:16). We affirm the distinction between good and evil, thereby rendering us not vulnerable to predators such as Haman.

Moreover, our custom of jeering every time we read Haman’s name reinforces Esther’s brief but critical words. The Rama (Orach Chayim 690:17) records this custom—noting that one should not dismiss any minhag—for we established each minhag for a good reason. In light of our discussion, we understand the vital importance of emphasizing Haman’s evil.

Conclusion: Ramifications for Today

We live in a world where moral equivalence—such as that of Achashverosh—is pervasive. It is the product of superficial thought and the desire to escape to a fantasy world in which one need not confront life’s harsh realities. The cure for moral equivalence lies in following Esther’s example and educating others (especially those in positions of authority) to think deeply and recognize and proclaim evil for what it is.

Today, respectable organizations, such as CNN, promote a narrative of moral equivalence between Israel and anti-Israel terrorism. Such base attitudes stem from superficial thinking and a yearning for an imaginary world where all is good. Pro-Israel advocacy groups, such as AIPAC, NORPAC, CAMERA and StandWithUs, follow in the footsteps of Esther and help redeem humanity from the clutches of the moral equivalency which, today, dangerously holds far too many people in its grip.

Rabbi Jachter serves as the rav of Congregation Shaarei Orah, rebbe at Torah Academy of Bergen County and a get administrator with the Beth Din of Elizabeth. Rabbi Jachter’s 19 books may be purchased at Amazon and Judaica House.