Megilas Esther commentary based on the Malbim’s explanation.
פרק ד, יג-יז
(יג)וַיֹּ֥אמֶר מָרְדֳּכַ֖י לְהָשִׁ֣יב אֶל־אֶסְתֵּ֑ר אַל־תְּדַמִּ֣י בְנַפְשֵׁ֔ךְ לְהִמָּלֵ֥ט בֵּית־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מִכָּל־הַיְּהוּדִֽים׃
(יד)כִּ֣י אִם־הַֽחֲרֵ֣שׁ תַּֽחֲרִישִׁי֮ בָּעֵ֣ת הַזֹּאת֒ רֶ֣וַח וְהַצָּלָ֞ה יַֽעֲמ֤וֹד לַיְּהוּדִים֙ מִמָּק֣וֹם אַחֵ֔ר וְאַ֥תְּ וּבֵית־אָבִ֖יךְ תֹּאבֵ֑דוּ וּמִ֣י יוֹדֵ֔עַ אִם־לְעֵ֣ת כָּזֹ֔את הִגַּ֖עַתְּ לַמַּלְכֽוּת׃
(טו)וַתֹּ֥אמֶר אֶסְתֵּ֖ר לְהָשִׁ֥יב אֶֽל־מָרְדֳּכָֽי׃
(טז)לֵךְ֩ כְּנ֨וֹס אֶת־כָּל־הַיְּהוּדִ֜ים הַֽנִּמְצְאִ֣ים בְּשׁוּשָׁ֗ן וְצ֣וּמוּ עָ֠לַי וְאַל־תֹּֽאכְל֨וּ וְאַל־תִּשְׁתּ֜וּ שְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת יָמִים֙ לַ֣יְלָה וָי֔וֹם גַּם־אֲנִ֥י וְנַֽעֲרֹתַ֖י אָצ֣וּם כֵּ֑ן וּבְכֵ֞ן אָב֤וֹא אֶל־הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־כַדָּ֔ת וְכַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר אָבַ֖דְתִּי אָבָֽדְתִּי׃
(יז)וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖ר מָרְדֳּכָ֑י וַיַּ֕עַשׂ כְּכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוְּתָ֥ה עָלָ֖יו אֶסְתֵּֽר׃
Esther – Chapter 4, 13-17
(יג)וַיֹּ֥אמֶר מָרְדֳּכַ֖י לְהָשִׁ֣יב אֶל־אֶסְתֵּ֑ר אַל־תְּדַמִּ֣י בְנַפְשֵׁ֔ךְ לְהִמָּלֵ֥ט בֵּית־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מִכָּל־הַיְּהוּדִֽים׃
(13) And Mordechai said to relay to Esther, “Do not think that you will escape all the Jews by being in the king’s palace,
(13) And Mordechai said to relay to Esther, “Do not think that you will escape because you are in a safe place and all the Jews will be saved by your being in the king’s palace, on the contrary, the reason you are there is only to save the Jewish people.”
(יד)כִּ֣י אִם־הַֽחֲרֵ֣שׁ תַּֽחֲרִישִׁי֮ בָּעֵ֣ת הַזֹּאת֒ רֶ֣וַח וְהַצָּלָ֞ה יַֽעֲמ֤וֹד לַיְּהוּדִים֙ מִמָּק֣וֹם אַחֵ֔ר וְאַ֥תְּ וּבֵית־אָבִ֖יךְ תֹּאבֵ֑דוּ וּמִ֣י יוֹדֵ֔עַ אִם־לְעֵ֣ת כָּזֹ֔את הִגַּ֖עַתְּ לַמַּלְכֽוּת׃
(14) “for if you will remain silent at this time, relief and salvation will come to the Jews from another source, and you and the house of your father will be lost, and who knows if it is not for only this time that you reached this royal position.”
(14) “For if you will remain silent at this time and not utilize the opportunity to save your brethren, your safety will be taken away, relief and salvation will come to the Jews from another source, and you and the house of your father will be lost. And who knows if it is not for only this time slot that you reached this royal position, maybe by tomorrow salvation will come from elsewhere and you will be redundant.”
(טו)וַתֹּ֥אמֶר אֶסְתֵּ֖ר לְהָשִׁ֥יב אֶֽל־מָרְדֳּכָֽי׃
(15) Esther said to relay to Mordechai:
(15) When Esther realized that the Jewish People would be saved in any case, and the only question was whether she would merit being part of their salvation, she said to relay to Mordechai:
(טז)לֵךְ֩ כְּנ֨וֹס אֶת־כָּל־הַיְּהוּדִ֜ים הַֽנִּמְצְאִ֣ים בְּשׁוּשָׁ֗ן וְצ֣וּמוּ עָ֠לַי וְאַל־תֹּֽאכְל֨וּ וְאַל־תִּשְׁתּ֜וּ שְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת יָמִים֙ לַ֣יְלָה וָי֔וֹם גַּם־אֲנִ֥י וְנַֽעֲרֹתַ֖י אָצ֣וּם כֵּ֑ן וּבְכֵ֞ן אָב֤וֹא אֶל־הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־כַדָּ֔ת וְכַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר אָבַ֖דְתִּי אָבָֽדְתִּי׃
(16) “Go and gather all the Jews who are in Shushan and fast for my sake, do not eat and do not drink for three days, night and day. My maids and I shall also fast in the same way. Then I shall go to the king, though it is unlawful, and if I perish, I perish.”
(16) “Go and gather all the Jews who are in Shushan and fast for my sake, that I should merit to take part in the salvation, do not eat and do not drink for three days, night and day. My maids and I shall also fast in the same way. Then I shall go to the king, though it is unlawful, and if I perish, I alone shall perish, and the Jewish nation will survive in any case.”
(יז)וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖ר מָרְדֳּכָ֑י וַיַּ֕עַשׂ כְּכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוְּתָ֥ה עָלָ֖יו אֶסְתֵּֽר׃
(17) Mordechai then passed and did all that Esther had instructed him.
(17) Mordechai then passed through the Jewish streets and did all that Esther had instructed him.
