Haman is the villain of the book of Esther. A vizier of King Ahasuerus, he planned a genocide against the Jewish people, but his plans were thwarted by Esther and her uncle, Mordekhai. As a descendant of the nation of Amalek, the first nation to attack the Israelites soon after they left Egypt, Haman comes from a long line of enemies of the Jewish people.
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Hatching a Plot Against the JewsTANAKH
Hatching a Plot Against the Jews
TANAKH
Haman, the villain of the book of Esther, is an official in the Persian palace who plots to kill all Jews within the empire. The book of Esther recounts that Mordekhai, a Jew, slighted Haman, prompting Haman to hatch his genocidal plot.
Haman’s Abuse of PowerMIDRASH
Haman’s Abuse of Power
MIDRASH
Later interpreters add further detail to Haman’s villainy. The midrash in Esther Rabbah suggests that Haman received financial benefit from the destruction of the Judean kingdom and explains how he caused those around him to worship idols.
Haman’s DownfallTANAKH
Haman’s Downfall
TANAKH
The story of Purim culminates with Haman’s downfall — a dramatic reversal of fortune for both him and for the Jewish people. The book of Esther describes how Haman meets the very same gruesome end he had planned for Mordekhai, the Jew who had insulted him.
Haman, the SorcererKABBALAH
Haman, the Sorcerer
KABBALAH
The kabbalistic tradition reads mystical intentions into Haman’s plot. Peri Etz Chaim, a 16th-century collection of the kabbalistic teachings of Rabbi Isaac Luria, depicts Haman as a sorcerer intent on disrupting the way that God manifested in the world.
An Irrational ObsessionJEWISH THOUGHT
An Irrational Obsession
JEWISH THOUGHT
Haman’s plot to destroy the Jewish people emerged not from any coherent strategic or selfish aim, but from sheer anger. 18th-century scholar Naphtali Herz Wessely argues from a close reading of the biblical narrative that Haman’s obsession with the Jews far surpassed any rational animosity.
Eternal EnemiesCOMMENTARY
Eternal Enemies
COMMENTARY
Haman is described in the biblical narrative as an “Agagite,” descended from a former king of the nation of Amalek, the historical enemy of the Jewish people. Joseph Ibn Yachya, in his 16th-century commentary on the book of Esther, notes the historical roots of the national conflict.
From Villains to ScholarsTALMUD
From Villains to Scholars
TALMUD
While Haman and his ten sons were killed as punishment for his deeds, the Jewish tradition suggests that he did leave behind surviving descendants. The Babylonian Talmud in tractate Gittin identifies some of Haman’s descendants in a surprising context.
Haman’s Will to PowerJEWISH THOUGHT
Haman’s Will to Power
JEWISH THOUGHT
Haman’s actions can offer a warning about the dangers of an insatiable desire for power. Rav Shagar argues that the fight against this unbridled will to power lies at the heart of the Purim story.
Warned by His WifeTANAKH
Warned by His Wife
TANAKH
Haman’s wife, Zeresh, shares his hatred for Mordekhai and helps her husband plot to kill him. But the book of Esther recounts that when she learns that Mordekhai is Jewish, her tune changes.
Holiness in the ProfaneCHASIDUT
Holiness in the Profane
CHASIDUT
According to the Chasidic tradition, Haman was angry at the Jews because he did not understand that the physical world and its pleasures have their own sanctity. Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin, a 19th-century Chasidic master, uses this lens to read the story of the book of Esther and the establishment of the Purim holiday.
Cursed Be HamanLITURGY
Cursed Be Haman
LITURGY
Haman’s downfall is part of the broader themes of reversal of fate and ultimate redemption of the Jewish people associated with the Purim holiday. This song, traditionally sung after the reading of the book of Esther on Purim, places Haman’s downfall within this context.
Flattering the WickedMUSAR
Flattering the Wicked
MUSAR
The book of Esther recounts that Mordekhai refused to bow to Haman — even when it posed a great risk to himself and his nation. The anonymous medieval ethical work Orchot Tzaddikim uses their story as evidence on the question of whether and when one should honor the wicked.
Stomping Out HamanHALAKHAH
Stomping Out Haman
HALAKHAH
The annual Purim holiday includes several customs intended to disgrace the memory of Haman. Rabbi Moses Isserles, in his comments on the 16th-century Jewish legal code the Shulchan Arukh, describes some of these customs and argues that they should be preserved.
Reading the Torah of Amalek before PurimHALAKHAH
Reading the Torah of Amalek before Purim
HALAKHAH
Each year, on the Shabbat before Purim, a passage from the Torah is read that commands the eradication of the memory of Amalek — the nation from which Haman came. In his 19th-century legal commentary, the Arukh HaShulchan, Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein explains the details of and rationale behind this custom.