אִישׁ יְהוּדִי הָיָה בְּשׁוּשַׁן הַבִּירָה וּשְׁמוֹ מָרְדֳּכַי בֶּן יָאִיר בֶּן־שִׁמְעִי בֶּן־קִישׁ אִישׁ יְמִינִי׃
A Yehudi man lived in the capital Shushan and his name was Mordechai the son of Yair, the son of Kish, a Benjaminite. (Esther 2:5)
The word Yehudi is related to the name Yehudah (Judah) and it connotes that Mordechai was a descendant of the tribe of Yehudah. But that can’t be because we know that Mordechai descended from the tribe of Binyamin (Benjamin). The meaning of the last words in the verse אִישׁ יְמִינִי means a man from Binyamin. So why was he called Yehudi?
The Midrash answers this in the following way. In scriptural interpretation there are certain letters that can be switched for each other. The letter ה of יְהוּדִי can be switched for the letter ח. The word now reads יחודי which is related to the word יחוד which means one. Mordechai was a man of oneness.
וְכָל־עַבְדֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־בְּשַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ כֹּרְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים לְהָמָן כִּי־כֵן צִוָּה־לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ וּמָרְדֳּכַי לֹא יִכְרַע וְלֹא יִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה׃
All the king’s servants in the palace gate knelt and bowed low to Haman, for such was the king’s order concerning him; but Mordecai would not kneel or bow low. (Esther 3:2)
The Midrash explains that Mordechai refused to bow to Haman because Haman wore an idol. Mordechai declared, “There is a Master who is exalted above all. How can I forsake him and bow down to an idol!” Mordechai proclaimed the oneness of G-d. Therefore he is called יחודי, the man of oneness.
Sfas Emes offers another explanation to the title יחודי. Haman depicted the Jewish people to King Achashveirosh as, מְפֻזָּר וּמְפֹרָד בֵּין הָעַמִּים, scattered and separated among the nations (3:8). The words scattered and separated allude to the Jewish people’s lack of unity. This was the poison that made them vulnerable to their enemies.
After Mordechai convinced Esther to approach King Achashveirosh she told him,
לֵךְ כְּנוֹס אֶת־כָּל־הַיְּהוּדִים הַנִּמְצְאִים בְּשׁוּשָׁן וְצוּמוּ עָלַי
Go, assemble all the Jews who live in Shushan, and fast on my behalf. (Esther 4:16)
Esther asked for all Jews to come together in prayer and repentance. Unity was an absolute necessity for their salvation. For this unity to be achieved it needed a leader whose steadfast dedication to Hashem and his people would rally the people to unite in prayer and repentance. That leader was Mordechai. Therefore he is called יחודי, the man of oneness.
When the festival of Purim was established it was declared,
לַעֲשׂוֹת אוֹתָם יְמֵי מִשְׁתֶּה וְשִׂמְחָה וּמִשְׁלוֹחַ מָנוֹת אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ וּמַתָּנוֹת לָאֶבְיוֹנִים׃
to observe them as days of feasting and rejoicing, and as an occasion for sending gifts to one another and presents to the poor. (Esther 9:22)
The celebration of Purim has to include the promotion of friendship and harmony because the unification of the Jewish people rectified their being “scattered and separated.” That’s what led to their salvation.
That’s what will lead us to our ultimate salvation with the coming of Moshiach speedily in our days.
Purim Sameach!
Yitzchak