[Avodah] Mikveh l'zona

[hankman]

A couple of points:
1) In addition to the points raised by R'nTK, I assume that Achashverosh (an absolute monarch) would consider any of his wifes found with another man as not merely adultery (from his perspective) but even worse as treason - so there was a very real risk of sakonas nefoshos to both Esther and Mordechai. How were they permitted to risk their lives in order to be together for these short periods? Futhermore, Esther's potential downfall under charges of treason could not only endanger M&E but could also put her nation at risk again and incur the renewed anger of Achashverosh against the Jews of his empire.

2) How did all the sources cited by RDE KNOW exactly who was the father of Esther's child? If you will answer that they knew with ruach hakodesh - then why are their answers not in agreement? I assume that they should have come up with a single consistent answer from a revelation by ruach hakodesh.

3) Finally the Zohar is completely problematic. If Achashverosh did not have relations with Esther (counter to everything I took for granted from the basic story of the Megila and Shas) then he knew that Esther's son was not his! Why did he not charge her with adultery and treason as soon as she became pregnant with Mordechai's child? Furthermore, why did he allow someone elses child to succeed him to the throne? He certainly had many other sons that were his from his other wifes and harem?

Kol Tuv

Chaim Manaster

Below are the quotes from R'nTK and RDE:
------------------------------------------
And if she was  having 
relations on a regular basis with Achashverosh, how on earth could she  have kept 
going back to Mordechai?  The logistics are difficult (as I  already 
mentioned) -- how would she sneak away from the palace?  Wouldn't  the palace guards 
stop her?  Wouldn't Achashverosh wonder where she was and  how she got out -- 
if he happened to want her one night and she wasn't  home?!
 
But even more difficult is the morality and the halachic aspect of  it.  How 
could she play with an issur kareis like that?  I know she  was "like karka" 
but come on, how many times could she be with one man and still  be married to 
another??   Why didn't Mordechai just give her a get and  at least take away 
the danger of kareis? 
 
Do we know for sure who was the father of her child -- Daryavesh/  Darius? 
 


--Toby  Katz

Vayikra Rabbah (13:5) says that he was the son of Esther and Achashveros.

 R. Judah b. R. Simon said: The last Darius was the son of Esther, clean 
from his mother [?s side] and unclean from his father [?s side].
Rashi(Ezra 1:1), Rashi(Ezra 4:24), Ibn Ezra (Daniel 9:1), Radak(Chaggai 
1:1), Ramban(Megila 11b)  agree.



Tosfos HaRosh (Megila 13b) says that Darius was the son of Esther and 
Mordechai and that he is referred to as the son of Achashveros because 
he was raised in his house.

It would also seem that since the Zohar states that there was no 
physical relationship between Esther and Achashveros he was the son of 
Esther and Mordechai.
....
Daniel Eidensohn
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