[Avodah] Who wrote Megillas Esther?

[Marty Bluke]

At first glance the answer seems obvious, Mordechai as it says in the
Megilla. In fact Rashi comments on the pasuk, "Vayichtov Mordechai" -
that Mordechai wrote the Megilla AS WE HAVE IT. However, the Gemara in
Bava Basra seems to contradict this. The Gemara there details who
wrote each one of the 24 sefarim of Tanach. The Gemara says  that the
Anshei Knesset Hagedola wrote: Yechezkel, Trei Asar, Daniel, and
Esther. Rashi explains that all of these happened in chutz laaretz and
lo nitna nevua likasev b'chutz laaretz. Therefore the Anshei Knesset
Hagedola wrote them later in Israel.

So who wrote Megilas Esther? Mordechai or the Anshei Knesset Hagedola?
In truth, Mordechai was a member of the Anshei Knesset Hagedola
however that doesn't help us for 2 reasons:

1. The Anshei Knesset Hagedola did not yet exist at the time of Purim,
it was only created after the second beis hamikdash was built
2. Mordechai wrote the Megilla in Shushan and as Rashi explained Nevua
cannot be written outside of Israel. The whole reason why the Anshei
Knesset Hagedola wrote these seforim is specifically because the
events occured in chu"l and they needed to be written in Israel.

The Brisker Rav has a fascinating answer. The Rambam in Hilchos
Megilla leaves out certain dinim (ibud lishma, the way to write the 10
sons of Haman, etc.). On the other hand, the Megilla has other dinim
that are the same as a sefer torah that don't apply to other kesuvim.
The Brisker Rav explains that there are 2 dinim of Megilla.

1. Megilla as a sefer/letter that was written by Mordechai right after
Purim. This did not have the status of being part of Tanach. At that
time the Chachamim created a chiyuv to read that sefer that Mordechai
wrote
2. Megilla as part of Tanach.

Based on this he explains why the Rambam left out certain dinim and
included certain dinim.

What comes out is that according to the Brisker Rav, Megillas Esther
was written twice. The first time, in Shushan by Mordechai, it was not
part of Tanach and had no kedusha. However, this is the sefer that we
are chayav to read on Purim. Later in Israel the Anshei Knesset
Hagedola rewrote the sefer and included it as part of Tanach.

What does it mean that the Anshei Knesset Hagedola wrote the sefer in
Israel . The simple understanding of the Gemara in Bava Basra is that
they actually rewrote the whole sefer ברוח הקדש as Rashi explicitly
writes that they wrote the seforim in Israel. What is amazing is that
the Anshei Knesset Hagedola wrote ברוח הקדש the exact same thing word
for word as what Mordechai wrote in Shushan. The chiyuv to read the
Megilla is what Mordechai wrote in Shushan and we only have 1 version.

To summarize, according to the Brisker Rav Megillas Esther was written
twice. Firt it was written right after the events in Shushan by
Moredechai. This sefer is what we are commanded to read on Purim.
Years later, the Anshei Knesset Hagedola convened and rewrote the
sefer b'ruach hakodesh and made it part of Tanach.