[Avodah] Haman and Amaleik

[Lisa Liel]

On 2/24/2013 6:38 AM, Micha Berger wrote:
> On Sun, Feb 24, 2013 at 12:00:39AM -0600, Lisa Liel wrote:
>    
> ...
>> The fire priests, who started out as worshippers of Mithra and Anahita
>> and later brought their worship into Zoroastrianism (which had started
>> out monotheistic) might have been descendants of Amalek...
>>      
> Zoroastranism was focused on the two demiurges by Koreish's day. Which
> is why Hashem tells him (Yeshaiah 47:1) that He (v. 7) is "yotzeir or
> uVorei choshekh, oseh shalom uvorei ra" -- that light and darkness,
> good and bad all come from one Source.
>
> In any case, it would be a far distance from Chazal's story if Haman
> was a monotheist. I am not sure how to explain the permissability and
> laidability of Mordechai's refusal to bow.
>    

The Magian priests were still worshipping Mithra and Anahita even after 
the time of Koresh.  And if Mordechai realized that Haman, as a Magian, 
was pushing to destroy monotheism, including Judaism, that would explain 
the midrash that Haman was "wearing an avodah zarah on his chest".

Btw... "laidability"?

Lisa