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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>A couple of points:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>1) In addition to the points raised by R'nTK, I
assume that <FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>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.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>3) Finally the Zohar is completely problematic. If
<FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>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?</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Kol Tuv</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Chaim Manaster</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Below are the quotes from R'nTK and
RDE:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2>------------------------------------------</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>And if she was having <BR>relations on a regular basis with
Achashverosh, how on earth could she have kept <BR>going back to
Mordechai? The logistics are difficult (as I already <BR>mentioned)
-- how would she sneak away from the palace? Wouldn't the palace
guards <BR>stop her? Wouldn't Achashverosh wonder where she was and
how she got out -- <BR>if he happened to want her one night and she wasn't
home?!<BR> <BR>But even more difficult is the morality and the halachic
aspect of it. How <BR>could she play with an issur kareis like
that? I know she was "like karka" <BR>but come on, how many times
could she be with one man and still be married to
<BR>another?? Why didn't Mordechai just give her a get and at
least take away <BR>the danger of kareis? <BR> <BR>Do we know for sure who
was the father of her child -- Daryavesh/ Darius?
<BR> <BR><BR><BR>--Toby Katz</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Vayikra Rabbah (13:5) says that he was the son of Esther and
Achashveros.<BR><BR> R. Judah b. R. Simon said: The last Darius was the son
of Esther, clean <BR>from his mother [?s side] and unclean from his father [?s
side].<BR>Rashi(Ezra 1:1), Rashi(Ezra 4:24), Ibn Ezra (Daniel 9:1),
Radak(Chaggai <BR>1:1), Ramban(Megila 11b) agree.<BR><BR><BR><BR>Tosfos
HaRosh (Megila 13b) says that Darius was the son of Esther and <BR>Mordechai and
that he is referred to as the son of Achashveros because <BR>he was raised in
his house.<BR><BR>It would also seem that since the Zohar states that there was
no <BR>physical relationship between Esther and Achashveros he was the son of
<BR>Esther and Mordechai.<BR><FONT face=Arial size=2>....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>Daniel Eidensohn<BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>