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In Megillas Esther it says Haman stood to beg for his life...........fell on the couch Esther was reclining on.

Question is:

  1. What was her reaction, and her action in response?
  2. why is there no mention of it in the posuk? It always says Mordechai’s reaction when he just passes.
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  • I don't think it furthers the story.
    – N.T.
    Commented Feb 18, 2021 at 9:44
  • I see in meforshim. this point in the megilla was the test on esther if she will make a mistake and have mercy on Haman. This test on her was a chance for tikkun of her saba Saul hamelech who mistakenly had mercy on Aggagg
    – user19400
    Commented Feb 18, 2021 at 13:44
  • There was no time for her to react. Achashveiros came in and caught him just then.
    – sabbahillel
    Commented Feb 18, 2021 at 14:48

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At the simplest level, as I read it, it was a matter of split-second timing. Haman had been standing near Esther, begging, and half a second before Achasheveirosh walked back in, he tripped and fell on Esther. Esther, having seen the whole situation, likely realized that he had tripped. Achashverosh walks in and just sees Haman on top of Esther (or at least on her couch) and reaches another conclusion, and immediately starts shouting.

At that moment Esther most likely doesn't think it's wise for her to speak up and say actually your majesty, this horrible scoundrel is horrible for all sorts of other reasons and I want him gone, but he wasn't also trying to rape me. (Esther is generally smarter than to try correcting a king with a very fragile ego and short temper.)

There's the medrish that an angel kept making Haman trip to ensure Achashverosh would see exactly what he needed to see ... but what happens in the split second that Achashverosh walks in is still the same.

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  • It does not answer the question................while he was begging, what did she do? that was her test!!
    – user19400
    Commented Feb 19, 2021 at 0:17
  • That's a wonderful point, but the question as phrased above was asking about "ambush" and "falling." You're asking what she did "while he was standing and saying please-pretty-please" ..., while Achashverosh was still out in the garden. (And your reply to that is a very nice vort!)
    – Shalom
    Commented Feb 19, 2021 at 1:35

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