Musings on the Torah

The Megillas Esther that is used for the mitzvah of Megillah reading must conform with the laws governing Sifrei Torah used for Torah readings in many respects.  ( R"T enlarges the scope; Rambam does not ) E.g., - שירטוט    - אשורית, ספר ודיו - requires three stitches of sinew What is it about Esther that sets it apart in this regard? Megillas Esther and Purim are eternal, like the Torah: לְאוֹת עוֹלָם לֹא יִכָּרֵת אֵלּוּ יְמֵי פוּרִים רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ אָמַר: אַף מְגִילַּת אֶסְתֵּר וַהֲלָכוֹת אֵינָן עֲתִידֵין לִיבָּטֵל. נְאֱמַר כָּאן: קוֹל גָּדוֹל וְלֹא יָסָף, וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן: וְזִכְרָם לֹא יָסוּף מִזַּרְעָם. הֲלָכוֹת – הֲלִיכוֹת עוֹלָם לוֹ. It is also  ניתנה להידרש , like the Torah What gives? They are similar to the Torah in that they constitute the willing acceptance thereof and thus enable the Torah to finally be binding   {שמות י״ט:י״ז} וַיִּתְיַצְּבוּ בְּתַחְתִּית הָהָר אָמַר רַב אַבְדִּימִי בַּר חָמָא בַּר חַסָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכָּפָה הַ...

From the Tannaim onward, commentators have struggled to account for Mordechai's seemingly bewildering refusal to show Haman the basic courtesy of bowing to him, especially in light of the effect that it had of endangering the Jews.  Among the many suggestions put forth the Midrash & Talmud assert that Haman was venerated as a god or that he wore an idol on his body, with even as staunch a pashtan as ibn Ezra adopting such an approach, with A"Z subject to the rule of יהרג ועל יעבור.  The Targumim (Rishon & Sheini) posit either personal or national pride (respectively).  (There are other approaches as well.) The former suffer from there being no indication in the text of a foreign deity and the latter from Mordechai's apparent misplaced pride and otherwise.  I'd like to suggest the following: In Rabbinic tradition Haman is said to be descended from Amalek and Mordechai from Shaul, who spared Agag.  Esther is framed as another such epic showdown.  That...