Today's daf TB Megillah 15 explain the meaning of various verses found in chapters four and five of Megillat Esther. With a close reading of the verse and noticing a word difficulty, Rabbi Elazar said that Rabbi Ḥanina explains that Queen Esther was endowed with divine inspiration to achieve her goals of saving the Jewish people.“The verse states: “And it came to pass on the third day, that Esther clothed herself in royalty” (Esther 5:1). The Gemara asks: It should have said: Esther clothed herself in royal garments. Rabbi Elazar said that Rabbi Ḥanina said: This teaches that she clothed herself with a divine spirit of inspiration, as it is written here: “And she clothed herself,” and it is written elsewhere: “And the spirit clothed Amasai” (I Chronicles 12:19). Just as there the reference is to the spirit of divine inspiration, so too here, the term royalty is referring to the spirit of divine inspiration ” (Sefaria.org translation)
Once the Gemara quotes Rabbi Elazar said that Rabbi Ḥanina, it continues to quote them seven more times even though some of the statements have nothing to do with Purim or the Megillah. I'll share just two more of their wisdom.
Why does the Gemara include the chain of tradition of all the rabbis before a statement? Probably Rabbi Elazar in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina answers this question. “And Rabbi Elazar further said that Rabbi Ḥanina said: Whoever reports a saying in the name of he who said it brings redemption to the world. As it is stated with respect to the incident of Bigthan and Teresh: “And Esther reported it to the king in the name of Mordecai” (Esther 2:22), and this eventually brought redemption, as Mordecai was later rewarded for saving the king’s life, paving the way for the miraculous salvation.” (Sefaria.org translation) When we give correct attribution of our statements, we bring a final redemption closer.
Even though King Ahasuerus has not called for Queen Esther, she risks her life by going to him. If he extends his scepter, she may join him. If he doesn't, her death sentence is sealed. Of course the king is dazzled by her beauty and extends his scepter. The Gemara recounts the miracle of the scepter. “How much was it stretched? Rabbi Yirmeya said: The scepter was two cubits, and he made it twelve cubits. And some say that he made it sixteen cubits, and yet others say twenty-four cubits. It was taught in a baraita: He made it sixty cubits. And similarly you find with the arm of Pharaoh’s daughter, which she stretched out to take Moshe. And so too, you find with the teeth of the wicked, as it is written: “You have broken the teeth of the wicked” (Psalms 3:8), with regard to which Reish Lakish said: Do not read it as “You have broken [shibbarta],” but as: You have enlarged [sheribavta]. Rabba bar Oferan said in the name of Rabbi Elazar, who heard it from his teacher, who in turn heard it from his teacher: The scepter was stretched two hundred cubits.”
In the spirit of reporting a teaching in the name of the one who said it in order to bring redemption to the world,I want to share with you something I learned from Danny Siegel. The above text speaks of Pharaoh's daughter's arm stretching miraculously long in order to reach Moses’ casket. The verse under consideration is "And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river and her maidens walked along by the river side; and she saw the ark among the flags, and she sent her handmade and she took it." (Exodus 2:5) Rashi explains: "her handmaid- אֲמָתָהּ (means) her maid servant. And our Rabbis said (TB Sota 12) " אֲמָתָהּ denotes a 'hand'." But according to the grammar of the Holy Language, it should have been vocalized אֲמָּתָהּ with a degash in the mem. And they interpreted את אמתה (as) "her hand," and her hand was increased (in length, in order that she might easily reach the cradle) many "cubits" (amah, a cubit)
Too often when we are facing an overwhelming and urgent need, we become paralyzed and think that we can't do anything. And whatever little we can do really won't make any difference anyway. Pharaoh's daughter teaches us that if we stretch ourselves just a little bit and lend a hand, we can perform miracles. There are so many problems in our world that we need to roll up our sleeves and stretch out our arms to help those in need. The life you say save could just be the very one who is destined to redeem this world just like Moses redeemed the Israelites out of Egypt. As the Nike advertisement encourages us, "Just do it!"
For example follow this link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2021/12/24/teacher-learned-her-student-might-go-hungry-over-winter-break-she-now-feeds-thousands-kids-each-year/?fb_news_token=Dpk2HH6lf6nxwiCo9THE9A%3D%3D.kS7FxuEDkV%2B3YelkLK2RU4Lv1ipTo7cfkIlsTJqBuNB72B6tsAfLzsjvlQQccuBt%2BnLFFSEsQXn2RlV0oqKt2z8pyd%2BuOOfXcu2wHrm6YsZ8gu3IJYV1pQX993DosxTBpvDG4AwwMtaSxmhnsli9Dc9FMb6VS5MWpyf3TTtPjJTHQcDdhwWJvwfmO0NjOCSJeDC3QbWm%2FhBc44TarqvAaRHkOD%2BJgONhuGR6oNzP2iPkm8tBadKlFlbf3LZyJ%2BPefe5R3zM0Mf0j4pj5%2B4quwNXPHY1fKSkfPqITQSlwTvIZE3uajDeI9hdtNyO87eBBtmBaUfso0eY31bR%2BK0nFFHJWMzGCwZHnRpQfMEeJ%2FW0JqcTFt5JGoH8JBr0aYmB5ADezBPWxfXFGmh8Jm8QdbJPZpXbAxM0%2B56pxkBkCcVY%2BafHMao4ANNMtZ3Zw2XTp&fbclid=IwAR3waFV8QIvJlArY1scfzhlcm5LLfcWQOc_cpmmXIJmLsoS7l7qOIfFaR2E
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