Esther 4:1

1 When Mordechai perceived all that was done, Mordechai rent his garments, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a zeakah gedolah umarah (loud and a bitter wailing);

Esther 4:1 Meaning and Commentary

Esther 4:1

When Mordecai perceived all that was done
By the king, at the instigation of Haman, against the Jews; which he came to the knowledge of, either by some of the conflicts or by common fame, or on the sight of the edicts which were published in Shushan; though the Jews think it was made known to him in a supernatural way, either by Elijah, as the former Targum ^F24, or by the Holy Ghost, as the latter:

Mordecai rent his clothes:
both behind and before, according to the same Targum; and this was a custom used in mourning, not only with the Jews, but with the Persians also, as Herodotus ^F25 relates:

and put on sackcloth with ashes;
upon his head, as the former Targum; which was usual in mourning, even both; ( Job 2:12 ) ( Daniel 9:3 )

and went out into the midst of the city;
not Elam the province, as Aben Ezra, but the city Shushan:

and cried with a loud and bitter cry;
that all the Jews in the city might be alarmed by it, and inquire the reason of it, and be affected with it; and a clamorous mournful noise was used among the Persians, as well as others, on sad occasions ^F26.

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 So Midrash Esther, fol. 94. 1.
F25 Thalia, sive, l. 3. c. ----. Urania, sive, l. 8. c. 99.
F26 Calliope, sive, l. 9. c. 24.

Esther 4:1 In-Context

1 When Mordechai perceived all that was done, Mordechai rent his garments, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a zeakah gedolah umarah (loud and a bitter wailing);

2 And came even before the Sha’ar HaMelech; for none might enter into the Sha’ar HaMelech clothed with sackcloth.

3 And in every province, whithersoever the Devar HaMelech and his dat (decree) came, there was evel gadol (great mourning) among the Yehudim, and a tzom, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay on sackcloth and ashes.

4 So Ester’s na’arot and her sarisim came and told it her. Then was HaMalkah exceedingly distressed; and she sent begadim (raiment) to clothe Mordechai, and to take away his sackcloth from him, but he received it not [see Am 6:6].

5 Then called Ester for Hatach, one of the sarisim of HaMelech, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment about Mordechai, to have da’as of mah zeh (what is this?), and al mah zeh (why is this?)