“Midrash Talpiyot” on Haman’s Lot — 7 Adar or 14 Adar
The holiday of
Purim, as is well known, derives its name from the word
“pur”, meaning “lot” in Persian.
In
“Midrash Talpiyot,” Rabbi Eliyahu Ha-Kohen Ha-Itamari of Izmir reveals that Haman cast lots using dice.
The special feature of these dice is that no matter how they are thrown, the sum of the numbers on opposite faces is always 7: if 2 appears on top, 5 is on the bottom; if 4 appears on top, 3 is on the bottom, and so on.
The
“Midrash Talpiyot” says that Haman rolled the dice three times: the first time, 1 came up; the second time, 3; and the third time, 3.
Haman rejoiced and, reviewing all the Jewish months and events, concluded that
7 Adar was the most vulnerable day for the Jewish people—the right day to annihilate them (chas veshalom). All the more so because on that day they had lost their leader,
Moses Rabbeinu.
Chazal say that he did not know that 7 Adar is also the birthday of
Moses Rabbeinu.
Moreover, Hashem said at that moment:
- “Rasha, look at the other side—turn over the dice. Where you see 1, there is 6; where you see 3, there is 4… The total is not 7, but 14.
14 Adar will be your fateful day!”
14 is also the gematria of the name
David - דוד.
How David HaMelech Outmaneuvered Haman
Tehillim 106 – How David HaMelech Outwitted Haman
(based on “Midrash Talpiyot” by Rabbi Eliyahu Ha-Kohen Ha-Itamari)
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