The uproar over President Obama's bow before Japanese Emperor Akihito refuses to die down. As soon as it happened, it brought to mind the Biblical Book of Esther, and the story of Mordechai refusing to bow down to Haman. As in the case of the President, although much emotion is evoked by the story, one wonders why it is such a big deal.
Although Mordechai's refusal to bow before Haman is viewed as a heroic defense of Jewish pride and identity in the face of overwhelming power, it may well have been a needlessly obstinate decision to make a point in public, even if such point-making is neither wise nor called for. Very early on, the Sages noticed this and felt compelled to provide a reason for Mordechai's refusal.
The Rabbis knew that without additional information, not appearing in the Biblical story, Mordechai's actions were quite indefensible. Simply posturing before powerful people is never the way to go, and absent the information supplied by the Midrash, that is exactly what Mordechai would have been doing.
According to Esther Rabba 6:2, Haman was wearing a small idol around his neck and it was therefore Mordechai's refusal was not only justified, but required. I have no desire to debate here whether that midrash is simply adding information that is accurate but not part of the story, or adding to the story to make it more understandable -- that is a larger theological conversation for another time. I do know that it places the rabbis' perspective at the center of this Obama - Akihito - bow debate, and it even suggests that we be very cautious about the things we do or don't do, simply to prove a point.
I appreciate that for some people, the President's bow before the Emperor is a dangerous statement of American subservience. I imagine that is just how Mordechai, in the actual Biblical narrative, felt as well. But I know that such thinking is so dangerous and distasteful from a larger Jewish perspective, that it required Rabbinic artistry to justify it.
It seems to me, that while the Rabbis of the Talmud might dispute many things our President does (at least many readers of the Talmud claim as much), on this one, even the most conservative among them would side with the President. I didn't see any idol hanging from Emperor Akihito's neck, did you? In fact, I saw a gesture toward an elderly man whose very position was fundamentally altered in the face of American power over sixty years ago. What did you see?
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Author, radio and TV talk show host, and President of CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, Brad Hirschfield is the author of 
Well, it is not as if Japan is not an American Ally these days.
It seems to me that if we see the world suddenly destabilizing at a faster rate because of Obama's gestures to the world then I guess there is room for concern and criticism.
But remember 9/11 happened on the bush/Cheney/Rumsfield watch, all staunch hard line neo-cons just itching for a fight. So obviously puffing out the American Chest and swaggering into'Tombstone' hasn't really helped the cause of peace. So give the Prez a chance. You can always vote another war-monger into office in the next election if Mr. President's actions cause real problems.
eat some humble pie people. everyone should be running around bowing to each other in the first place. if they don't welcome you, run. if they do welcome you, your strength is derived from your faith in that God is over-seeing and in control of the situation. pride, the boding threat of warfare & anti social behaviour takes God out of the scenario and we stand alone. even in our own homes we must learn to forgive if our intentions are family unity and successful living; it is no different with neighbours near and far. that one human should show respect to another human is not a faux pas, neither is it a sign of weakness. In all truth, it is a sign of strength.
To surrender for the sake of love to any of our endeavors and affairs
is remarkably the purest of all our intentions.In evrything we do,we walk in love,and by doing so,we gain love and approval from all people
especially from the God of love.Bowing is not a defeat,it is a victory.
What's the big deal? In Japanese culture everyone bows to everyone with hands pressed together in front, in order to greet them, the way we shake hands or wave.
I am hard pressed to take what is given as reason for Mordechai's refusal to bow before Haman, an idol around his neck, as anything more than another contrived tail to add some "spiritually" to the act and make it a more acceptable circumstance than simply accepting that he was a man making a stand in the power of Yah. Much like the contrivance of the oil for the temple being added to the story of the Maccabean reclamation of the temple - so that it was not thought that the celebration was of a human victory - no matter how Yah ordained, directed and empowered the act was.
Did Moses bow before Pharaoh?
It just speaks to the jell-o in the spine of, not only, the president, but also the people who put him in the White House. If you are not happy with the way he is handling things – Fire Him.
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