veiled derogation as asinine of the pliable despot so easily steered by Harbona ’ s comments .
Jewish liturgy elevates Harbona from tertiary , walk-on character to a place of lofty prominence and enduring affection . “ Shoshanat Yaakov ,” sung upon conclusion of the Megillah Reading , in addition to praising Esther and Mordechai , and cursing Haman and Zeresh , concludes : “ V ’ gam Harbona Zachur La-Tov ... Let Harbona , too , be remembered for good !”
“ Zachur La-Tov ” is a phrase more familiarly associated with the Prophet ( and Messianic Herald ) Elijah ( see , e . g ., Berachot 3a , and the “ Ha-Rachaman ” prayer in Birkat Ha-Mazon ). Indeed , Midrash Esther Rabbah 10:9 asserts that the Prophet Elijah took the form ( or personage ) of Harbona , and that it was he who mentioned the vacant gallows to Achashverosh . On this basis , the Midrash records , “ Rabbi Pinchas taught , we must say , Harbona Zachur La-Tov -- Let Harbona be remembered for good !” Rabbi Pinchas ’ teaching that Harbona somehow channeled or merged with Elijah is a bold assertion that non-Jewish friends of the Jewish People ( and State ) play a redemptive role in our national life , which we dare not neglect or minimize .
Pinchas ’ counsel , canonized by the official liturgy of Purim , conveys an important moral principle . Harbona is the archetype of the non-Jewish government official , functionary , subject or citizen who uses personal influence and proximity to national leaders to urge action in solidarity with the Jewish People ... to take a stand against detractors and sometimes genocidal enemies of the Jewish People ... and to speak truth to power . Esther 1:10 informs the reader that Harbona had such access to Achashverosh . Esther 7:9 reports that he used that access , and ( at significant personal risk ) effectively expended political capital on behalf of the Jewish People . Just as we go to great lengths to remember the evil designs of Haman ... we
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