Biblical Personalities: Haman’s Potential

Two wealthy men arose in the world: Korach from Israel, and Haman from the nations of the world. Both perished. Why? Because their gifts were not from the Holy One, Blessed is He; rather, they snatched their wealth for themselves (Bamidbar Rabbah 22:6).

Some of Haman’s descendants studied Torah in Bnei Brak (Gittin 57b).

It is almost as if the wicked Haman had great potential. A simple man would not have been able to acquire such wealth that he would be listed as one of the two wealthiest people in history. A simple man would not have merited having his descendents studying Torah in Bnai Brak. We are not dealing with a simple math; but a man with a Lamborghini ego who never learned how to drive anything more than a bicycle.

This would explain the following Agadah (Megillah 13b): it was clearly revealed before He Who said, “let the world come into existence” that Haman would count out shekels for the right to destroy Israel. Therefore, He preceded Haman’s shekels with those of Israel, and ordained earlier that the Jews should give shekels for a holy purpose.

Throughout history there were people who were willing to pay for the right to murder Jews. Why would Haman’s shekels be more dangerous than all the others? It can only be because of Haman’s great potential.