A Purim Reflection on False Leaders, True Integrity, and the Eternal Arc of Justice

By Rheena Velia, 1 December, 2025 / Kislev 11, 5786

Prologue: When the Wicked Wear Crowns

Every generation sees its share of Hamans—false leaders puffed up with insecurity, hungry for honor they never earned, and sustained only by the fearful silence of their enablers. And yet, every generation is also blessed with its Mordechais—souls who refuse to bow to corruption, who maintain integrity even when pressure mounts, and who hold their boundaries with courage and clarity.

Purim is not merely a story of ancient Persia. It is a mirror. And what it reveals is as timely today as it was then.

Haman: The Insecure Tyrant Who Mistook Ego for Greatness

The Megillah (Esther 3–7) paints Haman vividly: a man who rose to power not by merit but by manipulation, intimidation, and relentless self-promotion. Midrash tells us he carried an inferiority complex so deep that he obsessed over every slight—real or imagined (Esther Rabbah 7:5).

He spread rumors.

He coerced obedience.

He demanded honor.

He weaponized authority to mask his own hollowness.

And he never acted alone.

The Talmud reminds us that wickedness thrives when the weak-willed enable it (Megillah 13b). Haman’s supporters didn’t believe in him—they simply feared him or benefitted from his rise. History has remembered them no better than it remembers him.

As time—the ultimate judge—revealed, Haman was nothing more than a noisy gnat dressed in royal robes.

Mordechai: The Boundary-Keeper Who Walked in Truth

Mordechai, on the other hand, stood strong where others wavered.

He would not bow to falsehood (Esther 3:2). He refused to compromise Torah values for political convenience (Megillah 12b). He maintained dignity even under threat. He acted with wisdom, humility, and unwavering loyalty to his people.

Mordechai embodied gevurah—holy internal strength.

He also embodied emet—truth.

And truth is what ultimately redeemed an entire nation. Mordechai’s guidance of Esther—herself a model of courage and strategic holiness—enabled the salvation of a Jewish community weakened by assimilation, fear, and the lies of corrupt leadership.

As the sages teach:

“Truth stands; falsehood does not stand.”

(Shabbat 104a)

The Turn of Fate: When the Wicked Fall Into Their Own Trap

In one of Scripture’s most dramatic reversals, Haman was brought down on the very gallows he prepared for Mordechai (Esther 7:9–10). This is not simply poetic irony—it is a spiritual principle woven through Jewish law and thought:

“The wicked are caught in their own schemes.” (Proverbs 11:6) “He digs a pit… but falls into the trap he made.” (Psalms 7:16) Rambam describes this as midah k’neged midah—Divine measure-for-measure justice (Hilchot Teshuvah 6:1).

Haman’s entire rise to power was nothing more than a prelude to his collapse.

History does not cheer him.

History does not excuse him.

History boos him—loudly—and forever.

Halachic Voices & Traditional Sources

To deepen the story, here are key halachic and classical references:

1. Talmud Megillah 10b–14a

Detailed narratives of Haman’s schemes, Mordechai’s righteousness, and the spiritual dynamics of the Purim story.

2. Rambam, Hilchot Megillah Chapters 1–2

Explains the mitzvot of Purim and emphasizes that remembering Haman’s downfall is central to understanding G-d’s justice in history.

3. Midrash Esther Rabbah

Expands on Haman’s insecurity, his advisors’ hypocrisy, and Mordechai’s steadfastness.

4. Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 690–695

Codifies remembrance of Amalek, reading the Megillah, and public denunciation of Haman’s wickedness.

5. Rashi on Esther 3:2

Describes why Mordechai refused to bow—standing for truth even when pressured by the majority.

Sefaria: https://www.sefaria.org (for Megillat Esther, Talmud, Midrashim, and Halachic texts)

A Mocking Word for the Modern Hamans

Let’s be honest: Haman is not only a villain—he’s a farce.

A man who demanded respect because he had none.

A man who believed the world revolved around his honor.

A man whose self-absorption was matched only by his fragility.

He strutted.

He threatened.

He preened.

He pouted.

He provoked.

He tempted.

He belittled.

And then—he fell.

The Megillah wants us to laugh at Haman, because laughter exposes the absurdity of evil. Wickedness is not only dangerous—it is ridiculous.

Closing Thought: The Fate of Every Haman

Every age sees new Hamans rise.

But Purim teaches us this eternal truth:

Those who build their power on intimidation collapse under their own weight.

Those who cling to falsehood are undone by truth.

Those who seek to destroy others ultimately destroy themselves.

And though Scripture uses symbolic and dramatic language about the downfall of the wicked, Jewish tradition frames it not as human vengeance but Divine justice and moral consequence.

In a world of Hamans—be a Mordechai.

Stand strong.

Stand true.

Stand tall.

And laugh at the insults gazed as concerns or educational by the immature egotistical so called leaders…… I always do.

Because no matter how loud the Hamans shout, how much honor or respect they demand, or how many helpers they collect, their end is always the same:

They fade.

They fall.

They become footnotes in the long story of G-d’s justice.

And the Mordechais?

They endure.

They laugh.

With love and laughter,