Megillat Esther

[magid]

This year, what leapt out at me most is the wordiness. It's not just that something happens, but we get all the back and forth, all the intrigue, all the he sez's and she sez's, even some he thoughts. It's a much more human story, not just because the Deity doesn't officially appear, but in style. The psychology is there, as it were. Which is not to say I don't think Mordechai and Esther couldn't've used a good editor :-).

There are things I don't understand.

• Why does Esther ask for another day of self-defense for Jews in the capital? Of all places, I'd think the capital would (a) have a good constabulary/army of some sort, and (b) due to the king being there, there's really no way the king's later edict wouldn't've been publicized. Yet only in the capital is there a second day of killing.
  
• And who are these men who go to be killed? Do they just think Jews are easy marks, and if they fight and win they can loot the property? Why else would they go fight, knowing that there are armed men waiting?
  
• I notice that the megillah lists only the number of non-Jewish men killed. I don't know whether I should take this to mean that no Jews died (hidden support of the Diety?), or that that's not the point of our story. Opinions?
  
• And why is the law such that even the king can't countermand a previous order? Stupid setup, as would be made obvious in any war arena where later information becomes available. OK, this is more rhetorical, I suppose.
  
• Is the king so stupid that when Esther says she's part of a nation bound to execution, he doesn't have a clue until she tells him she's Jewish? I mean, how many nations has he just decided to destroy?
  
• The main action of the story is done in eight chapters. The ninth is all about how Esther and Mordechai write it up, and send out proclamations. There's a huge emphasis on writing it all down; I suppose it's nice to know where the megillah came from, but the emphasis on it seems extreme.
  
• The things we do today: fasting, ok, commemorating Esther's fast. Reading the megillah, well, remembering the story, fine. Eating, well, Jews celebrating = food, no surprise there. But the other two mitzvot, I realize I don't understand. Not what to do, but why they're there. Matanot l'evyonim, gifts to the poor, are a good thing, definitely, and there's a broad category of tzedaka that already exists. What is it about Purim that gives this extra obligation for charity? It's not based on the text, other than Mordechai saying "this is how we celebrate." Similarly, mishloach manot, sending portions of food, is based only on Mordechai's decree. What is it about this holiday that makes it an integral part of the celebration? It's fun, yes, but why?