Were Mordechai and Esther Modern Orthodox?

Understanding the Megillah properly

Some Modern Orthodox intellectuals have shockingly suggested that Mordechai and Esther themselves were Modern Orthodox, of the liberal variety. The main indication for this is that Mordechai instructed Esther to not reveal her ethic origins (Esther 2:10), ostensibly from his interest that she succeed in winning the queenship, and fear that the king would reject her if her lowly Jewish background was revealed. Seemingly, he wasn’t concerned about the grievous sin of marriage to a non-Jew, or about any other aspects of her religious life. Furthermore, Achashveirosh couldn't determine which nation Esther was from, despite his best efforts. Now, if Esther acted as a religious Jew, such as keeping kosher and Shabbos, how was her background not immediately apparent? On the other hand, if she was liberal Modern Orthodox, or "dati-lite", all of this would be perfectly understandable. Another superficial indication of her modernity would her apparent non-Jewish, Persian name.

Similarly with Mordechai, who has a non-Jewish, Babylonian name. The Megillah is clear that there was a deep relationship between Mordechai and Esther, that he constantly kept watch over her and confided with her during her tenure in the palace, and that he informed her of an assassination plot and she subsequently informed the king. How could all of this have escaped the attention of those who were seeking information about Esther's background? But if Mordechai himself was liberal Modern Orthodox/dati-lite, then the question disappears. The relationship was well-known, yet Mordechai himself was not visibly Jewish. Mordechai's instructions to hide her background were because of his embarrassment and fear that the king would reject her if he knew she was ethnically Jewish. Classic liberal Modern Orthodox behavior, indeed.

On the other hand, this perspective is contradicted by the Megillah itself and by Chazal. It was known to Haman that Mordechai was ethnically Jewish (Esther 3:6), which was the cause of his rage against the entire Jewish nation. Similarly, Achashveirosh told Haman to place "Mordechai the Jew" upon the horse (Esther 6:10). Chazal tell us that Mordechai warned the Jews not to attend Achashveirosh's feast. Mordechai's Jewish religious impulses led him to publicly refuse to prostrate himself before Haman, endangering the entire Jewish nation. Later on, when Haman's plot is revealed, Mordechai first responds with repentance, and only afterwards beseeching Esther for help. Such behavior is surely unbecoming of a sophisticated, rational, liberal Modern Orthodox figure, but is a typical Chareidi response. Many other Chazals speak of Mordechai's religious ideals as well, such as that he sat on the Sanhedrin (Megillah 16b).

So too with Esther, the narrative is clear that she was very religious, making the decidedly Chareidi demand of having the Jews to fast and pray for her for three days prior to her engaging in any material effort to help (Esther 4:16). Chazal tell us that she indeed kept kosher and Shabbos on the palace, even scheduling her maidservants so that she always knew when Shabbos was (Megillah 13a). Furthermore, when Achashveirosh offers her- עד חצי המלכות וינתן לך up to half the kingdom, and it will be given to you (Esther 5:3), Chazal explain that he meant to exclude that which would split the kingdom, the building of the Temple (Megillah 15b). Obviously then, he knew she was Jewish.

If so, what are to make of the questions we asked earlier? What does it mean that nobody knew Esther's background, and why did Mordechai instruct her to hide it? The Chareidi commentator, Rabbi Shlomo Alkabetz, in the Manos Halevi, his commentary on the Megillah, explains that although her religion was known, her ethnic background was not. That is to say, since Esther was an adopted daughter in the house of Mordechai, she was raised as an Orthodox Chareidi Jew. But due to being adopted, her ethnic background was completely unknown, and it was even quite possible that she was born non-Jewish. It was this ethnic background that Achashveirosh was interested in, rather than her religion. In general, the Persian empire had a policy of religious tolerance, and religion wasn't such a "big deal" to them. The ethnic background and heritage was much more significant, especially in royal circles.

Furthermore, in those times, “ethnic background” included not just the nationality, such as Jewish nation vs. other nations, but even the specific Jewish tribes. This is indicated clearly when Zeresh tells Haman, about Mordechaiאם מזרע היהודים מרדכי אשר החלות לנפל לפניו לא־תוכל לו כי־נפול תפול לפניו, If he is descended from Judah (the tribe of Judah), you have started to fall before him, and will not defeat him, rather will surely fall before him (Esther 6:13). Therefore, regarding Esther hiding her background, Rashi (a medieval Chareidi commentary) explains that Mordechai instructed Esther on this, not to hide her religion, but rather to hide her tribal and royal pedigree from King Saul, so that Achashveirosh wouldn't think highly of her and keep her as a wife. This is exactly the opposite of what the aforementioned Modern Orthodox intellectual wants to suggest, that Mordechai was enthusiastic about the prospect. Thus, the fact that Esther kept the Jewish religion wasn't the information that Achashveirosh was looking for or cared about. It was the ethnic background, especially a possible royal heritage.

However, in the end, it was not this ethnic background or royal pedigree that saved us, but rather the fasting, prayer, faithful adherence to the instructions of the Gadol Hador, and the ultimate intervention of God. The lesson of the Megillah is the diametric opposite of liberal Modern Orthodoxy. It is not the ethnic heritage that is the focus of Judaism (such that one can call a state run by secular Jews a “Jewish State”), but the religion, the Torah, and the faith in God. והיא שעמדה לאבותינו ולנו. This is what saved the Jewish nation then, and continues to hold us in good stead now.