Siman- Megillah Daf 16
The majority of this Daf details the pesukim from the downfall of Haman until the end of the Megillah.
- Haman’s humiliation
The Gemara relates that after Achashverosh commanded Haman to do to Mordechai all the things that Haman had advised should be done for a loyal servant, Haman was humiliated by having to become Mordechai’s bath attendant and barber. When Mordechai told Haman that he could not ascend the horse due to his weakness from fasting, Haman bent down and Mordechai stepped on his back, kicking Haman on his way up. Haman asked, is it not written, "בנפל אויבך אל תשמח" – Do not rejoice when your enemy falls? Mordechai answered that the passuk is referring to Jewish enemies, but about non-Jewish enemies, the passuk states: "ואתה על במותימו תדרך" – And you shall tread upon their high places. Haman then led Mordechai through the streets proclaiming, "ככה יעשה לאיש אשר המלך חפץ ביקרו" – This is what is done for the man whom the king wants to honor, and Haman's daughter mistakenly thought that it was Mordechai leading Haman, and she threw a chamber pot on his head. Upon realizing what she had done, she jumped to her death. This is what the passuk is referring to when it states that Haman returned to his house “אבל וחפוי ראש” - in mourning, and with his head covered.
- Yosef and Binyomin crying on each other’s necks
After the Gemara brings a derasha that teaches that the five garments Yosef gave Binyomin allude to Binyomin’s descendant, Mordechai, eventually leaving the king’s presence wearing five royal garments, it details Yosef’s reunion and reconciliation with his brothers. The passuk states: "ויפל על צוארי בנימין אחיו" – Then he fell upon his brother Binyamin’s neck and wept. The word "necks" is written in the plural, so the Gemara asks, how many necks did Binyamin have? Rebbe Elazar said: בכה על שני מקדשים שעתידין להיות בחלקו של בנימין ועתידין ליחרב- Yosef cried over the two Temples that in the future would be in Binyomin’s territory and were destined to be destroyed. "ובנימין בכה על צואריו" – And Binyomin cried upon his neck. Binyomin cried over Mishkan Shiloh, which in the future would be in Yosef’s territory and was destined to be destroyed.
- The reading and the writing of the ten sons of Haman
Rav Adda of Yaffo said: עשרת בני המן "ועשרת" צריך לממרינהו בנשימה אחת – The names of the tens sons of Haman, and the word “aseres” – ten, which follows, need to be pronounced by the Megillah reader in one breath. What is the reason? כולהו בהדי הדדי נפקו נשמתייהו – For their souls departed at the same moment. Rebbe Yochanan said that the letter vav of the name ויזתא, must be elongated like a long pole used by boatmen on the river Libros. The Gemara explains that this is because they were all hung on one pole, one above the other. Rebbe Chanina bar Pappa said that Rav Shila, a man of Kfar Temarta expounded: כל השירות כולן נכתבות אריח על גבי לבינה ולבינה על גבי אריח – All songs in Tanach are written in the form of a half brick above a whole brick, and a whole brick above a half brick, except for this shirah listing the ten sons of Haman, and the shirah listing the kings of Canaan, that are written a half brick above a half brick and a whole brick above a whole brick. The Gemara explains that the reason is שלא תהא תקומה למפלתן – that there should never be a rising up from their downfall.
