Discussion Question:
Is Haman's hatred of the Jews the start of anti-semitism? A new form of anti-semitism?
Haman’s Antisemitism: What Did He Not Like About the Jews?
Prof Rabbi Martin Lockshin
...The Bible rarely depicts gentile hatred of or animus toward Jews simply because they were Jews. Pharaoh certainly discriminated against foreigners,[3] but the Bible never attributes antisemitic thinking to him. (In fact, it would be hard to imagine what would have constituted antisemitism or “Israelite hatred” at a time when Jewish/Israelite identity hardly existed.)
Similarly, the Bible never portrays Nebuchadnezzar as an antisemite. He is merely God’s instrument. Jeremiah teaches that it was God, not Nebuchadnezzar, who destroyed the First Temple and Judea...
In Megillat Esther (the scroll of Esther), the term יהודי (Yehudi) reflects a religious affiliation (Jew) and not a political one (Judean). Thus Mordecai, although from the tribe of Benjamin, is described as a Jew (2:5) and thinks of himself as a Jew (3:4).[8] In fact, the epithet היהודי (“the Jew”) appears in the Bible only in Megillat Esther, and only in the phrase Mordecai the Jew, which is found six times (5:13, 6:10, 8:7, 9:29, 9:31, 10:3). Similarly, when it becomes clear that the king backs the Jews, many Persians convert out of fear or pretend to be Jews; the word used is “become Jewish” (מתיהדים; 8:17) which may mean joining the religious (or ethnic) group.[9] It does not mean “becoming Judeans.”
As a corollary to this, Haman’s plan is to destroy Jews, not the polity of Judea. This is clear from Haman’s description of Jews as being spread throughout the empire, even at a time when Judea exists as the province of Yehud. Moreover, those who join with Haman to kill Jews are described not merely as Haman’s followers or seekers of easy plunder, but as “enemies” (אויבים) or even “haters” (שונאים) of Jews (8:13, 9:1, 5, 16). Thus, it seems clear that the megillah is describing antisemitism.
Nevertheless, the biblical narrator does not explain Haman’s accusations against the Jews in much detail. We also have no evidence that hatred of Jews was a widespread phenomenon in the Persian Empire.
אמר רבא בתחילה במרדכי לבדו ולבסוף בעם מרדכי ומנו רבנן ולבסוף בכל היהודים
Rava said: At first he wanted to lay his hands on Mordecai alone, and in the end on the people of Mordecai. And who were the people of Mordecai? They were the Sages, i.e., Mordecai’s special people. And ultimately he sought to bring harm on all the Jews.