Editing Purim (section)

==== Establishing Purim ====
Mordechai's establishment of Purim is described at length in Megillat Esther:<blockquote>"And Mordechai wrote these things and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Achashverosh, both near and far, to establish among them that they should celebrate the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and the fifteenth day of it, every year... to make them days of feasting and joy, and sending portions to one another, and gifts to the poor. And the Jews accepted what they had begun to do and what Mordechai had written to them. The Jews established and accepted upon themselves and upon their descendants and upon all who joined them, that it should not fail, that they would observe these two days according to their writing and according to their set time, every year. And these days should be remembered and celebrated throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city. And these days of Purim shall not pass from among the Jews, and their remembrance shall not cease from their descendants.

And Queen Esther, daughter of Avichayil, and Mordechai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter of Purim. And he sent letters to all the Jews, to the one hundred twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Achashverosh, words of peace and truth, to confirm these days of Purim in their times, as Mordechai the Jew and Queen Esther had established for them, and as they had established for themselves and for their descendants, the matters of the fasts and their cry. And the command of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim, and it was written in the book."

From examining the content of these verses, it appears that there were stages and different actions taken by Mordechai and Esther in establishing the holiday. "And Mordechai wrote," "and he sent letters," and after this again "and Esther wrote... to confirm this second letter," and again "and he sent letters," "and Esther's command confirmed... and it was written in the book."</blockquote>Rashi explains that the writing of the Megillah was done by Mordechai, and this is the meaning of the verse "And Mordechai wrote." Additionally, he sent letters to the Jewish communities so that they would observe the holiday of Purim every year.

Regarding Esther's writing, according to Rashi, it appears that there was no additional matter, except that a year later she sent another letter to establish and strengthen the days of Purim with all its details. However, Ibn Ezra explains that the sending of the letters was because Mordechai's letters were not accepted by the Jews, and since she was a queen, her words were more readily accepted by the Jews.

And her words that were written in the book ("and Esther's command... and it was written in the book") – Rashi explains this as an additional discussion about establishing the Megillah as one of the 24 books of Tanach. According to Ibn Ezra's interpretation, it was a book like the Megillah that Esther wrote about these days, but it was lost.