Aggadah and anti-Semitism: the Midrashim to Esther 3:8

Examines Midrashim to Esther written from the Roman period through the Middle Ages, showing how the Jewish commentators' interpretations of Haman's Jew-hatred reflect the antisemitic views of their age as seen in Haman's accusations against the Jews. Analyzes four midrashic sources, as well as anti-Jewish views in the Roman world (e.g. Tacitus, Cicero) and in Christianity (e.g. Justin Martyr, Origen, Jerome). States that Jewish prayer was consistently attacked because it was believed to serve as a tool for vilification of the Christian community.