Commentary for Megillah 32:18
אמר רב יוסף גדול ת"ת יותר מהצלת נפשות דמעיקרא חשיב ליה למרדכי בתר ד' ולבסוף בתר חמשה מעיקרא כתיב (עזרא ב, ב) אשר באו עם זרובבל ישוע נחמיה שריה רעליה מרדכי בלשן ולבסוף כתיב (נחמיה ז, ז) הבאים עם זרובבל ישוע נחמיה עזריה רעמיה נחמני מרדכי בלשן
Rabbi Yosef said, "Greater is the Study of Torah than the saving of lives, For originally, Mordechai was considered after four; and after [he busied himself in saving lives, he was considered] after five. Originally, it is written: "Who came with Zerubavel: Yeshua, Nechemiah, Sheriah, Ra'aliah, Mordechai Bilshan (Ezra 2:2)," and afterwards, it is written: "Those who came with Zerubavel: Yeshua, Nechemiah, Azariah, Ra'amiah, Nachmani, Mordechai Bilshan (Nehemiah 6:10)."
Rashi on Megillah
Initially in the days of Cyrus, when Zerubavel went up (with him) from exile, Mordekhai was with him, and they were listed in the book of Ezra. There were twenty-four years between [the first] listing and the listing of the later Cyrus. And because Modekhai was made into a minister in between, he went down in his importance for the Sages.
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