Who was Haman?

Haman was a descendent of Agag, the king of Amaleik. Haman’s grandfather was born as a result of the delayed execution of Agag. This delay was caused by Shaul the ancestor of Mordechai.^[1] Some^[2] say that in fact Haman was not at all a descendant of Amalek but was figuratively listed as his descendant due to his great wickedness.

The lawyer:^[3] Haman had a rich record of anti-Semitic activity. He acted as the legal representative of the Samaritans to fight the Jews from building the Temple during the reign of Koreish.

Slave:^[4] Haman was actually the legal slave of Mordechai. The story behind Haman’s acquisition by Mordechai as a slave, is connected with a certain trip Haman made together with Mordechai and others. When Haman ran out of food, he needed to sell himself as a slave to Mordechai in exchange for the food.

Advisor: Eventually Haman was appointed as an advisor of Achashveirosh. His original name was Memuchan, and it was he that advised the king what to do with the insubordinate Vashti.

[1] Megillah 13a; Yalkut Shimoni Beshalach 268; Tana Dvei Eliyahu Raba 24; Likkutei Sichos 3:913

[2] Yerushalmi Yevamos 2:6 “Was Haman in truth the son of Hamdasa? No. He was a Rasha the son of a Rasha”; See Encyclopedia Talmudit Vol. 45 p. 23 footnote 84 Erech Mechias Amaleik; Likkutei Sichos 14:90 that brings this as one of the suggested explanations of how it was permitted for Esther to keep the house of Haman, as in truth Haman was not from Amalek. The Rebbe negates this conclusion.

[3] See Yalkut Shimoni 1045

[4] Megillah 15a Rashi “Vizeh Ba”