Rather than acting on sudden impulse, Haman calculates his plan to annihilate the Jews with chilling precision. He seeks the perfect astrological and spiritual timing to execute his scheme, unaware that this very process sets his own downfall into motion. To determine this timing, a lot is cast. The Persian concept of this lot carries an underlying meaning of crumbling and scattering, perfectly reflecting Haman's intention to completely dissolve the nation [אבן עזרא, שטיינזלץ]. In contrast, the Hebrew tradition of casting lots is typically associated with positive distributions, such as the division of the land of Israel. This positive association captures Haman's joyful anticipation of dividing the plundered wealth of the Jews [מגילת סתרים, שלום אסתר].
The primary approach among commentators is that Haman did not cast the lot himself. Instead, he hired a magician or astrologer to perform the divination in his presence [אבן עזרא, רלב״ג, עמנואל הרומי, אור חדש]. He took this step before even approaching the king for permission, knowing that if the stars indicated failure, there would be no reason to proceed [רלב״ג]. However, a contrasting view suggests that the king himself, driven by his own deep hatred for the Jews, personally cast the lot in front of Haman [נחל אשכול].
The search for the ideal timing involved a meticulous process of elimination to find a spiritual vulnerability. According to one perspective, lots were first cast over the days of the week, but it became clear that each day possessed a spiritual merit protecting the Israelites—Sunday for the creation of the world, Friday for the creation of humanity, and the Sabbath for the covenant [יוסף אבן יחיא, מנות הלוי]. Another approach maintains that the lots were cast over the days of the month, but the divination repeatedly pushed the date back, day by day, until the month's end [מלבי״ם]. Unable to find a suitable day, the focus shifted to the months of the year, beginning with Nisan. Yet, every month presented a historical merit that shielded the people, such as the Exodus in Nisan and the giving of the Torah in Sivan.
When the lot finally landed on the month of Adar, Haman rejoiced for several reasons, though each was rooted in a fatal misunderstanding. He knew that Moses had passed away in Adar, leading him to assume it was a time of tragedy and finality for the Israelites. He was unaware, however, that Moses was also born on that exact same day, transforming Adar into a symbol of perfection and eternal endurance [תורה תמימה, אלשיך, אור חדש, צאינה וראינה]. Furthermore, Adar is astrologically represented by Pisces, the fish. Haman believed the Jews would be easily trapped in his net like fish. God countered this assumption by ensuring that just as fish sometimes swallow and are sometimes swallowed, Haman would be the one swallowed and defeated. When the Israelites follow God's will, they are elevated entirely above the influence of astrology [יוסף אבן יחיא, ישע אלהים, מנות הלוי]. Finally, Haman specifically targeted the thirteenth day of Adar because it falls just outside the thirty-day window preceding Passover. Knowing that Passover represents redemption, he deliberately sought a date utterly disconnected from that redemptive light [אור חדש].
Although Haman believed he was manipulating nature and the stars, commentators agree that the outcome of the lot was entirely orchestrated by God. Directing the date to the twelfth month of the year granted the Israelites nearly a full year to awaken spiritually, repent, and pray for salvation [אבן עזרא, עמנואל הרומי, מלבי״ם]. Haman initiated this plot in Nisan, failing to recognize that it is a month inherently prone to miracles. In truth, his own fate was sealed in that very moment, as he would be hanged just days later before Nisan even concluded [אלשיך]. The ultimate irony is that the lot cast before Haman was not merely a tool for his scheme, but a divine mechanism prepared in advance to orchestrate his own complete ruin [מלבי״ם, אלשיך, שלום אסתר].