עזרא, פרק ו׳, פסוק א׳

Following the arrival of a letter questioning the Jewish people's authority to rebuild the Temple, an official investigation opens in the Persian royal archives. The moment the inquiry reaches the king, he issues a formal decree to conduct a thorough search [רש״י, מצודת דוד]. While the primary approach among commentators identifies this king as Darius, an alternative view suggests the order was actually given by Cyrus [רב סעדיה גאון]. The royal command dictates a careful examination of the kingdom's archives, a secure location where important documents and royal wealth are deposited and stored [רב סעדיה גאון, אבן עזרא, רלב״ג, רש״י].

The investigation initially focuses on Babylon, which presents a mystery since the necessary document is ultimately discovered in Media. This geographic shift reflects the changing capitals of the empire [המלבי״ם]. Originally, Babylon served as the royal capital, and all official records, including the original declaration authorizing the Temple's construction, were stored there. Later, the seat of the empire moved from Babylon to Shushan.

During this period of transition, the original authorization letter in Babylon disappeared. It is suggested that Haman, acting as second-in-command, intentionally destroyed the document in a calculated effort to harm the Jewish people and halt the construction [המלבי״ם]. Despite this sabotage, God's providence ensured that a small scroll survived in the capital city of Media. This document contained a brief summary of the original command, preserved as a memorial in the royal chronicles. Because it was kept in a section of the archives that Haman could not access, the decree was safely hidden until it was rediscovered, ultimately allowing the rebuilding of the Temple to continue.