It is well known that Chazal (Megilla 11a) teach that Achashveirosh, like Belshatzar, used the Keilim of the Beit HaMikdash during the wild feast he held in Shushan. Many Ashkenazic Ba’alei Keriah read the words “V’Keilim MiKeilim Shonim” (Esther 1:7) in the tune of Eicha to note this sad fact.
Achashveirosh’s Fall?
One may ask, though, why does Belshatzar fall very soon after disgracing the Keilim of the Beit HaMikdash and yet Achashveirosh continues to rule for more than 9 years?
Loss of Vashti
The answer that first comes to mind is that Achashveirosh’s outrageous party led to his acting poorly and losing his wife Vashti. It is not a coincidence that Chazal (Esther Rabbah 3:5) identify Vashti as the daughter of Belshatzar. We speculate that it was Vashti who prodded Achashveirosh, perhaps when in an intoxicated state, to follow in her father’s footsteps and defile the Keilim of the Beit HaMikdash98Sanhedrin 109b-110a teaches the enormous influence wives exercise over their husbands, either in a positive or negative direction..
Belshatzar the Innovator
TABC Talmid Yaakov Abrahams answers that Belshatzar innovated the evil of defiling the Beit HaMikdash’s utensils at a wild party99The Mishna (Sanhedrin 10:2) teaches that only innovators of evil, such as Yerovam ben Nevat, Achav, and Menashe lose their Cheilek in Olam Haba.. He is therefore punished more severely than Achashveirosh who merely copies his father-in-law’s awful behavior.
Xerxes’ Colossal Loss to the Greeks
If one assumes the identification of Achashveirosh with Xerxes100https://jewishlink.news/features/17655-yes-we-can-identify-achashverosh-and-esther-in-secular-sources, then an intriguing possibility emerges. According to the Greek historian Herodotus, Xerxes attacks Greece in year three of his reign only to suffer an enormous and surprising defeat. Xerxes' army is nearly decimated during these encounters. He returns to Persia utterly humiliated.
Some suggest that Achashveirosh throws the wild 180-day party to show he has the material wherewithal to attack and conquer Greece. His devastating defeat not that long after these terrible parties might be seen as his punishment for disgracing the Keilim of the Beit HaMikdash at these wild parties.
Conclusion
The Kabbalists teach that Hashem limits Himself (Tzimtzum) to make room for us in His world. We reciprocate by limiting ourselves and making space for Hashem. Someone who does not make even the most minimum room for Hashem in his life will suffer the consequences. Those who arrogantly express the notion that they have somehow conquered Hashem, are punished with the most severe of consequences. From Belshatzar, to Achashveirosh, to Titus (Gittin 56b), Hashem has no patience for those who express the ultimate arrogance. Hashem has great patience, but there are limits.
Mishlei 16:18 teaches, Lifnei Shever Ga’on, arrogance precedes a fall. Great arrogance, in turn, precipitates a great fall.