Esther 1

QUESTIONS:
WHY did Achashverosh host this huge banquet? The precise reason is not stated.WHAT need saw the writers of the Megillah to state all the details of the banquet?THE order of those called over [invited] is puzzling. First the “princes and servants” then the army, and then the text goes back to nobles and then to princes of the provinces. Why are “officials” mentioned twice and why are the “governors and officials” mentioned after the “servants” who are, presumably, of lower status? And one understands that princes of the provinces are included in the general princes.WHAT is the need to say “before him”?WHY does it say “in the third year of his reign,” whereas when Esther becomes queen, the phrase “in the seventh year of his kingdom” is used?

In order to achieve his ambition of unlimited power in the third year of his reign (this is the kingdom that he thought of reigning with a strong hand for many years) he made a banquet as a cunning stratagem towards this end. The order of those present at the banquet teaches us Achashverosh’s the purpose of his intentions: he sat first (i.e. giving more honor) all his officials and servants, the army of Paras and Madai, and only after them the governors and officials who were before him, that is who had preceded him, holding office before Achashverosh conquered their countries. This clearly demonstrated his conviction that his rule was not dependent on their agreement and appointment because, if so, wouldn’t the officials of the major states come before those of the small country he originally controlled and wouldn’t they definitely precede the servants and soldiers of the army? By placing his own servants and the army of conquest first, he showed that he regarded the governors and officials as merely vestiges of the era before him and before his conquest occurred – and now they are placed below him as lower and despised servants.

§ The second verse in Esther states: “In those days when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom” (Esther 1:2), implying that the events to follow took place during the first year of his reign; and one verse afterward it is written: “In the third year of his reign” (Esther 1:3), indicating that it was the third year, not the first. Rava said: There is no contradiction. What is the meaning of “when he sat” [keshevet]? It is intended to indicate that he acted not immediately upon his rise to the throne, but rather after his mind was settled [shenityasheva], and he overcame his anxiety and worry with regard to the redemption of the Jewish people. He said to himself as follows: Belshazzar, the king of Babylonia, calculated and erred with regard to the Jewish people’s redemption. I too will calculate, but I will not err.

The verse states: “Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women, in the royal house, which belonged to King Ahasuerus” (Esther 1:9). The Gemara questions why she held the feast in the royal house, a place of men, rather than in the women’s house, where it should have been. Rava said in response: The two of them had sinful intentions. Ahasuerus wished to fornicate with the women, and Vashti wished to fornicate with the men. This explains the folk saying that people say: He with pumpkins and his wife

Never to be revoked. This statute from among them; this should be a statute and a law for anyone who shows contempt for her husband.

That Vashti must never again appear. And therefore she was executed.