Esther 1

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Esther 1

1 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)

2 That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,

3 In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:

4 When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.

5 And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;

6 Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.

7 And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king.

8 And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.

9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.

10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,

11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.

12 But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.

13 Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment:

14 And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king's face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;)

15 What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?

16 And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.

17 For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.

18 Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king's princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.

19 If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.

20 And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.

21 And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:

22 For he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published according to the language of every people.

Notes

Cross Reference

Concordance

Commentary

Rashi

Verse 1

<html>It was in the days of Achashveirosh. He was the king of Persia¹The Persians conquered the Babylonians, and Achashveirosh succeeded Koresh to the Persian throne in the year 3392. who reigned in place of Koresh²There were other Persian kings with the name “Achashveirosh,” therefore Rashi identifies which “Achashveirosh” he was. (Mizrachi) at the end of the seventy years of the Babylonian exile. He was [the] Achashveirosh. He was equally wicked from beginning to end.³Maseches Megillah 11a. He did not allow the resumption of the building of the Bais Hamikdosh after it had been suspended. Who reigned. He reigned on his own, and was not of royal seed.⁴Ibid. He was very wealthy and he acquired the throne by distributing his money. From Hodu to Cush, etc. Who reigned over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces [with the same authority] as he reigned from Hodu⁵India. to Cush,⁶Ethiopia. which are situated alongside one another,⁷Maseches Megillah 11a. and similarly [we explain], “For he ruled over the entire area beyond the [Euphrates] river, from Tiphsach to Gaza,”⁸I Melochim 5:4. [meaning] that he ruled over this side of the river, [with the same authority] just as he ruled over Tiphsach to Gaza.⁸Otherwise why mention only these two provinces. </html>

Verse 2

<html>When King Achashveirosh had established himself, etc. When the kingdom was firmly established under his control.⁹I.e., כשבת should not be interpreted literally as meaning “when he sat [on his throne].” Alternatively, Targum renders the literal translation and relates that Achashveirosh had in his possession the throne of King Shlomo. However, he was injured when he tried to sit on it.He had his craftsmen build for him a replica which had just been completed and that is the meaning of “he sat on his throne.” Our Rabbis, however, explained it differently in Maseches Megillah.¹⁰11b, which interpret it as “when Achashveirosh gained his composure.” Until now Achashveirosh was afraid that the Jewish exile would finish at the end of seventy years as predicted by Yirmiyahu [29:10]. However, Achashveirosh [mistakenly] calculated that the seventy years had already elapsed and concluded that the Jews would never be redeemed but will remain under his dominion. He celebrated at his feast by using the vessels confiscated from the Bais Hamikdosh. </html>

Verse 3

<html>The nobles. Governors, in the Persian language.¹¹Maseches Megillah 12a. Alternatively, people of royal descent. (Ibn Ezra) </html>

Verse 4

<html>[For] many days. He made a feast for them.¹²I.e., “for many days” refers back to “the feast” [v. 3] and not to the exhibition of “the affluence and eminence of his kingdom.” [v. 4] (Sifsei Chachomim) </html>

Verse 5

<html>Of the garden. A place where vegetables are sown. Orchard. Where trees are planted.</html>

Verse 6

<html>[There were] pure white drapes, fine woolen cushions, bluish emerald techeiles wool. He spread out various types of colored fabrics for them as spreads.¹³Maseches Megillah 12a. Brocaded with strands of linen and mauve, woolen argaman threads. Embroidered with threads of linen and purple; he spread these out for them on rods of silver and columns of marble. Gold and silver couches. He set [them] up to sit upon for the meal. On a floor. Floors of green and white, etc. Our Rabbis identified them as types of precious stones.¹⁴Ibid. According to the apparent meaning of the verse, these were their names. </html>

Verse 7

<html>As for drinking; golden utensils. [The word וְהַשְׁקוֹת means the same] as וּלְהַשְׁקוֹת and to give to drink.¹⁵Shemos 2:16. Sundry. Different one from the other, and similarly, “and their customs differ,”¹⁶Below 3:8. and our Rabbis expounded what they expounded.¹⁷Maseches Megillah 12a. The Rabbis said that these vessels were taken from the Bais Hamikdosh. And plenty of royal wine. It was abundant.¹⁸I.e., רב = הרבה. See Rashi in Bamidbar 16:3. And our Rabbis said that he gave each one wine to drink that was older than he.¹⁹Maseches Megillah 12a. </html>

Verse 8

<html>Proper. Because there are feasts in which they coerce those seated to drink [the contents] of a large vessel, and some can only drink it with difficulty, but here it was “with no coercion.”²⁰Alternatively, no one was coerced into finishing his drink quickly in order to make his cup available to someone else because there were enough cups for all [השתיה כדת]. Basically instructed. An expression referring to a foundation [יְסוֹד], meaning, so he instituted and commanded. All his palace officials. All stewards of the feast: the chief baker, the chief butcher and the chief butler. To satisfy each individual’s desire. For each one his desire.²¹Each person was served wine from his native land. (See Maseches Megillah 12a) </html>

Verse 10

<html>On the seventh day. Our Rabbis said²²Maseches Megillah 12b. that it was on Shabbos.²³Corresponding to “the seventh day” of the week. </html>

Verse 12

<html>Queen Vashti refused. Our Rabbis said because leprosy broke out on her,²⁴Ibid. Vashti did not refuse out of modesty. She was as lewd as her husband and would have attended had she not broken out with leprosy. Another opinion is that the angel Gavriel caused her to grow a tail. so that she should refuse and be executed. Because she would force Jewish girls to disrobe and make them do work on Shabbos, it was decreed upon her to be stripped naked on Shabbos.²⁵This punishment was in the form of מדה כנגד מדה, just as she had done, so it was decreed upon her. (Maseches Megillah 12b) Angered. Because she sent him words of insult.²⁶ And that is why the king was extremely angered. (Maseches Megillah 11b) </html>

Verse 13

<html>For the king would thus place matters. For such was the king’s custom in every judgment, to present the matter “before all who were versed in procedural and legal concerns.”²⁷The Midrash states that Achashveirosh originally sought the advice of the Sages and asked them to judge Vashti. Realizing that judging Vashti would expose them to great danger, they opted to defer judgment by explaining to Achashveirosh that they were unfit to judge in a capital case. (Maseches Megillah 12b) </html>

Verse 14

<html>Most intimately associated with him. To present his affairs before them were the following: Carshena, Shesar, etc. </html>

Verse 15

<html>Concerning the proper procedure to follow. This refers back to “The king consulted the sages.”²⁸Above, v. 13. </html>

Verse 16

<html>Has aggrieved. An expression of iniquity [עָו‍ֹן].²⁹From the root עוה. However, according to the Ibn Ezra the root is עות meaning to act perversely. </html>

Verse 17

<html>For the affair of the queen will extend to all women. That she showed contempt for the king, [this will cause] all the women to show contempt for their husbands as well. </html>

Verse 18

<html>The noblewomen in Persia and Media will say, etc. This thing to all the king’s ministers. This is an abbreviated verse. Causing enormous disparagement and rage. And in this matter there is much contempt and wrath.³⁰Esther Rabbah 4:8. “Contempt” because she had insulted him, and “wrath” because she had disobeyed him. The Gra explains the difference between the two terms חמה (fury) and קצף (anger). The latter [קצף] is displayed outwardly for all to see, and the former (;חמה one keeps to himself. </html>

Verse 19

<html>A royal edict. A royal decree of revenge, i.e., that he commanded to execute her.³¹And let it become a law that any woman guilty of a similar offense against her husband shall be executed. To be recorded in the bylaws of Persia and Media. In the books of the statutes and the customs of the kingdom. Never to be revoked. This statute from among them;³²ממוכן is another name for Haman (Maseches Megillah 12b). Haman was concerned that Achashveirosh might reconsider and take back Vashti, leaving him vulnerable to her vengeance. Haman therefore requested that the decree be irrevocable. 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.</html>

Verse 22

<html>And his people’s language be the one spoken. He can compel his wife to learn his language if her native tongue is different.³³Ibid. 4:12. The purpose for this law was to make wives show respect and subjugation to their husbands.</html>

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Table of Contents

Esther 1

Esther 1

Notes

Cross Reference

Concordance

Commentary

Rashi

Verse 1

Verse 2

Verse 3

Verse 4

Verse 5

Verse 6

Verse 7

Verse 8

Verse 10

Verse 12

Verse 13

Verse 14

Verse 15

Verse 16

Verse 17

Verse 18

Verse 19

Verse 22