The fool vents all his spirit, and the wise will soothe it, restraining it” (Proverbs 29:11). “The fool vents all his spirit” – this is Aḥashverosh; “and the wise will soothe it, keeping it back” – this is the Holy One, blessed be He, who soothes Aḥashverosh. That is what you said: “Who stills the raging seas, the raging waves, and the tumult of the peoples” (Psalms 65:8). “With his display of the wealth of his glorious kingdom, and the honor of his splendid majesty for many days, one hundred and eighty days” (Esther 1:4). “Of the wealth of his glorious kingdom” – the school of Rabbi Yannai and Ḥizkiyya both said that he [Aḥashverosh] would open [his treasury] and display six treasures each day.1The verse lists six words that relate to Aḥashverosh’s wealth: Osher, kevod, malkhuto, yekar, tiferet, gedulato. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: He showed them various types of expenditures. Rabbi Yuda son of Rabbi Simon said: He showed them the feast of the Land of Israel. Rabbi Levi said: He showed them the vestments of the High Priest. Here it is stated: “His splendid [tiferet] majesty” and there it is stated: “You shall make holy vestments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for splendor [tiferet]” (Exodus 28:2). Just as tiferet stated there refers to the vestments of the High Priest, so does tiferet stated here refer to the vestments of the High Priest. Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Ḥelbo: The raven flaunts both what is its own and what is not its own. From where did that wicked one become wealthy? Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Nebuchadnezzar, may he be crushed and obliterated, gathered all the riches of the world, and he was possessive of his riches. When he was dying, he said: Shall I leave all these riches to Evil [Merodakh, his son]? He immediately decreed that great bronze ships be built; he filled them with riches, dug and buried them adjacent to the Euphrates, and diverted the Euphrates over them. On the day that Cyrus arose and decreed that the Temple will be built, the Holy One blessed be He exposed them; that is what is written: “So said the Lord to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I held to subdue nations before him…and gates will not be shut” (Isaiah 45:1), and it is written thereafter: “I will give you treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places…” (Isaiah 45:3).
“Many days” – days of suffering, and similarly: “It was during those many days…the children of Israel sighed due to the work, and they cried out, and their plea rose to God from the work” (Exodus 2:23). Were they, in fact, many days? Rather, because they were days of suffering, Scripture related to them as though they were many days. Similarly: “Many days passed, and the word of the Lord was with Elijah in the third year...”2The third year of a drought decreed by Elijah. (I Kings 18:1). Were they, in fact, many days? Rather, because they were days of suffering, Scripture calls them many days. How many were they? Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Ḥelbo in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: One month in the first year, one month in the last year, and twelve months in the middle, for a total of fourteen months. And similarly: “[And a woman, if her bloody discharge shall flow] many days” (Leviticus 15:25). Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: Days – two, many – three. Are they, in fact, many? Rather, because they are days of suffering, Scripture calls them many days.
“One hundred and eighty days” – the last day was like the first day. There was an incident involving a certain man whose name was Barbohin. Our Sages went to him regarding matters of fundraising for the Sages. They heard his son saying to him: ‘What are we eating today?’ He said to him: ‘Endives.’ ‘From those sold at one per maneh3A small silver coin. or from those sold at two per maneh?’ He said to him: ‘From those sold at two per maneh, as those are withered and inexpensive.’ They said: ‘What are we doing going to this [person]? Let us go and do our business in the city and afterward we will come to him.’ They went and did their business and came to him. They said: ‘Give us a donation for charity.’ He said to them: ‘Go to the one who is in the house and she will give you a modius4A Roman measure of volume, around nine liters. of dinars.’ They went to the wife and said to her: ‘Your husband said that you should give us a modius of dinars.’ She said to them: ‘What did he say to you, heaping or level?’ They said to her: ‘He did not specify.’ She said: ‘I will give you heaping, and if my husband asks why, I will say that I gave it from the account of my marriage settlement.’ They came to him and said to him: ‘May your Creator fill all you lack.’ He said to them: ‘What did she give you, level or heaping?’ They said to him: ‘We said to her that you did not specify, and she said: I will give you heaping, and if my husband says why, [tell him] I gave the extra from my marriage settlement.’ He said to them: ‘Indeed, that is what I intended to give to you. Why didn’t you come to me before?’ They said to him: ‘We heard your servant, who said to you: What are we eating today? You said to him: Endives. He said to you: From those sold at one per maneh or from those sold at two per maneh? You said to him: From those sold at two per maneh, as those are withered and inexpensive. We said: A person who has all this money, would he eat endives sold at two per maneh?’ He said: ‘For myself, I am permitted [to be frugal]; however, regarding the commandments of my Creator I am unable and I am not permitted.’ Bar Lofyani was marrying his daughter [and the procession was] from Tzippori to Akko. He established stands dispensing wine from Tzippori to Akko and with golden lamps on either side. They said: They did not move from there until he fed them lentils from the threshing floor and gave them wine from the winepress to drink. Rabbi Avun said: And only in charred pots.5They had already finished all the other food and wine, and all he had left to use were charred pots to serve the last of the food. However, here [at Aḥashverosh’s banquet], the last day was like the first day.
Rabbi Ḥiyya had a gentile friend in Ashna, who prepared a feast for him, during which he served him everything that had been created in the six days of Creation. He said to him: ‘What is your God going to prepare for you in the future that is more than this?’ He said to him: “Your feast has a limit; however, the feast that our God is going to prepare for the righteous in the future has no limit, as it is written: “No eye has seen, besides You, God, what will be done for one who awaits Him”’ (Isaiah 64:3). Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai had a friend who lived near his residence in Tyre. One time he came to him and he heard his servant saying to him: ‘What are we eating today, [thin] lentil soup or [thick] lentil stew?’ He said to him: ‘Lentil soup.’ He began speaking to him [the servant], and he [the friend] sensed him [that Rabbi Shimon overheard the conversation]. He sent and told the members of his household: ‘Set for me all these fine vessels.’ He said [to Rabbi Shimon]: ‘Will the Rabbi agree to drink with us today?’ He [Rabbi Shimon] said: ‘Yes.’ When he entered the house, he saw the fine vessels and wondered; he said to him: ‘Does a person who has all these possessions eat lentil soup?’ He said to him: ‘Rabbi, you, your Torah accords you honor; however, we, were it not for our belongings, there would be no person who would honor us.’ Bar Yoḥani sought to make a feast for the prominent people of Rome. Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei was there; he said: Let us consult with the resident of our city [Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei]. He came to him and said to him: ‘If you wish to invite twenty, prepare for twenty-five. And if you wish to invite twenty-five, prepare for thirty.’ He went and prepared for twenty-four and invited twenty-five. It was found that there was a portion missing from before one of them; one said it was a kindas [an edible thistle], and one said it was unripe dates.6Both of these are particularly inexpensive, low-quality foods. He brought gold and placed it before him [the guest who had not received his portion]. He took it and cast it in his face; he said to him: ‘Do I eat gold; do I need your gold?’ He [Bar Yoḥani] came before Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei and related the incident to him. He said to him: ‘By your life, Rabbi, I shouldn’t have related it to you, as I did not do what you told me. For this reason I told you – to determine whether the Holy One blessed be He revealed to you [only] the intricacies of Torah, or perhaps the intricacies of feasts as well.’ He said to him: ‘Yes, even the intricacies of feasts He revealed to us.’ He said to him: ‘From where do you know this?’ He said to him; ‘From David, as it is written: “Avner came to David, to Hebron, and with him were twenty men. And David made for Avner, and for the men who were with him, a feast” (II Samuel 3:20). He made a feast is not written here, but rather: “for the men who were with him a feast.”’7He made the feast for all the men who might come with Avner. Here [at Aḥashverosh’s banquet], however, the last day was like the first day [and no one lacked for anything]. “Upon the completion of those days, the king made for all the people who were present in the Shushan citadel, great and small, a banquet for seven days, in the courtyard of the garden of the king's palace” (Esther 1:5).
“Upon the completion of [uvimlot] those days” – it is written uvimlot [plene, with the extra vav],8It is not clear if this is merely a textual note or somehow related to the following dispute between Rav and Shmuel. “the king made for all the people who were present…a banquet for seven days.” Rav and Shmuel: One said: Seven, besides the one hundred and eighty. And Shmuel said: Seven, included in the one hundred and eighty. Rabbi Simon said: This Shushan citadel was like a royal court,9Alternatively, the Hebrew word komititon, which comes from the Latin commesatio, meaning a drunken revel. stocked with food and drink. Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said: The great men of the generation were there and they fled.10The Jewish dignitaries fled because they heard that the king was displaying the Temple vessels and demeaning them. Rabbi Ḥanina bar Atal said: Jews were there at that feast. That wicked one [Aḥashverosh] said to them: ‘Is your God capable of preparing more than this for you?’ They said to him: ‘“No eye has seen, besides You, God, what will be done for one who awaits Him” (Isaiah 64:3). Were He to make a feast like this for us, we would say to Him: We already ate this at the table of Aḥashverosh.’
“In the courtyard of the garden of the king's palace” – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya: Rabbi Yehuda said: The garden was on the outside and the courtyard on the inside. Rabbi Neḥemya said: The garden was on the inside and the courtyard on the outside. Rabbi Pinḥas said: I sustain both of your statements; when he wanted, he made it a courtyard, and when he wanted, he made it a garden. How so? He would unfurl the curtain and render it a courtyard, furl the curtain and render it a garden. Alternatively, “in the courtyard of the garden of the king’s palace” – that it cost a lot of money.11Apparently, this reading is based on the word bitan (palace) being read as a form of the verb natan, meaning give. Accordingly, the expression “the courtyard of the garden of the king’s palace [bitan] should be understood as “the courtyard of the garden for which the king gave [a lot].”
“Hangings of white [ḥur], green [karpas] and blue [tekhelet], fastened with cords of fine linen and purple wool on silver rods and marble pillars, couches of gold and silver, on a floor of alabaster, marble, mother-of-pearl, and onyx” (Esther 1:6). “Ḥur, karpas, and tekhelet” – Akelas translated it: White [ḥur] and green [karpas] linen. Rav Beivai said: sky-blue [tekhelet]. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Like garments that free men wear. “Fastened with cords of fine linen and purple wool” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Come and see what the clothing of that wicked one was like; everyone hangs [curtains] with cords of [simple] wool and cords of [simple] linen, and this wicked one [hangs curtains] with cords of fine linen and purple wool. “On silver rods” – Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great and Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta: One said: They were furled like the curtain of a cabinet. The other said: They were folded like the sails of a ship. “And pillars of marble,” – the quarry [from which the marble came] was not revealed to any creature other than to [those from] this wicked kingdom. They objected: But is it not written [regarding the materials assembled for the construction of the Temple]: “And all precious stones and marble stones in abundance” (I Chronicles 29:2)? Solomon would place a gem on one side and a gem on the other side with the marble stones between them. It was easier for Aḥashverosh to craft pillars of silver and gold than to bring pillars of marble from Perak Onsin to Media. If you say that they were cut [into small pieces and reassembled], Rabbi Mattana said: I slept on the capital of one of them, and it was the width of my height with arms and legs extended.
“Couches of gold and silver” – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya: Rabbi Yehuda said: For one [for whom] silver was fitting, silver, and for one [for whom] gold was fitting, gold. Rabbi Neĥemya said to him: If so, you would be instigating jealousy at the feast of that wicked one. Rather, they were gold, and their clasps were silver. Shmuel said: The outer side facing was gold and the inner side was silver.
“On a floor of alabaster, marble, mother-of-pearl, and onyx.” Rav Naḥman said: Come and see what the comfort of that wicked one was like. His house was paved with precious stones and pearls. “Alabaster [bahat], marble [shesh], mother-of-pearl [dar], and onyx [soḥaret]. Rabbi Nisa of Caesarea said: Bahat is like a pearl whose owner is particularly fond of it. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: [Dar] is like a pearl that sets its owner free; that is what you said: “Proclaim liberty [deror]” (Leviticus 25:10). “Mother-of-pearl [dar]” – Rav Huna said: There is a place where they call a pearl dura. “Onyx [soḥaret]” – Rav Beiva bar Avuna said: Ready merchandise; that is what you said: “Ready currency [over lasoḥer]” (Genesis 23:16).
“Drink was served in vessels of gold and vessels of diverse kinds, and abundant royal wine, in keeping with the king’s bounty” (Esther 1:7). “Drink was served in vessels of gold” – all the drinks served by that wicked one were only in gold vessels. They objected: But is it not written: “All the drinking vessels of King Solomon were of gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of the Lebanon were of pure gold”12The question lies in the fact that drinking out of gold vessels does not appear to have been unique to Aḥasheverosh’s court (Etz Yosef). (I Kings 10:21)? Rabbi Pinḥas says in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Is it not disgusting to drink wine in a gold vessel? Rather, these were goblets of finely-crafted crystal, in which their images were mirrored, and they were as beautiful and valuable as gold vessels.
“And vessels of diverse kinds” – he brought his vessels and vessels of Elam, and his were more beautiful than those from Elam. He brought his vessels and the Temple vessels, and they were found to be finer and more beautiful than his. [This is comparable] to a woman who had a beautiful maidservant; whenever she would look at her maidservant, her face would change color. So too, whenever the Temple vessels would be shown with his vessels, his vessels would change and appear like lead. Rabbi Taḥlifa bar bar Ḥana said: [“Vessels of diverse kinds”] – vessels whose form changes after a few days.13Meaning that were extremely fragile and frequently broke (Etz Yosef). Rabbi Shmuel bar Rav Naḥman: Vessels that destroy those who use them while they [those using the vessels] persist in their corruption. Who caused Belshatzar’s foundations to be undermined, was it not because he used the Temple vessels? That is what is written: “Belshatzar said, as he tasted the wine, to bring the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had removed…” (Daniel 5:2). What is written? “During that night, Belshatzar the Chaldean king was killed” (Daniel 5:30).
“And abundant royal wine.” Later it is written: “[King Belshazzar made a great banquet for his thousand nobles,] and before the thousand he drank wine” (Daniel 5:1); however, here it is written: “And abundant royal wine, in keeping with the king’s bounty [keyad hamelekh],” – like the number of goblets in the hand of the king [beyad hamelekh].14Aḥashverosh, in contrast to Belshatzar, allowed his nobles to drink as much as he did.
“The drinking was as customary, without coercion, for so did the king establish with all the stewards of his house, to do as every man desired.” (Esther 1:8). “The drinking was as customary, without coercion” – in accordance with the custom of each place. There is a place where people wish to eat and then to drink, and there is a place where one drinks and then eats. According to the custom of every nation; like those Kutites, who do not drink wine from wineskins, they brought them wine in earthenware vessels. “Without coercion” – undiluted wine; Rav said: “Without coercion” – [no one was coerced] to drink wine of libation. Rabbi Binyamin Bar Levi said: There was no coercion [to drink] with a large goblet, because there [in Persia] they would drink excessively; therefore, there was no coercion to drink from a large goblet.15It was customary for Persians to drink from an unusually large cup. “For so did the king establish [yissad]” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Come and see the comfort of that wicked one, as his house was ornamented [meyusad] with jewels and pearls. “With all the stewards of his house” – to arrange for the prominent subjects of the kingdom, so each and every one of them would be able to enjoy himself with his children and the members of his household.
“To do as every man desired.” The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I do not fulfill the wishes of all My creatures, and you seek “to do as every man desired?”’ The way of the world is that if two men seek to marry one woman, can she marry them both? Rather, it is either to one, or to the other. Likewise, if two ships were waiting in harbor, one seeking a north wind and one seeking a south wind, can one wind propel both of them together? Rather, it is either for one or for the other. Tomorrow, two people will come before you for judgment, a Jewish man, and an adversary and enemy, can you satisfy both of them? Rather, you elevate one and hang the other. Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Binyamin bar Levi: Because in this world, when the northern wind blows, the southern wind does not blow, and when the southern wind blows, the northern wind does not blow. However, in the future, with the ingathering of the exiles, the Holy One blessed be He will say: ‘I am bringing an unusual wind to the world, in which two winds serve simultaneously.’ That is as it is written: “I will say to the north: Give, and to the south: Do not withhold; bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 43:6). Who is it who does the will of those who fear Him? It is the Holy One blessed be He about whom it is written: “He performs the will of those who fear him, and He hears their cry and delivers them” (Psalms 145:19).
כָּל רוּחוֹ יוֹצִיא כְסִיל (משלי כט, יא), זֶה אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ. וְחָכָם בְּאָחוֹר יְשַׁבְּחֶנָּה, זֶה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁהוּא מְשַׁדֵּיךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (תהלים סה, ח): מַשְׁבִּיחַ שְׁאוֹן יַמִּים שְׁאוֹן גַּלֵּיהֶם וַהֲמוֹן לְאֻמִּים.
בְּהַרְאֹתוֹ אֶת עשֶׁר כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ, דְּבֵית רַבִּי יַנַּאי וְחִזְקִיָּה, תַּרְוֵיהוֹן אָמְרִין שִׁשָּׁה נִיסִין הָיָה פּוֹתֵחַ וּמַרְאֶה לָהֶן בְּכָל יוֹם. רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר, מִינֵי יְצִיאוֹת הֶרְאָה לָהֶן. רַבִּי יוּדָה בְּרַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר סְעוּדַת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל הֶרְאָה לָהֶן. רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר בִּגְדֵי כְּהֻנָּה גְדוֹלָה הֶרְאָה לָהֶם, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן תִּפְאֶרֶת גְּדֻלָּתוֹ, וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן (שמות כח, ב): וְעָשִׂיתָ בִגְדֵי קֹדֶשׁ לְאַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ לְכָבוֹד וּלְתִפְאָרֶת, מַה תִּפְאֶרֶת הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן בִּגְדֵי כְּהֻנָּה גְדוֹלָה, אַף תִּפְאֶרֶת הָאָמוּר כָּאן בִּגְדֵי כְּהֻנָּה גְדוֹלָה. רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ אָמַר בֵּין מִן דִּידֵיהּ וּבֵין לָא מִדִּידֵיהּ מִתְגַּלְגֶּלֶת בַּת קְבַרְיָיא. מֵהֵיכָן הֶעֱשִׁיר אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע, אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר שְׁחִיק מְחִיק, סִגֵּל כָּל מָמוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, וְהָיְתָה עֵינוֹ צָרָה בְּמָמוֹנוֹ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁנָּטָה לָמוּת אָמַר מָה אֲנִי אֲנִיחַ כָּל מָמוֹן זֶה לֶאֱוִיל, עָמַד וְגָזַר וְעָשָׂה סְפִינוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת שֶׁל נְחשֶׁת, מִלֵּא אוֹתָן מָמוֹן וְחָפַר וְהִטְמִינָם בִּפְרָת, וְהָפַךְ פְּרָת עֲלֵיהֶן, וְיוֹם שֶׁעָמַד כּוֹרֶשׁ וְגָזַר שֶׁיִּבָּנֶה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, גִּלָּה אוֹתָן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ישעיה מה, א): כֹּה אָמַר ה' לִמְשִׁיחוֹ לְכוֹרֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר הֶחֱזַקְתִּי בִימִינוֹ לְרַד לְפָנָיו גּוֹיִם וגו' וּשְׁעָרִים לֹא יִסָּגֵרוּ. וּכְתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ: וְנָתַתִּי לְךָ אוֹצְרוֹת חשֶׁךְ וּמַטְמֻנֵי מִסְתָּרִים וגו'.
The fool vents all his spirit, and the wise will soothe it, restraining it” (Proverbs 29:11). “The fool vents all his spirit” – this is Aḥashverosh; “and the wise will soothe it, keeping it back” – this is the Holy One, blessed be He, who soothes Aḥashverosh. That is what you said: “Who stills the raging seas, the raging waves, and the tumult of the peoples” (Psalms 65:8).
“With his display of the wealth of his glorious kingdom, and the honor of his splendid majesty for many days, one hundred and eighty days” (Esther 1:4).
“Of the wealth of his glorious kingdom” – the school of Rabbi Yannai and Ḥizkiyya both said that he [Aḥashverosh] would open [his treasury] and display six treasures each day.1The verse lists six words that relate to Aḥashverosh’s wealth: Osher, kevod, malkhuto, yekar, tiferet, gedulato. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: He showed them various types of expenditures. Rabbi Yuda son of Rabbi Simon said: He showed them the feast of the Land of Israel. Rabbi Levi said: He showed them the vestments of the High Priest. Here it is stated: “His splendid [tiferet] majesty” and there it is stated: “You shall make holy vestments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for splendor [tiferet]” (Exodus 28:2). Just as tiferet stated there refers to the vestments of the High Priest, so does tiferet stated here refer to the vestments of the High Priest.
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Ḥelbo: The raven flaunts both what is its own and what is not its own. From where did that wicked one become wealthy? Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Nebuchadnezzar, may he be crushed and obliterated, gathered all the riches of the world, and he was possessive of his riches. When he was dying, he said: Shall I leave all these riches to Evil [Merodakh, his son]? He immediately decreed that great bronze ships be built; he filled them with riches, dug and buried them adjacent to the Euphrates, and diverted the Euphrates over them. On the day that Cyrus arose and decreed that the Temple will be built, the Holy One blessed be He exposed them; that is what is written: “So said the Lord to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I held to subdue nations before him…and gates will not be shut” (Isaiah 45:1), and it is written thereafter: “I will give you treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places…” (Isaiah 45:3).
יָמִים רַבִּים (אסתר א, ד), יָמִים שֶׁל צַעַר, וְדִכְוָותֵיהּ (שמות ב, כג): וַיְהִי בַיָּמִים הָרַבִּים הָהֵם, וְכִי יָמִים רַבִּים הָיוּ, אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָיוּ שֶׁל צַעַר הֶעֱלָה אוֹתָן הַכָּתוּב יָמִים רַבִּים. וְדִכְוָותֵיהּ (מלכים א יח, א): וַיְהִי יָמִים רַבִּים וּדְבַר ה' הָיָה אֶל אֵלִיָּהוּ וגו', וְכִי יָמִים רַבִּים הָיוּ, אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָיוּ יָמִים שֶׁל צַעַר לְפִיכָךְ קָרָא אוֹתָם יָמִים רַבִּים. וְכַמָּה הָיוּ, רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן חֹדֶשׁ אֶחָד בְּשָׁנָה רִאשׁוֹנָה וְחֹדֶשׁ אֶחָד בְּשָׁנָה אַחֲרוֹנָה וּשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ בָּאֶמְצַע, הֲרֵי אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר חֳדָשִׁים. וְדִכְוָותֵיהּ (ויקרא טו, כה): וְאִשָּׁה כִּי יָזוּב זוֹב דָּמָהּ יָמִים רַבִּים, תָּנֵי רַבִּי חִיָּא, יָמִים שְׁנַיִם, רַבִּים שְׁלשָׁה, וְכִי רַבִּים הֵם, אֶלָּא לְפִי שֶׁהֵן שֶׁל צַעַר לְפִיכָךְ קוֹרֵא אוֹתָן יָמִים רַבִּים.
“Many days” – days of suffering, and similarly: “It was during those many days…the children of Israel sighed due to the work, and they cried out, and their plea rose to God from the work” (Exodus 2:23). Were they, in fact, many days? Rather, because they were days of suffering, Scripture related to them as though they were many days.
Similarly: “Many days passed, and the word of the Lord was with Elijah in the third year...”2The third year of a drought decreed by Elijah. (I Kings 18:1). Were they, in fact, many days? Rather, because they were days of suffering, Scripture calls them many days. How many were they? Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Ḥelbo in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: One month in the first year, one month in the last year, and twelve months in the middle, for a total of fourteen months.
And similarly: “[And a woman, if her bloody discharge shall flow] many days” (Leviticus 15:25). Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: Days – two, many – three. Are they, in fact, many? Rather, because they are days of suffering, Scripture calls them many days.
שְׁמוֹנִים וּמְאַת יוֹם, יוֹם אַחֲרוֹן כְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן. עוֹבָדָא הֲוָה בְּגַבְרָא חַד דַּהֲוָה שְׁמֵיהּ בַּרְבּוֹהִין הָלְכוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ אֶצְלוֹ עַל עֵסֶק מִגְבַּת חֲכָמִים, שָׁמְעִין לִבְרֵיהּ דַּאֲמַר לֵיהּ בַּמָּה אֲנַן אָכְלִין יוֹמָא דֵין, אֲמַר לֵיהּ בִּטְרוֹקְסִימוֹן, מִן חַד בְּמָנֶא אוֹ מִן תְּרֵין בְּמָנֶא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ מִן תְּרֵין בְּמָנֶא, דְּאִינוּן כְּמִישִׁין וּזְלִילִין. אָמְרֵי הֵיכָן אֲנַן אָזְלִין גַּבֵּי הָדֵין, נֵיזֵיל וְנַעֲבֵיד עֲבִידְתָּן בְּקַרְתָּא וּבָתַר כֵּן נֵיתֵי לְגַבֵּיהּ. אֲזַלוּן וַעֲבַדוּן עִיבִידְתְּהוֹן בְּקַרְתָּא וַאֲתוֹ לְגַבֵּיהּ, וְאָמְרִין לֵיהּ הַב לָן מִצְוָותָא, אֲמַר לוֹן אֲזַלוּן לְגַבֵּי דָּא דְּבֵייתָא וְהִיא יָהֲבָה לְכוֹן חַד מוֹדְיָא דְּדִינָרִין. אֲזַלוּן לְגַבֵּי אִינְתְּתָא וַאֲמַרוּן לָהּ אֲמַר לִיךְ בַּעֲלִךְ הַב לָן מִצְוָותָא חַד מוֹדְיָא דְּדִינָרִין, אָמְרָה לוֹן הֵיכֵי אָמַר לְכוֹן גְּדִישׁ אוֹ מְחִיק, אָמְרוּ לָהּ סְתָם אֲמַר לָן. אָמְרָה אֲנָא יָהֲבָה לְכוֹן גְּדִישׁ, אִין אֲמַר לִי בַּעְלִי לָמָּה, אֲמִינָא לֵיהּ חֲבִיתִין מִן פַּרְנִי. אֲתוֹן לְגַבֵּיהּ אֲמַרוּן לֵיהּ בָּרְיָיךְ יְמַלֵּא חֶסְרוֹנָךְ. אֲמַר לוֹן הֵיכִי יְהַבְתֵּיהּ לְכוֹן גְּדִישׁ אוֹ מְחִיק, אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ סְתָם אֲמַרָן לָהּ וְאָמְרָה אֲנָא יָהֲבָה לְכוֹן יָתֵיהּ גְּדִישׁ וְאִין אָמַר בַּעְלִי לָמָּה, אֲנָא יָהֲבָה גַּדְרָאנֵיהּ מִן פּוּרְנִי. אֲמַר לְהוֹן אֵיכָן דְּכֵן הֲוֵית בְּדַעְתִּי לְמִתְנָא לְכוֹן. וְלָמָּה לָא אֲתֵיתוּן לְגַבִּי מֵרֵישׁ, אֲמַרוּן לֵיהּ שָׁמְעִינַן לְעַבְדָךְ דַּאֲמַר לָךְ בַּמֶּה אֲנַן אָכְלִין יוֹמָא דֵין, וַאֲמַרְתְּ לֵיהּ בִּטְרוֹקְסִימוֹן, וַאֲמַר לָךְ מִן חַד בְּמָנֶא אוֹ מִן תְּרֵין בְּמָנֶא, וַאֲמַרְתְּ לֵיהּ מִן תְּרֵין בְּמָנֶא דְּאִינוּן כְּמִישִׁין וּזְלִילִין. וַאֲמַרִין בַּר נָשׁ דְּאִית לֵיהּ כָּל הָדֵין מָמוֹנָא הוּא אָכֵיל בִּטְרוֹקְסִימוֹן מִן תְּרֵין בְּמָנֶא. אֲמַר לוֹן בְּנַפְשִׁי אֲנָא רַשַּׁיי בְּרַם בְּמִצְוָותָה דְּבָרְיִי לֵית אֲנָא יָכֵיל וְלָא רַשַּׁיי. בַּר לוֹפְיָינִי הֲוָה מַשִֹּׂיא אֶת בִּתּוֹ מִן צִפּוֹרִי לְעַכּוֹ, וְהֶעֱמִיד חֲנֻיּוֹת מוֹזְגוֹת יַיִן מִצִּפּוֹרִי לְעַכּוֹ וּמְנוֹרוֹת שֶׁל זָהָב מִכָּאן וּמִכָּאן, אָמְרוּ לֹא זָזוּ מִשָּׁם עַד שֶׁהֶאֱכִילָן עֲדָשִׁים מִן הַגֹּרֶן וְהִשְׁקָה אוֹתָן יַיִן מִן הַגַּת. אָמַר רַבִּי אָבוּן וּבִלְבָד בִּקְדֵרוֹת מְפֻחָמוֹת, בְּרַם הָכָא יוֹם אַחֲרוֹן כְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן.
“One hundred and eighty days” – the last day was like the first day. There was an incident involving a certain man whose name was Barbohin. Our Sages went to him regarding matters of fundraising for the Sages. They heard his son saying to him: ‘What are we eating today?’ He said to him: ‘Endives.’ ‘From those sold at one per maneh3A small silver coin. or from those sold at two per maneh?’ He said to him: ‘From those sold at two per maneh, as those are withered and inexpensive.’ They said: ‘What are we doing going to this [person]? Let us go and do our business in the city and afterward we will come to him.’ They went and did their business and came to him. They said: ‘Give us a donation for charity.’ He said to them: ‘Go to the one who is in the house and she will give you a modius4A Roman measure of volume, around nine liters. of dinars.’ They went to the wife and said to her: ‘Your husband said that you should give us a modius of dinars.’ She said to them: ‘What did he say to you, heaping or level?’ They said to her: ‘He did not specify.’ She said: ‘I will give you heaping, and if my husband asks why, I will say that I gave it from the account of my marriage settlement.’
They came to him and said to him: ‘May your Creator fill all you lack.’ He said to them: ‘What did she give you, level or heaping?’ They said to him: ‘We said to her that you did not specify, and she said: I will give you heaping, and if my husband says why, [tell him] I gave the extra from my marriage settlement.’ He said to them: ‘Indeed, that is what I intended to give to you. Why didn’t you come to me before?’
They said to him: ‘We heard your servant, who said to you: What are we eating today? You said to him: Endives. He said to you: From those sold at one per maneh or from those sold at two per maneh? You said to him: From those sold at two per maneh, as those are withered and inexpensive. We said: A person who has all this money, would he eat endives sold at two per maneh?’ He said: ‘For myself, I am permitted [to be frugal]; however, regarding the commandments of my Creator I am unable and I am not permitted.’
Bar Lofyani was marrying his daughter [and the procession was] from Tzippori to Akko. He established stands dispensing wine from Tzippori to Akko and with golden lamps on either side. They said: They did not move from there until he fed them lentils from the threshing floor and gave them wine from the winepress to drink. Rabbi Avun said: And only in charred pots.5They had already finished all the other food and wine, and all he had left to use were charred pots to serve the last of the food. However, here [at Aḥashverosh’s banquet], the last day was like the first day.
רַבִּי חִיָּא הֲוָה לֵיהּ חַד רָחֵים בְּאַשְׁנָא, וְעָשָׂה לוֹ סְעוּדָה וְהֶאֱכִילוֹ כָּל מַה שֶּׁנִּבְרָא בְּשֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית, אֲמַר לֵיהּ מָה אֱלָהֲכוֹן עָתִיד דְּעָבֵיד לְכוֹן יוֹתֵר מִכָּאן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ סְעוּדָתְךָ יֵשׁ לָהּ קִצְבָה, אֲבָל סְעוּדַת אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁעָתִיד לַעֲשׂוֹת לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, אֵין לָהּ קִצְבָה, דִּכְתִיב (ישעיה סד, ג): עַיִן לֹא רָאָתָה אֱלֹהִים זוּלָתְךָ יַעֲשֶׂה לִמְחַכֵּה לוֹ. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי הֲוָה לֵיהּ חַד רָחֵים גַּבֵּי דָארֵיהּ בְּצוֹר, חַד זְמַן אֲתָא לְגַבֵּיהּ, שָׁמְעֵיהּ לְעַבְדֵיהּ דַּאֲמַר לֵיהּ בַּמֶּה אֲנַן אָכְלִין יוֹמָא דֵין בִּטְלוֹפְחִין דִּטְמָאשָׁא אוֹ דִּגְרָאפָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ דִּטְמָאשָׁא. הִתְחִיל מֵמִיל בּוֹ וְהִרְגִּישׁ בּוֹ. שְׁלַח וַאֲמַר לִבְנֵי בֵיתֵיהּ אַתְקִינוּ לִי כָּל הָדֵין אַרְגְּנָטַדְיָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ מַשְׁגַּח רַבִּי שָׁתֵי גַבָּן יוֹמָא דֵין, אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִין, מָאן דְּסָלִיק בְּבֵיתָא חֲמָא כָּל הָדֵין אָרְגְּנָאטַאדְיָיא וְתָמַהּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ בַּר נָשׁ דְּאִית כָּל הָדֵין מָמוֹנָא יְהֵא הוּא אָכֵיל בִּטְלוֹפְחִין דִּטְמָאשָׁא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִי רַבִּי אַתּוּן אוֹרָיְיתְכוֹן מוֹקְרָא לְכוֹן, בְּרַם אֲנַן אִי לֵית לָן מָמוֹנָא לֵית בַּר נַשׁ דְּמוֹקַר לָן. בַּר יוֹחָנִי בִּקֵּשׁ לַעֲשׂוֹת סְעוּדְתָא לִגְדוֹלֵי רוֹמִי, הֲוָה תַּמָּן רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר נִמָּלֵךְ בְּבֶן עִירֵנוּ, אֲתָא לְגַבֵּיהּ אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִי בָּעֵית לְמִקְרֵי עַשְׂרִין עֲבוֹד עַשְׂרִין וְחַמְשָׁה. וְאִין בָּעֵית לְמִקְרֵי עַשְׂרִין וְחַמְשָׁה עֲבוֹד לִתְלָתִין, אֲזַל הוּא וַעֲבֵיד לְעַשְׂרִין וְאַרְבַּע וּקְרָא עַשְׂרִין וְחַמְשָׁה, אִשְׁתְּכַחְנוּן דְּחַסִּירִין חַד מְקָמָא מַאן דַּאֲמַר קִנְדָּס וּמַאן דַּאֲמַר כַּפְנָאֵי, אַיְיתֵי דְהַב יְהַב קֳדָמֵיהּ, נַסְבֵיהּ וְטַלְקֵיהּ בְּאַנְפֵּיהּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ דִּדְהַב אֲנָא אָכֵיל וּדְהַבָךְ אֲנָא צָרִיךְ. אֲתָא לְגַבֵּיהּ רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי וְתָנֵי לֵיהּ עוֹבָדָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ חַיָּיךְ רַבִּי לָא הֲוָה לִי דְּאֵימָא לָךְ דְּאִלּוּ דַאֲמַרְתְּ לִי לָא עֲבַדִית מִן בְּגִין כָּךְ אָמְרִית לָךְ, אִם חַדְרֵי תוֹרָה גִּלָּה לָכֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אוֹ שֶׁמָּא חַדְרֵי סְעוּדָה. אֲמַר לֵיהּ הֵן אַף חַדְרֵי סְעוּדָה גִּלָּה לָנוּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ וְדָא מְנָא לָךְ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ מִדָּוִד, דִּכְתִיב (שמואל ב ג, כ): וַיָּבֹא אַבְנֵר אֶל דָּוִד וְעִמּוֹ עֶשְׂרִים אֲנָשִׁים וַיַּעַשׂ דָּוִד לְאַבְנֵר וְלַאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ מִשְׁתֶּה, וַיַּעַשׂ מִשְׁתֶּה אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא וְלַאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ מִשְׁתֶּה, בְּרַם הָכָא יוֹם אַחֲרוֹן כְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן.
Rabbi Ḥiyya had a gentile friend in Ashna, who prepared a feast for him, during which he served him everything that had been created in the six days of Creation. He said to him: ‘What is your God going to prepare for you in the future that is more than this?’ He said to him: “Your feast has a limit; however, the feast that our God is going to prepare for the righteous in the future has no limit, as it is written: “No eye has seen, besides You, God, what will be done for one who awaits Him”’ (Isaiah 64:3).
Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai had a friend who lived near his residence in Tyre. One time he came to him and he heard his servant saying to him: ‘What are we eating today, [thin] lentil soup or [thick] lentil stew?’ He said to him: ‘Lentil soup.’ He began speaking to him [the servant], and he [the friend] sensed him [that Rabbi Shimon overheard the conversation]. He sent and told the members of his household: ‘Set for me all these fine vessels.’ He said [to Rabbi Shimon]: ‘Will the Rabbi agree to drink with us today?’ He [Rabbi Shimon] said: ‘Yes.’ When he entered the house, he saw the fine vessels and wondered; he said to him: ‘Does a person who has all these possessions eat lentil soup?’ He said to him: ‘Rabbi, you, your Torah accords you honor; however, we, were it not for our belongings, there would be no person who would honor us.’
Bar Yoḥani sought to make a feast for the prominent people of Rome. Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei was there; he said: Let us consult with the resident of our city [Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei]. He came to him and said to him: ‘If you wish to invite twenty, prepare for twenty-five. And if you wish to invite twenty-five, prepare for thirty.’ He went and prepared for twenty-four and invited twenty-five. It was found that there was a portion missing from before one of them; one said it was a kindas [an edible thistle], and one said it was unripe dates.6Both of these are particularly inexpensive, low-quality foods. He brought gold and placed it before him [the guest who had not received his portion]. He took it and cast it in his face; he said to him: ‘Do I eat gold; do I need your gold?’
He [Bar Yoḥani] came before Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei and related the incident to him. He said to him: ‘By your life, Rabbi, I shouldn’t have related it to you, as I did not do what you told me. For this reason I told you – to determine whether the Holy One blessed be He revealed to you [only] the intricacies of Torah, or perhaps the intricacies of feasts as well.’ He said to him: ‘Yes, even the intricacies of feasts He revealed to us.’ He said to him: ‘From where do you know this?’ He said to him; ‘From David, as it is written: “Avner came to David, to Hebron, and with him were twenty men. And David made for Avner, and for the men who were with him, a feast” (II Samuel 3:20). He made a feast is not written here, but rather: “for the men who were with him a feast.”’7He made the feast for all the men who might come with Avner. Here [at Aḥashverosh’s banquet], however, the last day was like the first day [and no one lacked for anything].
“Upon the completion of those days, the king made for all the people who were present in the Shushan citadel, great and small, a banquet for seven days, in the courtyard of the garden of the king's palace” (Esther 1:5).
וּבִמְלֹאת הַיָּמִים הָאֵלֶּה (אסתר א, ה), וּבִמְלוֹאת כְּתִיב, עָשָׂה הַמֶּלֶךְ לְכָל הָעָם הַנִּמְצְאִים וגו' מִשְׁתֶּה שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, רַב וּשְׁמוּאֵל, חַד אָמַר שִׁבְעָה חוּץ מִמֵּאָה וּשְׁמוֹנִים. וּשְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר שִׁבְעָה עִם מֵאָה וּשְׁמוֹנִים. אָמַר רַבִּי סִימוֹן הֲדָא שׁוּשַׁן הַבִּירָה כְּבֵית קוֹמְטִיטוֹן הָיָה, מַאֲכָל וּמִשְׁתֶּה מָצוּי בָהּ. אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר פַּפָּא גְּדוֹלֵי הַדּוֹר הָיוּ שָׁם וּבָרְחוּ. אָמַר רַב חֲנִינָא בַּר עָטַל, יְהוּדִים הָיוּ שָׁם בְּאוֹתָהּ סְעוּדָה, אֲמַר לוֹן אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע, יָכוֹל אֱלָהֵיכוֹן עָתִיד דְּעָבֵיד לְכוֹן יוֹתֵר מִכֵּן, אָמְרוּ לוֹ (ישעיה סד, ג): עַיִן לֹא רָאָתָה אֱלֹהִים זוּלָתְךָ יַעֲשֶׂה לִמְחַכֵּה, אִם כִּסְעוּדָה זוֹ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה לָנוּ אָנוּ אוֹמְרִין לוֹ כְּבָר אֲכַלְנוּהָּ עַל שֻׁלְחָנוֹ שֶׁל אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ.
“Upon the completion of [uvimlot] those days” – it is written uvimlot [plene, with the extra vav],8It is not clear if this is merely a textual note or somehow related to the following dispute between Rav and Shmuel. “the king made for all the people who were present…a banquet for seven days.” Rav and Shmuel: One said: Seven, besides the one hundred and eighty. And Shmuel said: Seven, included in the one hundred and eighty. Rabbi Simon said: This Shushan citadel was like a royal court,9Alternatively, the Hebrew word komititon, which comes from the Latin commesatio, meaning a drunken revel. stocked with food and drink. Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said: The great men of the generation were there and they fled.10The Jewish dignitaries fled because they heard that the king was displaying the Temple vessels and demeaning them. Rabbi Ḥanina bar Atal said: Jews were there at that feast. That wicked one [Aḥashverosh] said to them: ‘Is your God capable of preparing more than this for you?’ They said to him: ‘“No eye has seen, besides You, God, what will be done for one who awaits Him” (Isaiah 64:3). Were He to make a feast like this for us, we would say to Him: We already ate this at the table of Aḥashverosh.’
בַּחֲצַר גִּנַּת בִּיתַן הַמֶּלֶךְ, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר גִּנָּה מִבַּחוּץ וְחָצֵר מִבִּפְנִים. וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר גִּנָה מִבִּפְנִים וְחָצֵר מִבַּחוּץ. אָמַר רַבִּי פִּנְחָס מְקַיֵּם אֲנִי דִּבְרֵי שְׁנֵיכֶם, כְּשֶׁהוּא הָיָה רוֹצֶה עוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָהּ חָצֵר, וּכְשֶׁהוּא הָיָה רוֹצֶה עוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָהּ גִּנָּה, הָא כֵיצַד, פּוֹרֵשׂ אֶת הַוִּילוֹן וְעוֹשֶׂה חָצֵר. קוֹפֵל אֶת הַוִּילוֹן וְעוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָהּ גִּנָּה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, בַּחֲצַר גִּנַּת בִּיתַן הַמֶּלֶךְ שֶׁעָמְדָה לוֹ בְּדָמִים הַרְבֵּה.
“In the courtyard of the garden of the king's palace” – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya: Rabbi Yehuda said: The garden was on the outside and the courtyard on the inside. Rabbi Neḥemya said: The garden was on the inside and the courtyard on the outside. Rabbi Pinḥas said: I sustain both of your statements; when he wanted, he made it a courtyard, and when he wanted, he made it a garden. How so? He would unfurl the curtain and render it a courtyard, furl the curtain and render it a garden. Alternatively, “in the courtyard of the garden of the king’s palace” – that it cost a lot of money.11Apparently, this reading is based on the word bitan (palace) being read as a form of the verb natan, meaning give. Accordingly, the expression “the courtyard of the garden of the king’s palace [bitan] should be understood as “the courtyard of the garden for which the king gave [a lot].”
חוּר כַּרְפַּס וּתְכֵלֶת (אסתר א, ו), תִּרְגֵּם עֲקִילַס אַיְירִינוֹן קַרְפַּסִּינוֹן, וְרַבִּי בֵּיבַי אָמַר טַיְינוֹן. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק בְּגָדִים שֶׁבְּנֵי חוֹרִין לוֹבְשִׁין. אָחוּז בְּחַבְלֵי בוּץ וְאַרְגָּמָן, אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן בּוֹא וּרְאֵה טַלִּיתוֹ שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע מָה הוּא, שֶׁהַכֹּל מַפְקִיעִין בְּחַבְלֵי צֶמֶר וּבְחַבְלֵי פִּשְׁתָּן, וְרָשָׁע זֶה בְּחַבְלֵי בוּץ וְאַרְגָּמָן. עַל גְּלִילֵי כֶסֶף, רַבִּי חִיָּא רַבָּה וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן חֲלַפְתָּא, חַד אָמַר נִגְלָלִין הָיוּ כְּוִילוֹן זֶה שֶׁל אָרוֹן. וָחֳרִינָא אֲמַר נִקְפָּלִין הָיוּ כְּקֶלַע זוֹ שֶׁל סְפִינָה. וְעַמּוּדֵי שֵׁשׁ, אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי הַמֶּחְצָב הַזֶּה לֹא נִגְלָה לִבְרִיָּה אֶלָּא לְמַלְכוּת הָרִשְׁעָה הַזֹּאת. אֲתִיבוּן וְהָכְתִיב (דברי הימים א כט, ב): וְכֹל אֶבֶן יְקָרָה וְאַבְנֵי שַׁיִשׁ לָרֹב, שְׁלֹמֹה הָיָה נוֹתֵן מַרְגָּלִית מִכָּאן וּמַרְגָּלִית מִכָּאן וְאַבְנֵי שַׁיִשׁ בָּאֶמְצַע. וְנוֹחַ הָיָה לַאֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ עַמּוּדִים שֶׁל כֶּסֶף וְשֶׁל זָהָב, מִלְּהָבִיא עַמּוּדִים שֶׁל שַׁיִּשׁ מִפְּרַק אוֹנְסִין לְמָדַי. וְאִם תֹּאמַר דַּהֲווֹ זָמְרִין, אָמַר רַבִּי מַתָּנָה אֲנִי יָשַׁנְתִּי עַל פִּרְחוֹ שֶׁל אֶחָד מֵהֶן, וְהָיָה מְלֹא קוֹמָה וּפִשּׁוּט יָדַיִם וְרַגְלַיִם.
“Hangings of white [ḥur], green [karpas] and blue [tekhelet], fastened with cords of fine linen and purple wool on silver rods and marble pillars, couches of gold and silver, on a floor of alabaster, marble, mother-of-pearl, and onyx” (Esther 1:6).
“Ḥur, karpas, and tekhelet” – Akelas translated it: White [ḥur] and green [karpas] linen. Rav Beivai said: sky-blue [tekhelet]. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Like garments that free men wear. “Fastened with cords of fine linen and purple wool” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Come and see what the clothing of that wicked one was like; everyone hangs [curtains] with cords of [simple] wool and cords of [simple] linen, and this wicked one [hangs curtains] with cords of fine linen and purple wool. “On silver rods” – Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great and Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta: One said: They were furled like the curtain of a cabinet. The other said: They were folded like the sails of a ship.
“And pillars of marble,” – the quarry [from which the marble came] was not revealed to any creature other than to [those from] this wicked kingdom. They objected: But is it not written [regarding the materials assembled for the construction of the Temple]: “And all precious stones and marble stones in abundance” (I Chronicles 29:2)? Solomon would place a gem on one side and a gem on the other side with the marble stones between them. It was easier for Aḥashverosh to craft pillars of silver and gold than to bring pillars of marble from Perak Onsin to Media. If you say that they were cut [into small pieces and reassembled], Rabbi Mattana said: I slept on the capital of one of them, and it was the width of my height with arms and legs extended.
מִטּוֹת זָהָב וָכֶסֶף, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר הָרָאוּי לְכֶסֶף לַכֶּסֶף, הָרָאוּי לְזָהָב לַזָּהָב. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אִם כֵּן נִמְצֵאתָ מַכְנִיס שִׂנְאָה בִּסְעוּדַת אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע, אֶלָּא שֶׁל כֶּסֶף הָיוּ וְהָיוּ מְצֻפִּים בְּזָהָב. וְרַבִּי תַּחְלִיפָא בַּר בַּר חָנָה אָמַר שֶׁל זָהָב הָיוּ, וְהָיוּ מְכֻפָּתִין בִּכְפָאתִין שֶׁל כֶּסֶף. וּשְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר הַגָּשִׁישׁ הַחִיצוֹן שֶׁל זָהָב, וְהַפְּנִימִי שֶׁל כֶּסֶף.
“Couches of gold and silver” – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya: Rabbi Yehuda said: For one [for whom] silver was fitting, silver, and for one [for whom] gold was fitting, gold. Rabbi Neĥemya said to him: If so, you would be instigating jealousy at the feast of that wicked one. Rather, they were gold, and their clasps were silver. Shmuel said: The outer side facing was gold and the inner side was silver.
עַל רִצְפַת בַּהַט וָשֵׁשׁ, אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בּוֹא וּרְאֵה שַׁלְוָתוֹ שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע מָה הוּא, שֶׁהָיָה בֵּיתוֹ רָצוּף בַּאֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת וּמַרְגָּלִיּוֹת. בַּהַט וָשֵׁשׁ וְדַר וְסֹחָרֶת, רַבִּי נִיסָא דְּקֵיסָרִי אָמַר לְמַרְגָּלִית שֶׁהִיא אֲהוּבָה עַל בַּעְלָהּ. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר לְמַרְגָּלִית שֶׁמּוֹצִיאָה אֶת בַּעְלָהּ לַחֵרוּת, הָאֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (ויקרא כה, י): וּקְרָאתֶם דְּרוֹר. וְדַר, אָמַר רַב הוּנָא אִית אֲתַר דְּצָוְוחִין לְמַרְגָּלִיתָא דּוּרָה. וְסֹחָרֶת. רַבִּי בֵּיבָא בַּר אֲבוּנָא אָמַר פְּרַקְמַטְיָא נְפַקַת. הָאֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (בראשית כג, טז): עֹבֵר לַסֹּחֵר.
“On a floor of alabaster, marble, mother-of-pearl, and onyx.” Rav Naḥman said: Come and see what the comfort of that wicked one was like. His house was paved with precious stones and pearls. “Alabaster [bahat], marble [shesh], mother-of-pearl [dar], and onyx [soḥaret]. Rabbi Nisa of Caesarea said: Bahat is like a pearl whose owner is particularly fond of it. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: [Dar] is like a pearl that sets its owner free; that is what you said: “Proclaim liberty [deror]” (Leviticus 25:10). “Mother-of-pearl [dar]” – Rav Huna said: There is a place where they call a pearl dura. “Onyx [soḥaret]” – Rav Beiva bar Avuna said: Ready merchandise; that is what you said: “Ready currency [over lasoḥer]” (Genesis 23:16).
וְהַשְׁקוֹת בִּכְלֵי זָהָב (אסתר א, ז), הַשְׁקָיוֹתָיו שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע לֹא הָיוּ אֶלָּא בְּשֶׁל זָהָב. אֲתִיבוּן וְהָכְתִיב (מלכים א י, כא): וְכֹל כְּלֵי מַשְׁקֵה הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה זָהָב וְכֹל כְּלֵי בֵּית יַעַר הַלְּבָנוֹן זָהָב סָגוּר, רַבִּי פִּנְחָס בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר וַהֲלֹא נַפְשׁוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם חוֹתָה לִשְׁתּוֹת בְּשֶׁל זָהָב, אֶלָּא אֵלּוּ כּוֹסוֹת דְּיוֹטִירִיטָא שֶׁל כְּלֵי זְכוּכִית, שֶׁרוֹאִין צֵל פְּנֵיהֶם בָּהֶם יָפִין וְיַקִּירִין כִּכְלֵי זָהָב.
“Drink was served in vessels of gold and vessels of diverse kinds, and abundant royal wine, in keeping with the king’s bounty” (Esther 1:7).
“Drink was served in vessels of gold” – all the drinks served by that wicked one were only in gold vessels. They objected: But is it not written: “All the drinking vessels of King Solomon were of gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of the Lebanon were of pure gold”12The question lies in the fact that drinking out of gold vessels does not appear to have been unique to Aḥasheverosh’s court (Etz Yosef). (I Kings 10:21)? Rabbi Pinḥas says in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Is it not disgusting to drink wine in a gold vessel? Rather, these were goblets of finely-crafted crystal, in which their images were mirrored, and they were as beautiful and valuable as gold vessels.
וְכֵלִים מִכֵּלִים שׁוֹנִים, הֵבִיא כֵלָיו וּכְלֵי עֵילָם, וְנִמְצְאוּ שֶׁלּוֹ יָפִין מִשֶּׁל עֵילָם. הֵבִיא כֵלָיו וּכְלֵי בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, וְנִמְצְאוּ נָאִים וְיָפִין מִכֵּלָיו. לְמַטְרוֹנָה שֶׁהָיְתָה לָהּ שִׁפְחָה יָפָה, כָּל זְמַן שֶׁמַּבֶּטֶת בְּשִׁפְחָתָהּ הָיוּ פָּנֶיהָ מִשְׁתַּנּוֹת. כָּךְ, כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהָיוּ כְּלֵי בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ מַבִּיטִין בְּכֵלָיו, הָיוּ מִשְׁתַּנִּין כֵּלָיו וְנַעֲשִׂין כַּעוֹפֶרֶת. רַבִּי תַּחְלִיפָא בַּר בַּר חָנָה אָמַר כֵּלִים שֶׁצּוּרָתָן נִשְׁתַּנִּים לְיָמִים קַלִּים. אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר רַב נַחְמָן, כֵּלִים מְכַלִּים לַמִּשְׁתַּמְּשִׁין בָּהֶם, וְהֵם שׁוֹנִין בַּקַּלְקָלָה. מִי גָּרַם לְבֵלְשַׁצַּר שֶׁתִּתְקַעֲקַע בֵּיצָתוֹ מִן הָעוֹלָם, לֹא עַל יְדֵי שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בִּכְלֵי בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דניאל ה, ב): בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר אֲמַר בִּטְעֵם חַמְרָא לְהַיְתָיָה לְמָאנֵי דַּהֲבָא וְכַסְפָּא דִּי הַנְפֵּק נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר וגו'. מַה כְּתִיב (דניאל ה, ל): בֵּהּ בְּלֵילְיָא קְטִיל בֵּלְאשַׁצַּר מַלְכָּא כַשְׂדָּאָה.
“And vessels of diverse kinds” – he brought his vessels and vessels of Elam, and his were more beautiful than those from Elam. He brought his vessels and the Temple vessels, and they were found to be finer and more beautiful than his. [This is comparable] to a woman who had a beautiful maidservant; whenever she would look at her maidservant, her face would change color. So too, whenever the Temple vessels would be shown with his vessels, his vessels would change and appear like lead. Rabbi Taḥlifa bar bar Ḥana said: [“Vessels of diverse kinds”] – vessels whose form changes after a few days.13Meaning that were extremely fragile and frequently broke (Etz Yosef). Rabbi Shmuel bar Rav Naḥman: Vessels that destroy those who use them while they [those using the vessels] persist in their corruption. Who caused Belshatzar’s foundations to be undermined, was it not because he used the Temple vessels? That is what is written: “Belshatzar said, as he tasted the wine, to bring the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had removed…” (Daniel 5:2). What is written? “During that night, Belshatzar the Chaldean king was killed” (Daniel 5:30).
וְיֵין מַלְכוּת רָב, לְהַלָּן כְּתִיב (דניאל ה, א): וְלָקֳבֵל אַלְפָּא חַמְרָא שָׁתֵה. בְּרַם הָכָא כְּתִיב: וְיֵין מַלְכוּת רָב כְּיַד הַמֶּלֶךְ, כְּכוֹסוֹת בְּיַד הַמֶּלֶךְ.
“And abundant royal wine.” Later it is written: “[King Belshazzar made a great banquet for his thousand nobles,] and before the thousand he drank wine” (Daniel 5:1); however, here it is written: “And abundant royal wine, in keeping with the king’s bounty [keyad hamelekh],” – like the number of goblets in the hand of the king [beyad hamelekh].14Aḥashverosh, in contrast to Belshatzar, allowed his nobles to drink as much as he did.
וְהַשְּׁתִיָּה כַדָּת אֵין אֹנֵס (אסתר א, ח), כְּדָת כָּל מָקוֹם, אִית אֲתַר דְּבָעֵי מֵיגַס וּבָתַר כֵּן שָׁתֵי, וְאִית אֲתַר דְּשָׁתֵי וּבָתַר כֵּן מֵיגַס. כְּדַת כָּל אֻמָּה וְאֻמָּה, כְּאִילֵין כּוּתָאֵי דְּלָא שָׁאתָן חַמְרָא דְזִיקִין, אַיְיתֵי לְהוֹן חַמְרָא דְּקוּלְיָה. אֵין אֹנֵס, בְּאַנְפְּקָא. רַב אָמַר אֵין אוֹנֵס בְּיַיִן נֶסֶךְ. אָמַר רַבִּי בִּנְיָמִין בַּר לֵוִי אֵין אוֹנֵס בְּפִקְתָּא, לְפוּם דְּתַמָּן שָׁאתָן בְּגַסָּא לְפִיכָךְ אֵין אוֹנֵס בְּפַקְתָּא. כִּי כֵן יִסַּד הַמֶּלֶךְ, אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן בּוֹא וּרְאֵה שַׁלְוָתוֹ שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע מַה הִיא, שֶׁהָיָה בֵּיתוֹ מְיֻסָּד בַּאֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת וּמַרְגָּלִיּוֹת. עַל כָּל רַב בֵּיתוֹ, לַעֲשׂוֹת לִגְדוֹלֵי מַלְכוּת שֶׁיְהֵא כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד רַשַּׁאי לִצְחֹק עִם בָּנָיו וְעִם בְּנֵי בֵיתוֹ.
“The drinking was as customary, without coercion, for so did the king establish with all the stewards of his house, to do as every man desired.” (Esther 1:8).
“The drinking was as customary, without coercion” – in accordance with the custom of each place. There is a place where people wish to eat and then to drink, and there is a place where one drinks and then eats. According to the custom of every nation; like those Kutites, who do not drink wine from wineskins, they brought them wine in earthenware vessels. “Without coercion” – undiluted wine; Rav said: “Without coercion” – [no one was coerced] to drink wine of libation. Rabbi Binyamin Bar Levi said: There was no coercion [to drink] with a large goblet, because there [in Persia] they would drink excessively; therefore, there was no coercion to drink from a large goblet.15It was customary for Persians to drink from an unusually large cup.
“For so did the king establish [yissad]” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Come and see the comfort of that wicked one, as his house was ornamented [meyusad] with jewels and pearls. “With all the stewards of his house” – to arrange for the prominent subjects of the kingdom, so each and every one of them would be able to enjoy himself with his children and the members of his household.
לַעֲשׂוֹת כִּרְצוֹן אִישׁ וָאִישׁ, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֲנִי אֵינִי יוֹצֵא מִידֵי בְּרִיּוֹתַי, וְאַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ לַעֲשׂוֹת כִּרְצוֹן אִישׁ וָאִישׁ, בְּנֹהַג, שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם שְׁנֵי בְּנֵי אָדָם מְבַקְּשִׁים לִשָֹּׂא אִשָּׁה אַחַת, יְכוֹלָה הִיא לְהִנָּשֵׂא לִשְׁנֵיהֶם, אֶלָּא אוֹ לָזֶה אוֹ לָזֶה. וְכֵן שְׁתֵּי סְפִינוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹלוֹת בְּלִימָן, אַחַת מְבַקֶּשֶׁת רוּחַ צְפוֹנִית, וְאַחַת מְבַקֶּשֶׁת רוּחַ דְּרוֹמִית, יְכוֹלָה הִיא הָרוּחַ אַחַת לְהַנְהִיג אֶת שְׁתֵּיהֶן כְּאַחַת, אֶלָּא אוֹ לָזוֹ אוֹ לָזוֹ. לְמָחָר שְׁנֵי בְּנֵי אָדָם בָּאִים לְפָנֶיךָ בַּדִּין, אִישׁ יְהוּדִי וְאִישׁ צַר וְאוֹיֵב, יָכוֹל אַתָּה לָצֵאת יְדֵי שְׁנֵיהֶם, אֶלָּא שֶׁאַתָּה מְרוֹמֵם לָזֶה וְצוֹלֵב לָזֶה. רַב הוּנָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי בִּנְיָמִין בַּר לֵוִי אָמַר, לְפִי שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה בִּזְּמַן שֶׁרוּחַ צְפוֹנִית מְנַשֶּׁבֶת אֵין רוּחַ דְּרוֹמִית מְנַשֶּׁבֶת, וּבִזְּמַן שֶׁרוּחַ דְּרוֹמִית מְנַשֶּׁבֶת אֵין רוּחַ צְפוֹנִית מְנַשֶּׁבֶת, אֲבָל לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא בְּקִבּוּץ גָּלֻיּוֹת, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֲנִי מֵבִיא רוּחַ אַרְגַּסְטִיס לָעוֹלָם, שֶׁשְּׁתֵי רוּחוֹת מְשַׁמְשׁוֹת בּוֹ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ישעיה מג, ו): אֹמַר לַצָּפוֹן תֵּנִי וּלְתֵימָן אַל תִּכְלָאִי הָבִיאִי בָנַי מֵרָחוֹק וּבְנוֹתַי מִקְצֵה הָאָרֶץ, מִי הוּא זֶה שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה רְצוֹן יְרֵאָיו, זֶה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (תהלים קמה, יט): רְצוֹן יְרֵאָיו יַעֲשֶׂה וְאֶת שַׁוְעָתָם יִשְׁמַע וְיוֹשִׁיעֵם.
“To do as every man desired.” The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I do not fulfill the wishes of all My creatures, and you seek “to do as every man desired?”’ The way of the world is that if two men seek to marry one woman, can she marry them both? Rather, it is either to one, or to the other. Likewise, if two ships were waiting in harbor, one seeking a north wind and one seeking a south wind, can one wind propel both of them together? Rather, it is either for one or for the other. Tomorrow, two people will come before you for judgment, a Jewish man, and an adversary and enemy, can you satisfy both of them? Rather, you elevate one and hang the other.
Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Binyamin bar Levi: Because in this world, when the northern wind blows, the southern wind does not blow, and when the southern wind blows, the northern wind does not blow. However, in the future, with the ingathering of the exiles, the Holy One blessed be He will say: ‘I am bringing an unusual wind to the world, in which two winds serve simultaneously.’ That is as it is written: “I will say to the north: Give, and to the south: Do not withhold; bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 43:6). Who is it who does the will of those who fear Him? It is the Holy One blessed be He about whom it is written: “He performs the will of those who fear him, and He hears their cry and delivers them” (Psalms 145:19).