Esther 1:10-15

1:10

בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי כְּטוֹב לֵב־הַמֶּלֶךְ בַּיָּיִן אָמַר לִמְהוּמָן בִּזְּתָא חַרְבוֹנָא בִּגְתָא וַאֲבַגְתָא זֵתַר וְכַרְכַּס שִׁבְעַת הַסָּרִיסִים הַמְשָׁרְתִים אֶת־פְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֽוֹשׁ׃

On the seventh day, when the king was exhilarated by drink, he instructed Mehuman, Bizesa, Charvona, Bigsa, Avagsa, Zeisar, and Charkas, the seven servants who attended King Achashverosh’s person—

Rashi

ביום השביעי. רבותינו אמרו שבת היה:

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

1:11

לְהָבִיא אֶת־וַשְׁתִּי הַמַּלְכָּה לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּכֶתֶר מַלְכוּת לְהַרְאוֹת הָֽעַמִּים וְהַשָּׂרִים אֶת־יׇפְיָהּ כִּֽי־טוֹבַת מַרְאֶה הִֽיא׃

to present Queen Vashti before the king [clad] in the royal crown, to flaunt her beauty before the nations and the ministers, for she was of beautiful appearance.

1:12

וַתְּמָאֵן הַמַּלְכָּה וַשְׁתִּי לָבוֹא בִּדְבַר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר בְּיַד הַסָּרִיסִים וַיִּקְצֹף הַמֶּלֶךְ מְאֹד וַחֲמָתוֹ בָּעֲרָה בֽוֹ׃

Queen Vashti refused to attend as ordered by the king through the servants—and the king was extremely angered, his fury consumed him.

Rashi

ותמאן המלכה ושתי. רבותינו אמרו לפי שפרחה בה צרעת כדי שתמאן ותהרג לפי שהיתה מפשטת בנות ישראל ערומות ועושה בהן מלאכה בשבת נגזר עליה שתפשט ערומה בשבת:

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)

ויקצף. ששלחה לו דברי גנאי:

Angered. Because she sent him words of insult.²⁶ And that is why the king was extremely angered. (Maseches Megillah 11b)

1:13

וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ לַחֲכָמִים יֹדְעֵי הָֽעִתִּים כִּי־כֵן דְּבַר הַמֶּלֶךְ לִפְנֵי כׇּל־יֹדְעֵי דָּת וָדִֽין׃

The king consulted the sages who were well versed in the affairs of the times, for the king would thus place matters before all who were versed in procedural and legal concerns.

Rashi

כי כן דבר המלך. כי כן מנהג המלך בכל משפט לשום את הדבר לפני כל יודעי דת ודין:

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)

1:14

וְהַקָּרֹב אֵלָיו כַּרְשְׁנָא שֵׁתָר אַדְמָתָא תַרְשִׁישׁ מֶרֶס מַרְסְנָא מְמוּכָן שִׁבְעַת שָׂרֵי ׀ פָּרַס וּמָדַי רֹאֵי פְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ הַיֹּשְׁבִים רִאשֹׁנָה בַּמַּלְכֽוּת׃

Most intimately associated with him, were Karshena, Sheisar, Admasa, Sarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memuchan, the seven ministers of Persia and Media who were in personal contact with the king, and who occupied the highest seats of power in the kingdom.

Rashi

והקרב אליו. לערוך דבריו לפניהם [ אלו הם כרשנא שתר וגו':

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

1:15

כְּדָת מַֽה־לַּעֲשׂוֹת בַּמַּלְכָּה וַשְׁתִּי עַל ׀ אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־עָשְׂתָה אֶֽת־מַאֲמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ בְּיַד הַסָּרִיסִֽים׃ {פ}

Concerning the proper procedure to follow with Queen Vashti, since she did not do as directed by King Achashverosh through the servants.

Rashi

כדת מה לעשות. מוסב על ויאמר המלך לחכמים:

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

Esther 1:10-15 אסתר א׳:י׳-ט״ו

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