אסתר ב׳:י״א-כ׳

ומה יעשה בה. זה אחד משני צדיקים שניתן להם רמז ישועה דוד ומרדכי דוד שנאמר (שמואל א יז) גם את הארי גם הדוב הכה עבדך אמר לא בא לידי דבר זה אלא לסמוך עליו להלחם עם זה וכן מרדכי אמר לא אירע לצדקת זו שתלקח למשכב ערל אלא שעתידה לקום להושיע לישראל לפיכך היה מחזר לדעת מה יהא בסופה:

And what would be done with her. He [Mordechai] was one of two righteous men to whom a hint of salvation was given; Dovid and Mordechai. Dovid as it is stated, “Even the lion and the bear has your servant slain.”¹²I Shmuel 17:36. He [Dovid] said [to himself], “this incident did not happen to me only that I should rely on it and do battle with this one [Golyas].” And similarly, Mordechai [said to himself], “It did not happen to this righteous woman that she should be taken to a gentile’s bed only that she is destined to rise to save Yisroel.” He therefore repeatedly went around to find out what would be her fate.¹³Esther Rabbah 6:6. Accordingly ומה יעשה בה means “and what would be accomplished through her.”

תר. זמן:

Time. Time.

כל אשר תאמר. כל שחוק ומיני זמר:

Whatever she requested. Any entertainment and types of music.

אל בית הנשים שני. השני:

To the second harem residence. The second שֵׁנִי=הַשֵּׁנִי.¹⁴Those who were brought to the king were required to return to the second harem residence.

בחדש העשירי. עת צנה שהגוף נהנה מן הגוף זימן הק"בה אותו עת צינה כדי לחבבה עליו:

In the tenth month. The cold season, when one body enjoys [the warmth of] another body.¹⁵Maseches Megillah 13a. The Holy One Blessed Is He, designated that cold season in order to endear her to him.

מכל הנשים. הבעולות שאף נשים הבעולות קבץ:

More than all the women.¹⁶Ibid. The married ones; for he also gathered married women.

והנחה למדינות עשה. לכבודה הניח להם מן המס שעליהם:

He waived the colonial taxes. In her honor he released them from the tax that was [levied] upon them.¹⁷Ibid. ¹⁸Because he did not know Esther’s ancestry Achashveirosh tried to the draw the secret from her. He waived the taxes of all the provinces and she still did not tell him. However, once he was apprized of her ancestry he restored the tax; below 10:1. (Gra)

ויתן משאת. שלח דורנות להם והכל כדי לפתותה אולי תגיד מולדתה, ואף על פי כן:

And [he] lavished gifts. He sent them gifts, and everything was in order to entice her, perhaps she would reveal her nationality.¹⁹Maseches Megillah 13a. But nevertheless,

אין אסתר מגדת מולדתה. לפי שמרדכי יושב בשער המלך המזרזה והמרמזה על כך:

Esther would not reveal [the identity of] her heritage. Because Mordechai was sitting in the king’s gate; he encouraged her and hinted to her about it.