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Book of Esther: Chapter One, Part Three



“The Queen Vashti also made a party of women in the royal palace, which belonged to the king Achashveirosh.” Shushan was the summer palace of Cyrus the Great, Achashveirosh made it his permanent capital.

 

The first time it says “Gaam” (also) in the Torah, is when Hevel brought his offering; he only did it because he saw Cain doing it. Vashti is ALSO throwing a party for the women because she saw Achashveirosh doing it.

The party was during the 7-day party for Shushan, and from it saying “the royal palace that belonged to Achashveirosh” we see that Vashti is no longer in control. It is not a party FOR the women but a party ABOUT women (of womanly things).

Why is she making a women’s party? Because Achashveirosh had a 180-day conference to plan this elaborate party, and Vashti just throws one, undermining his and making it appear like just another party. Because Achashveirosh spent so much time and money, making this party that was supposed to form his whole bureaucracy, and Vashti just throws one as if on a whim. It is a slap in the face to Achashveirosh.

By doing this Vashti provoked the confrontation. Achashveirosh cannot just stop Vashti’s party or else he appears petty, so he needs to find a way to deal with this situation and send a message to everyone that you cannot act this way.

“On the 7th day when the heart of the king was merry with wine (when the kings heart was good), he said to Mehuman, the seven eunuchs, who serviced his face (his being surrounded by eunuchs shows Achashveirosh’s insecurity, that he only wanted castrated servants around him, because they have no drive thus, they pose no risk to him) to bring Vashti the queen before the king in the royal crown to show the people and the princes her beauty, for she was pleasant to look at (this undermines the queen and crown to the nation, thus completing his).”

She refused (to listen to the eunuchs)(the other place in Tanach it says “vayimaayn,” is when Joseph refused the wife of Potiphar) as “Queen Vashti,” and the king became “very angry, and his anger was burning away at him (he could not react as “the king” because he was trying to create the illusion of a democracy).

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