Megillah, Daf Yod Bet, Part 3
אין אנס, אמר רבי אלעזר: מלמד שכל אחד ואחד השקהו מיין מדינתו.
None did compel. R. Elazar said: This teaches that each one was given to drink from the wine of his own country.
A person is used to wine from one’s own country, and will not have to be compelled to drink it.
לעשות כרצון איש ואיש, אמר רבא: לעשות כרצון מרדכי והמן, מרדכי – דכתיב איש יהודי, המן – איש צר ואויב.
That they should do according to every man’s [ish, ish] pleasure.
Rava said: This means that they should do according to the will of Mordecai and Haman. Mordecai [is called ish] as it is written, "A Jewish man;" and Haman, [as it is written], "A man (ish), an adversary and an enemy."
Mordecai and Haman reigned over this banquet. Each was the "ish" whose will the others had to follow.
גם ושתי המלכה עשתה משתה נשים בית המלכות, בית הנשים מיבעי ליה! אמר רבא: שניהן לדבר עבירה נתכוונו. היינו דאמר אינשי: איהו בקרי ואתתיה בבוציני.
Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house. It should have said, "the women’s house"?
Rava said: Both of them [Ahashverosh and Vashti] intended to transgress. This is what people say, He with large pumpkins and his wife with small pumpkins.
According to Rava, Vashti was a willing and active participant in Ahashverosh’s lascivious plan. He wanted her to dance naked in front of the other men, and she did as well.
ביום השביעי כטוב לב המלך ביין, אטו עד השתא לא טב לביה בחמרא? אמר רבא: יום השביעי שבת היה, שישראל אוכלין ושותין, מתחילין בדברי תורה ובדברי תשבחות. אבל אומות העולם שאוכלין ושותין – אין מתחילין אלא בדברי תיפלות. וכן בסעודתו של אותו רשע, הללו אומרים: מדיות נאות, והללו אומרים: פרסיות נאות. אמר להם אחשורוש: כלי שאני משתמש בו אינו לא מדיי ולא פרסי אלא כשדיי, רצונכם לראותה? – אמרו לו: אין, ובלבד שתהא ערומה. שבמדה שאדם מודד בה מודדין לו. מלמד שהיתה ושתי הרשעה מביאה בנות ישראל ומפשיטן ערומות ועושה בהן מלאכה בשבת. היינו דכתיב אחר הדברים האלה כשך חמת המלך אחשורוש זכר את ושתי ואת אשר עשתה ואת אשר נגזר עליה, כשם שעשתה – כך נגזר עליה.
On the seventh day, where the king’s heart was merry with wine. Was then his heart not merry with wine until then? Rava said: The seventh day was Shabbat, when Israel eats and drinks. They begin with words of Torah and with words of thanksgiving [to God]. But the nations of the world when they eat and drink only begin with words of frivolity. And so at the feast of that wicked one. These said, The Median women are the most beautiful, and others said, The Persian women are the most beautiful. Ahashverosh said to them, The vessel that I use is neither Median nor Persian, but Chaldean. Would you like to see her? They said, Yes, but she must be naked.
For man receives measure for measure [rewards and punishments]. This teaches that the wicked Vashti used to take the daughters of Israel and strip them naked and make them work on Shabbat. So it is written, "After these things when the wrath of the king Ahashverosh abated, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what was decided against her." As she had done so it was decreed against her.
This extended section relates that the "seventh day" of the feast was also the seventh day of the week. Jews study Torah and thank God. In contrast, the nations of the world get drunk and deal in frivolous matters. Ahashverosh wishing to show off his wife Vashti, calls her to come forth naked. This is a measure for measure punishment for how she used to treat the daughters of Israel, whom she used to force to dance naked in front of her.