Ester 1:3 - Vassals and Vessels

[NOTE: Sometimes an elipsis (this thing: "...") in the middle of the text will indicate where I have abbreviated for the sake of relevant and new information. Sometimes the Targum is especially descriptive, which, while fascinating, I do not find relevant for our current exploration.]

Ester 1:3: "In the 3rd year of his reign, [Achashverosh] made a feast for all his officers and servants, the army of Persia and Media, the governors and the officers of state before him."

Targum: "In the 3rd year of Achashverosh's reign he made a feast. Why did he make a feast? Some say some provinces rebelled against him and he went and conquered them and after he conquered them he went and made a feast."

[This is in line with what we read in the Targum of v. 1 (see previous post). There we saw that on account of halting the construction of the Beth haMikdash, HaShem (G-d) divided Achasverosh's kingdom, but restored it to 127 province in the merit of Ester whom he was destined to marry. Ironically, although Achashverosh was at this point still married to Vashti, it was at this very feast that the need for a new queen, the opportunity for Ester to appear on the scene, becomes a reality, as we shall read in the coming verses of the megilah.]

"There is also an opinion that it was his birthday."

[Reason enough for a spectacular supremely ridiculously amazing party, no?]

"He sent letters to all the provinces to come and rejoice before him. He sent invitations to all the prominent men of state to come and rejoice with him, and 127 kings came before him from the 127 provinces, all of them adorned with their crowns on their heads... Some of the prominent men of Israel attended. When [the Jews] saw there the vessels of the Beth haMikdash, they cried and mourned."

[Later (v. 7), along with the description of the magnificence of Achashverosh's feast, the megliah describes the vessels (ie. dishes and stuff) that were used at the party. Jewish tradition tells us that these vessels were none other than those previously used by the Jews exclusively for sacred purposes in the Beth haMikdash. However, having been sacked by the Babylonians, and subsequently by the Persians upon conquering Babylonia, they were now nothing other than the property of the king, to use as he saw fit, even for so mundane a purpose as a drinking party. When the Jews, therefore, saw their most precious national treasures so disgraced, they were brought to tears and heartache.]