Midrasch zu Esther 1:4

The fool vents all his spirit, and the wise will soothe it, restraining it” (Proverbs 29:11). “The fool vents all his spirit” – this is Aḥashverosh; “and the wise will soothe it, keeping it back” – this is the Holy One, blessed be He, who soothes Aḥashverosh. That is what you said: “Who stills the raging seas, the raging waves, and the tumult of the peoples” (Psalms 65:8).
“With his display of the wealth of his glorious kingdom, and the honor of his splendid majesty for many days, one hundred and eighty days” (Esther 1:4).
“Of the wealth of his glorious kingdom” – the school of Rabbi Yannai and Ḥizkiyya both said that he [Aḥashverosh] would open [his treasury] and display six treasures each day.¹The verse lists six words that relate to Aḥashverosh’s wealth: Osher, kevod, malkhuto, yekar, tiferet, gedulato. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: He showed them various types of expenditures. Rabbi Yuda son of Rabbi Simon said: He showed them the feast of the Land of Israel. Rabbi Levi said: He showed them the vestments of the High Priest. Here it is stated: “His splendid [tiferet] majesty” and there it is stated: “You shall make holy vestments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for splendor [tiferet]” (Exodus 28:2). Just as tiferet stated there refers to the vestments of the High Priest, so does tiferet stated here refer to the vestments of the High Priest.
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Ḥelbo: The raven flaunts both what is its own and what is not its own. From where did that wicked one become wealthy? Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Nebuchadnezzar, may he be crushed and obliterated, gathered all the riches of the world, and he was possessive of his riches. When he was dying, he said: Shall I leave all these riches to Evil [Merodakh, his son]? He immediately decreed that great bronze ships be built; he filled them with riches, dug and buried them adjacent to the Euphrates, and diverted the Euphrates over them. On the day that Cyrus arose and decreed that the Temple will be built, the Holy One blessed be He exposed them; that is what is written: “So said the Lord to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I held to subdue nations before him…and gates will not be shut” (Isaiah 45:1), and it is written thereafter: “I will give you treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places…” (Isaiah 45:3).

“Many days” – days of suffering, and similarly: “It was during those many days…the children of Israel sighed due to the work, and they cried out, and their plea rose to God from the work” (Exodus 2:23). Were they, in fact, many days? Rather, because they were days of suffering, Scripture related to them as though they were many days.
Similarly: “Many days passed, and the word of the Lord was with Elijah in the third year...”²The third year of a drought decreed by Elijah. (I Kings 18:1). Were they, in fact, many days? Rather, because they were days of suffering, Scripture calls them many days. How many were they? Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Ḥelbo in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: One month in the first year, one month in the last year, and twelve months in the middle, for a total of fourteen months.
And similarly: “[And a woman, if her bloody discharge shall flow] many days” (Leviticus 15:25). Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: Days – two, many – three. Are they, in fact, many? Rather, because they are days of suffering, Scripture calls them many days.

“One hundred and eighty days” – the last day was like the first day. There was an incident involving a certain man whose name was Barbohin. Our Sages went to him regarding matters of fundraising for the Sages. They heard his son saying to him: ‘What are we eating today?’ He said to him: ‘Endives.’ ‘From those sold at one per maneh³A small silver coin. or from those sold at two per maneh?’ He said to him: ‘From those sold at two per maneh, as those are withered and inexpensive.’ They said: ‘What are we doing going to this [person]? Let us go and do our business in the city and afterward we will come to him.’ They went and did their business and came to him. They said: ‘Give us a donation for charity.’ He said to them: ‘Go to the one who is in the house and she will give you a modius⁴A Roman measure of volume, around nine liters. of dinars.’ They went to the wife and said to her: ‘Your husband said that you should give us a modius of dinars.’ She said to them: ‘What did he say to you, heaping or level?’ They said to her: ‘He did not specify.’ She said: ‘I will give you heaping, and if my husband asks why, I will say that I gave it from the account of my marriage settlement.’
They came to him and said to him: ‘May your Creator fill all you lack.’ He said to them: ‘What did she give you, level or heaping?’ They said to him: ‘We said to her that you did not specify, and she said: I will give you heaping, and if my husband says why, [tell him] I gave the extra from my marriage settlement.’ He said to them: ‘Indeed, that is what I intended to give to you. Why didn’t you come to me before?’
They said to him: ‘We heard your servant, who said to you: What are we eating today? You said to him: Endives. He said to you: From those sold at one per maneh or from those sold at two per maneh? You said to him: From those sold at two per maneh, as those are withered and inexpensive. We said: A person who has all this money, would he eat endives sold at two per maneh?’ He said: ‘For myself, I am permitted [to be frugal]; however, regarding the commandments of my Creator I am unable and I am not permitted.’
Bar Lofyani was marrying his daughter [and the procession was] from Tzippori to Akko. He established stands dispensing wine from Tzippori to Akko and with golden lamps on either side. They said: They did not move from there until he fed them lentils from the threshing floor and gave them wine from the winepress to drink. Rabbi Avun said: And only in charred pots.⁵They had already finished all the other food and wine, and all he had left to use were charred pots to serve the last of the food. However, here [at Aḥashverosh’s banquet], the last day was like the first day.