Musar zu Esther 1:2

Another major difficulty is presented by a statement both in Bamidbar Rabbah 12,3 and Esther Rabbah on the verse in Esther 1/2: כשבת המלך אחשורוש על כסא מלכותו. In both instances the Midrash describes the steps to Solomon's throne as symbolizing alternative commandments from our פרשה i.e. the respective prohibitions of marrying too many women, amassing too many horses and amassing too much silver and gold; also the three commandments already listed from 16,19. According to the description given in Esther Rabbah the lowest step would represent a reminder not to marry too many wives, the next step not to amass too many horses; the third step not to amass too much gold and silver. Step number four would remind the king not to plant an אשרה; step number five would remind him not to erect a private altar, מצבה; step number six would remind him not to offer a blemished animal as a sacrifice. The description in Esther Rabbah also lists three other symbolisms of six each, such as six of the (7) heavens, the six sections of the oral Torah, i.e. the Mishnah, as well as six different terms used by the Bible to describe the earth.