בַּיָּמִ֖ים הָהֵ֑ם כְּשֶׁ֣בֶת ׀ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵר֗וֹשׁ עַ֚ל כִּסֵּ֣א מַלְכוּת֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּשׁוּשַׁ֥ן הַבִּירָֽה׃
당시에 아하수에로 왕이 수산 궁에서 즉위하고
Tze'enah Ure'enah
“In those days, when Ahasuerus ruled” [1:2]. The verse teaches us that the Holy One did a favor and caused Ahasuerus to live in the city of Shushan where Esther and Mordecai lived. Previously, all the kings lived in Babylon, but now Ahasuerus and all of his ministers lived in the city of Shushan, awaiting that Mordecai and Esther should be near the king to protect [Israel] in their time of trouble.
Rashi
When King Achashveirosh had established himself, etc. When the kingdom was firmly established under his control.9I.e., כשבת should not be interpreted literally as meaning “when he sat [on his throne].” Alternatively, Targum renders the literal translation and relates that Achashveirosh had in his possession the throne of King Shlomo. However, he was injured when he tried to sit on it.He had his craftsmen build for him a replica which had just been completed and that is the meaning of “he sat on his throne.” Our Rabbis, however, explained it differently in Maseches Megillah.1011b, which interpret it as “when Achashveirosh gained his composure.” Until now Achashveirosh was afraid that the Jewish exile would finish at the end of seventy years as predicted by Yirmiyahu [29:10]. However, Achashveirosh [mistakenly] calculated that the seventy years had already elapsed and concluded that the Jews would never be redeemed but will remain under his dominion. He celebrated at his feast by using the vessels confiscated from the Bais Hamikdosh.
Malbim
QUESTIONS:
THE phrase “in those days” is superfluous. The previous verse already stated that it came to pass in the days of Achashverosh.” Why is the phrase used here? ALSO, “King Achashverosh” is unnecessary, for he was mentioned in the previous verse. Would it not have been better to say, “When he sat on the throne of his reign”? ALSO, to state that most of the story happens while he sat on the throne of his reign, and that it happens in Shushan – there is no need to repeat [these two ideas, so why do we have them repeated here?]
THE phrase “in those days” is superfluous. The previous verse already stated that it came to pass in the days of Achashverosh.” Why is the phrase used here? ALSO, “King Achashverosh” is unnecessary, for he was mentioned in the previous verse. Would it not have been better to say, “When he sat on the throne of his reign”? ALSO, to state that most of the story happens while he sat on the throne of his reign, and that it happens in Shushan – there is no need to repeat [these two ideas, so why do we have them repeated here?]