Komentaryo sa Ester 1:8: Tze'enah Ure'enah & Rashi

“The drinking was according to the law” [1:8]. The drink was what was proper from the Torah, more food than drink. Each person was given wine according to his age. He was given wine as old as he was. Each person was also given wine from the country of his birth and that he was accustomed to drink.¹¹B. Megillah, 12a.

“No compulsion” [1:8]. Rabbi Levi says that the custom in the land of Persia was that when someone made a banquet, one was given a vessel containing forty measures. Each one must finish drinking it, even if he died. The vessel was called suskah and the ministers gave large bribes that they should not be given that vessel. However, at the banquet of Ahasuerus that vessel was not brought out. That is why it is written, “no compulsion.” No person was compelled. ¹²Yalkut Shimoni, Esther, Remez, 1048. Another explanation is that Ahasuerus commanded that no Jew be given wine offered as a libation,¹³Esther Rabbah, 2.13. since if he will be compelled then the Jew will have no alternative. Therefore, let him drink wine offered as a libation willingly and he will commit a sin and he will be punished for it. Another explanation is, since there were many vessels on the table, so nobody needed to be compelled to drink. That is to say, to continue drinking so that the other person will also drink.

“According to each person’s wishes” [1:8]. Ahasuerus wanted to fulfill the desires of Mordecai and Haman.¹⁴B. Megillah, 12a. The Holy One said, you evildoer, one of them must be hanged and the other will become mighty and important. You will not be able to do the will of each one. However, the Holy One does His will for each person, his creature.¹⁵Yalkut Shimoni, Esther, Remez, 1048.

Proper. Because there are feasts in which they coerce those seated to drink [the contents] of a large vessel, and some can only drink it with difficulty, but here it was “with no coercion.”²⁰Alternatively, no one was coerced into finishing his drink quickly in order to make his cup available to someone else because there were enough cups for all [השתיה כדת].

Basically instructed. An expression referring to a foundation [יְסוֹד], meaning, so he instituted and commanded.

All his palace officials. All stewards of the feast: the chief baker, the chief butcher and the chief butler.

To satisfy each individual’s desire. For each one his desire.²¹Each person was served wine from his native land. (See Maseches Megillah 12a)