Ahavuerus Holds Feast

The Scroll of Esther begins with the lavish banquet held by King Ahasuerus. The Talmud (Megillah 11:B) teaches that Ahasuerus made this banquet to celebrate the fact that seventy years had elapsed, and Israel's exile had still not ended. Furthermore, Cyrus had instructed that the Holy Temple could be rebuilt, but three years had elapsed without any progress in the work, and it seemed that there was no chance it would be resumed. Thus his real reason for celebration was his glee that the Holy Temple - so he thought - would not be rebuilt, and G-d's Divine Presence would not return to the world.

At this feast, in the ultimate mockery of the Jewish people and the G-d of Israel, Ahasuerus donned the priestly garments and served the feast from the sacred vessels that had been plundered from the first Holy Temple.

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