Post date: Feb 13, 2012 2:26:33 AM
להביא את ושתי
“L’havi es Vashti”
(1:11)
Achashveirosh commanded that Vashti be brought to him publicly in a most immodest manner. Vashti, being equally immodest, readily agreed to his command. The Gemara (Megilah 12b) tells us that Hashem punished her either with the malady of Tzara’as or by having her grow a tail.
Rambam tells us that her tail grew from her forehead for all to see.
An alternative interpretation tells us that her punishment of growing a tail isn’t to be taken literally. Rather, we are to understand that her punishment really was that she suddenly became a Nidah—a situation that normally could be dealt with discreetly, but not in this case while presenting herself at Achashveirosh’s request. This interpretation is seen when you compare the Gematriah of Zanav (Zayin, Nun, Beis) to that of Nidah (Nun, Daled, Heih).
[Zvi Fleisher @ shemayisrael.com]