Post date: Mar 14, 2016 3:16:51 AM
“Hamoleich meiHodu v’ad Kush sheva v’esrim u’mei’ah midinah”
Who ruled from Hodu to Kush one hundred and twenty seven countries
(1:1)
There are two opinions in the Gemara with regard to how to understand this description of Achashveirosh’s empire. One opinion is that Hodu and Kush were distant countries, while the other opinion is that they were neighboring countries. If they were distant countries, then the Pasuk is impressing upon us the vastness of his empire. And if they were neighboring countries, then the Pasuk is explaining to us that just as a king has total control over countries that are in his immediate vicinity, similarly Achashveirosh had total control over all of the countries in his empire regardless of their geographic proximity. Really these two opinions are but two sides of the same coin since the perception of the proximity of Hodu to Kush is relative to whether you go the short way around the world to get from one to the other, or the long way around the world (ending up at the same country after a much longer journey). Practically speaking, the argument is actually about whether the Pasuk is focusing on the vastness of his empire, or the stronghold that he had on his empire.
Typically, kings rule quite strongly when they have but a small geographic area under their command. Whereas those with a more expansive empire often have a more difficult time keeping control because of the vastness. Achashveirosh was the exception to the norm, as he not only had a vast empire, but he maintained a stronghold over all of it. This knowledge makes the miracle of Purim that much more incredible, because had Achashveirosh desired to uphold his decree to wipe out the Jews, it would have been reasonable for him to attempt to do so. His command would have been heeded in all regions, near and far.
Unlike many commentaries, the Vilna Gaon opines that the 127 countries under Achashveirosh’s rule didn’t actually include the entire known world. However, all of the Jews in the world lived within the 127 countries that made up his empire. Therefore, the decree sent to all 127 countries to kill the Jews was, practically speaking, a decree to annihilate all of Klal Yisroel.
[A Glimpse of Light, p. 59]