Post date: Mar 17, 2016 4:24:48 AM
"Vayomiru na'arei hamelech mishorisav yivakshu lamelech ni’aros bisulos tovos mar’eh”
Then the king’s young men said: Let there be sought for the King beautiful young maidens.
(2:2)
Who were these “Na’arei hamelech” that were now giving Achashveirosh guidance? These were none other than the boys who were tasked with cleaning the bedroom and bathroom of the king. These were not the members of his cabinet or his trusted advisors. These were the young boys who saw Achashveirosh moping around in seclusion after becoming aware of what he had done to his wife. These were simple minded people who offered the king a very simple minded, and completely inappropriate, suggestion.
The position of queen of the empire wasn’t a post to be taken lightly. And while aesthetics could legitimately be one of many considerations when looking to install a new queen, to make that the sole criteria is utterly ridiculous. (Can you imagine voting for president simply based on the guy having good looking hair!?!?) But this was the hand of Hashem directing things in order to get Esther into the palace. Reducing the requirements down to this singular subjective factor made it simpler for Esther to be chosen. There was no deliberation about her country of origin or her family lineage, because those were simply not important. (Yes, she was asked these questions, but they were not treated as critical measurements. The unsatisfying answers were simply cast aside for the time being. The fact that her lack of transparency regarding these questions shows that they were not truly important to Achashveirosh’s current process.)
Hashem created a situation in which Achashveirosh was so depressed that he was willing to listen to advice from almost anyone. And the advice given was exactly what needed to happen to move the situation one step closer to the redemption that Klal Yisroel so desperately needed.
[A Glimpse of Light, p. 119]