Post date: Feb 15, 2021 4:7:48 AM
“Asa mishteh l’chol sarav va’avadav cheil Paras u’Madai hapartemim v’sarei hamidinos lifanav”
He made a banquet for all his officials and servants and the army and Paras and Madai, the governors and officials before him
(1:3)
The Pasuk lists the various groups that Achashveirosh hosted at his party. But the order in which the groups are listed is peculiar. First lowly officials and servants are mentioned, followed immediately by the armies under his control. And only after that are the head officials of the provinces that he conquered mentioned. In most situations, important people are listed before less important people. In this case, the order appears to have been given the “v’nahafoch hu treatment” and been flipped.
The Malbim explains to us that Achashveirosh’s intention was to show the officials and governors from the other provinces how insignificant he perceived them to be. He wanted to demonstrate that he thought so little of them, that he believed that his ruling over all of them was not dependent on their agreement or their appointment of him as king. His goal was to demonstrate that he felt that they were mere remnants from an older time, and no more significant than exactly that.
[The Malbim Esther, p. 6]
Posted 2/15/21