The Calculation of Redemption and the Behavior of King Ahasuerus
The Book of Esther begins by stating that Ahasreusโs large feast was when โKing Ahasuerus sat on the throneโ in other words, in the third year of his reign.
The Gemara the questions why it states โsatโ, when it means after some more time?
The answer is: โafter his mind was settledโ. In other words, Ahasreus waited for the moment when his rule was certain.
Ahasreus tried to calculate when Israelโs redemption would come, based on Jeremiahโs prophecy, which said that the Diaspora would continue 70 years.
After his calculation, he concluded that there was no longer any chance for redemption and that the Nation of Israel would not return to its land.
Out of a sense of victory, he took out the Temple vessels and used them in the feast, and even wore the clothes of the High Priest - an act of contempt of the Holy of Holies.
Why did the nation remain in exile?
All of these events occurred after the Edict of Cyrus, an edict that was the realization of the dream, the fulfillment of the prophecy that allowed the Israelites to return to the country and build the Second Temple.
Despite this, the majority of the nation - including spiritual leaders - chose to remain in Babylon, because the diaspora was comfortable and pleasant for them.
Those who did emigrate to Israel were primarily people on the fringes of society, and not the spiritual elite of the nation.
The nation did not intelligently take the opportunity granted to it, and remained part of the foreign culture - to the point where the Jews participated in Ahasuerusโs feast.
Esther in the Kingโs Palace - What could she ask for?
When Esther approached the Kingโs inner court without an invitation, it is in the format of the Holy of Holies, which may have cost her her life, Ahasreus is willing to give her everything she wants - โup to half the kingdomโ.
Our sages explain that the intent was "Only half the kingdom, but not the whole kingdom, and not something that would divide the kingdom?โ
In other words, Esther could ask for anything other than the building of the Temple, since Ahasreus was not willing to allow that.
Mordechai and Awareness of the Temple
When Haman sought to hang Mordechai, he searched for him and found him teaching Torah - and not just Torah, but laws related to the Temple.
Mordechai taught the sages of the generation about the flour offering, the process of the flour offering in the Temple.
Rashi explains that necessarily on that day - 16 of Nissan - : There was a day when they would sacrifice the Omer, a sacrifice related to the blessing of the grain of the Nation of Israel.
To Haman's question about this, Mordechai explained that during the time the Temple was in existence, whoever donated a handful of semolina to the offering, atones for his actions.
Haman replied: "Your handful of fine flour has come and cast aside my ten thousand pieces of silver.โ - in other words, That is, even a small act of holiness can overcome material wealth and power.
The Message to this Day - Building of the Third Temple
In the internal history ofโ The Eternal Nation is Victoriousโ, the building of the Temple will be fully realized due to King Daryaveish II, son of Esther and Ahashverus.
All of these events show how the Nation of Israel should focus on the building of the Temple.
Even now, we are coping with tremendous challenges but it is in hard times that give rise to tremendous opportunities.
Just as in the Persian and Mahdi era, we must open our eyes, strengthen our faith and work together to build the Third Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem in peace - for the redemption of the Nation of Israel and for the sake of all humanity.
(Excerpt from Dvar Torah Rabbanit Edith Bartov)
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