Feasts, beauty contests, insomnia. What comes to mind when you think of Achashverosh, the king in the Esther story? What type of a person was he: a fool, an evil tyrant, or something in between? Did he have any redeeming qualities?
Let’s take a journey through Midrash Esther Rabbah to dig a little deeper into the man who presides over this story. You’re invited to click the hyperlinks throughout this sheet to open up relevant texts on the side of your screen and deepen your learning!
וַיְהִ֖י בִּימֵ֣י אֲחַשְׁוֵר֑וֹשׁ ה֣וּא אֲחַשְׁוֵר֗וֹשׁ הַמֹּלֵךְ֙ מֵהֹ֣דּוּ וְעַד־כּ֔וּשׁ שֶׁ֛בַע וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּמֵאָ֖ה מְדִינָֽה׃
It happened in the days of [vayhi bimei] Achashverosh—that Achashverosh who reigned over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India to Nubia…
The rabbis of the midrash see a hint to the drama that is about to unfold within the very first words of the Megillah, “it happened in the days of” [vayhi bimei].
וְרַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן פָּתַר…כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיְהִי בִּימֵי, אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא צָרָה...
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman interpreted in the name of Rabbi Yonatan:...Everyplace that vayhi bimei is stated, it means nothing but trouble.
Nothing but trouble lies ahead for the Jews under the reign of Achashverosh. The midrash draws from five different instances of “vayhi bimei” to support its interpretation.
But don’t just take our word for it! You can click the links to see how the words “vayhi bimei” foreshadow events in other key Biblical moments. For example, when Lot was taken captive and required his uncle, Abraham, to rescue him, what word do you think introduced the narrative? Or how about the story of Ruth, which began with a famine - what words do you think opens the book of Ruth? Click the links to check it out for yourself!
The trouble came during the reign of Achashverosh, but was he himself all trouble, or did he have some redeeming qualities?
Was he Difficult...
וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ, שֶׁכָּל מִי שֶׁזּוֹכְרוֹ חוֹשֵׁשׁ אֶת רֹאשׁוֹ.
The Rabbis say: [He was called] Achashverosh, since anyone who remembers him, his head hurts [choshesh et rosho].
Was he Considerate, Shrewd, or Strategic?
אַרְבָּעָה דְבָרִים טוֹבִים הָיוּ בְּאוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ, עָשָׂה שָׁלשׁ שָׁנִים בְּלֹא כֶתֶר וּבְלֹא כִסֵּא, וְהִמְתִּין אַרְבַּע שָׁנִים עַד שֶׁמָּצָא אִשָּׁה הַהוֹגֶנֶת לוֹ, וְלֹא הָיָה עוֹשֶׂה דָּבָר עַד שֶׁנִּמְלָךְ. אָמַר רַבִּי פִּנְחָס וְכָל מִי שֶׁהָיָה עוֹשֶׂה בּוֹ טוֹבָה הָיָה כּוֹתְבָהּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (אסתר ו, ב): וַיִּמָּצֵא כָתוּב אֲשֶׁר הִגִּיד מָרְדֳּכַי וגו'.
There were four good attributes in that man: He went three years without a crown and without a throne; he waited four years until he found a wife appropriate for him; and he would not do anything without consulting. Rabbi Pinḥas said: And anyone who did him a favor, he would record it; that is what is written: “It was found written that Mordechai had told...” (Esther 6:2).
Click the following links to learn additional texts that paint a complex picture of this king: Was he insensitive or aloof? Foolish or insecure? Controlling or diligent? Complete failure or mixed track record? Oppressive or pitiful?
The first chapter closes with a description of King Achashverosh’s party and the various attendees, not all of whom were corrupt. The trouble continues, though, as one special guest was conspicuously absent: Queen Vashti.
Next, we will learn how the rabbis of the Esther Rabbah portray Vashti as they mine the Megillah, Tanakh, and their own imaginations to help us more deeply appreciate her background, relationships, and motives in refusing to attend the king’s party.
In the meantime, to get ready for our next stop on this charac-tour, read Chapter 1 of Esther on your own or with a study partner. You can also dive deeper into the texts and Sefaria user-generated sheets about King Achashverosh by visiting his topic page!