I just learned a very deep and interesting chasidishe vort for Purim that I'd like to share:

Why did Vashti not appear before King Achashverosh unclothed? (I can tell you it wasnt because she was a tzedekas!)

The Oir HaMeir says in the name of the Besht
that Vashti is klipah and Esther is Kedusha. The King, is obviously in reference to the True King.

Klipah against Kedusha is botel u'mivital.
The only thing that klipah has an advantage in is that it is clothed beautifully. The klipah appears to be attractive. But as soon as you remove the levushim- the klipah has nothing to hang onto and it vanishes into nothing- and thus, the klipah cannot come before the King.

It just goes to show that anything in this physical world that entices us that is not of kedusha will be nothing in the future, because klipah cannot stand before the King. Whereas kedusha is welcomed openly into the King's presence.

If everything in this world we take so seriously would fall into the category of being not-kedusha and we are to realize it will one day amount to nothing- and the holy things will remain forever- we would each take the time and effort to fill our lives with the deepest depths of kedusha we can each manage.

A gut shabbos!

Very interesting. Thank you for sharing.

The midrash (or is it the gemmora) says that the name "achashverosh", is made up of the words "achris" and "ve'rashis", meaning "the beginning and the end(is His)". The midrash learns from this that "achachverosh", besides talking about the perisan king is a referance/remez to Hashem.
This fits nicley with your drush.

I thought the reason Vashti did not want to appear before(the crowd) for the King ,was because she had a tail. I heard that there are really people who have an extra vertebrae or two, I wonder if that was the problem..Don't know.
Also, I heard that Vashti engaged in Voyeurism of Jewish Women and the King wanted to put her in her place.
I think there are many Good women who clothe beautifully but not so great underneath for a King. For instance, I always wear long sleeves because I have a scar on my forearm. That doesn't mean I'm a bad person. When you say underneath is nothing, that sounds like you are prejudiced against slender women. That's like saying ugly people are not holy or unholy people are ugly, which is just not true. Let's face it, Vashti appeared before the King before. Weren't they married to each other?

Beauty is Vain, Charm is decietful, but a woman who Fears the L-rd should be praised!

Pardon me, but I have always been a nurse.

Shabbot Shalom

Bracha, It will be useful to transalate the terms klipah and kedusha for people that are not familiar with those terms.

B"H

Raybin, first of all, you are right. The Gemara (Megillah) brings down an opinion that Queen Vashti had a tail, for which reason she did not want to appear before the King naked.
Second, she was punished by G-d since she would force Jewish daughters to go undressed, &c.

Joseph Raven, there is also an exegesis on the name Ahashverosh אחשורוש in the Gemara (Megillah), namely, that anyone who made mention of his name, he felt some apprehension about his own head חש בראשו , that is, fear of being decapitated.

Sincerely,
David

My megillah says that Vashti had leprosy and that is why she did not want to appear.

I actually just finished reading Megillat Esther, with all the commentaries, and I think it is the most incredible story, and one which we have only just touched the surface of.

I love the vort, Bracha, thanks for posting it.

A nice Drush Al Pi Chassidus. The Gemarah in Megilah asks this question about Vashti and is paraphrased by Kollel Iyun Hadaf.


(b) Question: "Vashti refused" - but she was licentious, as it was taught, both intended for sin - why didn't she come?! 1. Answer: (R. Yosi Bar Chanina): This teaches that she became leprous. 2. (Beraisa): Gavri'el came and made a tail on her.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bracha:
I just learned a very deep and interesting chasidishe vort for Purim that I'd like to share:

Why did Vashti not appear before King Achashverosh unclothed? (I can tell you it wasnt because she was a tzedekas!)

The Oir HaMeir says in the name of the Besht
that Vashti is klipah and Esther is Kedusha. The King, is obviously in reference to the True King. V'Chulu...


Bracha,

It is very nice for you to share this vort with us, but to be honest I have a problem with this vort. In theory it sounds good "Klipa vs. Kedusha", but when we think about it, do we really believe that that was Vashti's intention?

However, I admit that we might be able to clarify this vort as explaining why Hashem caused her to "grow a tail"/"turn green"/"develope boils" (these are the pashatim I've heard of). Being that Vashti's only strong point was her beauty, once taking away (I.E. the klipa) nothing was left.

Just a thought.

-Magedman

Well, Miriam had leprosy and she was a good person.
I suppose it clothes well, but I think the King had no contact with his wife whatsoever. I mean, I don't even think that he saw her for awhile.
So the King had a corrupt and sick wife, so he wanted to divorce her? Unless he didn't know she was sick. In that case if Vashti appeared and they saw that she was sick he would want to divorce her, and that was what Vashti was afraid of?
So he wanted to humiliate her by making her appear before the crowd, if he knew?
If he gave her the ultimatum, he must have known she would refuse. In a way, it was out of respect for him that she did. Afterall, she was the wife of his youth. And if she had appeared it would have been degrading to him,too.
The 64,000 dollar question is did the King know that Vashti had a serious medical condition when he asked her to appear?
I would suppose the answer is "Yes" since Kings have spys. But maybe Vashti didn't know that he knew. Probably if she appeared or not the King would have divorced her, but it would have been worse if she had appeared.

And if she was really that sick then she couldn't.

Raybin-

Vashti didnt appear before the King out lack of strength or anything as a result of illness- she simply didnt want to appear before the King and his company because when her beauty was put to a true test- it couldnt hold up. Her vanity in the long run resulted to nothingness. False beauty can fade within a moment. She HAD been a physically beautiful woman up until the the moment of truth- when the King summoned her.
King Achashverosh had sent her several messages that she should appear before him wearing only the royal crown- but she refused his orders out of believing it was below her status as a Queen. When she was finally ready accept however, after several messages- it was then that she developed outward physical markings that were no longer considered beautiful, and for the final time she refused to appear before the King- thus sealing her fate.

magedman-
you said:

"Bracha,

It is very nice for you to share this vort with us, but to be honest I have a problem with this vort. In theory it sounds good "Klipa vs. Kedusha", but when we think about it, do we really believe that that was Vashti's intention?

However, I admit that we might be able to clarify this vort as explaining why Hashem caused her to "grow a tail"/"turn green"/"develope boils" (these are the pashatim I've heard of). Being that Vashti's only strong point was her beauty, once taking away (I.E. the klipa) nothing was left.

Just a thought.

-Magedman"



Your clarification was nice and to the point- precisely what was being illustrated:

Gila asked that the words KLIPAH and KEDUSHA be clarified:

KEDUSHA is the translated as HOLINESS,
while KLIPAH means a PEEL, or a covering. A klipah is a layer that covers something over- like an orange has a peel. Klipah conceals the true identity of what is inside-

in our case- the Klipah of Vashti was physical beauty, but when devoid of this- there was nothing left, and no possible reason to appear before the King. Without this she had only her merits- which were not enough to save her from the inevitable- because she did not have anything but the name of a wicked King behind in her geneology.

Magedman- I may not understand your question- but I think it is obvious that it was not Vashti's intention that we should analyze her growing ugly very fast on any level- be it pshat, remez, drash, or sod. However, Hashem gives us every situation to examine and learn from- and ultimately to grow. So although it may not have been her INTENTION that our chochamim stroll through PARDES because of her- it definately was Hashem's!

We can learn from this vort many things. There are things in this world which have klipos that are externally attractive- let us take for one example-
television and the movie industry.

Hundreds of millions of dollars- probably even billions are spend every year on the entertainment industry in the way of television and film- because the masses are drawn towards its APPEAL. (appeal? its only A PEEL! get it? hehehehe- a klipah? okay okay- on with the rest!)
However, when you strip away its appeal factor- its KLIPAH- you are left with nothing but falsity, garbage and worthless time and energy- which in the long run will amount to absolutely nothing but negative in Olam Habo- the world to come.
If we could but get a glimpse at all the time we wasted being bitul Torah (neglecting of Torah-learning) or other mitzvos doting upon the attractiveness of klipos- we would be in utter Gehinnom. Looking from a bird's eye view at our life history in the long run- we will be tormented by how many opportunities we have missed at doing a mitzvah because we were so engrossed in our persuit of klipos that appeal to our yetzor hora.

Rav Chaim- I am very interested to know about this mission of Gavriel's- to make a tail upon Vashti. Why was it Gavriel and not some other malach?

Is not the malach Gavriel the malach of strict Judgement? Is it not said that hamalach Michoel- the angel of mercy performs his mission in one flight, whereas Gavriel performs his mission in two, and the angel of death in eight- pausing along the way in order that one should have time to repent?

Does this not show that even Vashti was given a chance, in fact several, to change her evil ways?

I always thought the reason Vashti didn't want to appear before the king was because she had a tail, not that she grew it afterwards. But many years ago I heard the story without the tail, and according to you that is the right way.

So maybe you consider it an act of repentance for Vashti to only wear the Crown Jewels, but I consider it to be beneath any woman to be treated in such a way. It was even beneath Esther, who wasn't even a Queen until she did.But with Esther, the King just wanted to see what he was getting. Nakedness is at the peak of human degradation.
It's my way or the highway. I trust Hashem to always give me the upper hand.
Well, there is always a reason behind everything that is said, and when it is learned. Hopefully, Hashem will always back me up one way or another.

The King was punished too. Because he lost the love of his life. And antisemitism was on the rise because Esther had become Queen.

quote:

It was even beneath Esther, who wasn't even a Queen until she did.But with Esther, the King just wanted to see what he was getting.

I thought the king's many servants beautified the eligible women with clothing and other adornments for some period of time before they were presented to the king. Hence they were presented fully clothed in the finest attire of the palace.

What is your source that indicates the eligible women were presented naked before the king?

quote:

Originally posted by Raybin:
And antisemitism was on the rise because Esther had become Queen.

According to the verse in Esther 2:10, "Esther did not tell [Achashverosh] what her nation or birthplace was, as Mordechai had commanded her not to tell" therefore, the antisemitism could not have been becauase of Esther. Achashverosh only found out what was Esther's identity during the second party that she made for the king and Haman.

quote:

Originally posted by Bracha:
Is not the malach Gavriel the malach of strict Judgement? Is it not said that hamalach Michoel- the angel of mercy performs his mission in one flight, whereas Gavriel performs his mission in two, and the angel of death in eight- pausing along the way in order that one should have time to repent?

I must have been visited a thousand times by them and I am still alive!

There are no mistakes.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bracha:
Is not the malach Gavriel the malach of strict Judgement? Is it not said that hamalach Michoel- the angel of mercy performs his mission in one flight, whereas Gavriel performs his mission in two, and the angel of death in eight- pausing along the way in order that one should have time to repent?

Let's pause for a moment here and remember that Vashti wasn't necessarily evil, she was being asked to appear before not only the king, but his whole drunken crew! I would'nt have done it either.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bracha:
I just learned a very deep and interesting chasidishe vort for Purim that I'd like to share:

Why did Vashti not appear before King Achashverosh unclothed? (I can tell you it wasnt because she was a tzedekas!)

Oy-vey! Are you a woman-hater! Bogus. I've studied alot and this would seem to be an extreme commentary on the megillah, which is so riddled with mystery that it is a little risky to take it so seriously one wonders. For example, how many people are aware or remember what no one knew until 1946 regarding the megillah esther?

quote:

Originally posted by Hawke:
[ how many people are aware or remember what no one knew until 1946 regarding the megillah esther?

That's easy

nobody knew what the small letters on the page with big letters meant until 1946. the small letters are 1946. which was the year that the nazi thugs hung, just like haman's sons. In fact one of the thugs aluded to this himself before they hung him,

quote:

Originally posted by Bracha:
Raybin-
Rav Chaim- I am very interested to know about this mission of Gavriel's- to make a tail upon Vashti. Why was it Gavriel and not some other malach?

There is slang in use today where men have 'tails' and women have 'split-tails' which I will admit is rather vulgar, but is it possible that the tail is a metaphor for a transvestite/cross-dresser? Then I would definately say that Vashti was disgusting. Although I wouldn't think it would be very nice seeing him/it naked either......