Since today is Ta’anis Esther we will tie something from the Daf to a Maharal on Megillas Esther.

Our Gemara on Amud Aleph discusses the concept of the Hebrew letter vav, which within scripture, can indicate that whatever is taught in the latter clause also applies to the former clause.

In the Maharal’s Commentary on Megillas Esther (Ohr Chadash 1:10) he notes an interesting configuration of letter vavs in the verse that lists Achashveirosh’s advisors who were advising him about what to do regarding “Vashti-Gate”:

בַּיּוֹם֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י כְּט֥וֹב לֵב־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ בַּיָּ֑יִן אָמַ֡ר לִ֠מְהוּמָ֠ן בִּזְּתָ֨א חַרְבוֹנָ֜א בִּגְתָ֤א וַאֲבַגְתָא֙ זֵתַ֣ר וְכַרְכַּ֔ס שִׁבְעַת֙ הַסָּ֣רִיסִ֔ים הַמְשָׁ֣רְתִ֔ים אֶת־פְּנֵ֖י הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֽוֹשׁ׃

⁦On the seventh day, when the king was merry with wine, he ordered Mehuman, Bizzetha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven ministers in attendance on King Ahasuerus

You will note that there is a connecting vav by the fifth advisor and the seventh advisor. What is the meaning of this structure? Usually, the final item in a list can be linked with a vav, to imply an equal connection to all earlier items in the list. That is as if to say, that the order does not matter and they all equally follow each other. However, why does the fifth advisor, Abagtha, have a vav? 

Apparently, there were two sets of advisors, with sometimes a group of five (see Kings II:25:19), and sometimes a group of seven. The vav by the fifth advisor and then the seventh suggests a certain progression, such as the matter required not only the five advisors but even seven advisors. The Maharal suggests further that the verse is stressing that these advisors were lackeys, “yes men”, unable to speak up to Achashveirosh. The point being, despite his behavior being bizarre and heading for trouble (demanding that Vashti appear in a humiliating fashion), the advisors were too sycophantic to speak up. Neither as a group of five nor even when seven, they simply agreed with his maniacal behavior.

It is injurious to our egos when our friends or family call us out on our shtick, but it is important to surround yourself with people who can tell you off when you need the reality check.  In our delusional self-aggrandizing thoughts, we THINK we are Mordechai, but maybe we are Just Achashveirosh.

Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation

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