Siman - Megillah Daf 11
- A passuk alluding to the numerous times the Jewish people will be saved
The Gemara continues bringing the pesukim that various Amoraim used to begin their shiurim on the Megillah. Shmuel brought the following passuk: "לא מאסתים ולא געלתים לכלתם..." – I will have not been disgusted by them, nor will have I rejected them, to destroy them. It was taught in a Baraisa, "לא מאסתים" – I will not have been disgusted by them, refers to the time of the Kasdim, for I appointed for them, Daniel, Chananyah, Mishael and Azaryah to save them; "ולא געלתים" – nor will I have rejected them, in the time of the Greeks, for I appointed Shimon HaTzadik and the Chashmonai and his sons, and Mattisyahu Kohen Gadol to save them; "לכלתם" – to destroy them, in the days of Haman, for I appointed Mordechai and Esther to save them, "להפר בריתי אתם" – to annul my bris with them, in the times of the Persians, for I appointed the school of Rebbe and the Chochomim of various generations to save them; "כי אני ה' אלקיהם" – for I am Hashem their G-d, לעתיד לבא – in the future time to come, שאין כל אומה ולשון יכולה לשלוט בהם – when no nation or tongue will be able to rule over them.
- Shlomo Hamelech ruled over the upper beings as well
It was taught in a Baraisa: שלשה מלכו בכיפה – Three kings ruled the entire world. Achav, Achashverosh and Nebuchadnezzar. After bringing pesukim to support this, the Gemara asks "What about Shlomo Hamelech?" The Gemara answers לא סליק מלכותיה – Shlomo’s reign was not completed, referring to Shlomo Hamelech being deposed by the demon Ashmedai, as is related in Gittin Daf 68b. The Gemara objects, saying that this answer is only in accordance with the one who holds that Shlomo never regained his malchus, but what is the answer according to the one who holds that Shlomo was reinstated as melech? It answers that Shlomo had a unique aspect to his reign, שמלך על העליונים ועל התחתונים – that he ruled over the upper beings, which Rashi defines as demons, as well as over the lower beings, for it is written in the passuk, "וישב שלמה על כסא ה' " – And Shlomo sat on the throne of Hashem. Since Shlomo’s reign was qualitatively different, he was not included in the list of kings who reigned over the entire world.
- The miscalculations of the seventy years of galus
After the Gemara explains how Belshazar miscalculated the seventy years of galus, which led to his downfall, it relates how Achashverosh said that he would not make the same mistake of counting from Nebuchadnezzar’s reign. Since the passuk said "לבבל" and not "למלכות בבל", it refers to the exile of Bavel, which began with the exile of Yehoyachin, which occurred in the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign. According to Achashverosh, the seventy years were completed eight years later, by inserting one remaining year in Belshazzar’s reign, which Belshazzar did not include, the five years of Daryavesh and Koresh’s rule, and the two years of his reign. When he saw the Jews had not been redeemed, he did as Belshazzar did and brought out the keilim from the Beis Hamikdash for the royal banquet. בא שטן וריקד ביניהן והרג את ושתי – The Satan came and danced among them and killed Vashti. The Gemara clarifies that Achashverosh should have counted the seventy years from the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash which occurred eleven years later.
