## Megillah Daf 15b

###### Megillah 15b:1
[Megillah 15b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/15b:1)

בִּפְרוֹזְבּוּטֵי. אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: וְקָרוּ לֵיהּ עַבְדָּא דְּמִזְדַּבַּן בְּטֻלְמֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**as** one with the heritage of **a poor man [*perozeboti*],** as Mordecai had been Haman’s slave master and was aware of Haman’s lowly lineage. **Rav Pappa said: And he was called: The slave who was sold for** a loaf of **bread.**


###### Megillah 15b:2
[Megillah 15b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/15b:2)

״וְכׇל זֶה אֵינֶנּוּ שֹׁוֶה לִי״ — מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכׇּל גְּנָזָיו שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע חֲקוּקִין עַל לִבּוֹ, וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁרוֹאֶה אֶת מׇרְדֳּכַי יוֹשֵׁב בְּשַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ, אָמַר: כׇּל זֶה אֵינֶנּוּ שֹׁוֶה לִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Haman’s previously quoted statement: **“Yet all this avails me nothing”** (Esther 5:13), **teaches that all the treasures of that wicked one were engraved on his heart, and when he saw Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate, he said:** As long as Mordecai is around, **all this** that I wear on my heart **avails me nothing.**


###### Megillah 15b:3
[Megillah 15b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/15b:3)

וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: עָתִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִהְיוֹת עֲטָרָה בְּרֹאשׁ כׇּל צַדִּיק וְצַדִּיק, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה ה׳ צְבָאוֹת לַעֲטֶרֶת צְבִי [וְגוֹ׳]״. מַאי ״לַעֲטֶרֶת צְבִי וְלִצְפִירַת תִּפְאָרָה״ — לָעוֹשִׂין צִבְיוֹנוֹ וְלַמְצַפִּין תִּפְאַרְתּוֹ. יָכוֹל לַכֹּל — תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״לִשְׁאָר עַמּוֹ״, לְמִי שֶׁמֵּשִׂים עַצְמוֹ כְּשִׁירַיִם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rabbi Elazar** further **said** that **Rabbi Ḥanina said: In the future, the Holy One, Blessed be He, will be a crown on the head of each and every righteous man. As it is stated: “In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory,** and for a diadem of beauty, to the residue of His people” (Isaiah 28:5). **What is** the meaning of **“for a crown of glory [*tzevi*], and for a diadem [*velitzefirat*] of beauty”?** A crown **for those that do His will [*tzivyono*] and** a diadem **for those that await [*velamtzapin*] His glory.** One **might** have thought that this extends **to all** such individuals. Therefore, **the verse states: “To the residue of his people,” to whoever regards himself as a remainder,** i.e., small and unimportant like residue. But whoever holds himself in high esteem will not merit this.


###### Megillah 15b:4
[Megillah 15b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/15b:4)

״וּלְרוּחַ מִשְׁפָּט״ — זֶה הַדָּן אֶת יִצְרוֹ. ״וְלַיּוֹשֵׁב עַל הַמִּשְׁפָּט״ — זֶה הַדָּן דִּין אֱמֶת לַאֲמִתּוֹ. ״וְלִגְבוּרָה״ — זֶה הַמִּתְגַּבֵּר עַל יִצְרוֹ. ״מְשִׁיבֵי מִלְחָמָה״ — שֶׁנּוֹשְׂאִין וְנוֹתְנִין בְּמִלְחַמְתָּהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה. ״שָׁעְרָה״ — [אֵלּוּ תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים] שֶׁמַּשְׁכִּימִין וּמַעֲרִיבִין בְּבָתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת וּבְבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Apropos the quotation from Isaiah, the Gemara explains the following verse, which states: “And for a spirit of justice to him that sits in judgment and for strength to them that turn back the battle to the gate” (Isaiah 28:6). **“And for a spirit of justice”; this** is referring to **one who brings his** evil **inclination to trial** and forces himself to repent. **“To him that sits in judgment”; this** is referring to **one who judges an absolutely true judgment. “And for strength”; this** is referring to **one who triumphs over his** evil **inclination. “Them that turn back the battle”;** this is referring to those **that give and take** in their discussion of *halakha* **in the battle of** understanding **the Torah. “To the gate”;** this is referring to **the Torah scholars who arrive early and stay late** at the darkened gates **of the synagogues and study halls.**


###### Megillah 15b:5
[Megillah 15b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/15b:5)

אָמְרָה מִדַּת הַדִּין לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מָה נִשְׁתַּנּוּ אֵלּוּ מֵאֵלּוּ? אָמַר לָהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: יִשְׂרָאֵל עָסְקוּ בַּתּוֹרָה, אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם לֹא עָסְקוּ בַּתּוֹרָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara continues with an episode associated with a verse in Isaiah. **The Attribute of Justice said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, how are these,** referring to the Jewish people, **different from those,** the other nations of the world, such that God performs miracles only on behalf of the Jewish people? **The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to** it: **The Jewish people occupied themselves with Torah,** whereas **the** other **nations of the world did not occupy themselves with Torah.**


###### Megillah 15b:6
[Megillah 15b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/15b:6)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״גַּם אֵלֶּה בַּיַּיִן שָׁגוּ וּבַשֵּׁכָר תָּעוּ פָּקוּ פְּלִילִיָּה״, אֵין ״פָּקוּ״ אֶלָּא גֵּיהִנָּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְלֹא תִהְיֶה זֹאת לְךָ לְפוּקָה״, וְאֵין ״פְּלִילִיָּה״ אֶלָּא דַּיָּינִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְנָתַן בִּפְלִילִים״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Attribute of Justice **said to Him: “These also reel through wine, and stagger through strong drink;** the priest and the prophet reel through strong drink, they are confused because of wine, they stagger because of strong drink; they reel in vision, **they stumble [*paku*] in judgment [*peliliyya*]”** (Isaiah 28:7). The word ***paku*** in this context is referring **only to Gehenna, as it is stated: “That this shall not be a cause of stumbling [*puka*] to you”** (I Samuel 25:31), **and** the word ***peliliyya*** here is referring **only to judges, as it is stated: “And he shall pay as the judges determine [*bifelilim*]”** (Exodus 21:22). The response of the Attribute of Justice was essentially that the Jewish people have also sinned and are consequently liable to receive punishment.


###### Megillah 15b:7
[Megillah 15b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/15b:7)

״וַתַּעֲמֹד בַּחֲצַר בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ הַפְּנִימִית״. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי: כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעָה לְבֵית הַצְּלָמִים, נִסְתַּלְּקָה הֵימֶנָּה שְׁכִינָה. אָמְרָה: ״אֵלִי אֵלִי לָמָה עֲזַבְתָּנִי״?! שֶׁמָּא אַתָּה דָּן עַל שׁוֹגֵג כְּמֵזִיד וְעַל אוֹנֶס כְּרָצוֹן?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara returns to its explanation of the verses of the Megilla. The verse states with regard to Esther: **“And she stood in the inner court of the king’s house”** (Esther 5:1). **Rabbi Levi said: Once she reached the chamber of the idols,** which was in the inner court, **the Divine Presence left her. She** immediately **said: “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?”** (Psalms 22:2). **Perhaps** it is because **You judge an unintentional sin as one** performed **intentionally, and** an action **done due to** circumstances **beyond one’s control as** one done **willingly.**


###### Megillah 15b:8
[Megillah 15b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/15b:8)

אוֹ שֶׁמָּא עַל שֶׁקְּרָאתִיו ״כֶּלֶב״, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הַצִּילָה מֵחֶרֶב נַפְשִׁי מִיַּד כֶּלֶב יְחִידָתִי״. חָזְרָה וּקְרָאַתּוּ ״אַרְיֵה״, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי מִפִּי אַרְיֵה״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Or perhaps** You have left me **because** in my prayers **I called** Haman **a dog, as it is stated: “Deliver my soul from the sword; my only one from the hand of the dog”** (Psalms 22:21). **She** at once **retracted and called him** in her prayers **a lion, as it is stated** in the following verse: **“Save me from the lion’s mouth”** (Psalms 22:22).


###### Megillah 15b:9
[Megillah 15b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/15b:9)

״וַיְהִי כִרְאוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת אֶסְתֵּר הַמַּלְכָּה״. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: שְׁלֹשָׁה מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת נִזְדַּמְּנוּ לָהּ בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה, אֶחָד שֶׁהִגְבִּיהַּ אֶת צַוָּארָהּ, וְאֶחָד שֶׁמָּשַׁךְ חוּט שֶׁל חֶסֶד עָלֶיהָ, וְאֶחָד שֶׁמָּתַח אֶת הַשַּׁרְבִיט.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The verse states: **“And so it was, that when the king saw Esther the queen** standing in the court, that she obtained favor in his sight; and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand” (Esther 5:2). **Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Three ministering angels happened to join her at that time: One that raised up her neck,** so that she could stand erect, free of shame; **one that strung a cord** of divine **grace around her,** endowing her with charm and beauty; **and one that stretched the** king’s **scepter.**


###### Megillah 15b:10
[Megillah 15b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/15b:10)

וְכַמָּה? אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה: שְׁתֵּי אַמּוֹת הָיָה, וְהֶעֱמִידוֹ עַל שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ עַל שֵׁשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ עַל עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבַּע. בְּמַתְנִיתָא תָּנָא: עַל שִׁשִּׁים, וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בְּאַמָּתָהּ שֶׁל בַּת פַּרְעֹה, וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בְּשִׁינֵּי רְשָׁעִים, דִּכְתִיב: ״שִׁינֵּי רְשָׁעִים שִׁבַּרְתָּ״, וְאָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: אַל תִּקְרֵי ״שִׁבַּרְתָּ״ אֶלָּא ״שִׁרְיבַּבְתָּ״. רַבָּה בַּר עוֹפְרָן אָמַר מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר שֶׁשָּׁמַע מֵרַבּוֹ וְרַבּוֹ מֵרַבּוֹ: מָאתַיִם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**How much** was it stretched? **Rabbi Yirmeya said:** The scepter **was two cubits, and he made it twelve** cubits. **And some say** that he made it **sixteen** cubits, **and** yet **others say twenty-four** cubits. **It was taught in a *baraita*:** He made it **sixty** cubits. **And similarly you find with the arm of Pharaoh’s daughter,** which she stretched out to take Moshe. **And so too, you find with the teeth of the wicked, as it is written: “You have broken the teeth of the wicked”** (Psalms 3:8), with regard to which **Reish Lakish said: Do not read** it as **“You have broken [*shibbarta*],” but** as: **You have enlarged [*sheribavta*]. Rabba bar Oferan said in the name of Rabbi Elazar, who heard it from his teacher, who** in turn heard it **from his teacher:** The scepter was stretched **two hundred** cubits.


###### Megillah 15b:11
[Megillah 15b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/15b:11)

״וַיֹּאמֶר לָהּ הַמֶּלֶךְ לְאֶסְתֵּר הַמַּלְכָּה מַה בַּקָּשָׁתֵךְ עַד חֲצִי הַמַּלְכוּת וְתֵעָשׂ״. חֲצִי הַמַּלְכוּת וְלֹא כׇּל הַמַּלְכוּת, וְלֹא דָּבָר שֶׁחוֹצֵץ לַמַּלְכוּת, וּמַאי נִיהוּ — בִּנְיַן בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The verse states: **“Then the king said to her” (Esther 5:3), to Esther the queen, “What is your wish, even to half the kingdom, it shall be performed”** (Esther 5:6). The Gemara comments that Ahasuerus intended only a limited offer: Only **half the kingdom, but not the whole kingdom, and not something that would serve as a barrier to the kingdom,** as there is one thing to which the kingdom will never agree. **And what is that? The building of the Temple;** if that shall be your wish, realize that it will not be fulfilled.


###### Megillah 15b:12
[Megillah 15b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/15b:12)

״יָבֹא הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהָמָן אֶל הַמִּשְׁתֶּה״. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מָה רָאֲתָה אֶסְתֵּר שֶׁזִּימְּנָה אֶת הָמָן? רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר: פַּחִים טָמְנָה לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״יְהִי שֻׁלְחָנָם לִפְנֵיהֶם לְפָח״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The verse states that Esther requested: “If it seem good unto the king, **let the king and Haman come this day to the banquet** that I have prepared for him” (Esther 5:4). **The Sages taught** in a *baraita*: **What did Esther see to invite Haman** to the banquet? **Rabbi Elazar says: She hid a snare for him, as it is stated: “Let their table become a snare before them”** (Psalms 69:23), as she assumed that she would be able to trip up Haman during the banquet.


###### Megillah 15b:13
[Megillah 15b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/15b:13)

רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר: מִבֵּית אָבִיהָ לָמְדָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אִם רָעֵב שׂוֹנַאֲךָ הַאֲכִילֵהוּ לֶחֶם וְגוֹ׳״. רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִטּוֹל עֵצָה וְיִמְרוֹד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Yehoshua says: She learned** to do **this from** the Jewish teachings of **her father’s house, as it is stated: “If your enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat”** (Proverbs 25:21). **Rabbi Meir says:** She invited him **in order** that he be near her at all times, **so that he would not take counsel and rebel** against Ahasuerus when he discovered that the king was angry with him.


###### Megillah 15b:14
[Megillah 15b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/15b:14)

רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יַכִּירוּ בָּהּ שֶׁהִיא יְהוּדִית. רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אוֹמֵר: כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל: אָחוֹת יֵשׁ לָנוּ בְּבֵית הַמֶּלֶךְ, וְיַסִּיחוּ דַּעְתָּן מִן הָרַחֲמִים. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא מָצוּי לָהּ בְּכׇל עֵת. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן מְנַסְיָא אוֹמֵר: אוּלַי יַרְגִּישׁ הַמָּקוֹם וְיַעֲשֶׂה לָנוּ נֵס.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Yehuda says:** She invited Haman **so that it not be found out that she was a Jew,** as had she distanced him, he would have become suspicious. **Rabbi Neḥemya says:** She did this **so that the Jewish people would not say: We have a sister in the king’s house, and** consequently **neglect their** prayers for divine **mercy. Rabbi Yosei says:** She acted in this manner, **so that** Haman would **always be on hand for her,** as that would enable her to find an opportunity to cause him to stumble before the king. **Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya said** that Esther said to herself: **Perhaps the Omnipresent will take notice** that all are supporting Haman and nobody is supporting the Jewish people, **and He will perform for us a miracle.**


###### Megillah 15b:15
[Megillah 15b:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/15b:15)

רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קׇרְחָה אוֹמֵר: אַסְבִּיר לוֹ פָּנִים כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּהָרֵג הוּא וְהִיא. רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר: מֶלֶךְ הֲפַכְפְּכָן הָיָה. אָמַר רַבִּי גַּמְלִיאֵל: עֲדַיִין צְרִיכִין אָנוּ לַמּוֹדָעִי, דְּתַנְיָא, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר הַמּוֹדָעִי אוֹמֵר: קִנְּאַתּוּ בַּמֶּלֶךְ קִנְּאַתּוּ בַּשָּׂרִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa says:** She said to herself: **I will act kindly toward him** and thereby bring the king to suspect that we are having an affair; she did so **in order that** both **he and she would be killed.** Essentially, Esther was willing to be killed with Haman in order that the decree would be annulled. **Rabban Gamliel says:** Ahasuerus **was a fickle king,** and Esther hoped that if he saw Haman on multiple occasions, eventually he would change his opinion of him. **Rabban Gamliel said: We still need** the words of Rabbi Eliezer **HaModa’i** to understand why Esther invited Haman to her banquet. **As it is taught** in a *baraita*: **Rabbi Eliezer HaModa’i says: She made the king jealous of him and she made the** other **ministers jealous of him,** and in this way she brought about his downfall.


###### Megillah 15b:16
[Megillah 15b:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/15b:16)

רַבָּה אָמַר: ״לִפְנֵי שֶׁבֶר גָּאוֹן״. אַבָּיֵי וְרָבָא דְּאָמְרִי תַּרְוַיְיהוּ: ״בְּחוּמָּם אָשִׁית אֶת מִשְׁתֵּיהֶם וְגוֹ׳״. אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ רַבָּה בַּר אֲבוּהּ לְאֵלִיָּהוּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: כְּמַאן חַזְיָא אֶסְתֵּר וַעֲבַדָא הָכִי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: כְּכוּלְּהוּ תַּנָּאֵי וּכְכוּלְּהוּ אָמוֹרָאֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabba says:** Esther invited Haman to her banquet in order to fulfill that which is stated: **“Pride goes before destruction”** (Proverbs 16:18), which indicates that in order to destroy the wicked, one must first bring them to pride. It can be understood according to **Abaye and Rava, who both say** that she invited Haman in order to fulfill the verse: **“When they are heated, I will make feasts for them,** and I will make them drunk, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep” (Jeremiah 51:39). The Gemara relates that **Rabba bar Avuh** once **happened upon Elijah** the Prophet and **said to him: In accordance with whose understanding did Esther see** fit to **act in this manner?** What was the true reason behind her invitation? **He,** Elijah, **said to him:** Esther was motivated by all the reasons previously mentioned and did so **for all** the reasons previously stated by **the *tanna’im* and all** the reasons stated by **the *amora’im*.**


###### Megillah 15b:17
[Megillah 15b:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/15b:17)

״וַיְסַפֵּר לָהֶם הָמָן אֶת כְּבוֹד עׇשְׁרוֹ וְרוֹב בָּנָיו״, וְכַמָּה רוֹב בָּנָיו? אָמַר רַב, שְׁלֹשִׁים: עֲשָׂרָה מֵתוּ, וַעֲשָׂרָה נִתְלוּ, וַעֲשָׂרָה מְחַזְּרִין עַל הַפְּתָחִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The verse states: **“And Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his sons”** (Esther 5:11). The Gemara asks: **And how many** sons did he in fact have that are referred to as **“the multitude of his sons”? Rav said:** There were **thirty** sons; **ten** of them **died** in childhood, **ten of them were hanged** as recorded in the book of Esther, **and ten** survived and were forced to **beg at** other people’s **doors.**


###### Megillah 15b:18
[Megillah 15b:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/15b:18)

וְרַבָּנַן אָמְרִי: אוֹתָן שֶׁמְּחַזְּרִין עַל הַפְּתָחִים שִׁבְעִים הָיוּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״שְׂבֵעִים בַּלֶּחֶם נִשְׂכָּרוּ״, אַל תִּקְרֵי ״שְׂבֵעִים״ אֶלָּא ״שִׁבְעִים״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And the Rabbis say: Those that begged at** other people’s **doors** numbered **seventy, as it is written: “Those that were full, have hired themselves out for bread”** (I Samuel 2:5). **Do not read it as: “Those that were full” [*seve’im***]; **rather,** read it as **seventy [*shivim*],** indicating that there were seventy who “hired themselves out for bread.”


###### Megillah 15b:19
[Megillah 15b:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/15b:19)

וְרָמֵי בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר: כּוּלָּן מָאתַיִם וּשְׁמוֹנָה הֲווֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְרוֹב בָּנָיו״. ״וְרוֹב״ בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא מָאתַן וְאַרְבֵּיסַר הָווּ! אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: ״וְרֹב״ כְּתִיב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rami bar Abba said: All of** Haman’s sons together numbered **two hundred and eight, as it is stated: “And the multitude [*verov*] of his sons.”** The numerical value of the word *verov* equals two hundred and eight, alluding to the number of his sons. The Gemara comments: **But** in fact, **the numerical value [*gimatriyya*] of** the word ***verov* equals two hundred and fourteen,** not two hundred and eight. **Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said:** The word ***verov* is written** in the Bible without the second *vav*, and therefore its numerical value equals two hundred and eight.


###### Megillah 15b:20
[Megillah 15b:20](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/15b:20)

״בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא נָדְדָה שְׁנַת הַמֶּלֶךְ״. אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּם: נָדְדָה שְׁנַת מַלְכּוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם. וְרַבָּנַן אָמְרִי: נָדְדוּ עֶלְיוֹנִים, נָדְדוּ תַּחְתּוֹנִים. רָבָא אָמַר: שְׁנַת הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ מַמָּשׁ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The verse states: **“On that night the sleep of the king was disturbed”** (Esther 6:1). **Rabbi Tanḥum said:** The verse alludes to another king who could not sleep; **the sleep of the King of the universe,** the Holy One, Blessed be He, **was disturbed. And the Sages say:** The sleep of **the higher ones,** the angels, **was disturbed, and** the sleep of **the lower ones,** the Jewish people, **was disturbed. Rava said:** This should be understood **literally: The sleep of King Ahasuerus** was disturbed.


###### Megillah 15b:21
[Megillah 15b:21](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/15b:21)

נְפַלָה לֵיהּ מִילְּתָא בְּדַעְתֵּיהּ, אָמַר: מַאי דְּקַמַּן דְּזַמֵּינְתֵּיהּ אֶסְתֵּר לְהָמָן? דִּלְמָא עֵצָה קָא שָׁקְלִי עִילָּוֵיהּ דְּהָהוּא גַּבְרָא לְמִקְטְלֵיהּ. הֲדַר אָמַר: אִי הָכִי, לָא הֲוָה גַּבְרָא דְּרָחֵים לִי דַּהֲוָה מוֹדַע לִי? הֲדַר אָמַר: דִּלְמָא אִיכָּא אִינִישׁ דַּעֲבַד בִּי טֵיבוּתָא וְלָא פְּרַעְתֵּיהּ, מִשּׁוּם הָכִי מִימַּנְעִי אִינָשֵׁי וְלָא מְגַלּוּ לִי, מִיָּד: ״וַיֹּאמֶר לְהָבִיא אֶת סֵפֶר הַזִּכְרוֹנוֹת דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
And this was the reason Ahasuerus could not sleep: **A thought occurred to him** and **he said** to himself: **What is this before us that Esther has invited Haman? Perhaps they are conspiring against that man,** i.e., against me, **to kill him. He** then **said again** to himself: **If this is so, is there no man who loves me and would inform me** of this conspiracy? **He** then **said again** to himself: **Perhaps there is some man who has done a favor for me and I have not** properly **rewarded him, and due to that** reason **people refrain from revealing to me** information regarding such plots, as they see no benefit for themselves. **Immediately** afterward, the verse states: **“And he commanded the book of remembrances of the chronicles to be brought”** (Esther 6:1).


###### Megillah 15b:22
[Megillah 15b:22](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/15b:22)

״וַיִּהְיוּ נִקְרָאִים״ — מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנִּקְרָאִים מֵאֵילֵיהֶן. ״וַיִּמָּצֵא כָתוּב״ — ״כְּתָב״ מִבְּעֵי לֵיהּ? מְלַמֵּד

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The verse states: **“And they were read** before the king” (Esther 6:1). The Gemara explains that **this** passive form: “And they were read,” **teaches that they were read** miraculously **by themselves.** It further says: **“And it was found written [*katuv*]”** (Esther 6:2). The Gemara asks: Why does the Megilla use the word *katuv*, which indicates that it was newly written? **It should have said: A writing [*ketav*]** was found, which would indicate that it had been written in the past. The Gemara explains: This **teaches**