The Connection Between Achashveirosh’s Assorted Golden Drinking Cups and Klal Yisroel
והשקות בכלי זהב וכלים מכלים שונים ויין מלכות רב כיד המלך
“Royal wine was served in abundance, as befits a king, in golden vessels, vessels of varied designs.” (Esther 1:7)
Rashi on this pasuk points out that the expression used here, is similar to the expression found later: ודתיהם שנות מכל עם - “Whose laws are different from those of any other people” (3:8).
However, whilst the first time it is used as a praise, that Achashveirosh served wine in a wide assortment of different golden cups. Haman uses it in a derogatory manner to denigrate the Yidden that they are unlike other nations.
Rav Avraham Itzchak Barzel zt”l (Rosh Yeshiva of Mir, Brachfeld) suggests that Rashi is telling us here a wonderful remez. Achashveirosh, in bringing many assorted drinking vessels, wanted to show the unique beauty in the design of each one. One may have been a goblet shaped cup, another in a flower shape and another in the shape of a fruit etc. The common denominator being that they were all crafted to drink wine from them. This is the theme behind: ודתיהם שנות - “their laws are different”. It does not say: ודתם שונה - “their law is different”, rather it uses a plural expression. Even amongst the Jews themselves they have different laws.
There are 12 shevotim [tribes] in Klal Yisroel and the Chasam Sofer writes in the name of the Ari HaKodosh that there are 12 nuschois of tefillah corresponding to the 12 gates in Shomayim.
The foolish Haman thought that each part of Klal Yisroel had a different ‘law’, a different way of prayer and different niggunin [tunes]. This though is the true beauty of the way in which we serve the Ribbono Shel Oilam. Each group with their own nusach and style of tefillah but altogether united for the sake of praising Hashem. This may be compared to an orchestra where many different instruments combine their different sound and tunes to harmonize into a melodious symphony.
This is what Rashi wanted to bring out in comparing the two similar expressions. That what Haman meant in a derogatory way was actually a praise of Klal Yisroel in the same manner that it was an enhancement of the king’s party to used assorted golden drinking cups. (Ovi Mori)
