We mentioned above the pasuk which says: “On the seventh day, the king’s heart was happy with wine”. The Gemara in Megillah (12b) asks: “And until now was he not happy?” and the Gemara answers: “The seventh day was Shabbos, the day when Klal Yisroel eat and drink, say divrei Torah and sing praise to Hashem, whereas the nations of the world eat and drink, and speak words of garbage”.
The Achronim all ask, how does this answer the Gemara’s question?
The Vilna Gaon answers, that כטוב לב המלך ביין, doesn’t refer to Achashveirosh, rather it refers to the Ribbono Shel Olam, and since He was happy, it had an effect down below.
We see from here how much one can achieve with his Shabbos meals.
The Belzer Rebbe shlita once explained the pasuk in Tehillim (23:3): תערוך לפני שולחן נגד צוררי, that with what do at our Shabbos tables, we are able to overcome our enemies.
Why Achashveirosh Couldn’t Fully Enjoy the Party On Shabbos?
The Megillah says: ביום השביעי כטוב לב המלך ביין - “On the seventh day [of the party] when the king’s heart was feeling somewhat good from the wine”. It is interesting to note that the Megillah does not say, טוב לב המלך, “the king’s heart was feeling good”, but instead says that he was feeling כטוב, “somewhat good”. The reason for this is because this took place ביום השביעי, “on the seventh day”, meaning Shabbos, and only the Jewish people can find full contentment on Shabbos, as it says in the Shemonah Esrei for Shacharis of Shabbos: וגם במנוחתו לא ישכנו ערלים כי לישראל עמך נתתו באהבה - “And the uncircumcised [the non-Jews] will not find contentment in it [Shabbos], because it was given to Yisroel, Your people, with love.” (HaGaos HaChida, citing Devash Lepi 300:32)
