King Ahashverosh held a huge feast, which lasted for one hundred and eighty days, for all his government officials. At the conclusion of this period, he added a week-long banquet for all the residents of the capital city of Shushan. According to the Sages, at this magnificent banquet Ahashverosh made use of the Temple vestments and vessels, and some of the Sages considered the enjoyment of the Jews at this feast as the spiritual cause of the harsh decree that Haman issued against them.

“In those days, when King Ahashverosh sat on the royal throne...he made a banquet” (Esther 1:2–3). He took out Temple vessels and used them.

“With his showing the riches of his glorious kingdom, and the honor of his splendid [tiferet] majesty” (Esther 1:4). Rabbi Yosei bar Hanina said: This teaches that Ahashverosh donned the priestly vestments, as it is written here: “The honor of his splendid majesty,” and it is written there, regarding the priestly vestments: “For glory and for splendor [tifaret]” (Exodus 28:2).

The students of Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai asked him: For what reason were the enemies of the Jewish people in that generation deserving of annihilation? Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai said to them: Say the answer yourselves. They said to him: It is because they enjoyed themselves at the feast of that wicked Ahashverosh. Rabbi Shimon said to them: If so, those in Shushan, who participated in the feast, should have been killed; those in the rest of the world should not have been killed.

They said to him: You say the answer. Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai said to them: It is because they prostrated themselves before the idol. They said to him: Is there favoritism in that matter? Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai said to them: They did so only for appearances. So too, the Holy One, blessed be He, acted with them only for appearances. (Megilla 12a)