Why does it say "Gam [Vashti]"?
Vilna Gaon: Also her party was unnatural. His party was to find favor in the eyes of the Am, lest they rebel against him. Why did she make a party for the women - who will rebel against her?!
Why was the women's party in "Beis ha'Malchus"? It should have been in Beis ha'Nashim!
Torah Temimah citing Megilah 12a: Both of them (she and Achashverosh) intended for sin (that people see her beauty).
Vilna Gaon: The king has two royal rooms. "Asher la'Melech" is special only for him. Her grandeur preceded her fall!
Malbim: Vashti was the heir to the kingship. Achashverosh married her, and the people accepted him to be king. If so, his kingship is limited. He wanted to show that he did not marry her due to her lineage; he did not become king due to her. Once he conquered Bavel, Bavel's kingship ceased 1 . Vashti was like a captive. He took her for her beauty. She is queen due to him! If the kingship were due to her, her party should be for the officers, and in her special palace. Rather, this is not so. She is "Vashti ha'Malkah" (11); her name precedes her royalty (she is queen because the king married her for her beauty). Her party was only for the women. It was in Achashverosh's palace, for she does not have her own palace.
Yeshayah (45:1-3) and the Meforshim there imply that once Koresh Melech Paras conquered Bavel, Bavel's kingship ceased! We must say that there were no living heirs of Koresh and Daryavesh, so Vashti, the daughter of Melech Bavel, was considered heir to the kingship. (PF)
