Moshe Zauderer, Introduction to Megillat Esther, The Commentaries [2005]; Vashti: The beautiful daughter of Belshatzar, the last king of Babylon (3386-3389 [375-372 BCE]), Vashti followed in the evil ways of her notorious great-grandfather, King Nevuchadnezer (3318-3364 [442-397 BCE]). On the night of her father Belshatzar's murder and the fall of the Babylonian Empire (3389 [372 BCE]), twelve-year-old Vashti was awakened by the commotion in the palace. Confused, she ran to Belshatzar's throne and threw herself upon what she believed to be her fathers' feet. King Darius of Media, the Babylonian conqueror who was sitting on her father's throne, took pity on the child and spared her life. During the period when the events of the Purim story were unfolding, she incited King Achashverosh to maintain King Cyrus' moratorium on the rebuilding of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. She was eighteen years old at the time of King Achashverosh's feast, when the story of Megillat Esther begins.
The tale/tail of Vashti
"On the seventh day, where the king's heart was merry with wine." Was then his heart not merry with wine until then? Rav said: The seventh day was Sabbath, when Israel eat and drink ... But the nations of the world, the idolaters, when they eat and drink only begin with words of frivolity. And so at the feast of that wicked one. Some said, the Median women are the most beautiful, and others said, the Persian women are the most beautiful. Said Ahasuerus to them, the vessel that I use is neither Median nor Persian, but Chaldean. Would you like to see her? They said, Yes, but it must be naked. For man receives measure for measure. This teaches you that the wicked Vashti used to take the daughters of Israel and strip them naked and make them work on Sabbath. So it is written, "After these things when the wrath of the king Ahasuerus abated, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what was decided against her." As she had done so it was decreed against her. "And the queen Vashti refused." Let us see. She was immodest, as the Master said above, that both of them had an immoral purpose. Why then would she not come? R. Jose b. Hanina said: This teaches that leprosy broke out on her. In a Baraita it was taught that Gabriel came and fixed a tail on her.
Since Vashti's Crime