With Purim approaching, we are going to learn megillat Ester. This megilla, unlike Kohelet and Eicha, tell a story. This story explains why we celebrate Purim. Before we can begin the megilla, we had some questions. We thought of many like how were Estar and Mordechi related, when did this story happen, what was this whole Vashti and the tail thing, and which Persian king is Achashvarosh? We took a look back through history to answer two of these questions: when did this story happen and which Persian king is Achashvarosh?

We looked at many sources and the dates seemed to contradict. Yermiyahu said the people would be under Babylonian rule for 70 years, but it seems this overlaps with another 70 years. Those 70 years were from the destruction of the first Beit HaMikdash until the second Beit HaMaikdash had been completed. By the end of our discussion, we still could not know for sure. Achashvarosh was either Cambyses or Xerxes. We concluded that if Achashvarosh was Xerxes, it would be worse for the Jews. They would have gotten comfortable in Persia, because after all they would be they for 70 years. But because of that they would have stayed instead of going to Isreal when the Beit HaMikdash was complete.