You had a certain king, this is Solomon – “Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty kor of choice flour, sixty kor of flour; ten fattened oxen, twenty grazing oxen, and one hundred sheep, besides deer, gazelle, fallow deer, and fattened geese” (I Kings 5:2–3). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Zevida said: Solomon had one thousand wives, and each and every one of them would prepare that for him each day. Each one believed that he would eat with her.
Nehemiah the governor, [the nation] was unable to afford his meal, as it is stated: “What was prepared for one day: One bull, six choice sheep, and birds were prepared for me…[nevertheless I did not collect from the nation the taxes for the governor’s food, because the service was heavy upon this nation]” (Nehemiah 5:18). The Holy One blessed be He said: My children, it is not that there is eating and drinking before Me, but rather, it is because of the aroma, that you should be pleasant and agreeable before Me like a pleasing aroma.29What I want is that I command you and you perform My will.