All the pavement of his palace consisted of precious stones and pearls, || as it is said, "Upon a pavement of porphyry, and white marble, and alabaster, and stone of blue colour" (Esth. 1:6).
Rabbi Eliezer said: For half the year Ahasuerus made great banquets for all the peoples, as it is said, "Many days, even an hundred and eighty days" (Esth. 1:4). Every people who ate its food in impurity, had its food provided in impurity, and every people who ate its food in purity had its food provided (according to the regulations of) purity, as it is said, "That they should do according to every man's pleasure" (Esth. 1:8).