“The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she found favor and grace in his eyes more than all the virgins. He set the royal crown on her head, and made her queen in place of Vashti” (Esther 2:17).“The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she found favor and grace [more than all the virgins]” – Rabbi Ḥelbo said: This teaches that they brought even married women before him, therefore it is stated: “More than all the women…more than all the virgins.”“He placed the royal crown on her head, and he made her queen in place of Vashti.” Until they made Esther queen, the portrait of Vashti was still extant; once he married Esther, well born and of noble descent, he said: Take down Vashti and hang up Esther; that is what is written: “And made her queen in place of Vashti.”