Following his 180 day feast for all his international subjects, which ended a day earlier, King Achashverosh began a seven-day feast for his subjects living in Shushan, his capital. This feast ended with the death of his queen, Vashti.
Link: Esther ch. 1
R. Aryeh Levin, known as the “tzaddik [saint] of Jerusalem,” was legendary for his selfless dedication in assisting his fellow Jews, whether the sick, the poor, or those suffering under the British regime during the Mandate of Palestine (1920–1948).
Links: The Man Who Mistook His Wife’s Foot for His Own; The Value of Stories
In today's "Nasi" reading (see "Nasi of the Day" in Nissan 1), we read of the gift bought by the nasi of the tribe of Benjamin, Avidan ben Gidoni, for the inauguration of the Mishkan.
A Jew entered the Alter Rebbe’s study and said, “Rebbe, I am a simple man. Please explain to me: What is this holiday of Shemini Atzeret?”
The Alter Rebbe held his head in his hands for a moment. Then he answered:
“For a long journey, you might make a concentrate of the food and drink you will need for the way. At every stop, you mix some of the powder with water, and you have enough for that day.”
“Shemini Atzeret contains all the joy for the entire year, but in highly concentrated form. Treasure every moment!”