(Main Sources: Sources: NJOP, Aish.com, NLE Resources, Halachapedia)
1. A lavish six-month celebration marks the third year in the reign of Achashverosh, king of Persia.
2. Queen Vashti refuses the king's request to appear at the celebration and display her beauty for the assembled guests.
3. The king's advisors counsel that Vashti be replaced with a new queen.
CHAPTER 2 -- ESTHER BECOMES THE QUEEN
1. Across the Persian Empire, officials are appointed to identify beautiful candidates to succeed Vashti as queen.
2. A Jewish girl, Esther, the niece of Mordechai, is brought to the capital of Persia as one of the candidates.
3. Mordechai tells Esther to conceal her identity.
4. Esther is chosen to be the queen.
5. Mordechai learns of a plot to overthrow the king. Mordechai informs Esther, Esther tells the king, and the plotters are hanged.
CHAPTER 3 -- THE RISE OF HAMAN
1. Achashverosh appoints Haman to be his prime minister. All bow in homage to Haman.
2. Mordechai consistently refuses to bow to Haman.
3. An enraged Haman vows to kill all the Jews of Persia.
4. Haman prevails upon Achashverosh to destroy the Jews.
5. A royal edict is disseminated throughout Persia. The 13th of Adar is designated as the date to exterminate all the Jews and plunder their possessions.
CHAPTER 4 -- ESTHER'S MISSION BECOMES CLEAR
1. Mordechai tears his clothes and puts on sackcloth and ashes as a sign of public mourning.
2. Mordechai sends a copy of the decree to Esther and asks her to intercede with the king.
3. Esther replies that to approach the king without being summoned is to risk death.
4. Mordechai tells her that she has no choice.
5. Esther tells Mordechai to ask the Jews to fast and pray for three days before she will approach the king.
CHAPTER 5 -- ESTHER'S STRATEGY, HAMAN'S FURY
1. King Achashverosh receives Esther and grants her virtually any request.
2. Esther's request: that the king and Haman join her at a banquet.
3. After the banquet, Haman sees Mordechai who once again refuses to bow.
4. When Zeresh, Haman's wife, suggests that Mordechai be hanged, the gallows are prepared.
CHAPTER 6 -- THE REVERSAL BEGINS
1. The king can't sleep and asks to hear the royal chronicles.
2. For the first time, the king learns of the assassination plot that Mordechai had revealed.
3. That same night, Haman comes to see the king about hanging Mordechai.
4. Before Haman can speak, the king tells Haman to honor Mordechai by dressing him in royal garments, to place him on a royal stallion and to personally lead him through the streets of Shushan, capital of Persia.
CHAPTER 7 -- REVERSAL OF FORTUNE
1. At the second banquet, Esther reveals her identity and announces that she and her people are about to be murdered.
2. Esther identifies Haman as her arch enemy.
3. The king has Haman hung on the gallows that had been prepared for Mordechai.
CHAPTER 8 -- THE REVERSAL IS COMPLETE
1. Mordechai is named prime minister to replace Haman.
2. A second royal edict is promulgated empowering the Jews to fight and kill anyone who would try to harm them.
CHAPTER 9 -- THE HOLIDAY OF PURIM
1. On the 13th of Adar, a day that had been designated for Jewish destruction, the Jews are victorious over their enemies.
2. The 10 sons of Haman are hung.
3. The 14th and 15th of Adar are designated to celebrate the salvation. These are the days of Purim.
4. Mordechai initiates the Purim practices -- consisting of a festive meal, the exchange of gifts of food, and the giving of monetary gifts to the poor.
CHAPTER 10 -- MORDECHAI AND PERSIA
1. Persia, with Mordechai as prime minister, flourishes.
2. The role of Mordechai in the history of the Persian empire is recorded in the king's chronicles.
Adapted from Aish.com, adapted from "One Hour Purim Primer," by Rabbi Shimon Apisdorf.www.leviathanpress.com
(From the Purim Learning at NLE Resources, with Hebrew re-organized)
Purim comprise seven distinct mitzvot. Six of these are positive mitzvot; one is a negative requirement.
In order of their appearance during Purim, the six positive mitzvot are:
- Adding the paragraph beginning Al HaNissim [lit. “For the miracles”] to the day’s Shemoneh Esrei silent prayers and to Birkat HaMazon, the Blessing after Meals, (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, 693:2, 695:3)
- Reading the Megillah, the Scroll of Esther, at night and again in the morning
- Reading the Torah passage (Shemot/Exodus 17:8-16) regarding Amalek’s attack on Israel soon after the nation was redeemed from Egypt (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 693:4)
- Sending food portions to friends
- Giving gifts to the poor, and
- Having a festive meal
- The negative mitzvah is the prohibition against delivering eulogies and fasting [ibid. 697:1].
Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 687:2; Mishnah Berurah
1. חייב אדם לקרות המגילה בלילה ולחזור ולשנותה ביום. (שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן תרפז סעיף א)
2. ולחזור ולשנותה ביום - זכר לנס שהיו צועקים בימי צרתם יום ולילה: (משנה ברורה סימן תרפז ס"ק ב)
3. מבטלים תלמוד תורה לשמוע מקרא מגילה, קל וחומר לשאר מצות של תורה שכולם נדחים מפני מקרא מגילה.
(שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן תרפז סעיף ב)
4. ואם בעת ההוא קורין אותה בצבור בבהכ"נ, אז אפילו יש לו ק' אנשים בביתו, מצוה לילך לשם משום "ברוב עם הדרת מלך", וכן מי שהיה ביתו סמוך לביהכ"נ וחלונותיו פתוחות לביהכ"נ אפ"ה צריך לילך לבהכ"נ לכו"ע משום ברוב עם ועיין בבה"ל: (שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן תרפז סעיף א)
1. A person is obligated to read the Megillah twice: once at night and again in the day. Shulchan Aruch
2. It is read twice to recall the miracle that occurred through the Jews crying out in their troubles by day and by night. Mishnah Berurah
3. [The Megillah reading is so important that even] Torah study is postponed to hear the reading; all the more so, other Torah mitzvot are overridden to hear the reading. Shulchan Aruch
4. Even if a person has one hundred people in his home at the Megillah reading with him, but the community is reading it in shul at the same time, it is still a mitzvah for him to hear it in shul with the larger group. This is due to the concept of b’rov am hadrat melech – “with the multitude of the nation is the King honored” (Mishlei 14:28). Mishnah Berurah
1. כדי שימחה שמו על דרך: מחה תמחה את זכר עמלק (דברים כה, יט) . . . נשתרבב המנהג שמכים המן כשקורים המגילה בבהכ"נ. רמ"א אורח חיים סימן תרצ סעיף יז
2. וצריך השומע להאזין אוזנו ולשמוע כל תיבה ותיבה מפי הקורא. ואם חיסר הקורא אפילו תיבה אחת וכן אם השומע חיסר תיבה אחת לשמוע לא יצאו וצריך לחזור: משנה ברורה סימן תרצ ס"ק מח
1. The custom is to make noise when Haman’s name is mentioned during the Megillah reading in shul, to fulfill the command to wipe out the remembrance of Amalek [Devarim/Deuteronomy 25:17-19] Shulchan Aruch, Rema, Orach Chaim 690:17
2. All present must listen intently, and hear every word from the reader. If the reader misses a single word, or the listener did not hear a single word, they do not fulfill their obligation, and are required to re-read the missed words. Mishnah Berurah 690:48
(א) שהכל חייבים בקריאת מגילה ובו ו סעיפים
הכל חייבים בקריאתה אנשים ונשים וגרים ועבדים משוחררים ומחנכים את הקטנים לקרותה:
(ב) אחד הקורא ואחד השומע מן הקורא יצא ידי חובתו- והוא שישמע ממי שהוא חייב בקריאתה. לפיכך אם היה הקורא חרש או קטן או שוטה השומע ממנו לא יצא וי"א שהנשים אינם מוציאות את האנשים: הגה וי"א אם האשה קוראה לעצמה מברכת לשמוע מגילה שאינה חייבת בקריאה [מרדכי פ"ק דמגילה]:
(1) All are obligated in reading [the megillah]: men, women, resident aliens, and freed slaves. We teach the children to read.
(2) It is the same whether one reads or hears from someone who reads - he has fulfilled his obligation. That is, if he hears from someone who is obligated in reading it. Therefore, if the reader was a deafmute, or a minor, or mentally infirm, one who hears from him does not fulfill [his obligation]. And there are those who say that women do not fulfill the obligation for men. (Rama): And there are some who say, if a woman reads for herself, she blesses "to hear the megillah," because she is not obligated in reading (Mordechai first chapter of megillah)
1. חייב לשלוח לחבירו ... שתי מנות לאיש אחד.
שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן תרצה סעיף ד
2. טעם דמשלוח מנות הוא כדי שיהא לכל אחד די וספק לקיים הסעודה כדינא. (תרומת הדשן סימן קיא מועו"ז ח"ב ס' קפו - ובספר "מנות הלוי" מפרש שטעם המצוה משום ריעות.)
3 .וכל המרבה לשלוח לריעים משובח. שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן תרצה סעיף ד
3a. באמת מוטב להרבות במתנות לאביונים מלהרבות בסעודתו ובשלוח מנות לרעיו. משנה ברורה סימן תרצד ס"ק ג
4. בעינן למשלוח מנות דבר הראוי לאכול כמות שהוא ולא צריך בישול...אם שולח דבר מבושל או יין ופירות וכדומה הוה כשולח דבר לצורך סעודה אבל בבשר חי שצריך עוד בישול... לא מיקרי מנה ולא מהני.( מועו"ז ח"ב ס' קפו)
5.וברור הדבר דצריך לשלוח שני מיני אוכלין או שני מיני משקין או מין אוכל ומין משקה ... אבל שני חתיכות ממין אחד אינו מועיל דכי מפני שחתכן נחשבם לשנים - ( ערוך השולחן אורח חיים סימן תרצה סעיף יד)
6.- אם שולח לעשיר דבר פחות אינו יוצא בזה ידי משלוח מנות. (ביאור הלכה סימן תרצה ד"ה חייב לשלוח)
... ואם אחד מהם עשיר ישלח לאדם אחד כפי הנאת עשיר. (תשובות והנהגות ח"ב ס' שנד)
1. How does one perform this mitzvah?
On the day of Purim one must send two items of food to at least one person (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 695:4).
2. What is the reason for this mitzvah?
(a) To ensure that everyone has sufficient food for the Purim meal (Terumas HaDeshen, responsa 111).
(b) To increase love and friendship between Jews [thereby dismissing Haman’s accusations of strife and dissention among Jews, [Esther 3:8] (Rabbi Moshe Shternbuch, Moadim U’Zmanim 2:186).
[This is an ideal opportunity to repair broken relationships with others by sending parcels of food to them.]
3. Is it praiseworthy to send to many people?
Yes, it is praiseworthy (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 695:4), but it is better to spend more money on gifts to the poor [matanot l’evyonim, see Part E] than on one’s Purim meal or mishloach manot (Mishnah Berurah 694:3).
4. Are all types of food suitable?
[Preferably,] one should send food that is ready to be eaten immediately, and does not require cooking. If one sends a cooked dish, wine, or fruit, then it can be eaten at the recipient’s Purim meal. However, raw meat [or raw fish] that requires cooking should not be sent (Moadim U’Zmanim 2:186).
5. May one send two portions of the same food?
[No, the two food items must be different:] one should either send two different types of food, or two different types of drink, or a food and a drink (Aruch HaShulchan, Orach Chaim 695:14).
6. What is the minimum quantity of food?
[Ideally, the food should be of a respectable quantity according to the standards of the sender and recipient.] If one sends something very small to a wealthy person then one has not fulfilled this mitzvah [i.e. one should send a nicer package to a wealthy person than to a poor person] (Biur Halachah 695, s.v. chayiv lishloach). A wealthy person should send a nicer package than a poor person (Rabbi Moshe Shternbuch, Teshuvos V’Hanhagos 2:354).
1. חייב כל אדם ליתן לפחות שתי מתנות לשני עניים. (שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן תרצד סעיף א)
ורשאי ליתן מאכל או מעות...
(משנה ברורה סימן תרצד ס"ק ב)
2. אינה קרויה מתנה אא"כ יש בה כדי
מתנה המועלת דהיינו כדי שיעור סעודה...
(שערי תשובה סימן תרצד ס"ק א)
באמת מוטב להרבות במתנות לאביונים מלהרבות בסעודתו ובשלוח מנות לרעיו, שאין שמחה גדולה ומפוארה אלא לשמח לב עניים יתומים ואלמנות ודומה לשכינה שנאמר "להחיות רוח שפלים ולהשיב לב נדכאים."(משנה ברורה סימן תרצד ס"ק ג)
3. ושמעתי מהגאון רב יוםף שלום אלישיב שליט"א דמכל מקום כדי לקיים המצוה כראוי לכתחילה צריך ליתן מתנה שיש בה כדי לשמח את העני. ומוטב ליתן שתי מתנות חשובות שיש בהם כדי לשמח, מאשר לחלק מתנות מועטות להרבה עניים.
(שבות יצחק פ"ח הל' ב בשם הגריש"א.)
יכול לכתחילה ליתן מתנות לאביונים בצ'ק אם נותן בזמן שהעני יכול היום לילך לבנק לפדותו או אם יכול לקנות בו במקום זה. (שם הל' ג בשם הגריש"א.)
4. ופשוט הוא דא"צ ליתן בעצמו ויכול ליתן גם ע"י שליח ויכול להעמיד שליח קודם פורים שיתן בשבילו בפורים מתנות לאביונים. (ערוך השולחן אורח חיים סימן תרצד סעיף ב)
5. ופשוט הוא דא"צ ליתן בעצמו ויכול ליתן גם ע"י שליח ויכול להעמיד שליח קודם פורים שיתן בשבילו בפורים מתנות לאביונים. (שולחן ערוך יורה דעה סימן רנא סעיף י)
היה ערום ובא ואמר: כסוני, בודקין אחריו אם הוא רמאי. (שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן תרצד סעיף ג)
אין מדקדקים במעות פורים, אלא כל מי שפושט ידו ליטול נותנים לו.
כי ביום הזה עושה אדם במצות הצדקה תקונים נפלאים, גדולים, ונוראים במדות, ובעולמות העליונים הקדושים לאין תכלית יותר מבשאר הימים. לכן ירבה אדם בצדקה. (יסוד ושורש העבודה שער י"ב פרק ו')
1. How does one perform this mitzvah?
[On the day of Purim,] a person must give one gift each to at least two poor people. (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 694:1).
The gift may be either money or food (Mishnah Berurah 694:2).
2. How much food or money must one give?
It is only called a “gift” if it is something of benefit and substance, and therefore it should be the amount [of food] that is usually eaten at a regular meal [or the equivalent amount of money] (Sha’arei Teshuvah, Orach Chaim 694:1).
It is better to spend more on this mitzvah than on mishloach manot and the Purim feast. There is no greater joy than gladdening the hearts of orphans, widows, and needy people. One who does so is likened to God, as it says, “To revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the downtrodden” [Yeshayahu 57:15] (Mishnah Berurah 694:3).
3. Is it better to give two large donations or many small ones?
Since the primary objective of the mitzvah is to bring joy to the poor, one is required to give an amount that would make a poor person happy. Therefore, it is preferable to give two large donations. This will bring more joy to the recipients than if one would give many small donations (Rabbi Yitzchak Darzi, Shevut Yitzchak 8:2, citing R’ Yosef Shalom Elyashiv).
A check may be given if it can easily be exchanged for cash through a bank or used to make a purchase (ibid. 8:3).
4. What if one does not know who is qualified to receive the gifts?
One does not need to personally give the money. Rather one can give it via an authorized charity collector, who will distribute the money to the poor on the day of Purim itself. (Aruch HaShulchan, Orach Chaim 694:2).
5. Must one give money to anyone who asks for charity?
[During the rest of the year] if someone needs clothes and comes and says: “Give me clothes,” we investigate to see that his need is legitimate [i.e. a person is not obligated to give charity to all who ask] (Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 251:10).
However, money given on Purim is distributed freely, and therefore we give [at least a small donation] to anyone who extends his hand (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 694:3).
Whoever gives charity on Purim causes powerful and far-reaching improvements in all the higher worlds, more so than on other days. Therefore, one should give more than usual (Yesod v’Shoresh HaAvodah 12:6).
סעודת פורים - כמבואר בפסוק (אסתר ט, כח) "והימים האלה נזכרים ונעשים בכל דור ודור
משפחה ומשפחה" וגו' מבאר רש"י "מתאספים יחד ואוכלים ושותים יחד...
סעודת פורים מטרתה לאחד את כולם ולשמוח בצוותא איש עם רעהו, וע"י זה מנחילים לדורות את הקבלה המחודשת בימים ההם - כאיש אחד בלב אחד.
וע"י כך זוכים אנו לישועת ה' בזמן הזה - כבימים ההם. וכאמור, ישועת ה' זו תלויה בנו, כשאנו מאוגדים ומאוחדים כחטיבה אחת, מבטלים את רצונותינו האישיים למטרה אחת בלבד - רצון ה',
ע"י זאת זוכים לישועת ה' כבימים ההם – בזמן הזה.
The Purim meal, as it is referred to in the verse: “And these days should be remembered and celebrated by every generation [and] every family (Esther 9:28).” Rashi explains that the celebration is by means of: “people gathering together, and eating and drinking together …”
The aim of the Purim meal is to unify everyone present, and for everyone in the group to bring happiness to his friend. Through this we pass on to future generations the unique re-acceptance of the Torah that occurred in those days of Purim when: “[the nation was] like one man, with one heart” [Rashi, Shemot 19:2, referring to the nation’s acceptance of the Written Torah on Har Sinai].
Through this unity [generated by the mitzvot of the day] we will merit God’s deliverance in our days, as it occurred then. And in truth, this salvation is dependent on us. For when we are unified and bonded like one entity, and we remove our selfishness for the purpose of a common goal – which is to fulfill the Will of God – then we merit God’s salvation as in those days.
- There is a custom to wear costumes on Purim. (Mahari Mintz Teshuva ) There are many explanations brought down for this minhag. [5]
- Many poskim are against cross-dressing on Purim as a costume [6]
- There is a custom to wear Yom Tov clothing on Purim starting the night of Purim. [7]
- The Bnei Yissaschar (on Adar 9:1) cites a Maharam Chagiz who quotes the Gemara Megilla 12a. The Gemora explains that the Jewish people only did things “Lifnim” – hidden – So Hashem as well only did things “Lifnim” – hidden.
- Eliya Rabba 696 says that since Mordechai was dressed up in the royal clothing, we dress up to commemorate that.
- Torat Hamoadim pg. 267 quotes Rav Meir Mazuz (Sansan Liyair 12) that this custom almost certainly developed with non-Jewish origins and therefore tries to stop it. see Orchot Rabbenu 3: pg. 60:note 104 where he argues the reverse: that the non-Jews took the practice from the Jews.
- Mahari Mintz Teshuva 15 writes that he saw many people dress as members of the opposite gender on Purim in the presence of leading Hachamim, and the Hachamim did not object. He justifies this custom that since one is only dressing up for the Purim celebration and not to promote and promiscuity it could be permissible. The Mahari Mintz compares this practice to the custom he observed of allowing children to grab candies from each other on Purim. Even though Halacha clearly forbids taking other people’s possessions even in jest, and considers this outright theft, in the context of the Purim celebration it is deemed permissible.
- Rama 696:8 writes based on the Mahari Mintz that some are lenient with this and the minhag is to be lenient. The reason is that the issur of cross dressing is because it promotes "Znus" but since on Purim it is done just for "simcha be'alma" fun the issur does not apply
- Rama additionally records a custom to allow wearing on Purim clothes that contain Shaatnez on the level of Rabbinic enactment; these enactments were waived for the purpose of the special joy of Purim.
- Taz YD 182:4 writes that his father-in-law, the Bach, disagreed with the Rama and brought proof from the Yereim that one shouldn't do so for a wedding, and concludes that anyone who refrains will merit blessing
- Rambam and Rabbi Eliezer of Metz (Sefer Yeraim 98) quoted in Sh"t Yechave Daat 5:50: dressing as a member of the opposite gender is forbidden under all circumstances, even for Purim or for the joy of bride and groom.
- Rav Chaim Kanievsky says in the name of the Chazon Ish (quoted in Dirshu Mishna Brura 696: note 52) that cross-dressing on Purim is inappropriate even for children. Bayit Hayehudi Volume 4 page 285 agrees. However, the Steipler and Rav Elyashiv (quoted in Dirshu Mishna Brura 696: note 52) were lenient for young children until the age of Chinuch.
- Pri Megadim OC Mishbetzot Zahav 696:5 writes that if one is only wearing one women's garment but still clearly looks like a man, he may be lenient. This is quoted by Mishna Brura 696:30. Nevertheless, Rav Dovid Feinstein ruled that wearing a women's wig would constitute a simlas isha and would be prohibited.
- Chacham Ovadyah Yosef (Chazon Ovadyah Purim pg 199, Yalkut Yosef pocket-size Moadim pg 494, Sh"t Yabia Omer YD 5:14 and Yechave Daat 5:50) forbids any costumes that involve cross-dressing on Purim, even for children. see also Halacha Yomit. Rav Menashe Klein (Sh"t Mishneh Halachot 11:563) and Rabbi Eli Mansour agree
- Aruch Hashulchan 696:12 writes that although the Rama justifies the custom, this custom doesn't exist anymore
(Main Sources: Sources: NJOP, Aish.com, NLE Resources, Halachapedia)