The Discussion of Purim Meals in the Babylonian Talmud

Rav Yosef (A3) taught:

“And of sending portions one to another” (Esther 9:22) - two portions to one person.

“And gifts to the poor” (Esther 9:22) - two gifts to two people.

Rabbi Yehuda Nesia (A3) sent to Rabbi Oshaya (A3) the leg of a third-born calf and a jug of wine.

He sent him: "You have fulfilled through us, our teacher: 'And sending portions one to another' and 'gifts to the poor'.”

Rabbah (A3) sent to Marei bar Mar (A3) in the hands of Abaye (A4), a sack [taska] full of dates [kashva] and a cupful of roasted flour [kimḥa de’avshuna].

Abaye said to him: "Now, Mari will say 'if a farmer becomes the king, the basket does not descend from his neck.'"

He sent back to him a sack full of ginger and a cupful of long peppers [pilpalta arikha].

Abaye said "The master will now say: 'I sent him sweet and he sent me spicy.'"

Abaye said: "When I left the house of the master, I was already satiated. When I arrived there, they served me sixty plates of sixty kinds of cooked dishes, and I ate sixty portions from them. The last dish was called pot roast, and I wanted to chew the plate afterward."

Abaye said: "When I left the house of the master, I was already satiated. When I arrived there, they served me sixty plates of sixty kinds of cooked dishes, and I ate sixty portions from them. The last dish was called pot roast, and I wanted to chew the plate afterward."

Rabbah (A3) and Rabbi Zeira (A3) made a Purim feast with each other, and they became intoxicated and Rabbah arose and slew Rabbi Zeira. The next day, he asked for mercy, and revived him.

The next year, he said to him, "Let the Master come and let us prepare the Purim feast with each other."

He said to him: "Miracles do not happen each and every hour."

Abaye bar Avin (A4) and Rabbi Ḥanina bar Avin (A4) would exchange their meals with each other.

Rava (A4) said: "A person is obligated to become intoxicated on Purim until he does not know between cursed is Haman and blessed is Mordecai."

Rava (A4) said: "A Purim feast that one ate at night did not fulfill his obligation."

What is the reason?

“Days of feasting and gladness” (Esther 9:22) is written.

Rav Ashi (A6) was sitting before Rav Kahana (A5) and it grew dark and the Sages did not come.

He said to him: "What is the reason that the Sages did not come? Perhaps they are preoccupied with the Purim feast?"

He said to him: "Wasn’t it possible to eat at night?"

He said to him: "Didn’t the master learn that which Rava (A4) said: 'A Purim feast that one ate at night did not fulfill his obligation'?"

He said to him: "Did Rava say that?"

He said to him: "Yes."

He learned it from him forty times until it seemed to him as if it were placed in his purse.