Purim Sources, Pores Mapah UmKadesh

Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: The halakha is not in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda, who said that one must interrupt one’s meal by removing the table entirely, nor is it in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yosei, who ruled that one need not interrupt one’s meal at all. Rather, one must spread a cloth over one’s table and recite kiddush, after which he may continue his meal. The Gemara asks: Is that so? But didn’t Rav Taḥalifa bar Avdimi say that Shmuel said: Just as one interrupts for kiddush,

[In a case of] one who was eating on the eve of Shabbat, and the day became sanctified upon him (Shabbat began) while he was in the midst of his meal: He should spread a tablecloth over his table, make Kiddush, finish his meal and then recite the Grace After the Meal. [And if] he was eating on Shabbat, and Shabbat went out while he was in the midst of his meal, he should finish his meal, wash his hands and recite the Grace After the Meal over a cup, and then recite Havdalah over it. And if he was in the midst of drinking, he should stop, recite Havdalah and then return to his drinking.

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 deaf-mute, 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. One is obligated to read the megillah at night and return and repeat it during the day. And for the [reading] at night - its time is all night, and for the [reading] during the day - its time is all day, from sunrise until the end of the day; and if one read it from daybreak - he has fulfilled [his obligation.]

One must send to his fellow two portions of meat, or foodstuffs, as it says (Esther 9:19) "And send portions, man to his fellow." Two portions to one man [is the obligation]. And anyone who send more to his fellows is praiseworthy. If he has none, he can trade with his fellow, this one sending to that one his meal, and this one sending to that one his meal, so that they can fulfill "And send portions, man to his fellow." RAMA: And some send the portions during the day and not at night (from the Rosh, first chapter of [Bavli] Megilla). And if one sends portions to his fellow, but he doesn't want to accept them, or he forgives him [his obligation], he fulfills [his obligation nonetheless]. And a woman is obligated in [sending] portions to the destitute and sending portions [to one's fellows] like a man is. A woman sends to a woman, a man to a man. But not the other way, so that a man does not come to send it to a widow, and it will come to a possibility of kiddushin [having been enacted]. But portions to the destitute one should not worry [about this possibility].

1. RAMA: It is a mitzvah to many feasts during Purim (Tur), but one fulfills his obligation with only one feast (Mordechai) One who does the Purim meal at night does not fulfill his obligation. RAMA: Nevertheless, one should be happy and add more during his meal even at night (Teshuvat Mahariv).

1. The law as regards Purim money for the poor, 4 Seifim: All people must give at least two gifts to two poor people. RAMA: Some say that there is [support] to give prior to Purim a half-coin that is established in that place and in that time as a memorial to the Shekel half-coin that they would give in Adar. And since "terumah [tithe]" is written three times in that portion, there is [support] to give three [half-coins] (Mordechai, beginning of the first chapter of Yoma). And there is [support] to give on the night of Purim prior to praying the Mincha prayer (Maharil), and such is the custom in all these provinces. And there is [support] to give 3 half-coins of the bigger [coins] in these provinces, for there is no coin that is only half beside for [the bigger coin], and in Austria, they would give 3 half-coins of Vienners, which were also called "halfs". And so it is for each province. And only someone who is 20 or older is obligated to give. And some say that one should give the half-shekel to charity in addition to these three halves, but that is not the custom.

Mordecai recorded these events. And he sent dispatches to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus, near and far, charging them to observe the fourteenth and fifteenth days of Adar, every year— the same days on which the Jews enjoyed relief from their foes and the same month which had been transformed for them from one of grief and mourning to one of festive joy. They were to observe them as days of feasting and merrymaking, and as an occasion for sending gifts to one another and presents to the poor. The Jews accordingly assumed as an obligation that which they had begun to practice and which Mordecai prescribed for them. For Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the foe of all the Jews, had plotted to destroy the Jews, and had cast pur—that is, the lot—with intent to crush and exterminate them.

4. It is forbidden to taste anything before one makes Kiddush [at night], even water. And even if one began eating while it was still day, he needs to stop eating, spread out a tablecloth [to set up the meal] and make Kiddush. And if they were drinking wine first, they only need to say the Bracha of Kiddush and not a Bracha on the wine. Afterward they will make a Bracha on the bread. And if he does not have wine, he can make Kiddush on bread, he need not make a Bracha on bread [because he has already been part of a meal where bread was eaten]. There are those who say that even if he makes a Bracha on wine, he also need not make a Bracha on the bread.

As it was taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yosei disagree about interrupting a meal: If people were eating on the eve of Shabbat, they must interrupt for Shabbatot, meaning that once Shabbat begins, they must interrupt their meal, clear away the table, and recite the evening prayers and kiddush before continuing their meal; this is the statement of Rabbi Yehuda. Rabbi Yosei says: These diners need not interrupt their meal. The baraita continues by relating a story: And there was an incident involving Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel, and Rabbi Yehuda, and Rabbi Yosei, who were reclining and eating together in Akko on Friday afternoon, and the day of Shabbat was sanctified, i.e., Shabbat began. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said to Rabbi Yosei: Berabbi, a title for an important man of distinguished lineage, is it your will that we should interrupt and be concerned for the statements of our colleague Yehuda, who maintains that one is obligated to interrupt his meal? He said to him: Each and every day you cherish my statements before those of Rabbi Yehuda, and rule in accordance with my opinion, and now you cherish the statement of Rabbi Yehuda before me? Rabbi Yosei continued by applying a verse to this situation: “Will he even force the queen before me in the house?” (Esther 7:8). Rabban Shimon said to him: If so, if displaying concern for Rabbi Yehuda’s opinion will be viewed as a halakhic ruling, we will not interrupt, as perhaps the students will see that we have broken off our meal and will establish the halakha for generations in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda. The Sages later said: They did not move from there until they established the halakha in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yosei, that one need not interrupt one’s meal on the eve of Shabbat and Festivals. Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: The halakha is not in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda, who said that one must interrupt one’s meal by removing the table entirely, nor is it in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yosei, who ruled that one need not interrupt one’s meal at all. Rather, one must spread a cloth over one’s table and recite kiddush, after which he may continue his meal. The Gemara asks: Is that so? But didn’t Rav Taḥalifa bar Avdimi say that Shmuel said: Just as one interrupts for kiddush,