The Act of Storytelling - The Purim Paradigm

(20) Mordecai recorded these events. And he sent dispatches to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus, near and far, (21) charging them to observe the fourteenth and fifteenth days of Adar, every year— (22) 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. (23) The Jews accordingly assumed as an obligation that which they had begun to practice and which Mordecai prescribed for them... Consequently, these days are recalled and observed in every generation: by every family, every province, and every city. And these days of Purim shall never cease among the Jews, and the memory of them shall never perish among their descendants.

We are bidden by the sages to read the Megillah at its proper time. It is widely known that this reading was prescribed by the prophets. Everyone is required in its reading: men, women, proselytes, and emancipated slaves. Minors should be trained to read it. And even priests in their service stop their service and come to hear the reading of the Scroll. And likewise do we stop Torah study to hear the reading of the Scroll — all the more so for the other commandments of the Torah. All of them are overridden on account of the reading of the Scroll. And there is nothing that overrides the reading of the Scroll, [to go] before it, except for a commanded corpse — [meaning one] that has no one to bury it. For one who encounters it must bury it first; and read [the Scroll] afterwards.

Whether one is the reader or the one who listens to the reader — they have fulfilled their obligation. And that is so long as they hear it from someone who is obligated in its reading. Hence if the reader was an infant or one mentally incapacitated, the one who listens to it from him or her has not fulfilled the obligation.

One who reads the Scroll out of order has not fulfilled the obligation. If he read and forgot a verse and [then] read the next verse [after] it; went back to read the verse he forgot and [then] went back and read a third verse (where had had left off) — he has not fulfilled [his obligation], since he read one verse out of order. Rather what should he do? He should begin with the other verse that he forgot and read in order [from there].

One who read the Megillah by heart has not fulfilled their duty.

If a speaker of a foreign tongue heard the Megillah read from a copy written in the Hebrew language and in Hebrew script, he has fulfilled his duty, even though he did not know what they said.

Similarly, if the Megillah is written in Greek, and he heard it read, he has discharged his duty, even though he knows no Greek, and even if the listener is familiar with Hebrew.

If the Megillah is written in Aramaic or in some other foreign tongue, except Greek, only a person who is familiar with that tongue fulfills his duty by hearing it read. And that is so long as it is written in the script of that language. But if it was written in Hebrew script and one read it in Aramaic to an Aramean — he has not fulfilled [his obligation]. For actually this one was reading by heart. And since the reader did not fulfill his obligation, the one who heard it from him [also] did not fulfill his obligation.

One who read the Megillah without due intention, he has not discharged his duty. If, for example, while copying the Megillah, or expounding it, or proof-reading it, he intended to fulfill his duty with this reading, he has discharged his obligation; if he did not so intend, he has not fulfilled his duty. How is this? [If] he was writing it, or explicating it, or examining it: If he intended to fulfill [his obligation] with this reading, he has fulfilled [it]. But if he did not intend [to fulfill it], he did not fulfilled it.

If one read and was dozing off: Since he did not actually fall sleep, he has fulfilled his obligation.

All Prophetic Books and the Sacred Writings will cease during the messianic era except the Book of Esther. It will continue to exist just as the Five Books of the Torah and the laws of the Oral Torah that will never cease. Although ancient troubles will be remembered no longer, as it is written: "The troubles of the past are forgotten and hidden from my eyes" (Isaiah 65:16), the days of Purim will not be abolished, as it is written: "These days of Purim shall never be repealed among the Jews, and the memory of them shall never cease from their descendants" (Esther 9:28).

I say that none of the books will be annulled, for there is learning to be found in every book. What the rabbis meant is that even if other books stop being read, the Megillah will always be read out publicly.

The Raavad objected to Rambam's use of the midrash. And whether the Rambam meant to be taken literally or not - the truth will reveal itself in the days of the Messiah.