(ג) מִצְוָה לִקְרוֹת אֶת כֻּלָּהּ. וּמִצְוָה לִקְרוֹתָהּ בַּלַּיְלָה וּבַיּוֹם. וְכָל הַלַּיְלָה כָּשֵׁר לִקְרִיאַת הַלַּיְלָה. וְכָל הַיּוֹם כָּשֵׁר לִקְרִיאַת הַיּוֹם. וּמְבָרֵךְ קֹדֶם קְרִיאָתָהּ בַּלַּיְלָה שָׁלֹשׁ בְּרָכוֹת וְאֵלּוּ הֵן. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל מִקְרָא מְגִלָּה. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁעָשָׂה נִסִּים לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וּבַזְּמַן הַזֶּה. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה. וּבַיּוֹם אֵינוֹ חוֹזֵר וּמְבָרֵךְ שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ. וּמָקוֹם שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ לְבָרֵךְ אַחֲרֶיהָ מְבָרֵךְ בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הָאֵל הָרָב אֶת רִיבֵנוּ וְהַדָּן אֶת דִּינֵנוּ וְהַנּוֹקֵם אֶת נִקְמָתֵנוּ וְהַנִּפְרָע לָנוּ מִצָּרֵינוּ וְהַמְשַׁלֵּם גְּמוּל לְכָל אֹיְבֵי נַפְשֵׁנוּ בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' הַנִּפְרָע לְיִשְׂרָאֵל מִכָּל צָרֵיהֶם הָאֵל הַמּוֹשִׁיעַ :
(3) The commandment is to read it entirely, and the commandments is to read it at night and in the day. One may read the nightly reading the entire night, and one may read the day reading the entire day. The one who blesses before the nightly reading makes three blessings, and these are they: "Blessed are you God our God, king of the world, who sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us upon the reading of the Megillah." "Blessed are you God our God, king of the world, who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days and this time." "Blessed are you God our God, king of the world, who renews us and preserves us and lets us reach this time." And during the day, one does not repeat and make the "Renew us" blessing. And places that have the custom to bless after [the reading], bless, "Blessed are you God our God, king of the world, the God who fights our fights, and judges our judgement, and avenges our vengeances, who retaliates for our suffering, who pays back on all the enemies of our souls. Blessed are you God who retaliates for Israel from all their suffering, the God who saves."
Questions:
1. When is the Megillah read on Purim?
2. How many blessings are recited before the Megillah is read?
3. What is the theme of the blessing recited after the Megillah?
הַגָּה: וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים דְּאַף בַּיּוֹם מְבָרֵךְ: שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ (טוּר בְּשֵׁם רַבֵּנוּ תָּם וְהָרֹא''שׁ וְהַמַּגִּיד), וְכֵן נוֹהֲגִין בְּכָל מְדִינוֹת אֵלּוּ;
[The following is from Rabbi Moshe Isserlis (Rama), in his notes on the Shulchan Arukh that reflect Ashkenazic practice.]
Note: Some say that even during the day we recite the blessing of "Shehechianu." This is our custom in all of these areas [Ashkenazic Jews].
Question:
4. How does Rabbi Moshe Isserlis differ from Maimonides (Mishneh Torah)?
The following verse in Esther is the source for three important Mitzvoth that are fulfilled on Purim day:
Question:
5. According to the verse, what are three ways Purim is observed?
(טו) כֵּיצַד חוֹבַת סְעֵדָּה זוֹ. שֶׁיֹּאכַל בָּשָׂר וִיתַקֵּן סְעֵדָּה נָאָה כְּפִי אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָא יָדוֹ.... וְכֵן חַיָּב אָדָם לִשְׁלֹחַ שְׁתֵּי מְנוֹת בָּשָׂר אוֹ שְׁנֵי מִינֵי תַּבְשִׁיל אוֹ שְׁנֵי מִינֵי אֳכָלִין לַחֲבֵרוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (אסתר ט יט) "וּמִשְׁלוֹחַ מָנוֹת אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ", שְׁתֵּי מָנוֹת לְאִישׁ אֶחָד. וְכָל הַמַּרְבֶּה לִשְׁלֹחַ לְרֵעִים מְשֻׁבָּח. וְאִם אֵין לוֹ מַחֲלִיף עִם חֲבֵרוֹ זֶה שׁוֹלֵחַ לְזֶה סְעֵדָּתוֹ וְזֶה שׁוֹלֵחַ לְזֶה סְעֵדָּתוֹ כְּדֵי לְקַיֵּם וּמִשְׁלוֹחַ מָנוֹת אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ:
(טז) וְחַיָּב לְחַלֵּק לָעֲנִיִּים בְּיוֹם הַפּוּרִים. אֵין פּוֹחֲתִין מִשְּׁנֵי עֲנִיִּים נוֹתֵן לְכָל אֶחָד מַתָּנָה אַחַת אוֹ מָעוֹת אוֹ מִינֵי תַּבְשִׁיל אוֹ מִינֵי אֳכָלִין שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (אסתר ט כב) "וּמַתָּנוֹת לָאֶבְיוֹנִים", שְׁתֵּי מַתָּנוֹת לִשְׁנֵי עֲנִיִּים. וְאֵין מְדַקְדְּקִין בִּמְעוֹת פּוּרִים אֶלָּא כָּל הַפּוֹשֵׁט יָדוֹ לִטּל נוֹתְנִין לוֹ. וְאֵין מְשַׁנִּין מָעוֹת פּוּרִים לִצְדָקָה אַחֶרֶת:
(יז) מוּטָב לָאָדָם לְהַרְבּוֹת בְּמַתְּנוֹת אֶבְיוֹנִים מִלְּהַרְבּוֹת בִּסְעֻדָּתוֹ וּבְשִׁלּוּחַ מָנוֹת לְרֵעָיו. שֶׁאֵין שָׁם שִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה וּמְפֹאָרָה אֶלָּא לְשַׂמֵּחַ לֵב עֲנִיִּים וִיתוֹמִים וְאַלְמָנוֹת וְגֵרִים. שֶׁהַמְשַׂמֵּחַ לֵב הָאֻמְלָלִים הָאֵלּוּ דּוֹמֶה לַשְּׁכִינָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה נז טו) "לְהַחֲיוֹת רוּחַ שְׁפָלִים וּלְהַחֲיוֹת לֵב נִדְכָּאִים":
(15) What is the nature of our obligation for this feast? A person should eat meat and prepare as attractive a feast as his means permit.... And similarly a person is obligated to send two portions of meat or two types of cooked food or two types of food to his friend, as it says (Esther 9:22) "and send portions one man to another" two portions to one man. And all that increase to send to others is praiseworthy. And if he has no [money] he should exchange with his friend: this one sends to this his meal and this one sends to this his meal in order to fulfill (Esther 9:22) "and send portions one man to another".
(16) One is obligated to give to poor people on the day of Purim. One should give no less than two poor people one gift each of money or types of cooked dishes or types of food, as it says (Esther 9:22) "gifts to the poor": two gifts to to poor people. And one should not be particular about Purim money, rather give to every person who puts out his hand. And one should not change Purim money for another charity.
(17) It is good for people to increase in their gifts to the poor more than they increase in their meal and the gifts that they send to their companions, for there is no greater or more glorious joy than to bring happiness to the hearts of the poor and orphans and widows and strangers, for he who brings happiness to the hearts of these unfortunate people is compared to the Divine Presence, as it says, "To revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones" (Isaiah 57:15).
Questions:
6. According to Maimonides (the author of the Mishneh Torah), what should one do for the festive Purim meal?
7. How much food should a person send to his/her friend?
8. What should one give the poor on Purim?
9. Why is giving to the poor so important on Purim?
הַגָּה: יֵשׁ שֶׁכָּתְבוּ שֶׁנּוֹהֲגִין לוֹמַר ד' פְּסוּקִים שֶׁל גְּאֻלָּה בְּקוֹל רָם, דְּהַיְנוּ: "אִישׁ יְהוּדִי" וְגו', "וּמָרְדְּכַי יָצָא" וְגו', "לַיְּהוּדִים הָיְתָה אוֹרָה" וְגו', "כִּי מָרְדְּכַי הַיְהוּדִי" וְגו'; וְכֵן נוֹהֲגִין בִּמְדִינוֹת אֵלּוּ (הַגָּהוֹת מַיְמוֹנִי פ''א וְכָל בּוֹ וְאַבּוּדַרְהַם); וְהַחַזָּן חוֹזֵר וְקוֹרֵא אוֹתָן. עוֹד כָּתְבוּ שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ הַתִּינוֹקוֹת לָצוּר צוּרַת הָמָן עַל עֵצִים וַאֲבָנִים, אוֹ לִכְתֹּב שֵׁם הָמָן עֲלֵיהֶן, וּלְהַכּוֹתָן זֶה עַל זֶה כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּמָּחֶה שְׁמוֹ עַל דֶּרֶךְ: מָחֹה תִּמְחֶה אֶת זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק (דְּבָרִים כה, יט) וְשֵׁם רְשָׁעִים יִרְקַב (מִשְׁלֵי י, ז) וּמִזֶּה נִשְׁתַּרְבֵּב הַמִּנְהָג שֶׁמַּכִּים הָמָן כְּשֶׁקּוֹרִים אֶת הַמְּגִלָּה בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת (אַבּוּדַרְהַם);
[Note from Rabbi Moshe Isserlis (Rama) on the Shulchan Arukh].
Note: some write that it is customary to recite four verses of redemption [within the Megillah] out loud, namely: "there was a Jewish man"; "and Mordekhai went out"; "to the Jews there was light"; "for Mordekhai the Jew." Such is the custom in this areas [the Jews of Ashkenazic descent]. [After the congregation reads these verses out loud] the reader repeats them.
They also write that the children have the custom to draw an image of Haman on wood and rocks, or to write the name "Haman" on them, and to them against each other so that his name is erased. This [practice] is in the manner of "you shall certainly erase the memory of Amalek" (Deuteronomy 25:19). [In rabbinic literature, Haman is believed to be a descendent of the tribe of Amalek.] And also "the name of the wicked shall rot" (Proverbs 10:7).
From this came the custom of banging on "Haman" when [his name is] read in the Megillah in the synagogue....
Questions:
10. How many verses are read out loud by the congregation?
11. Who reads them first, the congregation or the Megillah reader?
12. Give a reason for banging on hearing Haman's name read.
הַגָּה: ... וּמַה שֶּׁנָּהֲגוּ לִלְבֹּשׁ פַּרְצוּפִים בְּפוּרִים, וְגֶבֶר לוֹבֵשׁ שִׂמְלַת אִשָּׁה וְאִשָּׁה כְּלִי גֶּבֶר, אֵין אִסּוּר בַּדָּבָר מֵאַחֵר שֶׁאֵין מְכַוְּנִין אֶלָּא לְשִׂמְחָה בְּעָלְמָא;
[From Rama's notes on the Shulchan Arukh]
Note:...Regarding our custom to wear costumes on Purim, and for a man to dress in a woman's dress and a woman to wear men's clothing--there is no prohibition on this since their only intent is joy.
Question:
13. What custom does the Rama cite?
There are many explanations given for the custom to wear costumes on Purim. Here are some explanations taken from the Ohr Somayach website ( https://ohr.edu/4676 ):
There are a number of different reasons. A mask and costume hide the identity of the wearer. From the outside not only can you not tell who the individual wearer is, you don’t have any insights into their nature whatsoever. Maybe behind the mask, no matter how far they appear to be from Torah, is a Jew, a family member, “one of the tribe”.
One of the deeper reasons for this custom is that the entire miracle of Purim was clothed in natural happenings. The events of the Purim story happened over a period of years and are seemingly unconnected. There isn’t even an explicit mention of G-d’s name in the Megillah. In fact the very name of the Megillah — “Esther” — hints to the hidden nature of the miracle. When the Talmud asks “Where do we see a hint to Esther in the Torah?” it answers with a verse from Deuteronomy (31:18) “v’Anochi haster Astir Panai” (“and I will surely hide My Face”). The word “Esther” means “hidden”.
Within the Megillah there are a number of “dressings up”. Vashti remains attached to her
attire despite the demands of Achashverosh. Esther doesn’t reveal her people — no one knew where she was from nor realized she was Jewish. People who saw her thought she was from their (foreign) nation. Mordechai wore sackcloth in mourning for his people and was later dressed in the clothes of the king.
The following is the source for the custom of some people to get drunk on Purim. Note the story included which, according to many rabbis, is a reason why one should NOT actually drink on Purim. Please also note that underage drinking is illegal, dangerous, and not encouraged in any way on Purim.