Chapter 141 : Chapter 141 Laws Concerning the Reading of the Megillah

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§1

The Month of Adar brings much joy to our people. If a Jew has a lawsuit against a non-Jew he should bring the case to court during this month.

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§2

In the days of Mordechai and Esther, the Jews joined together on the thirteenth day of Adar to defend themselves and take revenge against their enemies. They had to ask for compassion from God, blessed is His Name, that He should help them. And we find that whenever the Jewish people were at war they fasted, in order to invoke Divine assistance. Moshe Rabeinu, peace be upon him, also fasted on the day he went into battle against Amalek. This being the case, we may assume, that in the days of Mordechai and Esther, they also fasted on the thirteenth day of Adar. Therefore, all Jews have accepted this day as a public fast day. It is called Ta'anis Esther [Fast of Esther]. It is meant to remind us that the Creator, blessed is His Name, sees and hears the prayers of every person in his time of trouble, when he fasts and repents with all his heart, as He answered our forefathers in those days. Nevertheless, this fast is not as obligatory as the four fast days mentioned in Tanach (see Chapter 121 above). Therefore, you may be lenient when it is necessary. Thus pregnant and nursing women, or even a person who is slightly ill with an eye irritation should not fast, if fasting would be greatly discomforting to them.¹This refers only to one who has an eye irritation, but a pregnant or nursing woman need not fast even though they feel no discomfort. This is the opinion of Yeshuos Yaakov, but Eliyahu Rabbah disagrees and maintains that they are exempt only when they feel discomfort. However, regarding a woman within thirty days after childbirth, even Eliyahu Rabbah is lenient and agrees with Yeshuos Yaakov. (Mishnah Berurah 686:4, 5) A woman within thirty days after giving birth, and a bridegroom during his seven days of Sheva berachos, do not have to fast, but they should make up for it later.²This refers only to one who did not fast because of an eye irritation. See note 1 above. But all others who are in good health should not separate themselves from the community. Even if you are traveling and fasting is difficult, nevertheless, you are required to fast.

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§3

On the fourteenth day of Adar, Purim is celebrated in unwalled cities. If Purim occurs on a Sunday, the fast is moved up to Thursday. If there is a bris [circumcision] on [Thursday], the bris meal should be held at night, but the sandek and the father of the infant³According to Mishnah Berurah the mother of the child and the Mohel are also permitted to eat during the day. (See Shaar Hatzion 686:15) are permitted to eat during the day, and they do not have to fast on Friday. But if anyone else forgets and eats on Thursday, he must fast on Friday.

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§4

In honor of [reading] the Megillah you should wear Shabbos clothes in the evening, and when returning from the synagogue, you should find the house brightly lit, the table set, and the beds made. In the evening, after the Shemoneh Esrei, the Full Kaddish with Tiskabbeil is said, then the Megillah is read. After that, Ve'ata kadosh etc. is said. (This verse is found in Psalm 22:4, "For the Conductor; on the ayeles hashachar," which refers to Esther. It is said (verse 3), "My God, I call…" etc. which refers to the reading of the Megillah. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, Every man must read the Megillah at night and repeat it in the daytime, for it is said, "My God, I call by day, but you do not answer, and at night I am not silent." This is followed by [the verse], "You are the Holy One" etc.). After that, the Full Kaddish, is said, omitting Tiskabbeil. If it is Shabbos night [we say], Vihi no'am, Ve'ata kadosh, the Full Kaddish omitting Tiskabbeil, Veyiten lecha; and we say Havdalah over a cup of wine, [and conclude with] Aleinu.

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§5

It is customary to donate a coin, equal to half of the standard monetary unit currently in use in the country before Purim, as a reminder of the half-shekel, the Jews used to give in Adar to buy the communal offerings. It is customary to give three half-shekels, because in Parashas Ki Sisa, the word terumah [offering] is mentioned three times. These coins are given in the evening before the reading of the Megillah, and then distributed to the poor. A minor is exempt [from giving the half-shekel]; but if his father once contributed for him, it remains his obligation for life. According to some authorities, a thirteen year old boy must give [a half-shekel], while others hold that he is exempt until he reaches the age of twenty.

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§6

On Purim, in the Shemoneh Esrei of Maariv, Shacharis, and Minchah, we recite Al hanisim [For the miracles]. If you forgot to say it, the same Halachah applies as on Chanukah. [See Chapter 139:21]

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§7

It is an obligation upon everyone, both men and women, to hear the reading of the Megillah in the evening and during the day. Therefore, girls too, should go to the synagogue. If they do not go someone must read for them at home. Children too, must be trained to hear the reading of the Megillah.⁴Mishnah Berurah writes: “Presently in our times the result of bringing children to the synagogue has had a reverse effect. Not only do they not listen to the reading of the Megillah, they create such a tumult that the adults are unable to hear the reading properly. Their purpose in coming is only to make noise at the mention of Haman’s name, and as such, the father does not fulfill his obligation of chinuch, (training his child to perform mitzvos.) In truth, therefore, a father must keep his children near him and to see that they actually listen to the Megillah reading, and though they are permitted to make noise at the mention of Haman’s name, this should not be the primary reason for their coming to the synagogue. (Ibid 689:18) Nevertheless, you should not bring very young children to the synagogue since they disturb the congregation.

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§8

At night it is forbidden to read the Megillah before the stars come out, even if you suffer great discomfort because of the fast. But you may taste something⁵You may eat a kebeitzah of bread or cake, or liquid in the same quantity. (Ibid 692:14) before the reading of the Megillah, such as coffee, and similar beverages, to strengthen yourself from the exhaustion of the fast.

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§9

The mitzvah done to perfection is to hear the Megillah in the synagogue, where there is a large number of people,⁶Mishnah Berurah quotes Chayei Adam who wrote that if you pray all year with a specific minyan, you need not leave it to go to a synagogue where there are more people. Mishnah Berurah comments that Chayei Adam’s ruling applies only when the minyan is held in a Beis Midrash, but if the minyan is held in a private home, it would seem that you should leave and go to the synagogue to hear the Megillah. (Ibid 687:7) for "In the multitude of people is the splendor of the King" (Proverbs 14:28). You should at least make an effort to hear it read with a minyan. If it is impossible to have it read with a minyan, each individual should read it from a valid Megillah, and recite the berachos before the reading. If one of them knows how to read it and the others do not, then the one who knows it should read and the others should listen and fulfill their obligation in this manner, even though they are not a minyan. However, the berachah after the Megillah reading should be said only when there is a minyan. However, without mentioning God's name and Kingship [i.e., Elokeinu melech ha'olam], even an individual may recite the berachah.

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§10

It is a custom, accepted in all Yisrael, that the reader does not read from a rolled up Megillah, but he spreads it out and folds it, section over section,⁷This should be done before he says the berachos so that there will be no interruption between the berachos and the reading. (Ibid 690:56) like a letter, because the Megillah is called Igeres haPurim [the letter of Purim]; but those who listen, do not have to spread out their Megillos.

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§11

The person who reads the Megillah, whether in the daytime or at night, recites three berachos before the reading: Al mikra Megillah [… concerning the mitzvah of reading the Megillah], She'asa nisim, [Who made miracles] and Shehecheyanu [Who kept us alive]. After the reading, he rolls it up completely and places it in front of him. Then [everyone] says the berachah Harav es riveinu, [Who fights for us] etc. If a mourner reads the Megillah, someone else should say the berachos, because of the Shehecheyanu [which a mourner should not say publicly]. (See 139:15)

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§12

When Shehecheyanu is said in the daytime you should also have in mind [to exempt with this berachah] the mitzvos of sending Mishloach Manos [gifts of food], Matanos La'evyonim [gifts to the poor], and Se'udas Purim [the Purim feast]. The reader, too, [when saying Shehecheyanu], should have the congregation in mind for these mitzvos as well.

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§13

The reader of the Megillah must have in mind to fulfill the mitzvah on behalf of all the listeners. The listeners, too, must have in mind to fulfill their obligation [with his reading] and they must listen to every word. If you failed to hear even one word you have not fulfilled your obligation. The reader, therefore, must be very alert, during the noise making and the confusion, when the name of Haman is mentioned, to remain silent until the commotion has passed completely. Nevertheless, it is proper and fitting to have a valid [handwritten] Megillah,⁸If you have no valid handwritten Megillah, you should at least have a printed Megillah to read from. (Ibid 690:19) so that you can say word for word quietly, in case you do not hear one word from the reader. Also, every intelligent woman who is in the women's section is encouraged, if possible, to obtain a valid Megillah⁸If you have no valid handwritten Megillah, you should at least have a printed Megillah to read from. (Ibid 690:19) from which to read, for in the [women's section] it is difficult to hear [the reading]; and women are obligated [to hear the Megillah] the same as men. (If kiddush levanah [Sanctification of the Moon] has not yet been said, and it became visible during the reading of the Megillah, see the end of Chapter 97 above [for instructions].)

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§14

The reader must recite the names of the ten sons of Haman, including the word aseres [ten], all in one breath, to make it known that they were all killed and hanged simultaneously. It is customary [at least] initially to recite from chameish meios ish [Five hundred men] all in one breath. If he has already read the names, then even if he paused while reciting the names of the ten sons of Haman, he has fulfilled his obligation. The custom followed in some communities, that the entire congregation says the names of the sons of Haman, is not correct. Rather the reader should recite them, and the congregation should listen as they do for the entire Megillah. When the reader says the verse, "That night the king could not sleep well" (6:1) he should raise his voice, for there the actual miracle begins; and when he says "Ha'igeres hazos," [this letter] (9:26) he should [gently] shake the Megillah.

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§15

If you have a Megillah that is invalid, or a Chumash, you should not say the words along with the reader, because if you say the words while reading, you cannot concentrate on listening to the reader. And even if you, yourself, could concentrate [on the reader's recitation], someone else might listen to your reading and not concentrate on the reader's recitation. For the same reason, no one should assist the reader from memory. Therefore, the four "verses of redemption" [Verse 2:5, Ish Yehudi—There was a Jewish man, v. 8:15, uMordechai yatzah—Mordechai left, v. 8:16, LaYehudim hayesa—The Jews had light, v. 10:3, Ki Mordechai HaYehudi—For Mordechai the Jew,] which the congregation recites in a loud voice, must be repeated by the reader and read from the valid Megillah.

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§16

Someone who has already fulfilled the Mitzvah of reading the Megillah, may read in order to exempt someone else. If the one for whose benefit he reads knows how to say the berachos, then he should say the berachos. If [he reads it for] a woman, it is preferable that the reader says the following berachah: Asher kiddeshanu bemitzvosav vetzivanu lishmo'a megillah. [Who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us to hear the Megillah].

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§17

On Shabbos (on which Purim never occurs) it is permissible to handle the Megillah. Nevertheless, if Purim occurs on Sunday, you should not bring the Megillah to the synagogue on Shabbos even in a city which has an eiruv, because it is preparing on Shabbos for a weekday.

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§18

If a congregation has no reader capable of reading the Megillah with the proper cantillation chant, it may be read without the chant, provided the words are properly pronounced, so that the meaning is not changed. For, if instead of reading uMordechai yosheiv (is sitting) [it was read] yashav (sat) or instead of [reading] veHaman nofeil [Haman is falling], it was read nafal [fell], or the like, even post facto, the mitzvah is not fulfilled.⁹In such a case, the Megillah must be re-read from the place the mistake was made, but a new berachah is not said. This rule also applies if an entire word was omitted. (Biur Halachah 690:14) It is permissible to insert vowels and cantillation marks in the Megillah, so that it should be read correctly, since it is an extreme circumstance; and this is better than having someone prompt [the reader] from of a chumash, whispering quietly, because the prompter, who is reading out of a chumash, even if he reads in an undertone, cannot concentrate on listening to the reader's recitation. The result is, that he only reads it out of a chumash, and has not fulfilled the mitzvah. If this happened [the prompter] must hear it again read out of a valid Megillah.

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§19

If a congregation does not have a halachically valid Megillah, nevertheless, if it is written on parchment according to Halachah, except that some words are missing in mid text, since no complete subject is missing, it may be read from, and the berachos may be said over it. The reader should say the missing words from memory or someone should prompt him quietly from a chumash. But if they have no Megillah at all, or if an entire subject is missing, or if the first or last [verses] are missing, then each person should read from a chumash without saying the berachos. An individual who has only a Megillah that is not valid should read in it, without saying the berachos.

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§20

A mourner during the shivah should observe all the Halachos of mourning, and he is forbidden to attend any kind of celebration; but wearing shoes and sitting on a chair are permitted [to him on Purim], because these are things that everyone can see.¹⁰Only very private practices of mourning are permitted on Purim. At night, if he can gather a minyan in his house to read the Megillah, that is preferable; if not, he should pray at home and go to the synagogue to hear the Megillah. If Purim occurs on Shabbos night, he should go to the synagogue after Shalosh Seudos [the third meal] while it is still day. On Purim-day he may go to the synagogue to pray and to hear the Megillah.

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§21

If someone lost a close relative on the Fast of Esther and at night he is an onein, since the burial has not yet taken place, he should hear the Megillah read by someone else; and he should not eat meat nor drink wine, since at night feasting is not mandatory. In the daytime, after leaving the synagogue, the dead should be buried. Afterwards he should pray,¹¹However, before the burial he is exempt from the mitzvah to read Kerias Shemah and to pray the Shemoneh Esrei. (Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 196:7) and either read the Megillah himself or hear someone else read it. If he heard the reading of the Megillah before the burial, he has fulfilled his obligation. Nevertheless, it is proper that he read it again without saying the berachos. He should not put on the tefillin even after the burial, because it is the first day of mourning. An onein, on Purim during the daytime, is permitted to eat meat and drink wine.¹²Mishnah Berurah disagrees with this ruling, maintaining that he is not permitted to eat meat or drink wine even by day. ( Shaar Hatzion 696:28)

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§22

In the morning [it is proper] to get up early to go to the synagogue. After the Shemoneh Esrei, half-kaddish is said. We call up three persons for the Torah-reading of Parashas Vayavo Amalek [And Amelek came] (Ex. 17:8), after which half-kaddish is said. After the seifer Torah is placed in the Ark, the Megillah is read. After the last berachah [over the Megillah], in the morning, we do not say Asher heini [Who annuls the counsel of the nations]. After concluding the berachah with hakeil hamoshia [the God Who brings salvation] we say Shoshanas Yaakov [The rose of Jacob] etc. then Ashrei, Uva leTzion, Full-Kaddish including Tiskabbeil. You should not take off the tefillin until after the reading of the Megillah, because in the Megillah it is written, Vikar [and honor] (8:16), and [our Rabbis] expound that this refers to the tefillin. If there is a bris, it is performed before¹³According to Pri Chadosh and Vilna Gaon, the Megillah is read before the bris. (Mishnah Berurah 693:12) the reading of the Megillah, because it is written vesason [gladness], which refers to bris milah.

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§23

In a city that has been surrounded by a wall since the days of Joshua the son of Nun, the Megillah is read on the fifteenth of Adar (such cities do not exist in our regions).