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Purim Laws

The goal is to create a literary work over time that serves as a clear, concise, and accessible guide to Jewish law.

Chapter 1: The Mitzvah of Reading the Megillah

Section 1: The Obligation

  1. Every adult Jew is obligated to hear the reading of the Megillah on Purim night and again on Purim day (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 687:1).

Section 2: Women and the Megillah

  1. Women are also obligated to hear the Megillah reading (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Megillah 1:1).

Section 3: Time of Reading

  1. On Purim night, the Megillah is read after nightfall (tzeit hakochavim) (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 687:1).

Section 4: Blessings

  1. Before the Megillah reading, three blessings are recited. After the Megillah reading, a single blessing is recited (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 692:1).

Section 5: Mistakes in Reading

  1. If a mistake is made during the reading, one must go back to the point of the error and continue from there (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Megillah 2:8).

Chapter 2: Matanot La'evyonim (Gifts to the Poor)

Section 1: The Obligation

  1. Every adult Jew is obligated to give at least two gifts to two different poor individuals on Purim day (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 694:1).

Section 2: Type of Gift

  1. The gifts must be in the form of food or money (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Megillah 2:15).

Section 3: The Amount

  1. The amount given should at least enable the poor to purchase a meal (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 694:2).

Chapter 3: Mishloach Manot (Sending Food Portions)

Section 1: The Obligation

  1. Every adult Jew is obligated to send two food items to at least one friend on Purim day (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 695:4).

Section 2: Type of Food

  1. The food sent should be ready-to-eat and should be of a type that is customarily served at a meal (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Megillah 2:15).

Chapter 4: The Purim Seudah (Festive Meal)

Section 1: The Obligation

  1. Every adult Jew is required to partake in a festive meal on Purim day (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 695:1).

Section 2: Time of the Meal

  1. The meal should ideally begin before halachic midday and should continue into the afternoon (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Megillah 2:15).

Section 3: Foods Served

  1. It is customary to serve meat and wine at the Purim seudah (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 695:2).

Section 4: Intoxication

  1. One should drink wine until they can "no longer distinguish between 'cursed is Haman' and 'blessed is Mordechai'" (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 695:2). However, one must not become so drunk as to neglect other mitzvot (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Megillah 2:15).

Chapter 5: Other Customs and Laws

Section 1: Al HaNissim

  1. The prayer "Al HaNissim" is added in the Amidah and Birkat HaMazon (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 682:1).

Section 2: Attire

  1. It is customary to wear festive attire on Purim, including costumes (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Megillah 2:18).

Section 3: Tachanun and Fasting

  1. The supplicatory prayers of Tachanun are omitted on Purim (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 131:6). Fasting is prohibited (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 686:2).

Section 4: Torah Reading

  1. A special Torah portion is read both on Purim morning and during Mincha of the previous day (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 684:1).

Section 5: Ta'anit Esther

  1. A fast known as Ta'anit Esther is observed on the day preceding Purim (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 686:2).

Chapter 6: The Halachot of Purim in a Walled City

Section 1: The Distinction

  1. Cities that were walled at the time of Yehoshua bin Nun observe Purim on the 15th of Adar, known as Shushan Purim (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 688:1).

Section 2: Megillah Reading

  1. In a walled city, the Megillah is read on the 15th of Adar, following the same halachot as those applicable to Purim on the 14th (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Megillah 1:1).

Section 3: Other Mitzvot

  1. All other mitzvot of Purim, such as Matanot La'evyonim and Mishloach Manot, apply equally on the 15th of Adar in walled cities (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 688:6).

Chapter 7: Laws for Children

Section 1: Megillah Reading

  1. Children who have reached the age of chinuch (educational maturity) should be trained to listen to the Megillah (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 689:2).

Section 2: Matanot La'evyonim and Mishloach Manot

  1. Children should be taught the importance of giving to the poor and sending food portions, even if they are not yet obligated by Halachah to do so (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Megillah 2:18).

Chapter 8: Laws of the Month of Adar

Section 1: Increased Joy

  1. When the month of Adar begins, we increase in joy (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 686:1).

Section 2: Avoiding Conflict

  1. It is advisable to avoid legal disputes with non-Jews during the month of Adar, as it is a month of good fortune for the Jewish people (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Megillah 2:18).

Chapter 9: Laws of Communal Observance

Section 1: Public Reading

  1. The Megillah should ideally be read in the presence of a minyan, to publicize the miracle (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 690:18).

Section 2: Communal Meals and Celebrations

  1. Communities often arrange communal meals and celebrations to increase the joy of Purim and fulfill the mitzvah of the festive meal (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Megillah 2:15).

Chapter 10: Miscellaneous Laws and Customs

Section 1: Erev Purim Learning

  1. One should engage in Torah study on the eve of Purim before the Megillah reading (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 695:3).

Section 2: Purim Plays and Skits

  1. While skits and plays that retell the story of Purim are customarily performed, one should ensure they do not lead to irreverence or inappropriate behavior (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Megillah 2:15).

Section 3: Saying Psalms and Special Prayers

  1. It is customary to recite Psalms and special prayers like "Tefillah Zakah" on Purim to evoke the themes of repentance and Divine mercy (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 685:1).

Chapter 11: Laws for Special Circumstances

Section 1: When Purim Falls on Shabbat

  1. In years when the 14th of Adar falls on Shabbat, the Megillah is read on the preceding Friday (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 688:6).

Section 2: If One Missed the Megillah Reading

  1. If one missed the Megillah reading, he should read it as soon as possible without a blessing (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Megillah 2:10).

Section 3: Women and Purim

  1. Women are obligated in all the mitzvot of Purim, including hearing the Megillah, as they were also part of the miracle (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 689:1).

Section 4: When Traveling

  1. Those who are traveling and cannot hear the Megillah in a minyan should still read it or hear it read, whenever and wherever possible (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Megillah 2:12).

Chapter 12: The Spiritual Dimensions of Purim

Section 1: The Essence of the Day

  1. Purim is not just a commemoration of a past event, but a window in time when the same spiritual energies that enabled the original miracle are accessible (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Megillah 2:18).

Section 2: The Connection to HaShem

  1. The hiddenness of HaShem’s Name in the Megillah reflects the concealed divine intervention that operates continuously in our lives (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Megillah 2:18).

Section 3: Tikkunim and Kavanot

  1. For those versed in the deeper dimensions of Torah, special kavanot (intentions) and tikkunim (spiritual rectifications) are appropriate for elevating the mitzvot of the day (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Megillah 2:18).

Chapter 13: Laws for Those Unable to Observe Purim

Section 1: Illness or Infirmity

  1. Those who are unwell should consult a competent Halachic authority to determine how best to fulfill the mitzvot of Purim given their condition (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 687:2).

Section 2: Medical Professionals and Essential Workers

  1. Individuals who must work on Purim for life-sustaining reasons should aim to fulfill the mitzvot to the best of their ability, consulting a Halachic authority for specific guidance (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Megillah 1:3).

Section 3: Prisoners

  1. Prisoners should do their utmost to hear the Megillah and fulfill other Purim obligations if feasible, given the circumstances (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 695:4).

Chapter 14: Final Remarks and Future Additions

Section 1: Updates and Additions

  1. This abridged set of laws is intended to be a living document, subject to future updates and refinements in consultation with Halachic authorities (Shulchan Aruch, Introduction).

Section 2: Customary Practices

  1. The inclusion of customary practices (minhagim) observed in various communities may be added in future editions, as customs also possess Halachic weight (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot De'ot 1:6).

Section 3: Questions and Clarifications

  1. Readers who have questions or seek clarifications should refer to a competent Halachic authority for guidance. For intricate matters, direct consultation with seasoned Talmidei Chachamim is recommended (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim, Introduction).

Section 4: The Eternal Relevance of Purim

  1. The observance of Purim will continue even in the times of Mashiach, attesting to its eternal relevance in the Jewish calendar (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Megillah 2:18).