Introducing Purim Laws and Customs

(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. (24) 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. (25) But when [Esther] came before the king, he commanded: “With the promulgation of this decree, let the evil plot, which he devised against the Jews, recoil on his own head!” So they impaled him and his sons on the stake. (26) For that reason these days were named Purim, after pur.
In view, then, of all the instructions in the said letter and of what they had experienced in that matter and what had befallen them, (27) the Jews undertook and irrevocably obligated themselves and their descendants, and all who might join them, to observe these two days in the manner prescribed and at the proper time each year. (28) 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.

(1) 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.]

(2) It is the same whether one reads or hears from someone who reads - the obligation is fulfilled. That is, if they hear it from someone who is obligated in reading it...

(5) 5. In a place with no minyan, if one [person] knows it and the rest do not, one can fulfill [the obligation] for them all. If they all know, everyone reads to himself.

(6) 6. It is a good tradition to bring male children and female children to hear the reading of the megillah.

(1) 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.

(2) 2. One should not change money that was given to the poor for Purim for other Tzedakah causes. RAMA: This is referring to the collectors of the money (Mordechai) — the poor can do whatever they want.

(3) 3. One is not exacting with their money on Purim. Rather, one should give to anyone who extends their hands. And in places where they have a custom to give even to non-Jews - one should give.

(1) 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).

(2) 2. One is obligated to be intoxicated on Purim to the point where he does not know [the difference] between "accursed is Haman" and "blessed is Mordechai". RAMA: Some say it is not necessary to become drunk so much, but rather to drink more than he is used to (Kol Bo), and to fall asleep, and while he sleeps he does not know [the difference] between "accursed is Haman" and "blessed is Mordechai" (Maharil). [There is no difference on Purim] between one who has more and one who has less, as long as his heart is directed to heaven. One should not fast on Purim, except for a fast for a [bad] dream, and see earlier Siman 568 and Siman 570. There are those who have the custom to dress in Shabbat/Yom Tov clothes on Purim, and that is correct (Maharil). We have the custom to make the Purim meal after the afternoon prayer, and pray the evening prayer at night. We pray the afternoon prayer while most of the day remains, and most of the meal needs to be during the day (Minhagim). And it should not be like those who have the custom to start close to evening, and most of the meal happens during the night of the 15th. When Purim falls out on Friday, they should have the meal in the morning because of honor for the Sabbath (Minhagim). And one who wants to [have his meal] every [Purim] in the morning is allowed to (T"H). Some say that there is [significance] to eating seeds on Purim as a remembrance for the seeds that Daniel and his friends ate in Babylonia (Kol Bo). It is good to delve a bit in Torah before one begins the meal, and a support for that is (Esther 8:16) "The Jews had light and happiness...", which we learn out "radiance" - that's Torah (Mahariv). One is obligated to drink a little and be a little happy on two days, the 14th and the 15th (Minhagim), and so is the custom. And some say that if one causes damage to his fellow through his happiness on Purim, he is exempt from restitution (Terumat HaDeshen, Part I 110). And see Terumat HaDeshen Laws of Damages.

(3) One says "Al hanisim" in the Grace After Meals during the blessing of the land ["Nodeh"]. And if one started his meal during the day, and extended it into the night, he [still] says "al hanisim", for we follow the [status of] the beginning of the meal. And some say one should not say it. (And we have the custom like the first opinion).

(4) 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].