General Halachos Of Purim, R’ Tzvi Yaakov Stein

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Parshas Zachor

▪ There’s a disagreement if women are required to hear Parshas Zachor. The minhag has become that women hear it. Some allow women to read it from a Chumash. This can be relied on when it’s difficult for a woman to get to Shul.

▪ The one who gets an Aliya must have in mind that he’s being motzi everyone with the brachos

▪ Everyone listening must have in mind that they’re being yotzai with the Baal Koreh

▪ One who didn’t make it to shul can be yotzai during the summer in parshas ki setzei

▪ Some say you can be yotzai with Krias hatorah of Purim morning

▪ Try and hear parshas zachor in the dialect that you use

Machtzis Hashekel

▪ The minhag is to give a half shekel before Purim as a remembrance to the times of the Beis Hamikdash when everyone had to give a half shekel

▪ Since it says the word “Trumah” (donation) three times therefore we give three half shekel

▪ We give half of whatever currency is normally used (in the U.S. it’s half a dollar)

▪ It’s preferable not to say “this money is for machtzis hashekel” or “this is a remembrance for the machtzis hashekel”

▪ The basic minhag is for men above the age of twenty to give machtzis hashekel

▪ Many say that it should be given for any male over the age of thirteen

▪ Many have the minhag to give on behalf of women too

▪ Many have a minhag to give on behalf of children and even on behalf of unborn children

▪ Once you start giving on behalf of all the above then you must continue giving on subsequent years

▪ Masser money can’t be used since machtzis hashekel has become accepted as a requirement

Taanis Esther

▪ More lenient than other fasts

▪ Showering and listening to music is allowed even according to those that don’t allow it on other fasts

▪ If you know that you’ll be sick on Purim if you fast then you don’t have to fast

▪ Shabbos clothing should be worn for the Megillah

▪ No food should be eaten before the Megillah even though you’re fasting

▪ Those that aren’t fasting must stop eating at sunset

▪ One who’s weak can taste a little food or have something to drink (not alcohol)

▪ Women can eat a small amount and drink before Megillah

▪ Anyone who eats before Megillah should appoint someone to make sure that they don’t forget to hear the Megillah

▪ No sleeping from sunset and on

Megillah

▪ Al Hanisim should be said after Modim in Shemona Esrei. If it was forgotten it should not be repeated

▪ For Krias Hamegillah, the more people listening together the better

▪ Private minyanim should not be made for Megillah

▪ If you don’t have a set shul to daven in, try and go to the shul with the most people in it

▪ Women are required to hear the Megillah

▪ It’s better for women to go to shul to hear the Megillah but not if it will require them to take along children that can’t sit quietly

▪ The minhag is to bring children that can sit quietly to hear the Megillah

▪ The reason that we read four pesukim out loud throughout the Megillah is to make sure the children stay awake

▪ If a man who already read the Megillah is reading the Megillah for women, the women should make the Bracha

▪ If there are more than ten women, one woman should make the brachos on behalf of all of them. If there’s less than ten, each woman should make their own bracha

▪ Be very careful to hear every word of the Megillah

▪ If one word is missed then the entire Megillah must be heard/read again

▪ If one talked during the Megillah then hear it again from that point

▪ If you “space out” during Megillah then it’s questionable if you were yotzai

▪ If you missed some words then quickly read them to yourself until you catch up. You can read like this up until half of the Megillah

▪ The Megillah can be read either standing or sitting

▪ When reading the Megillah for the public, one should stand

▪ The brachos (before and after) should be said standing. Those that are listening should also stand for the brachos

▪ The minhag is for someone to be on either side of the one reading the Megillah

▪ It’s best for each person to have their own Megillah

▪ After the Megillah reading at night, there should be a seuda, preferably dairy

▪ The table should be set, and candles lit

▪ It’s preferable not to eat or drink before Megillah during the day too

▪ Drinking before davening in order to Daven better is allowed

▪ When hearing the brachos of the Megillah during the day, have in mind the mitzvos of mishloach manos, matanos levyonim and Seudas Purim

▪ Tefilin should be kept on until after the Kaddish after the Megillah

Matanos Levyonim

▪ Everyone is required to give, including women

▪ Children before the age of Bar/Bas mitzva are not required to give

▪ We give two poor people one present each

▪ The minimum amount to give is the amount it costs to buy a roll and a drink per poor person (approximately four dollars in total)

▪ Maaser money can’t be used for the basic amount necessary to do the mitzva but anything more can be used

▪ Purim is a very auspicious day to give tzedaka

▪ It’s better to spend more money on matanos levyonim than on mishloach manos

▪ On Purim we don’t check into a poor person to see if he’s legitimate. We just give.

▪ Once your money for tzedaka is depleted, you don’t have to give any more tzedaka

Mishloach Manos

▪ Everyone is required to give, including women

▪ We’re required to give two portions of food to one person

▪ Each portion should be something substantial (ex. not two candies)

▪ Candies etc. can be placed in a utensil and then it will be considered substantial

▪ Two portions of the same food are not allowed

▪ Two portions of different flavors of the same foods are allowed

▪ There’s no requirement to have two different brachos

▪ Some say that it should be sent with a shliach, but it’s not required

Drinking

▪ It’s a mitzva to drink intoxicating beverages on Purim until you don’t know the difference between Baruch Mordechai and Arur Haman (blessed is Mordechai, cursed is Haman)

▪ Some say that you can fulfill the mitzva by drinking more than normal and then going to sleep

▪ If you know that you’re not going to make brachos or Daven properly then it’s better not to drink

▪ If you’re going to offend or hurt people then better not to drink

▪ It’s better to drink during the meal but drinking before is also acceptable

▪ Wine is preferred but any intoxicating drink is allowed

▪ One should not drink in one place and have in mind to continue drinking in another place. Rather make a bracha achrona in each place

▪ Three levels of drunk: 1) so drunk that he’s not cognizant of anything: everything he does doesn’t count including Davening etc. 2) drunk enough that he can’t talk clearly: can’t Daven. If he can’t sober up then he can say birchas hamazon. If necessary he can be part of a minyan. 3) one who drank more than three ounce of alcohol: if you feel the effects of the alcohol then no Davening otherwise Davening etc. is allowed

Seudas Purim

▪ many have the minhag to eat two seudos. One in the morning and one after mincha

▪ everyone is required to eat the seuda

▪ bread should be eaten

▪ meat should be eaten but chicken is also acceptable

▪ Candles should be lit

▪ You’re allowed to eat bread in one place and continue eating in another place as long as you eat a little bread in the final place that you say birchas hamazon and as long as 72 minutes doesn’t elapse without eating

▪ If one vomits after eating the meal, if it wasn’t immediately after eating the meal then it’s acceptable and he doesn’t have to eat again

▪ Al hanisim should be said during birchas hamazon

▪ If it was forgotten it should not be repeated. However, since it’s a disagreement, be careful not to forget to say it

▪ If you don’t finish your meal until after nightfall you still say al hanisim

▪ If you Daven Maariv before saying birchas hamazon then don’t say al hanisim. Therefore, make sure to say birchas hamazon Before Maariv

Work

▪ The minhag is to only do work that is necessary for Purim itself

▪ A non-Jew can do work on behalf of a Jew

▪ It’s preferable for construction not to be done, even if it’s done by a non-Jewish contractor



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