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