Questions tagged [purim]

The holiday of Purim celebrates G-d's saving of the Jewish people from the genocidal plot of Haman, the Persian king's prime minister.

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6 votes
1 answer
201 views

How the 72 hours straight fast was possibly allowed?

We know that the danger of fasting two consecutive days is the reason Yom Kippur (and all other fasts) is not celebrated two days outside Israel. And still Ester commanded on the 3-day fast (Ester 4,...
18 votes
6 answers
4k views

Why do we honor Charvona, specifically?

The song we sing after reading the Megilla on Purim, "Shoshanat Yaakov," concludes with "and may Charvona also be remembered favorably." According to the Megilla (Esther 7:9), all Charvona did was, ...
0 votes
2 answers
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What exactly do we celebrate on Purim - the 14th of Adar?

In the Purim timeline, we can see a series of beneficial events: the King couldn't sleep and remembered Mordechai (the turn of the story) Hanging of Haman with his sons and Appointing of Mordechai ...
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1 answer
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Purim in Adar: Haman's choice or a toss?

בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן ... הִפִּיל פּוּר הוּא הַגּוֹרָל לִפְנֵי הָמָן מִיּוֹם לְיוֹם וּמֵחֹדֶשׁ לְחֹדֶשׁ שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂר הוּא־חֹדֶשׁ אֲדָר׃ (Ester 3.6) In the first month ... pur—which means “the ...
4 votes
1 answer
163 views

Why was Ta'anis Esther established? The story has a happy ending!

I understand why we fast the other public fast days (Tisha B'av, 17 Tammuz, Tzom Gedaliah). All of these fasts commemorate events which we are still affected by (primarily lack of a Beis Hamikdash). ...
8 votes
3 answers
426 views

Tannis Esther reason

Why do we fast on Tannis Esther? In memory of what historical occurrence?
13 votes
1 answer
348 views

Are there any specific minhagim to celebrate Purim as a family?

וְהַיָּמִ֣ים הָאֵ֠לֶּה נִזְכָּרִ֨ים וְנַֽעֲשִׂ֝ים בְּכָל־דּ֣וֹר וָד֗וֹר מִשְׁפָּחָה֙ וּמִשְׁפָּחָ֔ה מְדִינָ֥ה וּמְדִינָ֭ה וְעִיר וָעִיר וִימֵ֞י הַפּוּרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה לֹ֤א יַֽעַבְרוּ֙ מִתּ֣וֹךְ ...
0 votes
1 answer
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Mishloach Manot - why the word Mishloach is used specifically

It appears that the Halacha does not emphasize the importance of actually "sending" the Manos, they can be handed or eaten in place. Moreover, the word לשלח is used in the Torah as "to expel", e.g. ...
6 votes
1 answer
183 views

Why did Mordechai push to have Esther visit Achashveirosh at that time?

Mordechai seems to push Esther to entreat Achashveirosh right after telling her about Haman's decree (Esther 4:14) כִּ֣י אִם־הַֽחֲרֵ֣שׁ תַּֽחֲרִישִׁי֮ בָּעֵ֣ת הַזֹּאת֒ רֶ֣וַח וְהַצָּלָ֞ה יַֽעֲמ֤וֹד ...
1 vote
0 answers
49 views

Mishloach Manot food to decor ratio

In the last years more and more money and effort are put on the decor of the M"M relatively to the actual food. I was wondering if any sources mention a sort of the "final ratio" of food to decor, ...
3 votes
0 answers
77 views

Why is "hanging people" such a central theme in the Megillah?

(inspired by this tweet) There's so much hanging being spoken about in Megillas Esther. Any idea as to why this is such a common theme in the Megillah? 2:23 "וַיִּתָּל֥וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־עֵ֑ץ" 5:...
0 votes
2 answers
73 views

Rabbi expenses for Mishloach Manos to his congregants

Can a Rabbi of a Shul claim back expenses for the outlay of food for mishloach Manos to give to his congregants?
6 votes
2 answers
299 views

How old is Purim Torah?

How old is the tradition of Purim Torah? The Wikipedia article linked from our PT policy notes a disputed claim of Purim Torah in the talmud (Hulin 139b), with some saying that while the talmud ...
8 votes
3 answers
410 views

Why is only Purim to be celebrated "forever"?

The Sources say that only Purim will be observed forever: -Tanakh: "These days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city. These days ...
3 votes
2 answers
1k views

Reading multiple versions of words in Megilla and Zachor [closed]

I have two main questions, followed by some bonus questions. 1) The pronunciation of the word "זכר" in Parshas Zachor Why do many Ashkenazic congregations repeat (at least a portion of) the last ...
9 votes
2 answers
282 views

Was Haman so discourteous as to bother the king's sleep?

There are 2 related parts to this question: 1) Haman is annoyed with Mordechai and discusses with Zeresh, his wife and his wise advisers what to do. In Esther 5:14, they tell him to make a tall tree, ...
16 votes
3 answers
953 views

How did Mordechai get *all* the Jews of Shushan to agree to fast for three days?

My question is a bit long-winded so I'll summarize first: TL;DR How did Mordechai rouse the will of all the Jews of Shushan to agree to fast for three days? And further, why did Esther limit her ...
6 votes
2 answers
407 views

Why does the book of Esther use the present tense so often?

I noticed that the book of Esther uses, often very awkwardly, the present tense to describe things that usually are written in the past tense (I didn't notice this much use of the present tense in ...
13 votes
3 answers
618 views

Why did Haman change his mind and decide to immediately hang Mordechai?

In Esther 3:6, it states that Haman was embarrassed to harm Mordechai alone, so he casts lots to decide which date to kill the entire Jewish people. In 5:14, Haman builds a special gallows for ...
5 votes
1 answer
390 views

Source to make noise when Haman's name is mentioned?

Where is the source to make noise when Haman's name is read from the Megillah?
4 votes
3 answers
587 views

What does Mishneh Torah mean when it says all books of Prophets and Writings will be anuled in the times of the Messiah?

The Mishneh Torah, "Scroll of Esther and Hanukkah" 2:18 states: All the books of the Prophets and all the Writings will be annulled in the days of the Messiah, apart from Megillat Esther. It will ...
7 votes
2 answers
499 views

How old was Mordechai in the Megillah?

I have been trying to calculate Mordechai's age, and according to my estimates he must have been around 100, if not older, when the Purim saga begins. Are there any textual sources which provide the ...
13 votes
5 answers
477 views

Were Haman's possessions hung on a tree?

In Maoz Tzur we say: רב בניו וקנייניו,‏ על העץ תלית His many sons and his possessions, You hung on a tree Were Haman's possessions really hung on a tree?
10 votes
3 answers
286 views

Walled from the times of Joshua: Why Joshua?

The Halacha is that those who live in a city that was walled in the times of Yehoshuah reads on a different day (Rambam Hilchos Megillah 1:4-5). The question is why from Yehoshuah (Joshua) when the ...
7 votes
2 answers
201 views

Parshas Zachor before Purim?

Prior to the story of Purim was there a special yearly reading of Parshas Zachor? At which point in history was it instituted to read Parshas Zachor before Purim?
5 votes
3 answers
714 views

Hearing Megillat Esther in a mixed minyan

If the only available minyan to hear Megillat Esther is a mixed minyan with no mechitza, can one attend the minyan or is it better to not hear megilla at all? Would it matter if the baal megilla was a ...
2 votes
0 answers
184 views

How old was Achashverosh in the Megillah?

I'm on a bit of a quest to contextualize the story of Purim by getting a better sense of the ages of the main characters. So far, with Mi Yodeya's help, I've explored the age of Esther, and I have ...
2 votes
0 answers
191 views

How old was Haman in the Megillah?

I'm on a bit of a quest to contextualize the story of Purim by getting a better sense of the ages of the main characters. So far, with Mi Yodeya's help, I've explored the age of Esther, and I have ...
0 votes
1 answer
66 views

According to the The Yalkut Yosef, should one Mishloach Manot be large to serve as a meal?

Chazon Ovadyah (pp 129-31) learns from Megillah 7b that one should send enough food that could serve as a meal. What is the opinion of The Yalkut Yosef - Is it obligatory to send food large enough to ...
2 votes
2 answers
320 views

What country is Tarsia / טרסי?

In Bavli Megilla 13b, we are told that Bigtan and Teresh were two טרסיים, translated by R. Steinsaltz as Tarsians. We are told that they spoke in the Tarsian language. In what modern country or ...
4 votes
1 answer
807 views

Haman going to the second feast dirty

In all story tapes/videos I've seen it always portrays that Haman was taken to Esther's second feast dirty while in the Megillah all it says is just that they took him while "he was still talking" "...
5 votes
2 answers
369 views

How did Haman know Moshe Rabeinu's Yahrzeit but not his Birthday?

I remember learning some years ago in Gemarah Megillah 13: that when Haman drew lots he was happy it landed in Adar since it is the month that Moshe Rabeinu died. However, he didn't know that Moshe ...
1 vote
0 answers
41 views

Why does this passage appear in both Megillat Esther and Havdalah? [duplicate]

This passage טו וּמָרְדֳּכַי יָצָא מִלִּפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ, בִּלְבוּשׁ מַלְכוּת תְּכֵלֶת וָחוּר, וַעֲטֶרֶת זָהָב גְּדוֹלָה, וְתַכְרִיךְ בּוּץ וְאַרְגָּמָן; וְהָעִיר שׁוּשָׁן, צָהֲלָה וְשָׂמֵחָה. טז ...
-1 votes
2 answers
181 views

Is it true that on Shabbat Purim, one holds a mock service instead of a real one?

My Reform synagogue held a joke service (with familiar melodies, but silly or parodying lyrics) on the Shabbat following Purim. While a few Shabbat traditions were kept, most were parodied or skipped. ...
0 votes
0 answers
54 views

Would a "מתנה על מה שכתוב בתורה" (stipulating on something written in the Torah) by Purim be valid?

In Kesuvos 56a we learn about the principle of where one makes a stipulation on something that was written in Torah. For example: דתניא האומר לאשה הרי את מקודשת לי על מנת שאין ליך עלי שאר כסות ועונה ...
7 votes
5 answers
573 views

Drinking on Purim OTHER THAN at the required "Festive Meal" (Seudas Mitzvah)

A source from this question quotes the Rema that one should be "joyous" on the night of Purim as well as the day. That citation doesn't explicity address getting intoxicated. This site quotes many ...
6 votes
1 answer
381 views

Talents during the time of Achasverous

The Megillah states that Haman gave 10,000 Talents of silver to King Achasverous. What is the value of a talent of silver in their age and the value now?
2 votes
0 answers
90 views

Painting faces on Purim

I used to see people in a few places have a custom to paint (decorate) their faces on Purim. They explain it as because Hashem hid himself in the whole occasion of the story of purim and the meggilah ...
3 votes
2 answers
173 views

Wives and daughters and the Mitzvos of Purim

Can a married woman rely on her husband for the mitzvos of Purim of Shalach Manos and Mattanos Levyonim (I recall somthing about Ishto Kigufo)?
3 votes
2 answers
168 views

Are two different color apples valid Mishloach Manos?

Are two different color apples considered to be different minim for the purposes of Mishloach Manos? They do taste different from each other.
2 votes
0 answers
26 views

Does one fulfill Mishloach Manos by giving food to someone that the sender can eat but the recipient can’t, or vice versa? [duplicate]

Consider the following cases: Reuven is deathly ill. He is instructed by doctors to eat pork in order to save his life, so, obviously, he does. But Shimon is a healthy individual and therefore cannot ...
1 vote
0 answers
62 views

The Names of Yehudis, Antiyochus or Yochanan Kohein Godol in the Torah

The Gemara in Chullin 139b says the following: From where in the Torah can one find an allusion to the hanging of Haman? He replied: The verse states after Adam ate from the tree of knowledge: “...
1 vote
1 answer
93 views

Did Mordechei ever tell Esther she was allowed to reveal her nationality?

Mordechai had told Esther that she can't reveal her nationality and Esther took that very seriously. Did he tell her that she was suddently allowed to reveal her nationality at the second party or did ...
4 votes
1 answer
125 views

Jesting on Purim in commemoration of Achashverosh?

In Siman 307:16, the Mishna Berura discusses the problems with frivolity and mentions that even on Purim, merriment is only permitted when done in commemoration of Achashverosh! What does he mean by ...
6 votes
1 answer
784 views

Using Eicha trop when learning

When leining in shul, there are a few minhagim about what gets read with the Eicha trop. This is what I've seen most often (in chronological order through the year): איכה אשא לבדי in Devarim Most of ...
1 vote
0 answers
102 views

Could someone read the megillah on Purim night over the telephone and be motzi someone in another time zone where it is already Purim morning?

As stated in THIS HEBREW ARTICLE, (I'm sure there should be English language material on the subject too), There is a machlokes (disagreement) among the poskim whether one can do Mitzvos which require ...
15 votes
3 answers
431 views

What was the attitude of Rabbonim regarding Purim Torah?

Purim Torah seems to be a two sided concept. On one hand, many people do it for many years (for example, Maseches Purim was published in 1871). On the other hand, it seems to be a Bizayon HaTorah (...
2 votes
2 answers
115 views

Happiness in the Second Half of Adar

The Gemara tells us that in the same way one must decrease joy in Av, one must increase joy in Adar: אמר רב יהודה בריה דרב שמואל בר שילת משמיה דרב כשם שמשנכנס אב ממעטין בשמחה כך משנכנס אדר מרבין ...
4 votes
0 answers
245 views

Difference in structure between Maariv Motzaei Shabbos vs. Purim and Tisha Beav

This question is for Nusach Artscroll Ashkenaz, and anyone else who follows the same sequence. I believe this includes the Ezras Torah luach. On Motzaei Shabbos, Purim, and Tisha Beav, Maariv gets (...
7 votes
1 answer
1k views

What is the meaning of the term יום טוב (Yom Tov)?

I did a search in Tanac"h for the term יום טוב (along with any prefixes to the term) The term appears a few times in Esther, esp. in the 2nd to last chapter. One example is: Esther 9:19: עַל־...

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