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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How did Achashverosh get to be king?
How did Achashverosh get to be king? He married Vashti who is a descendent of the Babylonian king, but it's Persia and Media who ruled then. Why wasn't the son of Cyrus the next king?
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Is Purim recorded in Persian/Medean records?
In the book Let My Nation Live, there are sources brought down that one of the reasons Purim was established even in spite of possible tensions with gentiles was that either way it would be recorded ...
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Did Haman kill Daniel?
Are there sources on the death to Daniel?
Is there any truth in that there is a source that says Haman killed him?
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Regarding the סעודה in a פורים משולש, how does the שלחן ערוך understand the ברייתא in מגילה not to be arguing on the ירושלמי?
The גמרא in מגילה דף ד ע"ב to ה ע"א discusses the דינים of a פורים on שבת brings a ברייתא (marking the Amoritic interpolation according to “רש"י ד"ה ”אדרבה):
תניא נמי הכי אף על ...
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Why did the Persian Empire bury Esther with Mordechai?
I find it hard to believe that as a royal queen, the Persian Empire buried Esther with Mordechai, instead of with the other monarchs.
Yet there are 2 locations in Iran, both claiming that Mordechai ...
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1answer
62 views
Ikar v'tafel in Mishloach Manot?
Mishloach manot must be two foods. Is it acceptable to be one food which is often served as a condiment to the other? For example, sending a roll and chummus.
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Does person reading Megillah silently from a scroll in private fulfill the mitzvah?
According to several online sources, at a public reading of Megillat Esther it is preferable that one should follow along silently from a kosher scroll, so that if you miss hearing a word you will ...
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3answers
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Does Megillat Esther need to be read without interruption?
Suppose one wishes to read megillah but finds it physically difficult to do so without interruption. Is it permissible to read part of it, take a break, and then continue later? Or must the mitzvah ...
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1answer
353 views
May Megillat Esther be read from a seated position?
Is there any problem with reading Megillat Esther (or, for that matter, reading from a sefer torah) while sitting? Does this still fulfill the mitzvah? I have only ever seen it done standing, but ...
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Leniency in pronunciation while reading the Megillah (Iggeres)
I've heard that we are more lenient in regards to krias haMigglah than to krias haTorah (in regards to pronunciation), since the Migglah refers the itself as an Iggeres (letter). If this so, to what ...
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Why do people mail hamantaschen?
Nobody mails me anything for any other holiday but on Purim my relatives send hamantaschen in the mail! What's the origin of this tradition?
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On Purim, is it permitted to read an English translation while listening to the Megillah reading?
On Purim, is it permitted to read an English translation while listening to the Megillah reading?
I know it is a mitzvah to listen to every word of the Megillah reading. However, I don't understand ...
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216 views
Combining Purim meal with Friday night meal
Can you have a joint purim seuda and friday night meal if you started before skiah on the Friday. What are the implications - re continuing a meal into shabbos re benching, lighting candles, davening, ...
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1answer
168 views
Cyrus, Darius, Artexerxes - From Good to Bad?
After reading this question - I am now more confused!
The Gemara in Rosh Hashanah 3b writes that Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes were all the same person:
All three names are referring to the same ...
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1answer
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Matanos La'evyonim to poor from your city
I saw quoted from Rav Elyashiv (אשרי האיש או"ח ח"ג פרק מ"ו אות י"ב), Rav Nevetzhal (מציון תצא תורה ח"א אות קל"א) and Rav Wosner (קובץ מבית לוי חי"ז עמ' ק"ט) ...
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Costumes on Purim to increase happiness
I recall seeing someone suggest that we dress up in costumes on Purim merely in order to increase the happiness on this day.
Has anyone seen this?
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Can one wear their clothing backwards on Purim?
I've seen many people on Purim who wear their clothing inside out, in the spirit of ונהפוך הוא. Yet the Mechaber writes explicitly (SA OC 2:3):
ידקדק בחלוקו ללובשו כדרכו שלא יהפוך הפנימי לחוץ
...
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Online Megilla Reading and the name of Haman
As discussed in this question about Skype Megilla reading, this year due to the extraordinary extenuating circumstances many people found it necessary or preferable to attend an online Megilla reading....
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Why 'They hanged' rather than 'You hanged' in Al Hanissim?
In Al Hanissim on Purim, we praise Hashem directly
וְאַתָּה בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים. הֵפַרְתָּ אֶת עֲצָתו. וְקִלְקַלְתָּ
אֶת מַחֲשַׁבְתּו. וַהֲשֵׁבותָ לּו גְּמוּלו בְּראשׁו. וְתָלוּ אותו
וְאֶת ...
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Mushrooms for Mishloach Manos
Can one give Mushrooms for Mishloach Manos? Since you have to give real food and with mushrooms:
1 - You can't make an Erev Tnachmin with it.
2 - You buy it with money of Ma'aser Sheini.
3 - You ...
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1answer
84 views
Reading Megillah when it's only Purim for the listener
Residents of a walled city and unwalled cities celebrate Purim on different days. May either of these people read the Megillah for the other on whatever day the listener needs to hear Megillah? Or ...
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2answers
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Why is myrrh the allusion to Mordechai?
The Gemara Chullin (139b) writes
מרדכי מן התורה מנין דכתיב (שמות ל, כג) מר דרור ומתרגמינן מירא דכיא -
Where is Mordechai in the Torah? It says myrrh, which is translated as
'mira dachya'.
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Where is G-d's name in Megillat Esther?
In Megillat Esther, G-d’s Name is never explicitly mentioned, but what about implicitly? I was told that the Arizal (and perhaps the Vilna Gaon?) found many pesukim in which G-d’s Name is concealed. ...
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Mishloach Manos from quarantine [duplicate]
The Jerusalem Post quotes Rabbi Eliahu Birnbaum, director of the Straus-Amiel Institute of Ohr Torah Stone, as saying that if someone is quarantined due to the coronavirus they should send someone a ...
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249 views
Megillah for someone in quarantine due to coronavirus [duplicate]
I've been hearing multiple opinions as to what someone in quarantine for Coronavirus should do for Megillas Esther.
The RCA quotes Rav Hershel Schachter as saying:
“In a situation in which it is ...
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2answers
128 views
Why is the word Purim in plural?
Esther 9:26:
עַל־כֵּ֡ן קָֽרְאוּ֩ לַיָּמִ֨ים הָאֵ֤לֶּה פוּרִים֙ עַל־שֵׁ֣ם הַפּ֔וּר
Therefore, these days are called Purim (in plural) after the name of the Pur (lot - in singular).
There seems to ...
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Mishloach Manot - Does the emissary have to be Jewish?
I have a very good friend that lives far away from me and I'd very much like to send Mishloach Manot to him.
Is there any rule/halacha/minhag that states that the emissary/third-party (shaliach) of ...
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Connection between Tehillim 22 and Purim?
A few years ago, I started hearing around Purim-time the song "Keli, keli, lamah azavtani" - ק-לי ק-לי, למה עזבתני, which comes from Tehillim 22:2:
אֵלִ֣י אֵ֭לִי לָמָ֣ה עֲזַבְתָּ֑נִי רָח֥וֹק ...
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What is the halachic boundary of modern day Jerusalem in regards to Purim
I would like to know what the halachic boundaries of Jerusalem are today in terms of where one would be obligated in the mitzvot of Shushan Purim.
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Which passages in Megillat Esther are read with a different trope? [duplicate]
It's common practice to chant certain passages of Megillat Esther with a different trope. For example, 8:6 is read to the trope of Eichah, as are several other passages; in addition, certain passages ...
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Is there something special about being born on purim?
Since in Judaism we have a lot of things made by HaShem that have a certain influence on our lives (like the day of the week in which we were born, the month, the hour of the day that we were born on ...
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Parameters of neis nigleh and neis nistar?
What are the Halachic parameters and definition of a neis nistar versus a neis nigleh?
For example: I heard recently from a Rav that one reason brought not to say hallel on Yom Ha’atzma’ut is that ...
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Matan (Oral) Torah on Purim details
Following this question's comments, I wondered:
In what form did the Jews "receive/accept" the Oral Torah on Purim, was there some kind of a ceremony, or nation-wide event, maybe some other one-...
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Three days before Matan Torah and three days of fast before Purim
Bnei Yisrael had to prepare themselves for three days before the giving of the Torah.
As a parallel to this receiving of the Torah, the Jews "accepted" the Torah on Purim (kiy'mu v'kiblu). The ...
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1answer
97 views
Is Purim mentioned in later writings by Ezrah and his B"D?
I'm trying to understand how the earlier generations saw Purim. Ezrah and his B"D wrote a series of books, such as Ezrah, Divrei Hayamim and more.
Is the Purim story or Meggilat Ester mentioned in ...
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Sources for celebrating Purim during the Second Temple
(Maybe I'm wrong), in the listing of the Dead Sea scrolls fragments Megillat Ester is missing. That seems strange taking into the account that the Megillah says that memory will never fade away.
The ...
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Where was the Sanhedrin in the Purim story?
I'm trying to understand the "chain of command" in the story of Megillat Ester, and I see Ester as a prophetess, Mordechai as a prophet and a sage but what's missing is the 70 elders - the Sanhedrin.
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Why Mishnah doesn't mention Halochos of Mishloach Manot, Matanot laEvionim and the Seudah?
Following my previous question on the origin of Purim Halochos, I wondered why the Mishnah doesn't mention Halochos of Mishloach Manot, Matanot laEvionim, and the Seudah and only mentions a lot of ...
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Why did Amalekites fear the Jews at Purim fights?
In the last question, I asked "who-did-the-jews-fight-on-purim-if-nobody-could-oppose-them".
On the second thought, the Amalekites are known with their natural hatred for the Jews, as they ...
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4answers
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What miracle(s) occurred on Purim?
This is a simple and a bit naive question. I understand that a miracle everywhere is a super natural force unexplainable by current state of science.
The Purim story looks all natural, nothing truly ...
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What Beit Ester survived?
Mordechai warns Ester that if she does not partake in saving the Jews:
כִּ֣י אִם־הַחֲרֵ֣שׁ תַּחֲרִישִׁי֮ בָּעֵ֣ת הַזֹּאת֒
רֶ֣וַח וְהַצָּלָ֞ה יַעֲמ֤וֹד לַיְּהוּדִים֙ מִמָּק֣וֹם אַחֵ֔ר
וְאַ֥תְּ ...
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Why do we read the Megillah by night and by day?
Why do we read the Megillah by night and then again by day? Wouldn't it be enough to read it once!
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Why not keep Pesach to be saved on Purim?
וַיַּעֲבֹר מָרְדֳּכָי וַיַּעַשׂ כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־צִוְּתָה עָלָיו אֶסְתֵּר׃
So Mordecai passed and did just as Esther had commanded him. (Ester 4.17)
Targum says (first):
וּנְסֵס וּכְנֵס מָרְדְכַי ...
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Do the 3 Mitzvos of entering Israel apply to the Second Temple?
וכן היה רבי יהודה אומר ג' מצות נצטוו ישראל בכניסתן לארץ:
להעמיד להם מלך ולהכרית זרעו של עמלק ולבנות להם בית הבחירה (Sanhedrin 20b)
Rabbi Yehuda says: Three mitzvot were commanded to the Jewish ...
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Who did the Jews fight on Purim if nobody could oppose them?
נִקְהֲלוּ הַיְּהוּדִים בְּעָרֵיהֶם בְּכָל־מְדִינוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ אֳחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ לִשְׁלֹחַ יָד בִּמְבַקְשֵׁי רָעָתָם וְאִישׁ לֹא־עָמַד לִפְנֵיהֶם כִּי־נָפַל פַּחְדָּם עַל־כָּל־הָעַמִּים׃ (Ester 9.5
...
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Meaning of Purim
What is the origin/meaning of the word Purim? I always assumed it meant the multiple lots of Haman, but I just heard a shiur saying the word Purim comes from "pirurin" - little things - of the ...
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How do people in Yerushalayim manage with Purim on Friday? [closed]
In Diaspora, the only time Purim is on Friday is when 1st Pesach is on Sunday. That's a rare occurrence. I vaguely recall what I did with managing Se'udat Purim on Friday and squeezing it in between ...
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1answer
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Mordechay's decree: "kill women and children, AND/OR plunder their possessions"?
I'm a bit confused here, so maybe the title is not worded well.
Achashverosh let Mordechay write the letters to his own wording:
"ואתם כתבו על־היהודים כטוב בעיניכם בשם המלך"
And you may ...
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2answers
108 views
Why do some congregations only make noise at certain occasions of Haman?
Attended a Purim Seudah tonight at a Sephardic shul where most of the attendees are Israeli. They only made noise during three (maybe four?) times Haman's name was mentioned. I am aware of the ...
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Understanding lack of Hallel on Purim and most of Pessah
Hallel, six psalms (113-118) that thank and praise God, is recited on Pessah, Shavuot, Sukkot, Hanukkah and Rosh Chodesh.
-But not on Purim, because the miracle did not happen in the Land of Israel, ...
