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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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: “...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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If someone sends an Aveil (certain types of) Mishloach Manot, is the sender Yotzei?
As a follow up to this question, if someone intentionally sends an aveil (within a year after the loss of a parent) mishloach manot which include "tafnukim", is the sender considered as having ...
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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 ...
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The Orchos Tzaddikim in Shaar HaSimcha: What does Purim have to do with remembering the Exodus?
The Orchos Tzaddikim in the end of Shaar HaSimcha writes:
(Source from Sefaria.org)
גם צריך לשמוח בשבתות וימים טובים ופורים, כי כולם לזכר יציאת מצרים ולזכר הנסים שהפליא עם בחיריו
It is also ...
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Can a woman write a megillah?
I know that a woman can't write a sefer torah. What about Megillat Esther? If a female soferet wrote a Megillah Esther, would it be kosher?
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is there some significance in their relationship between Haman and Daniel?
The Gemara says that memuchan was Haman, but in Targum Sheni it says it was Daniel. Also regarding hasach the regular Targum identifies as Daniel and says Haman killed him. My question is, is there ...
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Capital punishment in Persia
This is not a Purim joke. Translations of the Book of Esther say the king sentenced people to be "hanged". But modern translations (including Sefaria) say they were "impaled". They translate "ha-...
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Why mention possessions in Al Hanisim
The Al Hanisim for Purim mentions Haman's plot to kill every single Jew. However the list of victims ends with a seemingly unnecessary point that not only will they be killed, but their possessions ...
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Matanos L'Evyonim
What constitutes a poor person? If someone is a student, and they are living off of loans without a current income, are they considered poor and could one fulfill the mitzvah of Matanos L'Evyonim by ...
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When is the “main” mitzvah of hearing the Megillah?
If someone has a choice of hearing the Megilla read either at night or during the day, (e.g. the person is disabled and can't make it to a shul, and no one can come to read both times) but not both, ...
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Can people take Mishloach Manot?
Is there an operative element to Mishloach Manot that requires a sending, i.e. a physical transfer from person to person? (related sources in these related questions )
If I must travel on Purim, I ...
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What is the shiur for a min in Mishloach Manos
What is the minimum shiur for a min in mishloach manos, and, particularly according to the Rambam (פרק ב הלכה ט"ו) who holds that you can give 2 of the same thing, what's the shiur to say that you can ...
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Sending Mishloach Manos [duplicate]
All Jews are obligated to send mishloach manos on Purim (based on Esther 9:22).
If I plan to send mishloach manos to a friend via the mail, must I send them to where the package will arrive on Purim ...
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How do matanos laevyonim services work behind the scenes?
Many shuls and organizations provide a way to fulfill matanos laevyonim by giving online or sending a check made out to the organization.
How does this work? Is it as simple as "you're enabling them ...
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Purim as the time of “receiving the Torah” according to the Gaonim?
In a recent interview, Rabbi Hershel Schachter is quoted as saying:
In the days of the second Beis HaMikdash, there were many yamim tovim d’rabanan, all of which were batul after the churban ...
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Purim and Pesach in the same month
This year, Purim and Pesach occur in the same Gregorian month.
Has this occurred previously? If so, when?
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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)
אִם־הַחֲרֵ֣שׁ תַּחֲרִישִׁי֮ בָּעֵ֣ת הַזֹּאת֒ רֶ֣וַח וְהַצָּלָ֞ה יַעֲמ֤וֹד ...
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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 (...
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What is the connection between Purim and Lag BaOmer?
The Shulchan Aruch (428:1) as brought in Sefaria writes,
... לְעוֹלָם בַּיּוֹם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה פּוּרִים יִהְיֶה ל''ג לָעֹמֶר, וְסִימָן
פל''ג...
Purim always falls on the same day as Lag LaOmer. ...
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How and why celebrate Purim according to Rabi shimon bar Yochai?
In the famous give and take discussing the miracle of Purim found in Maseches Megilah 12a, quoted below with Sefaria's translation, Rabi Shimon bar Yochai tells his studets that the danger the Jews ...
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Looking for the booklet of sources from “The Purim Story”
There is a dramatization of the purim story called "The Purim Story". It was originally released as a double cassette album and came with a booklet of sources i.e. which medrashim are the source for ...
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“Sheasa nisim” after doing the mitzva
Shulchan Aruch, OC 692, says that if someone reads m'gilas Ester without reciting the benedictions before and after it then he fulfills his obligation of reading Ester. It doesn't say what to do about ...
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Haman decreeing against circumcision
The gemara implies that after the Jews were victorious they restarted the mitzvah of circumcision which Haman decreed against. Are there any other source-based indications that Haman had made such ...
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Other mitzvos hayom before megilla
When making the blessing shehecheyanu before the megilla, one should have in mind that the blessing should cover the other mitzvos of Purim. But what if the megilla reading will be later, and one ...
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Why is the chag not Goralot?
The Megillah says the chag is named after the Persian "Pur" (Esther 9:26 - language identified in Targum Sheini to 3:7). Why is it not named "Goralot," in Hebrew, like the other chagim?
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Purim carnavalistic costumes
On Purim when looking around I see children and even adults wearing superhero, disney and other fantasy clothing, on the other side I see all kind of costumes but often not related to the Jewish ...
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Is יותר מלימודו time dependent?
The Ramma in siman 695 quotes the famous opinions that when drinking wine on Purim, one fulfills his obligation by drinking more than he usually does and going to sleep.
ויש אומרים דאין צריך להשתכר ...
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Why do we fast on Taanis Esther in particular?
I am aware that according to the Avudraham, the fast commemorates the war in the Purim story.
According to this answer, why is Taanis Esther unique that we fast in memory of the war, when there are ...
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Was Haman Jewish?
I read the question about whether Achashverosh was Jewish and I was wondering, why isn't Haman Jewish? He was Mordechai's slave (see Megillah bottom of 15a through the top of 15b with Rashi) and as an ...
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Was King Achashverosh Jewish?
In this beautiful animated interpretation of the Purim story, at the crowning of King Achashverosh, the crowd announces (as soon as the crown is put upon his head):
"And he will rise upon the ...
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Has anyone compiled a historical book on Esther?
Megillat Esther leaves numerous questions in my mind, that are unexplained in the Megillah. A lot of it is filled in in the Talmud and various Midrashim. But, one has to sift through numerous pages ...
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Places with no half-denomination coin
The custom is to give 1 or 3 half-denomination coins to tzedaka on Taanit Esther to remember the yearly mitzva of machatzit hashekel (Rama 694:1).
How is this done in a country that has no half ...
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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 ...
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Heros of the Rabbanan Holidays and Ultimately losing out
Why is it that both Purim and Chanukah the heroes of their stories ended up losing out?
That is Esther had no Jewish descendants as she married a non Jew (though her son was Jewish according to ...
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What does the Harachaman to replace Al Hanisim accomplish
If you forget to say Al Hanisim in bentching on Chanuka or Purim, you can add the הרחמן later to make up for it (Rama 682:1). You can also do the same thing in Shemoneh Esrei, provided that you ...
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May one dress up as Santa on Purim?
Is there anything wrong with children or adults wearing Santa Claus costumes on Purim? While on Christmas itself it might involve some sort of issur of participating in or celebrating of a non-Jew ...
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Questioning who is the real Achashverosh
So I am doing very much research and I am trying to find out the REAL Achashverosh, so far, there are several possible rulers of Persia that could be the real Achashverosh
Can anyone of you guys ...
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Hearing Vs. Listening and Reading vs. Reciting [duplicate]
The obligation for the megillah reading is for one to read the scroll. If one cannot read it, one listens to the blessing and then listens to the reader read it.
But what is the nature of "listening"?...
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Mitzva to hear Megillah Esther
My question has two parts: (1) I believe it is a mitzvah to hear the entirety of Megillat Esther twice on Purim, both at maariv and also at some point during the daytime. Is that correct?
(2) would ...
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differences of phrasing in Al hanisim: Chanuka vs. Purim
We add paragraphs to the liturgy of Chanuka and Purim, recounting the respective miracles that those holidays commemorate. We start the paragraphs as follows. Chanuka's starts:
In the days of ...
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Is it true that on Shabbat Purim, one holds a mock service instead of a real one?
At my synagogue this past evening, we held a Shabbat Service. However, it was not a conventional service, as after lighting the Shabbat candles and reciting Kiddush, the service basically became a ...
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Why were Haman's sons killed?
While the text explicitly states that Zeresh was involved in the plot to kill Mordechai (5:14), it never states that Haman's sons did anything wrong. If Korach's sons can end up being meritorious, why ...
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Smoking on purim
If someone smokes only once a year, on Purim, is one allowed to do so? To be detailed, this is an adult over the age of 20, a young working professional, and will not get addicted to the one cigar.
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May one do exercise on Purim?
Purim is a Jewish holiday - however, unlike other holidays almost everything is permitted granted it's in the "spirit" of the holiday.
With that being said is physical exercise permitted on Purim?
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Can we offer Mishloah manot the night of Purim
Can we offer mishloah manot the night of Purim after the reading of the Megilla? Is it allowed?
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Why is Megillat Esther the only Megillah that is still read from parchment?
Originally, all of Tanac"h was written on parchment. Thus, all 5 Megillot read during the year were read from parchment.
Most minhagim that I have seen (Nusach Ahkenaz and Sefard) do not currently ...
