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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Saying migdol on Purim
The book “Guidelines” on Purim by Rabbis Jaeger and Barclay quotes the Ben Ish Chai who says that we say migdol in the bentsching (grace after meals) on Purim. I don’t have the Guidelines book, so ...
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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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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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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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Half Shekel for Mother?
Although the Magen Avraham (694:3) says women are not obligated to give 3 half shekel before Purim, others quote the custom of fathers giving 3 half shekel for each member of his home - including his ...
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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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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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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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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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The date of Amalek fighting Moses and Israel in the wilderness [duplicate]
וַיָּבֹא עֲמָלֵק וַיִּלָּחֶם עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּרְפִידִם׃
Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. (Ex 17:8)
When exactly was it, what day was chosen to fight the Israelites and why that ...
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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 came to ...
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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 ...
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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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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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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, ...
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Is there a problem with wearing clothing inside-out for Purim?
In general, one should not wear clothing inside-out, as per Shulchan Aruch, OC 2:3:
ידקדק בחלוקו ללובשו כדרכו שלא יהפוך הפנימי לחוץ
One should be particular with his cloak to wear it properly, ...
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Did Ester reveal to Achashverosh she was married to Mordechai?
ומרדכי בא לפני המלך כי־הגידה אסתר מה הוא־לה
That very day ... Mordecai presented himself to the king, for Esther had revealed how he was related to her. (Ester 8.1)
Rashi does not elaborate much:...
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She'asa Nissim Lavoseinu | שעשה נסים לאבותינו - what did they say back then?
What was the second blessing mentioned by the Jews right after the miracle of Purim took place? If the second blessing on reading the Megillah mentions:
"בימים ההם בזמן הזה"
"... in those days at ...
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Haman Hanged on Branch of Eitz HaDaas?
Rav Eytan Feiner mentioned in a shiur that the tree used to hang Haman was the Eitz HaDaas, based on a Midrash. Where is this Midrash located? (I found Esther Rabba 9:2 which discusses it, but can't ...
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Shehechyanu levatala on Purim
Before the morning reading of Megillat Esther, the reader says 3 brachot including Shehechyanu (according to Ashkenazic practice). This applies, to some degree, and in some way to that morning's ...
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Why things in the Torah are “caused” by dreams but on Purim by insomnia?
Frankly this question was asked by my Chevrutah today.
We see that many things in the Torah are caused or moved by sleeping and dreaming - Yaakov dreaming of the Ladder, Yossef having fights with his ...
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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,...
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If Mordechai knew he would endanger the whole nation would he bow to Haman?
If I understand the plot correctly, the story of Haman's hatred to Mordechai and the whole Jewish people started with Mordechai disobeying the king's laws.
First, did Mordechai (as a prophet) know he ...
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Megilat Ester linguistics - why inline translations?
M"E is full with "inline" translations or clarifications from Hebrew to Parsi and vice verse, for example:
פור הוא הגורל
הֲדַסָּה הִיא אֶסְתֵּר
בחודש השנים עשר הוא חודש אדר
This is pretty unusual I ...
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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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Purim fighting in Adar - why wait for 8 months?
According to the Purim timeline:
the 13th of Adar (of the next year) was set as the target day for wiping the Jews.
Mordechai became the vice in Nissan and the new decrees to fight Amolekites ware ...
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Purim in Adar and not Av?
We all presume that Haman was well literate and familiar with our Tanachic sources. It is widely known that since the sin of the Spies (Meraglim) 9th of Av was chosen for all kinds of misfortunes for ...
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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 ...
