Page 12 - HaMizrachi #7 Purim

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dependent on the authoritative drinking.
T gedolei Yisrael. We can understand
the written Torah only as the Talmud The Torah forbids making an altar of 8 · Hilchot Purim
explains it, and we can know the a single rock. Although G-d desired Clear and concise Tzurba M’Rabanan ěĜčĤĚ ČčĤđĢ
Talmudic halacha only as the poskim this in the days of the patriarchs, now introductions to each M R Rashi, ibid. ęĕĤđĠ ĦđėĘĐ · 9
explain it. that heathens use this as an altar, G-d section According to the Gemara, there is an obligation to read the Megilla both during the day and at night. Megilla), she’asa nissim (who has performed miracles), and ęĥ | ĕÂĥĤ 9 .
Mem, nun, chet – this refers to al mikra Megilla (reading the ,ęĕĝĜ ĐĥĞĥđ ,ĐĘĕĎĚ ČĤģĚ ĘĞ À ēÂĜĚ
despises it. One of today’s single rocks is Masechet Megilla 4a shehechiyanu (who has sustained us). .đĜĕĕēĐĥđ
Č:ď ,ĐĘĕĎĚ ĦėĝĚ

For generations, it has been a practice excessive drinking, which is widespread to read the Megilla at night and then repeat it during the day, ,ęđĕč ĐĦđĜĥĘđ ĐĘĕĘč ĐĘĕĎĚĐ ĦČ ĦđĤģĘ 6 . The poskim dispute whether the beracha of shehechiyanu is repeated before the daytime reading. The Rif
Rabbi Chelbo said that Ulla Bira’a said: A person is obligated ęďČ čĕĕē :Đ Ā Č Ā Ĥĕ üă č ČĘđĞ ĤĚČ đčĘē ĕčĤ ĤĚČ
and Rambam hold that shehechiyanu is only recited at night, while Tosafot and the Rosh hold that it is
repeated during the day as well. The Shulchan Aruch and Rema also argue accordingly.
not be silent; O Lord, my God, I will give thanks to You
to drink wine to excess on Purim, as the and gives rise to many serious problems. Modern English forever” (Tehillim 30:13). .ÂĖďđČ ęĘđĞĘ One who reads the Megilla recites three brachot beforehand: ĘĞ :ĦđėĤč ÄĎ ĐĕĜĠĘ ĖĤčĚ ĐĘĕĎĚĐ ĦČ ČĤđģĐ
as it is stated: “So that my glory may sing praise to You and ĕĐĘČ ÄĐ ęđďĕ ČĘđ ďđčė ĖĤĚĒĕ ěĞĚĘà :ĤĚČĜĥ
Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 692:1
10
.
Č:čĢĤĦ ,ēīđČ | Ğīđĥ
Talmud says, to the point of not knowing We should have zero tolerance for excess translation alongside the and the phrase “and not be silent” indicates that one reads it a second time. He explains further that since the one does not repeat the beracha of shehechiyanu.
Rashi explains that in the verse quoted, the phrase “may sing praise to You” refers to reading the Megilla once,
Al mikra Megilla, she’asa nissim, and shehechiyanu. In the day ęđĕčđ ;đĜĕĕēĐĥđ ,ęĕĝĜ ĐĥĞĥđ ,ĐĘĕĎĚ ČĤģĚ
Rema: Some say that even during the day one recites
Megilla is read to praise Hashem for saving the Jews, reading it is considered “singing praise.” Indeed, as Rashi
.đĜĕĕēĐĥ :ĖĤčĚđ ĤĒđē đĜĕČ
the difference between “Cursed be drinking. original Hebrew text notes, the Midrash actually interprets this whole chapter in Tehillim as referring to Mordechai and Esther. shehechiyanu, and this is the custom in all these lands. Ęėč ěĕĎĐđĜ ěėđ ,(ďĕĎĚĐđ ĥÂČĤĐđ ĦÂĤ ęĥč ĤđĔ)
The Shulchan Aruch codi es this ruling of the Gemara as follows:
đĜĕĕēĐĥ ĖĤčĚ ęđĕč ğČď ęĕĤĚđČ ĥĕđ :ĐĎĐ
Haman and blessed be Mordechai.” By Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 687:1 Č:ĒĠĤĦ ,ēīđČ | Ğīđĥ 7 . Magen Avraham 692:2 .đĘČ ĦđĜĕďĚ
The Magen Avraham explains the reason behind the ruling of the Rema that shehechiyanu is repeated.
One is obligated to read the Megilla at night and repeat it ĤđĒēĘđ ĐĘĕĘč ĐĘĕĎĚĐ ĦđĤģĘ ęďČ čĕĕē
the way, when the wicked are punished, The basic mitzvah, You shall love Color-coded sections, he has ful lled his obligation. For the primary mitzvah of reading is during the day. 8 č:čĢĤĦ | ČīĚ . 11
during the day. e time for the night reading is the entire Ęĥđ ;ĐĘĕĘĐ Ęė ĐĜĚĒ ,ĐĘĕĘ Ęĥđ .ęđĕč ĐĦđĜĥĘđ
from sunrise until the end of the day. If he read it from dawn,
night, while the time for the day reading is the entire day ;ęđĕĐ ğđĝ ďĞ ĐĚēĐ ġĜĐĚ ęđĕĐ Ęė ĐĜĚĒ ,ęđĕ
.ęđĕč ĐĦČĕĤģ ĦđĢĚ ĤģĕĞď
it is a blessing for the righteous, and G-d, has elicited questions from icons and elucidation to .ČĢĕ ,ĤēĥĐ ďđĚĞ ĐĘĞĥĚ ĐČĤģ ęČđ As is usually the case, Ashkenazim follow the opinion of the Rema and recite shehechiyanu twice, while
con rmed by the Yalkut Yosef, Purim p. 293).
Sefardim only recite shehechiyanu at night, in accordance with the opinion of the Shulchan Aruch (and as
e Berachot Over the Megilla
vice-versa – when the righteous are the commentaries. How can one be guide the learner The Gemara brings the list of berachot that one recites before reading the Megilla. The Mishna Berura adds that both the one reading the Megilla and the ones listening should have intention
that the beracha of shehechiyanu recited in the morning apply to the mitzvot of mishloach manot and
matanot la’evyonim as well (Sefardim should have this in mind when reciting it at night).
blessed, it is a punishment for the commanded to love G-d? Love is an Masechet Megilla 21b Mishna Berura 692:1
wicked. What difference is there really emotion, and one cannot be ordered to In-depth essays and Rav Sheshet from Katrazya once happened to come č:Čė ,ĐĘĕĎĚ ĦėĝĚ 8 . to the reader who is reciting the beracha, as we need the Č:čĢĤĦ | čīĚ . 12
It is correct when reciting the beracha of shehechiyanu to also ĦđĜĚ ēđĘĥĚ ĘĞ ęĎ đĜĕĕēĐĥ ĦėĤčč ěĕđėĘ ěđėĜđ
What blessing is recited before the reading of the Megilla? ĞĘģĕČ ČĕĒĤĔģĚ Ħĥĥ čĤ ?ĖĤčĚ ĕČĚ ĐĕĜĠĘ
for they are also mitzvot [of the day]. is should be told
before Rav Ashi, and he recited three blessings, alluded to
by the le ers mem, nun, chet.
have intention for mishloach manot and the meal of Purim, ġÂĥĐĘ ĐĒ Ğĕďđĕđ ĦđĢĚ ėÂĎ ęĐĥ ęĕĤđĠ ĦďđĞĝđ
.ēÂĜĚ ĖĕĤčđ ĕĥČ čĤď ĐĕĚģĘ
between punishing the wicked and love. The Talmud (Yoma 86a) explains responsa at the end intention of both the reader as well as the listener. .ĞĕĚĥĚđ ĞĚđĥ ĦĜđđė ĕĞčď ĖĤčĚĐ
rewarding the righteous? You probably that the mitzvah is to make G-d beloved of each section to
cannot tell the difference when sober, so by others, i.e., to behave in a manner complement the learning at length.
8 e Respona Noda Beyhuda (Mahadura Kama, O.C. 41) writes that there is a qualitative di erence between the reading at night and the daytime
reading: e day reading is obligatory as divrei kabala, accepted from the time of the Purim story itself, whereas the nigh ime reading is only by rabbinic
decree. He bases this on the verse “and these days are remembered and done” (Esther 9:28), which implies that the primary enactment was for the days
what is the point of drinking? that will cause others to appreciate the
and not the nights. Based on this, he wished to permit stopping in the middle of the reading at night to recite kiddush levana when necessary; see there
beauty of the Torah and to respect G-d.
A common error is to drink until you
don’t know whom you are cursing and Obviously, when a person drinks to LAUNCHED ALL OVER THE WORLD!
whom you are blessing. That is not what excess, one’s behavior is obnoxious and
the Talmud says. this results in observers losing respect
for G-d and Yiddishkeit.
Drunkenness is ugly. The Shulchan
Aruch (695:2) cites the Talmud, and We have an opportunity to make a true
Rama says that it is enough if one drinks kiddush Hashem by following the ruling
a bit more than usual and then takes a of the Mishna Berurah, and having a
nap. The Mishna Berurah says, “This is dignified Purim.
indeed appropriate.”
I believe it is a chilul Hashem to get drunk Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski is a
and throw up on the sidewalk. Rabbi psychiatrist and founder of the Gateway For more details, to find your local shiur, and to order books: www.tzurbaolami.com
Shmuel Kamenetzky says that it indeed Rehabilitation Center in Pittsburgh
an aveira (sin). Hatzala reports taking ajht613@gmail.com
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