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ןנברמ אברוצ םירופ תוכלה · 255

fulfill the obligation on behalf of men, whereas the Ba’al :בתכ תולודג תוכלה לעבו ,ןתבוח ידי םישנאל
Halachot Gedolot writes: Even though they are obligated תואיצומ ןניא הליגמ ארקמב תובייחש בג לע ףא
in reading the Megilla, they cannot fulfill the obligation on .םישנאל
behalf of men.

The Shulchan Aruch cites both of these opinions.

a Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 689:2 ב:טפרת ח״וא | ע״וש . 19
Both one who reads [the Megilla] and one who hears fulfill ידי אצי ,ארוקה ןמ עמושה דחאו ארוקה דחא
their obligation, provided one hears from someone who .התאירקב בייח אוהש יממ עמשיש אוהו ;ותבוח
is obligated to read it. Therefore, if the reader was a deaf ,הטוש וא ןטק וא שרח ארוקה היה םא ךכיפל
mute, a minor, or deranged, the listener has not fulfilled his םישנהש ,םירמוא שיו ;אצי אל ונממ עמושה
obligation. And some say that women cannot perform the .םישנאה תא תואיצומ םניא
obligation on behalf of men.

The Mishna Berura gives two explanations for the opinion that women cannot perform the mitzva on behalf
of men, even though they themselves are obligated:
1. This is not considered dignified for the community [kavod hatzibur] (as it looks like men don’t know how
to read)
2. A woman is only obligated to hear the Megilla, whereas a man is obligated to read the Megilla. If so, a
man’s obligation is greater than a woman.

a Mishna Berura 689:7 ז:טפרת | הרורב הנשמ . 20
It is not comparable to candle lighting on Chanukah; for ומכ יוהד הליגמ ינאשד ,הכונח רנל ימד אלו
Megilla is different as it is similar to Torah reading, and ןכלו ,רובצה דובכ ינפמ הלוספו הרותה תאירק
[a woman] is disqualified [to read] because [it is not] ,םגו ”.גולפ אל“ םושמ האיצומ הניא דיחיל וליפא
dignified for the community. Therefore, she cannot even ,עומשל קר האירקב תבייח הניא השאד רשפאד
fulfill the obligation of an individual due to [the principal יבגל רבדב תבייוחמ הניאש ירקמו ,הימקלדכו
of] lo pelug (the Sages didn’t differentiate when making .התרבח תא האיצומ השא לבא ,שיא
certain decrees and standardizing the halacha). Also it
is possible that women are not obligated to read, only to
listen, as is discussed below, and [therefore] it is considered
as if she isn’t obligated to the extent that a man is. However,
a woman may exempt another woman.

Concerning the second reason given by the Mishna Berura, it seems from the formulation of the Rema in the
next source that he takes the position that women are only obligated to hear the Megilla.

a Rema, Orach Chaim 689:2 ב:טפרת ח״וא | א”מר . 21

Some say that if a woman reads for herself she should recite :תכרבמ המצעל הארוק השאה םא ,םירמוא שיו
the beracha of “to hear the Megilla,” for she isn’t obligated .האירקב תבייח הניאש ,הליגמ עומשל
to read it.

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