Page 266 - Tzurba M'Rabanan Volume1

264 · Hilchot Purim Tzurba M’Rabanan

Matanot La’evyonim

In addition to sending mishloach manot, the Megilla also makes reference to another practice that was
instituted to perform on Purim, matanot la’evoynim, gifts for the poor. The Gemara references the relevant
verse and explains how many gifts one must give.

h Masechet Megilla 7b :ז הליגמ תכסמ . 45

“And gifts to the poor” (Esther 9:22), indicating two gifts .םדא ינב ינשל תונתמ יתש – ”םינויבאל תונתמו“
to two people.

The Amount that Needs to be Given

According to the Gemara, one must give gifts to two different poor people. Commentaries dispute the exact
value that one must give. According to the Ritva, one must give a minimum value of a shaveh peruta, a
peruta’s (very small Talmudic coin) worth.

r Chidushei HaRitva, | א”בטירה ישודיח . 46
Masechet Megilla 7a .ז הליגמ תכסמ
It is logical that the gifts for the poor can be fulfilled even תוטורפ ’בב וליפא ונייה םינויבאל תונתמד ארבתסמ
with two perutot, for the value of a peruta is considered a .תוחפב אל לבא הנתמ אבישח הטורפ הושד
gift, but not less than that.

However, the Shaarei Teshuva quotes others opinions who hold that each gift must be equivalent to the
value of three eggs, which is the size of a meal.

a Shaarei Teshuva 694:1 א:דצרת | הבושת ירעש . 47

The sefer Machazik Beracha writes that the Mateh Yehuda םש ןייע הדוהי הטמב בתכ ןכש בתכ הכרב קיזחמב
(see there) cites in the name of the Zera Yaakov: “If one רועיש ןתיש ךירצ תועמ ןתונ םאש בקעי ערז םשב
gives money, it must be sufficient to purchase three egg ןתיש ךירצ םילכוא ןתונ םאו לכוא םיציב ’ג הנקיש
volumes of food, and if he gives food, it must be three egg יפלו אטהיר םופל הארנ ךכ תפמ םיציב ’ג רועיש ול
volumes of bread; this seems to be the correct explanation. ח”די אל הטורפ א”כל הנמ םיינעל קלחמ םא הז
Accordingly, if one distributes a peruta’s worth to multiple רפסה ףוג ןיאו ונושל ןאכ דע בשיתהל ךירצ ןיידעו
poor people, he has not fulfilled his obligation, but this still
needs to be considered.” But the actual book is not in my …הטורפב הניתנ יתכוד לכבד ומעט תעדל ידיב
possession to understand his reasoning, for in all places in
halacha, giving is defined as a peruta.

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