Purim Halacha
ב”ה
Selected Purim Halachos
Compiled by Rabbi M. Notik
Reviewed by Rabbi Y. Shusterman & Rabbi M. Farkash
Edited By Rabbi Y. Oster
General
1. Preparations for Mivtza Purim should begin 30 days before Purim.1
2. Preparations include: a baal koreh for megillah (if possible, someone should also prepare the Torah reading about Amalek for Purim day), packages of mishloach manos, coins for matonos l'evyonim, and a purim guide.2
3. Every Jew, including children that may not have reached the age of chinuch, should be given the opportunity to fulfill the mitzvos of Purim. Special emphasis should be placed on old age homes, hospitals, prisons, orphanages, and army bases.3
4. Purim is an opportune time to promote the other mivtzoim, especially Mivtza Torah and Mivtza Tefillin.4
5. Special emphasis should be placed on the mitzvos of matonos l'evyonim and mishloach manos, as they are fundamental elements of Purim and are at the same time the most neglected, perhaps because they are so easy to fulfill. The Rebbe expressed how the mitzvah of matonos l'evyonim can be easily fulfilled — even by children — through giving 5 cents to 2 evyonim each. Likewise, the mitzvah of mishloach manos can be easily fulfilled — even by children — by giving an apple and a candy, or a piece of cake and soda or juice.5
6. For many people, megillah reading is the primary element of purim, however it is also the most difficult mitzvah, and very often, the baal koreh is pressured to lein quickly, resulting in words being swallowed or not pronounced properly. Being that no one is yoitze in such a situation, the necessary effort should be made to ensure that every word will be read properly. If that is not possible, it may be better to focus only on the other mitzvos, as mentioned above.6
7. “All details in the shlichus of spreading Torah, yiddishkeit and chassidus, need to be permeated with this point — how this leads to kabolas moshiach tzidkeinu.”7
Megilla
1. If faced with a choice of reading by night or by day, it is preferable to choose the day option. This will allow for the other mitzvos to be fulfilled properly.8
2. The night reading can take place from tzeis hakochavim until alos hashachar. After alos, the night kriah should not be read, besides for in a shas hadchak gadol when one can read until netz.9 If one will absolutely not be able to read after tzeis, they can rely on the opinions which hold that one may begin after shkia — and even from plag hamincha in a shas hadchak — and read with a bracha.10 According to the Alter Rebbe (and the Gra), plag haminchah is earlier than what is often written in calendars. The shliach, his family, and anyone who is able to wait until after tzeis should have in mind not to be yotze, even if they will have to eat a bit before hearing megillah themselves (after the fast is over).
3. If one is being yotze a while after the fast is over, or if it is difficult to read without eating, a weak person can eat a snack beforehand. A snack is any non-alcoholic drink, fruit or vegetable, or less than a kibeitzah of mezonos. If this is insufficient, one can eat more if they designate someone to remind them to read or hear megillah after the snack.11
4. The day reading is from netz until shkia. If one is unable to read after netz, they can begin after alos, even with a brachah. If one is reading after shkia, or if one estimates that they will finish after shkia, they should read without a bracha.12
5. If one was already yotze, or will be yotze later, one of the listeners should be asked to stand up and recite the brachos for everyone. If this is not possible, the baal koreh can say them himself or have a listener repeat the bracha word-for-word, as one often does for mivtza tefillin, etc. The same applies if one is reading only for women. However, the bracha for women is lishmoa megilla. (If one said, “al mikrah megilla,” they are yotze.) The bracha after the reading is only said if there is a minyan present. (Women can be counted for this; however, there are opinions that the bracha should be made without Shem VeMalchus in such a situation.)13
6. If necessary, the reading can be divided between more than one baal koreh.14 7. One is not yotze from listening through a microphone, telephone, Zoom, etc.15
8. If it is doubtful about all of the listeners whether or not they will listen to the whole reading (due to illness, fatigue, etc), the brachos should not be said.16
9. If one is reading in the private home of one family, one does not need to be concerned about separation between men and women. If one is reading for multiple families, or in a public place, such as a workplace, school, and the like, one should make sure that the seating is separate. If one is reading in a shul or Chabad House (or any official program), there must be a mechitza.17
Matonos L'evyonim
1. One should prepare tzedaka boxes if there are no evyonim to give to present. One should emphasize to everyone that it is preferable for the money to be received by the evyon on Purim itself (these days this can be easily done via the internet), but halachically, one is yotze by putting it in a pushka to be distributed later.18
2. The minimum amount is to give the value of a prutah (approximately 5 cents) to each evyon.19
3. In certain places (prisons or special institutions), it is forbidden to handle money. One should explain to those in charge that the money will not remain in the facility; rather, the money will be immediately inserted into the pushka. If they do not agree, one should have someone else pick up the money (acquire it) for the prisoner, etc., and the prisoner should make you his personal shliach to give the money on his behalf.20
4. The money should be given to an actual evyon and not to other charitable institutions. (If a mosad makes meals for the needy, matanos l’evyonim can be given to them.) Practically, one can set up 2 tzedaka boxes: one for matonos l'evyonim (this box should be divided among a few evyonim) and one for general donations. Additionally, if one does not have an annual salary, nor recurring donations, sufficient for one’s minimal needs, one is considered to be an evyon and may use the money for his family.21
5. One should emphasize to everyone that the time for the mitzvah is until shkia (and bedi’eved until tzeis).22
Misloach Manos
1. It is important to remember that the mitzvah is for every Jew to give mishloach manos. Therefore, packages should be prepared which people can give to one another.23
2. Mishloach manos should contain a minimum of 2 types of food, 2 types of drink, or one food and one drink. The two may be of the same brachah. The minimum amount for mishloach manos is the value of a prutah and the size of a kzayis. This applies for each food/ drink, and if needed they can be a kzayis combined. However, it is important for it to look presentable.24
3. If one is gifting something that requires tevila and the recipient is someone who will toivel it (if made aware), one must ensure that no food touches the kli and let the recipient know that they should toivel it. If the recipient will not toivel it, someone else should pick up the kli on the recipient's behalf (acquire it for him) and then toivel it for him.25
4. The mitzvah is for a man to give to a man and a woman to give to a woman. If one needs to give mishloach manos to a woman — especially if she is not married — one should give it on behalf of his wife and encourage the recipient to give mishloach manos to another woman. If necessary, she can give it to you for your wife.26
5. Lechatchila, one should give mishloach manos to their friends. However, children who live with their parents and are supported by them are also yotze by giving mishloach manos to
their parents (if the food belongs to them), but parents are not yotze by giving to such children. Siblings are yotze by giving to each other (if the food belongs to them).27
6. Children are yotze through giving to each other (a boy to a boy and a girl to a girl), but an adult is not yotze by giving to a child under bar/bas mitzvah.28
7. One should emphasize to everyone that the time for the mitzvah is until shkia (bedi’eved until tzeis).29
Seudas Purim
1. Minchah should be davened before the seuda.30
2. The seuda should be scheduled sufficient time before shkia so that a noticeable part of the seuda will take place before shkia and then continue (the farbrengen) into the night.31
3. The seuda and farbrengen must have complete separation between men and women.32
4. It is the custom of all Jews to fulfill this mitzvah with a seuda consisting of bread and meat, and this is mentioned in sichos as a matter of fact. One you should not change and "separate from the tzibur" without a specific heter.33
5. If it is getting late on Purim afternoon, one should try to wash and eat at least a k’beitza (or at least a kzayis) of bread (and meat) before shkia and have in mind to continue the meal elsewhere.34
6. If one is worried about running out of time, one could wash and eat a seuda in the morning.35
7. One should remember to recite Birchas HaMazon and to daven Maariv.36