Dear B’nai Shalom members, friends, and families:
With the holiday of Purim quickly approaching, I share with you the following points and reminders concerning the holiday which I hope will be helpful to everyone in making the celebration of Purim festive and joyful. Please note that since this is a combined March/April bulletin, following my points concerning Purim, I am ALSO including important facts about Pesach.
In order to fulfill the mitzvah of hearing the Megillah in a complete manner, all Jews – men and women, over the age of bar or bat mitzvah, (12-years old for females, 13-years old for males), must hear the complete and accurate reading of the Megillah from a kosher, handwritten Megillah live and in-person, NOT via microphone, Zoom, Teams, or Skype.
The entire Megillah must be heard without interruption and without the “blotting out” the name of Haman, which CAN take place, following the recitation of his name.
It may be interesting to note that the Megillah is named for Esther and not for Mordechai, because Mordechai is the featured personality in the Megillah in the beginning of the story; Esther is the featured personality in the 2nd half of the story. Esther is mentioned when Hashem sends his salvation, saving the Jewish people, thus the Megillah is named for Esther.
It may be interesting to note that in Chapter 10 of the Megillah, we learn that only “MOST” of the Jews liked Mordechai instead of “ALL” the Jews. We learn that this is because Mordechai got involved in the government of Persia. So much for our respect and admiration for those who represent us in government!
The Shabbat before Purim is always Parshat Zachor, in which we are commanded to remember what the nation of Amalek did to B’nai Yisrael (the Children of Israel) when we departed Egypt, at the end of Parshat B’Shallach in Sefer Shemot (the book of Exodus). This is a Mitzvah D’Oraita, (a biblically-ordained mitzvah) agreed upon by all meforshim, (commentaries) among the four special parshiyot: Parshat Shekalim, Parshat Zachor, Parshat Parah, and Parshat
HaChodesh. All Jews, men and women, must hear every word of Parshat Zachor, with no interruptions. There are even some opinions that say the reading of Parshat Zachor must be heard within one’s own nusach, one’s own pronunciation, one’s own tradition.
In the reading of Parshat Zachor, we experience the repetition of the word: “Zecher,” (remember) as there is a disagreement about the pronunciation: either with the vowel: “tzayreh,” (with the “AY” sound) or a “segel,” (the “EH” sound); In order to ensure that we have fulfilled the mitzvah, we read it both ways, just to be sure.
On either the 13th of Adar (or the 11th of Adar when Purim is on a Sunday), we commemorate Taanit Esther (the Fast of Esther), as we fast one day in place of the three days Esther and the Jews fasted in the actual Purim story. This fast day is a “half fast day,” which ends following the reading of the Megillah. There can be an exception for completing the fast for those who are weak, frail, or elderly AND for the Megillah reader, depending on his strength, energy or disposition.
On Purim there are four distinct mitzvot to be fulfilled: hearing the entire Megillah twice, once in the evening and once in the morning. Both recitations of the Megillah are said with the appropriate brachot (blessings) before and after the reading. Every person over the age of majority must hear every word.
There is a misconception of “drowning out the name of Haman,” (to which I allude above), as people mistakenly believe we drown out the recitation of Haman’s name when it comes up in the reading. Since his name IS part of the Megillah, we must hear his name as part of the text as much as any other word found in the Megillah. We therefore make noise AFTER his name or otherwise we would NOT be hearing every word.
Mishloach Manot: Sending of food gifts to friends/neighbors. The food gift must be two different types of ready-to-eat food (requiring 2 different brachot) during the day on Purim day. The Mishloach Manot must be sent. This can be done by having our children jumping out of our vehicles and delivering the food package by hand.
Matanot L’Evyonim: This is a special Purim tzedakah (charity contribution) on Purim day to two different poor people or organizations. The amount of money equal to a modest but decent Purim Seudah (meal). Organizations servicing the poor ensure that contributions made to them will be delivered on Purim day. Checks can be written to charities, shuls, or yeshivot, or other agencies who ensure that the poor Jews of the city will be supported by the collected funds for this purpose.
Purim Seudah (the special Purim meal) is celebrated on Purim day, in the late afternoon. The meal typically includes bread, something of a fancy meal and an atmosphere of joy and celebration. There are many authorities that hold that there should be liquor present and/or consumed at the meal. There are clearly different opinions on this.
The day after Purim is Shushan Purim. This is celebrated only in Jerusalem. There are no real traditions observed outside of Jerusalem on this day with the exceptions of not fasting (if one needed to fast), no recitation of the prayer Tachanun, and a few subtle differences in a funeral service.
Robin and I wish everyone a very happy and joyous Purim. Now, on to the holiday FOLLOWING Purim by one month: Pesach:
It should not be a surprise to anyone that so many of our symbols are meant to activate and stimulate that part of our brain that controls the images we envision, the feelings that infiltrate our minds, and the emotions that run warmly and fondly throughout our nostalgic memories. Many families will hold dear the particular food smells, the sentimental sounds of identifiably Pesach melodies, the very specific nusach (traditional tune) of the Pesach Kiddush, and the joyful, family-friendly singing of the Dayenu, Chad Gadya, and Mah Nishtana. The Four Questions, the “Mah Nishtana,” in particular, has been known to bring joy, pride, contentment, and pleasure to countless Jewish families for generations and generations.
Pesach is known by four Hebrew names, each of which has a major role in the active celebration of the holiday. They are: Chag HaMatzot (the Holiday of Matzah), Chag Ha Pesach (the holiday of “Passing over”), Chag HaAviv (the Holiday of Springtime), and Zman Cheruteinu (the time of our freedom).
The name Chag HaMatzot is well known and recalls the manner in which our ancestors, the B’nai Yisrael, the Children of Israel, needed to leave the bondage of the Land of Egypt in haste, without allowing the bread they were preparing for the journey to fully rise. This name is one of two for the holiday which is included in the Passover Kiddush and is easy to understand for its inclusion as one of the four names of this holiday.
Chag HaPesach, the holiday of “Passing Over” is the name which has gained the most popularity as the identification by which we typically refer to this holiday. The “passing over” refers to the exclusion of the Jewish homes during the Tenth Plague of Slaying of The First Born, during which, HaKadosh Baruch Hu, The Holy One, Blessed be he, “passed over our homes,” in slaying the firstborn sons of every Egyptian household, and sparing OUR firstborn sons.
The name Chag HaAviv, the Holiday of Springtime, has two meanings attached to it. The first is the simple understanding that Hashem took us out of Egypt in the Springtime – the perfect time for a nation of millions of men, women, and children, traveling by foot, wagon, cart, oxen, donkeys, and camels, to move slowly from the Egyptian desert towards Eretz Yisrael, in the most conducive and pleasant weather in which to make the arduous trek. The heat of the summer
would have been unbearable and the rains of the autumn and winter would have created an obstacle precariously dangerous to the wellbeing of B’nai Yisrael in their travels. This underscores the kindness and compassion as well as the love and devotion HaKdosh Baruch had, and continues to have for us, His Chosen People. The Holiday of Springtime also connotes the time of year in which all living things are brought back to life after hibernation and a more covert existence during the winter months. Plants and all vegetation bloom and grow as all living creatures are born and assigned their appropriate place in the animal kingdom. We too, the B’nai Yisrael, the Children of Israel, were born and brought into this world, as we emerged from Egypt as a new and vibrant civilization of people. We went down to Egypt as a family, as a clan, few in number, and grew and multiplied while sojourning in Egypt and then becoming slaves to the Pharaoh of the land. However, we came forth with G-d’s Mighty Hand and Outstretched Arm, to become a new and magnificent new nation, G-d’s people, G-d’s nation.
The fourth of the four names for the holiday: Zman Cheruteinu, literally means “The Time of Our Freedom”, and is the second name of the holiday included in the Pesach Kiddush. We could not function as a newly-born, newly-freed people, working hard to fulfill the will of our G-d, if not for the freedom in which to make those efforts to achieve compliance with all expected from us from Almighty G-d.
During our own Passover Seder services and ceremonies, may we create sounds, aromas, tunes, sights, and memorable images for our children, grandchildren, families, friends, and may Pesach continue to be the hugely-celebrated festival that it has continued to be for thousands of years.
With wishes to all of you for a joyous Purim and meaningful, kosher Pesach,
Rabbi Dr. Yaacov Dvorin