Six "mitzvot" of Purim: [2] AL HANISIM is inserted in each Amida and Birkat HaMazon of Purim. Omitting AL HANISIM does not require repeating either the davening or benching, but in each case there is a second place to insert AL HANISIM if you forgot to say it in its “official” place. For the Amida, one would say AL HANISIM right before Y’H’YU L’RATZON IMREI FI... Going back is not an option once you finish the bracha within which AL HANISIM is said. Similarly for benching. Once you conclude AL HAARETZ V’AL HAMAZON, don’t go back, but say AL HANISIM as a HARACHAMAN, towards the end of the benching. In this case, a modified intro is used. It goes something like this (texts vary): (written out in hard copy of TT) (alod hard copy of TT) Here is the full AL HANISIM for those who might find it convenient to have it out of a siddur or bencher (e.g. if you are benching or davening by heart and AL HANISIM is the only part you don't know by heart - one should try to always use a siddur or bencher, even if he knows it by heart): [3] Torah reading. After the Amida of
Shacharit, before Megila reading, a 9- pasuk portion (Sh'mot 17:8-16) from
the end of B'shalach is read (3 Aliyot). Since women are also obligated on this mitzva, they should do it, or if they are relying on their husbands, the husband should have in mind that he is doing his mitzva, and for his wife. Children should do this mitzva on their own and not rely on their father's giving. When one spends a significant amount of money for his Purim Seuda and Mishlo'ach Manot, he should not just do Matanot LaEvyonim in a token fashion, but should do it well. [5] Mishlo'ach Manot. Main reason given for this mitzva is to show that Haman's statement about the Jewish people is a terrible lie. He said that we are a scattered people who don't care about each other. That we lack unity. This mitzva of giving gifts of food to fellow Jews, providing them with Purim delights, sharing with them, all point out Haman's lie. Some say that the mitzva of Mishlo'ach Manot should be done specifically through a SHALI'ACH, an agent. In other words, you give gifts of food to someone who will give them on your behalf to the intended recipient. Others do not consider a Shali'ach to be necessary. Sender and receiver should be aware of who will receive and who sent, respectively. Sounds obvious, but there are situations that this rule addresses. For example, you bring Mishlo'ach Manot to someone who isn't home. You leave it on the door handle (remember doorknobs in the old country? Here it's handles). If you don't identify the package as coming from you, or if the person does not get the package until after Purim, there is something lacking in this particular giving. Usually, people give to more than the minimum one recipient, so if there is something technically lacking in some of the Mishlo'ach Manot, it is most likely that the mitzva is fulfilled in some of the other Mishlochot. Some opinions hold that the sender and recipient need both be observing Purim on the day in question. This is particularly an issue for Yerushalmim sending to open-city folk and vice versa, when one is observing Purim on the 14th and the other on the 15th of Adar. Make sure that at least one person you send Mishlo'ach Manot to is observing Purim on the same day that you are, and on the same day you send the gifts. Manot is plural, and the practice is to send at least two different food items as Mishlo'ach Manot. The food should be ready to eat, rather than require cooking or baking, etc. before the recipient can enjoy it. Another reason for two gifts, besides the pluralness of the word MANOT, is to commemorate the two gifts that Achashveirosh gave to Esther - Beit Haman and his royal ring. Most opinions say that drink can be counted as one (or both) of the gifts; others say that drinks - even wine - do not count for the two gifts. In "normal" situations, it is considered a proper practice to send Mishlo'ach Manot back to those who sent them to you. It is considered preferable to send back something different from what one received. You get wine and hamantashen, send back an orange and some chocolate. This way, one's joy is increased in the receiving and sending. Some hold that one should fulfill the mitzva of Mishlo'ach Manot before he eats breakfast. Right after davening in the morning is ideal, because Shehecheyanu before Megila goes for the other mitzvot as well. [6] Seudat Purim. This is a Purim Day mitzva, and a seuda at night is not considered a fulfillment of the mitzva. This notwithstanding, one should also eat something special on Purim night. Although one can fulfill the mitzva of Seudat Purim in the morning, it is the widespread practice (except when Purim is on Erev Shabbat) to have the seuda after davening Mincha. The main fulfillment of Seudat Purim is during the day, but the common practice is to extend the seuda into the night. For 14th of Adar people, this has the advantage of also acknowledg- ing the 15th as part of the Purim period. For 15th of Adar people, it is less clear that it is praiseworthy to extend their seuda into the night. In either case, there are differing opinions as to where in Birkat HaMazon to say AL HANISIM when one is benching at night when it is officially not Purim anymore. Some say to say it in NODEH, where it is found; others hold that it should be said as a HARA- CHAMAN. One should have something special to eat on the other day of Purim (Sunday for the Monday people and vice versa). Seudat Purim should definitely have HoMotzi (even though some sources claim that it is not a requirement). Ideally, one should have wine at his seuda (more than he usually has on other occasions). Wine is such a significant feature of the Megila, from the wine mentioned at the early parties of the king to the parties that Esther used to plead before the king. Some say that the "mitzva" of drinking applies only to wine. Others give a slightly different reason for drinking, and that can be fulfilled by other intoxicating bever- ages as well. According to some opinions, meat should be on the menu, because of its being part of the traditional definition of Simcha. Part of the mitzva of (eating and) drinking is to reach a point of not being able to distinguish between Blessed is Mordechai and cursed is Haman. Some say that this is achieved by becoming inebriated (a.k.a. besotted, crapulent, drunk, inebriate, intoxicated, sodden, tipsy, cockeyed, stewed, blind, bombed, boozed, crocked, high, lit up, loaded, looped, pickled, pixilated, plastered, potted, sloshed, smashed, soused, stinko, stoned, tight, zonked, three sheets into the wind). Others hold that drowsiness or sleep from the wine, accomplishes AD D'LO YADA. (And even an inability to add a column of figures correctly, can bring a person to AD D'LO YADA. How so? BARUCH MORDECHAI in Hebrew, adds up to 2+200+6+20 (that's 228) + 40+200+4+20+10 (that's another 274) = 502. ARUR HAMAN is 1+200+6+ 200 (407) + 5+40+50 (95) = 502. The same g'matriya! So what do we mean AD D'LO YADA between the two? There is no difference numerically. Ah, let's use AT-BASH g'matriya instead of the regular numeric values of the letters. Back to BARUCH MORDECHAI. BET = SHIN =300. REISH = GIMEL = 3, etc. 300+3+80+30 (413) + 10+3+100+30+40 (183) = 596. That's the AT-BASH G'MATRIYA of BARUCH MORDECHAI. ARUR HAMAN = 400+3+80+ 3 (486) + 90+10+9 (109) = 595. Just one less than BARUCH MORDECHAI. One who drinks enough wine so that he will not be able to handle these calculations, will also achieve AD D'LO YADA in a numeric sense.) The bottom line is if there is any fear that one's drunkenness will cause improper frivolity or a disrespect or disregard for any mitzva or cause the person to be insulting or disrespectful of others - it would be forbidden to get drunk. Far better to go with the drowsy-sleep opinion (or even the whimsical arithmetic opinion) to stay within the boundaries of SIMCHA MITZVA. Special foods, enjoyable guests, and Divrei Torah all add to the SIMCHA that is be part of the Seuda. People who do not enjoy eating meat, should eat foods that they do enjoy. Those who don't enjoy wine should at least have a little. One should wear Shabbat & Yom Tov clothes on Purim, in honor of the day. (It seems reasonable to say that a costume is also in honor of the day, but not regular weekday clothing.) According to Minhag Yerushalayim, there
is a special chapter of T’hilim to say on Purim day, instead of the
“regular” Song of the Day. Others will say both the regular one and the
special one. Some add to the special one another one or two chapters (124
and/or 69). We include here just AYELET HASHACHAR, T’hilim 22, which is the
Shir Shel HaYom for Purim. This Psalm is said on Tuesday and/or Wednesday,
depending upon what day(s) you have Purim. The king has elevated Haman to a high position of authority in his court. And a decree has been issued that requires those in the court of the king to bow to Haman. And Mordechai does not bow. So far, that's the story as we remember it. The servants of the king notice that Mordechai does not bow to Haman - implication is that Haman himself does not notice - and they ask Mordechai how come he is violating the king's decree. They keep after Mordechai day after day, and then they tell Haman that Mordechai doesn't bow to him - why do they report Mordechai to Haman? To see if Mordechai will stick to his position once Haman realizes that Mordechai doesn't bow... BECAUSE Mordechai told them that his refusal to bow was because he was Jewish. Then Haman sees that Mordechai is not bowing and he is filled with rage. And how does Haman react? Not with the typical (for that situation) "off with his head". No, that won't work in this case, because they told Haman that it was a Jewish thing. Where does that bring Haman? To the point where he desires to destroy the entire Jewish nation, the people of Mordechai. It is not only Haman that we can label the anti-Jew in this story. All the servants of the king wanted to test the Jew to see if he would stand by his committment... because he told them that he was a Jew. How this situation echoes throughout
Jewish History. It is often borne on an envy and jealousy of our higher
standards and aspirations. What do romantic fish sing to each other?
Salmon-chanted evening! [The
Parshat T'tzaveh Homepage]
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