Q: Could you please review some of the rules and rationale of the practices of Purim M'shulash (Triple Purim) in Yerushalayim? A: When Adar 15, celebrated as Purim in cities that were walled at the time of Yehoshua (notably including Yerushalayim), falls on Shabbat, the various mitzvot of the day are spread over three days, as we will explain. We will start conceptually and then review day-by-day activities. The main day of Yerushalayim's Purim is still 15 Adar, even though it is the least "eventful" of the days. Therefore, matters that are connected directly to tefila, and are not problematic on Shabbat, are done on Shabbat. This includes reading the story of the battle of Amalek (last 9 p'sukim of B'shalach) as maftir and saying "Al HaNisim" in the Amida and Birkat HaMazon. Megilat Esther is not read on Shabbat for one of two reasons (Megila 4b). Rabba says that it is out of fear that someone will carry the Megila in the public domain and thus desecrate Shabbat. Rav Yosef says that it is because at the time of the Megila reading, poor people look forward to receiving charity, which they cannot do on Shabbat. As the rule is that Megilat Esther is never read later than 15 Adar (based on the words, "and they shall not pass," see Megila 2a) the reading is pushed up to Friday, Adar 14. One should be extra careful to hear the Megila with a minyan (Mishna Berura 690:61), as when Megila is read early, it requires a minyan. Matanot La'Evyonim (presents, usually money, to the poor) follow suit, and are given on 14 Adar (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 688:6). After all, according to Rav Yosef, that was the whole reason to read the Megila early, and even Rabba must accept some level of linkage between reading the Megila and giving the Matanot (see Megila 4b). The Seuda (festive meal) is held on Sunday, Adar 16, according to most authorities (Shulchan Aruch, ibid.). The Yerushalmi (Megila 1:4) learns that it is not done on Shabbat, because it must be a seuda whose obligation can be attributed only to the Sages' decision at the time of Mordechai and Esther. On Shabbat, of course, there is a mitzva to have a festive meal irrespective of Purim. Therefore, it says to delay it. There are opinions that one can/should have a Purim meal on Shabbat, and so some make an effort to have more food and wine than usual at the Shabbat day meal (Purim M'shulash (Diblitzki) 5:11). At the Sunday meal, "Al hanisim" is not recited, at least not in the body of the Birkat HaMazon (see Mikra'ei Kodesh (Harari) 15:(34) in the name of Rav Yisraeli). The mitzva of Mishloach Manot (presenting foods to a friend) is apparently linked to the Purim seuda, and thus we give them on Sunday (Mishna Berura 688:18). Those who want to be machmir for the seuda on Shabbat can do the same for Mishloach Manot by giving to a neighbor or having a guest at the meal. Visitors to Yerushalayim over Shabbat (even if they celebrated a full Purim on Friday) are obligated to do the mitzvot of both Shabbat and Sunday (wherever they are on Sunday) even if they leave Yerushalayim soon after Shabbat. This is because the obligations of Sunday are tashlumin (a make-up) for what ideally should have been done on Shabbat (Purim M'shulash 8:15). (One should give the Mishlo'ach Manot to one who is obligated in the mitzvot of Sunday). Based on the same logic, one who comes to Yerushalayim after Shabbat is not obligated (ibid.). Let's summarize by day. Friday - Reading of the Megila and Matanot La'Evyonim; Shabbat - "Al HaNisim" and special maftir/haftara; Sunday - Seuda and Mishlo'ach Manot. Ed. note: Torah Tidbits will also (hopefully, IY"H) be featuring a piece on Purim M'shulash in this week's issue - see elsewhere). We've decided to leave this Vebbe Rebbe column intact, with the hopes that readers will gain from the presentation in both instances. Ask the Rabbi Q&A is part of Hemdat Yamim, the
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Rebbe is partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel From A Candle by Day by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein In his humility, Moshe did not want to write a word that suggested that G-d regularly called to him. He wanted to appear as merely an occasional recipient of G-d's call - Vayikar. When G-d insisted that the ALEF be included, Moshe inserted the ALEF, but he made it smaller than the rest of the word. None of us is a Moshe, but each of us is bidden to hear the call of G-d embedded within His Torah. We might think - might even wish! - that this call is only occasional - Vayikar. Not so. G-d calls us via Vayikra - with a healthy, full-sized ALEF. Gd has provided us with special listening devices to enable us to hear His call. Through Torah study we can enter, however tentatively, the Divine Mind of G-d. Through prayer, we enable G-d to enter into our hearts and souls. Gemilut chasadim, deeds of kindness, is another "hearing aid" by which the echo of G-d resounds in our actions. And each of the 613 mitzvot constitutes a distinctive modality of G-d's call. Together they combine to make us the recipients of G-d's full Vayikra. G-d can be heard anywhere, but primarily on the soil of Eretz Yisrael is His call heard most clearly, minus the foreign static that is endemic to the Diaspora. Although Israel is often cacophonous, one can hear the call of G-d here as in no other place. In this Land, it is Vayikra, not Vayikar. Rabbi Emanuel Feldman, Jerusalem He once brought a sofer - a scribe - from Russia to write mezuzot, tefillin, and the five megilot. When the sofer had finished, he came to Rothschild for his final payment "Have you received anything on account?" asked Rothschild. "Yes I have," said the sofer, "and I have everything written down in my diary. Let me see," he continued, taking his diary out of his pocket, "In April I took such-and-such an amount, in May such-and-such..." "You go by the secular date and not by the weekly parshiyot?" exclaimed R' Shimon Ze'ev. Rothschild paid the sofer what he owed him, and
told him to take everything he had written with him. Excerpted with the permission of the copyright
holder Rav Moshe Shternbuch answers that the first action in the process connotes what Moshe taught the Jews to physically do in the donating process and the construction of the Mishkan. There was another level, though, where the spiritual thoughts of the people enabled G-d's presence to dwell in the Mishkan. The last words of the pasuk refer to this aspect of its construction. (2) Why did Moshe repeatedly dismantle and rebuild the Mishkan each day during the inauguration week? Commentaries explain that the Mishkan serves as a model for how we must build a dwelling place for G-d within ourselves. Moshe showed us that even after we struggle to build a place for G-d's presence within ourselves, we will likely yield to temptation and 'tear down' Hashem's dwelling. When that happens we should learn from Moshe and pick ourselves right back up and rebuild that special place through repentance and increased spirituality in our lives. (3) Did Moshe build the Mishkan or did it miraculously build itself? Rav Shternbuch teaches that G-d only per- formed
this miracle (that the Mishkan erected itself) after seeing the burning
desire which Moshe had for the Mishkan to be built. Since it was Moshe's
desire which forced the miracle, the Torah credits him with actually doing
it himself. We learn from this that when we desire a closeness to G-d, He
will come to help us and we will receive the credit for whatever we
accomplish even with His help. Of course, offerings were commonplace long before the Torah was given. From the burnt offering of Noach and the altars built by Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya'akov we can trace this mode of dialoguing with G-d. We can also discern burned offerings consummating, as it were, the covenant between the people and Hashem: "And they brought burnt offerings (Olot) and they slaughtered bulls to Hashem as feast offerings (Zevachim Shlamim)" (Shmot 24:5). So, asks the Da'at Mikrah, why was it necessary for the Torah to elevate the Korbanot to such a high level and to annunciate the minutiae of the sacrifices to a people who were already familiar with these procedures? It seems that before the Mishkan, individual and
local custom colored the way in which Korbanot were offered. Now, however,
with the Mishkan complete, Klal Yisrael was to serve G-d in a unified
fashion. Not according to personal dictates, whims or intentions but
precisely by His word. For by thus, "Walking in His ways, keeping His
mitzvot and clinging to Him" (Yehoshua 22:5), Hashem reciprocates with
lengthening your days (Melachim I 3:14). [The Parshat VaYikra Homepage]
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