Advanced Talmud for Everyone: The Parts of the Purim Party

(1) The reading of the scroll (of Esther) at its proper time is a positive commandment from the Sages (lit. Scribes). And it is known that it is a decree of the prophets. Everyone is obligated in its reading - men, women, converts, and free slaves and we also train minor children to read it. And even priests amidst their (temple) service stop their service and come to hear the reading of the Scroll. And likewise do we stop Torah study to hear the reading of the Scroll - and, all the more, so for the other commandments of the Torah - that is, all of them are overridden on account of the reading of the Scroll. And there is nothing that overrides the reading of the Scroll, [to go] before it, except for a corpse of mitzvah - [meaning one] that has no one to bury it. For one who encounters it must bury it first; and then read [the Scroll] afterwards.

(2) Both the reader and the one who listens to the reader have fulfilled their obligation. And that is so long as he hears [it] from someone who is obligated in its reading. Hence if the reader was a minor or mentally incapacitated, the one who listens [to it] from him has not fulfilled [his obligation].

(3) It is commandment to read all of it; and it is a commandment to read it at night and during the day. And all of the night is fit for the reading of the night; and all of the day is fit for the reading of the day. And before its reading at night, one recites three blessings - and these are them: Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us about the reading of the Scroll; Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who made miracles for our ancestors in those days at this time; Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has kept us alive, and preserved us and made us reach this time. And during the day, one does not repeat and recite the blessing, "who has kept us alive." And in a place where they are accustomed to reciting a blessing after it, they should recite the blessing, "Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who pleads our cause, and who judges our claim, and who avenges our vengeance, and who punishes our foes, and who brings retribution to our enemies. Blessed are You, Lord, who, on behalf of Israel, exacts punishment from all of their foes - the saving God."

(4) When is the proper time for its reading? The sages set multiple time periods for its reading, as the verse says "in their times" (Esther, 9:31). And these are the time periods when it can be read: All cities which were walled during the days of Joshua son of Nun, whether in the Land (of Israel) or outside the Land (of Israel), even if it no longer has a wall now - they read it on the 15th of Adar. This type of city is called a "kerakh". And all cities that were not walled during the days of Joshua, even if they are walled now, read on the 14th of Adar. This type of city is called an "Ir".

(13) One these days, that is, on the 14th and 15th (of Adar), eulogies and fasting are prohibited for all people in all places, both citizens of walled cities (kerakh) who perform (the festivities) on the 15th day only and citizens of unwalled cities (ir) who perform (the festivities) on the 14th day only. And eulogies and fasting are prohibited on these two days on Adar I just as on Adar II. The residents of the villages that preempted and read on the Monday or Thursday adjacent to Purim are permitted to eulogize and fast on the day of their reading. But they are forbidden to eulogize and fast on [the Fourteenth and Fifteenth] - even though they do not read on them.

(14) The mitzvah of the 14th day for the citizens of the unwalled cities and villages; and of the 15th day for the citizens of the walled cities is for it to be a day of joy (simchah) and drinking and sending portions (mishloach manot) to friends and gifts to the poor. And the performance of labor (melakhah, labor forbidden on Sabbath and Holidays) is permitted, but, nevertheless, it is not appropriate to perform such labor. The Sages say: Anyone who performs labor on the day of Purim will never see a a sign of blessing.

[Regarding] the residents of the villages that preempted and read on Monday or Thursday: If they distributed money to the destitute on the day of their reading, they have fulfilled [their obligation]. But they may only do the joy and the drinking on the Fourteenth. And if they preempted [this], they have not fulfilled [it]. And [one who] made a Purim meal at night has [also] not fulfilled his obligation.

(15) How is the obligation of this meal (performed)? That one eat meat and prepare as pleasing a meal as his hand can [afford]. And he should drink wine until he becomes intoxicated and falls asleep from his intoxication. And likewise is a person obligated to send two portions of meat or two types of dishes or two types of food to his fellow, as it is stated (Esther 9:22) "and sending portions, one man to another" - two portions to one man. And anyone who increases sending to friends is praiseworthy. And if he has no [means to do this], he should trade with his fellow: This one sends his meal to that one and that one sends his meal to this one - in order to fulfill, "and sending portions, one man to another."

(16) And he is obligated to distribute (money) to the poor on the day of Purim. We do not [give to] less than two poor people and at least one gift to each one, whether money or types of cooked dishes or types of food. As it states (Esther 9:22) "and gifts to the destitute" (in the plural) - that is, (at least) two gifts to two poor people. We are not precise when it comes to Purim monies - to anyone who stretches out his hand, we give. And we may not re-designate Purim monies to another charity.

(17) It is better for a person to increase their gifts to the poor than to increase their feast or their sending of portions to their friends. For there is no greater or more splendid joy than rejoicing the hearts of the poor, the orphan, the widow and the stranger (alt. convert). For one who rejoices the heart of these downtrodden is comparable to the Divine Presence, as it says "To enliven the soul of the lowly and to enliven the heart of the oppressed" (Isaiah 57:15)

(18) Every book in the (Biblical sections) Prophets and Writings will be voided in the future in the days of the Messiah, except for the Scroll of Esther. Behold, it will remain with the Five Books of the Torah and the laws of the Oral Torah that will never be voided. And this despite the fact that the memory of all suffering will be voided, as it says "For the earlier sufferings will be forgotten, for they will be hidden from my eyes" (Isaiah 65:16). The days of Purim will never be voided, as the verse says "And these days of Purim will never pass from the Jews and their memory will not cease from their seed." (Esther 9:28).

The Gemara returns to the statement of the mishna that on Passover one must drink no less than four cups of wine: And this halakha applies even if the poor person accepts funds from the charity plate. The Gemara asks: It is obvious that this is the case. If there is a mitzva to drink these four cups, they must be provided for him. The Gemara answers: The mishna is necessary only to teach that this halakha applies even according to the opinion of Rabbi Akiva, who said: Make your Shabbat like an ordinary weekday and do not be beholden to other beings. If one is unable to honor Shabbat without financial help from others, it is better for him to save money and eat his Shabbat meals as he would on a weekday rather than rely on other people. Here, in the case of the four cups, Rabbi Akiva concedes that it is appropriate for a poor person to request assistance from the community, due to the obligation to publicize the miracle. With regard to this issue, the school of Eliyahu taught that although Rabbi Akiva said: Make your Shabbat like a weekday and do not be beholden to other beings; however, one should nevertheless perform some small alteration in his house to distinguish Shabbat from a weekday. The Gemara asks: What is this alteration? Rav Pappa said: For example, one should serve small, fried fish.

(17) The seven days of Passover and the eight days of Sukkot along with the other holidays are all forbidden for eulogizing and fasting. And one is obligated to be joyful and of a good heart on them—he, his children, his wife, the members of his household and all who accompany him. As it is stated (Deuteronomy 16:14), "And you shall rejoice in your holiday, etc." Even though the joy that is mentioned here is [referring to] peace offerings—as we explain in the Laws of the Festival Offering—included in that joy is for him, his children and the members of his household to rejoice—everyone according to what is fit for him.

(18) The children, for example, should be given parched grain, nuts, and sweetmeats; the womenfolk should be presented with pretty clothes and trinkets according to one's means; the menfolk should eat meat and drink wine, for there is no real rejoicing without the use of meat and wine. While eating and drinking, one must feed the stranger, the orphan, the widow, and other poor unfortunates. Anyone, however, who locks the doors of his courtyard and eats and drinks along with his wife and children, without giving anything to eat and drink to the poor and the desperate, does not observe a religious celebration but indulges in the celebration of his stomach. And about such is it stated (Hosea 9:4), "their sacrifices are like the bread of mourners, all who eat it will be contaminated; for their bread is for their own appetites." Such joy is a disgrace for them, as it is stated (Malakhi 2:3), "I will spread dung on your faces, the dung of your festivals."

One who declares "I commit to bringing a Thanksgiving Offering and I will fulfill it when I bring my Chagigah Offering" - he is obligated to bring a Thanksgiving Offering and does not fulfill it when he brings his Chagigah Offering, since a Chagigah may only be brought from non-sacred animals. When a person sacrifices Chagigah Offerings and Simchah Offering, he and his children and wife should not eat them alone and think they have performed the commandments fully. Rather, a person is obligated to gladden the poor and downtrodden, as the verse states: "The Levite and the stranger and the orphan and the widow" (Deut 17:14). Feed them from all (the offerings) and give them to drink in accordance with his wealth. A person who eats his offerings and does not gladden these (poor folks), it is stated about him: "Their offerings are like the food of misery for them - anyone who eats them will be impure, for their food is akin to their souls" (Hosea 9:4)...