The purpose of this sourcesheet is to enlighten us regarding Ad'deloyadah - first studying the sources regarding limiting this חיוב, and then studying the character of Rava and how he understands the similarity between Haman and Mordechai.
Rava said: A man is obligated to mellow oneself [get drunk] until he does not know the difference between 'cursed is Haman' and 'Blessed is Mordechai.' Raba and Rabi Zeira made a Seudat Purim together. They became mellowed and then Raba arose and slaughtered Rabi Zeira. The next day he prayed for [divine] mercy and he returned to life. The next year, he [Raba] said to him [Rabi Zeira] "Come and let us make a seudat purim together." He [Rabi Zeira] replied, "Not every single time does a miracle occur."
This is quite odd. No explanation is given.
Who is Rava? Abba ben Joseph bar Ḥama (c. 280 – 352 CE), a fourth-generation amora who lived in Mahoza. One of the most often-cited rabbis in the Talmud. Famous for his debates with his study-partner Abaye. Their debates are considered classic examples of Talmudic dialectical logic. Of their hundreds of recorded disputes, the law is decided according to the opinion of Rava in all but six cases. So he is big. The story, however, happens before him - Rabbi Zeira and Rabbah are third generation.
Why would he say this?
Why would he want us to forget the distinction?
What does the story after come to teach?
א"ר חנן לא נברא יין בעולם אלא לנחם אבלים ולשלם שכר לרשעים שנא' (משלי לא, ו) תנו שכר לאובד ויין למרי נפש א"ר יצחק מאי דכתיב (משלי כג, לא) אל תרא יין כי יתאדם אל תרא יין שמאדים פניהם של רשעים בעוה"ז ומלבין פניהם לעוה"ב רבא אמר אל תרא יין כי יתאדם אל תרא יין שאחריתו דם רב כהנא רמי כתיב תירש וקרינן תירוש זכה נעשה ראש לא זכה נעשה רש רבא רמי כתיב (תהלים קד, לא) ישמח וקרינן ישמח זכה משמחו לא זכה משממהו והיינו דאמר רבא חמרא וריחני פקחין ...
Rav Chanan said: "Wine was created for nothing else than to comfort mourners and to compensate through it the wicked for any good thing they do in this world, as it is said (Prov. 31:6) "Give strong drink to him that is ready to perish and wine to those who have an embittered soul." R. Isaac said: What does the passage (Prov. 23:31) "Do not look for wine when it looks red, mean? You shall not look for wine which makes the faces of the wicked in this world red, and makes them pale (puts them to shame) in the world to come." Rava said: You shall not look for wine because its end is bloodshed. R. Kahana raised the following contradiction: It is written (Prov. 104:15) Y'shamach (waste), and we read Y'samach (rejoice) ; i.e., If he merits (takes care) it will cause him to rejoice; if not, it will cause him ruin, and this is meant by Rava who said: "Wine and good odors made me wise." ...
I want us to notice that there is ambivalence regarding drinking - Noach, Nadav and Avihu, Lot - all those stories are not in favor of drunkenness, but drinking as a way of feeling happy; yes. The limitations we will see in halachic sources are telling:
חייב אינש לבסומי בפוריא עד דלא ידע בין ארור המן לברוך מרדכי: הגה: וי"א דא"צ להשתכר כל כך אלא שישתה יותר מלימודו (כל בו) ויישן ומתוך שיישן אינו יודע בין ארור המן לברוך מרדכי (מהרי"ל) ואחד המרבה ואחד הממעיט ובלבד שיכוין לבו לשמים...
One is obligated to be intoxicated on Purim to the point where he does not know [the difference] between "accursed is Haman" and "blessed is Mordechai". Rama: Some say it is not necessary to become drunk so much, but rather to drink more than he is used to (Kol Bo), and to fall asleep, and while he sleeps he does not know [the difference] between "accursed is Haman" and "blessed is Mordechai" (Maharil). [There is no difference] between one who has more and one who has less, as long as his heart is directed to heaven...
(טו) כֵּיצַד חוֹבַת סְעֵדָּה זוֹ. שֶׁיֹּאכַל בָּשָׂר וִיתַקֵּן סְעֵדָּה נָאָה כְּפִי אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָא יָדוֹ. וְשׁוֹתֶה יַיִן עַד שֶׁיִּשְׁתַּכֵּר וְיֵרָדֵם בְּשִׁכְרוּתוֹ. וְכֵן חַיָּב אָדָם לִשְׁלֹחַ שְׁתֵּי מְנוֹת בָּשָׂר אוֹ שְׁנֵי מִינֵי תַּבְשִׁיל אוֹ שְׁנֵי מִינֵי אֳכָלִין לַחֲבֵרוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (אסתר ט-יט) "וּמִשְׁלוֹחַ מָנוֹת אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ", שְׁתֵּי מָנוֹת לְאִישׁ אֶחָד. וְכָל הַמַּרְבֶּה לִשְׁלֹחַ לְרֵעִים מְשֻׁבָּח. וְאִם אֵין לוֹ מַחֲלִיף עִם חֲבֵרוֹ זֶה שׁוֹלֵחַ לְזֶה סְעֵדָּתוֹ וְזֶה שׁוֹלֵחַ לְזֶה סְעֵדָּתוֹ כְּדֵי לְקַיֵּם וּמִשְׁלוֹחַ מָנוֹת אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ:
(15) What is the nature of our obligation for this feast? A person should eat meat and prepare as attractive a feast as his means permit. He should drink wine until he becomes intoxicated and falls asleep in his intoxication. And similarly a a person is obligated to send two portions of meat or two types of cooked food or two types of food to his friend, as it says (Esther 9:22) "and send portions one man to another" two portions to one man. And all that increase to send to others is praiseworthy. And if he has no [money] he should exchange with his friend: this one sends to this his meal and this one sends to this his meal in order to fulfill (Esther 9:22) "and send portions one man to another".
Falling asleep is enough, according to these sources - then you don't know the difference. Getting wasted is not an option.
"And sleep and being asleep, etc." This is how it is proper to act.
Be'er Hetev, 695:2
וישן. ויש אומרים שלא ידע לחשוב שארור המן בגימטריא ברוך מרדכי
And sleep. There are [authorities] who say that "to not be aware [of the difference] is to be unable to contemplate that "cursed be Haman" and "Blessed be Mordechai" have equivalent value in gematria.
א ר ו ר ה מ ן = ב ר ו ך מ ר ד כ י
10+20+4+200+40 + 20+6+200+2 502 50+40+5 200+6+200+1
Bal HaMaor, Dapei HaRif Megillah
אמר רבה חייב איניש לבסומי בפוריא כו' כתב ה"ר אפרים ז"ל מההוא עובדא דקם רבה שחטיה לר' זירא לשנה א"ל תא נעביד כו' אידחי ליה מימרא דרבה ולית הלכתא כוותיה ולאו שפיר דמי למעבד הכי
.
Rava said: One should drink in Purim etc. Said Rabbi Ephraim z"l - from the story that Rabbah slaughters Rav Zeira and that on the next year he said let's have another Purim seudah, etc - this teaches you that it is an individual opinion of Rava and that the Jewish Law does not go like him, and that it is not good to behave like this!
ואמאי קרי ליה תירוש יין שמביא יללה לעולם תירוש שכל המתגרה בו נעשה רש רב כהנא רמי כתיב תירש וקרינן תירוש זכה נעשה ראש לא זכה נעשה רש (והיינו דרבא דרבא) רמי כתיב ישמח וקרינן ישמח זכה משמחו לא זכה משממו והיינו דאמר רבא חמרא וריחני פקחין
Why is it [wine] called ‘yayin’ and ‘tirosh’? — It is called ‘yayin’ because it brings lamentation into the world, and ‘tirosh’ ‘because he who indulges in it becomes poor. R. Kahana pointed out a contradiction: It is written ‘tirash’ and we read ‘tirosh’! — If he is meritorious he becomes a head [rosh] through it; if not, he becomes poor [rash] through it. Rava pointed out this contradiction: The text reads, ‘yeshammah’, whilst we read ‘yesammah’? — If he
is meritorious it makes him happy, if not, it makes hi m desolate. That is why Rava said: Wine and odorous spices made me wise.
Here we see how Rava is advocating for a "wise" use of wine, in a more clear way than the piece on Sanhedrin. We also know that he was a vintner, meaning, like Rashi, he had vineyards, made and sold wine. He also liked to drink - but with a purpose.
Rava, as it will be seen in the next sources, had a more sober look at Mordechai than our Hebrew School education would let us know - Mordechai was present at the banquet where they used the keilim of the Beit Hamikdash, for Rava this makes him very similar to Haman - note the trope changes in this part of the Megilah - and when he has the choice of not humiliating his enemy he does not take it. Also telling is the fact that Rava sees the non-Halel in Purim as a sign for limiting rejoicing, "we are still servants of Achashverosh - meaning, we are still in an unstable and unsecure place in the world.
Rava is so out to get Mordechai that he would be ok if Shimi was killed by David, thus not letting Mordechai been born. He also sees Mordechai as someone who left Jerusalem of his own accord - going against the righteous view of Mordechai. So maybe he wants us to see Mordechai more as a person wanting to get to power than as a hero, and this is what he would like us to use wine for - to open our heads for this possibility. He is leading us to question and be careful when getting to power, I think.
Rava used to drink wine the entire day before Pesach, so as to draw his heart to eat more matzah at night.
והשקות בכלי זהב וכלים מכלים שונים משונים מיבעי ליה אמר רבא יצתה בת קול ואמרה להם ראשונים כלו מפני כלים ואתם שונים בהם ויין מלכות רב אמר רב מלמד שכל אחד ואחד השקהו יין שגדול הימנו בשנים (שם, ח) והשתיה כדת (אין אונס) מאי כדת א"ר חנן משום ר"מ כדת של תורה מה דת של תורה אכילה מרובה משתיה אף סעודתו של אותו רשע אכילה מרובה משתיה אין אונס אמר רבי אלעזר מלמד שכל אחד ואחד השקהו מיין מדינתו לעשות כרצון איש ואיש אמר רבא לעשות כרצון מרדכי והמן, מרדכי דכתיב איש יהודי המן איש צר ואויב (שם, ט)
And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, the vessels being diverse [shonim] one from another. Rava said: A heavenly voice went forth and said to them, Your predecessors met their end (kalu) on account of vessels (kelim), and yet you use them again [shonim]? ... None did compel. R. Elazar said: This teaches that each one was given to drink from the wine of his own country. That they should do according to every man’s [ish, ish] pleasure. Rava said: This means that they should do according to the will of Mordecai and Haman. Mordecai [is called ish] as it is written, “A Jewish man;” and Haman, [as it is written], “A man (ish), an adversary and an enemy.”
ביום השביעי כטוב לב המלך ביין אטו עד השתא לא טב לביה בחמרא אמר רבא יום השביעי שבת היה שישראל אוכלין ושותין מתחילין בד"ת ובדברי תשבחות אבל עובדי כוכבים שאוכלין ושותין אין מתחילין אלא בדברי תיפלות וכן בסעודתו של אותו רשע ... תנא ממוכן זה המן ולמה נקרא שמו ממוכן שמוכן לפורענות אמר רב כהנא מכאן שההדיוט קופץ בראש להיות כל איש שורר בביתו אמר רבא אלמלא אגרות הראשונות לא נשתייר משונאיהן של ישראל שריד ופליט אמרי מאי האי דשדיר לן להיות כל איש שורר בביתו פשיטא אפילו קרחה בביתיה פרדשכא ליהוי .... ורבנן אמרי משפחות מתגרות זו בזו משפחת יהודה אומרת אנא גרים דמתיליד מרדכי דלא קטליה דוד לשמעי בן גרא ומשפחת בנימין אמרה מינאי קאתי רבא אמר כנסת ישראל אמרה לאידך גיסא ראו מה עשה לי יהודי ומה שילם לי ימיני מה עשה לי יהודי
On the seventh day, where the king’s heart was merry with wine. Was then his heart not merry with wine until then? — Rava said: The seventh day was Shabbat, when Israel eats and drinks. They begin with words of Torah and with words of thanksgiving [to God]. But the nations of the world when they eat and drink only begin with words of frivolity. And so at the feast of that wicked one. ...A Tanna taught: Memukhan is the same as Haman, And why was he called Memucan? Because he was destined [mukhan] for punishment. Kahana said: From here we see that an ordinary man always pushes himself in front. That every man should reign in his house. Rava said: Had it not been for these first letters, there would have been left no shred or remnant of the [enemies of] Israel. People said: What does he mean by sending us word that every man should reign in his own house? Of course he should! Even a weaver in his own house must be commander! ... The Rabbis, however, said: The tribes competed with one another [for Mordechai]. The tribe of Judah said: I am responsible for the birth of Mordecai, because David did not kill Shimei the son of Gera. And the tribe of Benjamin said: He is actually descended from me. Rava said: The community of Israel explained [the two designations] in the opposite sense: “See what a Judean did to me and how a Benjamite repaid me!” What a Judean did to me,
דלא קטליה דוד לשמעי דאתיליד מיניה מרדכי דמיקני ביה המן ומה שילם לי ימיני דלא קטליה שאול לאגג דאתיליד מיניה המן דמצער לישראל רבי יוחנן אמר לעולם מבנימן קאתי ואמאי קרי ליה יהודי על שום שכפר בע"ז שכל הכופר בע"ז נקרא יהודי כדכתיב (דניאל ג, יב) איתי גוברין יהודאין וגו' ... אשר הגלה מירושלם אמר רבא שגלה מעצמו ...
that David did not kill Shimei from whom was descended Mordecai who provoked Haman. “And how a Benjamite repaid me”, that Saul did not slay Agag from whom was descended Haman who oppressed Israel. Yohanan said: He did indeed come from Benjamin. Why then was he called “a Jew”? Because he denied idolatry. For anyone who denies idolatry is called ‘a Jew’, as it is written, “There are certain Jews etc.” (Daniel 3:13). ... “Who had been carried away from Jerusalem” (Esther 2:6). Rava said: That he went into exile of his own accord.
רב נחמן אמר קרייתא זו הלילא רבא אמר בשלמא התם (תהלים קיג, א) הללו עבדי ה' ולא עבדי פרעה אלא הכא הללו עבדי ה' ולא עבדי אחשורוש אכתי עבדי אחשורוש אנן
R. Nahman said: The reading of the Megillah is equivalent to Hallel. Rava said: There is a good reason in that case [of the Exodus from Egypt] because it says [in the Hallel], “Praise you O servants of the Lord,” and not servants of Pharaoh. But can we say in this case, “Praise you, servants of the Lord” and not servants of Ahashverosh? We are still servants of Ahashverosh.
(אסתר ו, ג) לא נעשה עמו דבר אמר רבא לא מפני שאוהבין את מרדכי אלא מפני ששונאים את המן
“There was nothing done for him” (Esther 6:3). Rava said: [They answered him thus] not because they loved Mordecai but because they hated Haman.
"On that night the king's sleep was disturbed..." Rabbi Tanhum said, the sleep of the King of the Universe was disturbed. And the Rabbis said that the uppermost ones were disturbed and the lowermost ones were disturbed. Rava said that [it means] the sleep of King Ahashverosh himself. A thought came to [Ahashverosh]. He said, what just came before me, that Esther invited Haman? Perhaps they are considering teaming up against that man (Ahashverosh himself) to slay him? Circling back he said, if so, is there no man here who would have mercy on me and let me know? Circling back he said, then perhaps there is a person who did me good service and I did not repay him? Because of this people have refrained and have not revealed [anything] to me? Immediately "he said to bring the book of records, the daily chronicles..."
Be'ur Halacha, 695
עד דלא ידע וכו'. ... אין אנו מצוין להשתכר ולהפחית עצמינו מתוך השמחה שלא נצטוינו על שמחה של הוללות ושל שטות, אלא בשמחה של תענוג שיגיע מתוכה לאהבת השם יתברך והודאה על הנסים שעשה לנו.
"He will not be aware [of the difference]." We should not become drunk and demean ourselves by rejoicing. We are not commanded to rejoice for the sake of debauchery and stupidity, rather we should rejoice with a delight that leads us to love G-d and acknowledge the miracles wrought for us.