1)The Megilah of Esther, containing the events that lead up to the miracle of Purim, is read on Purim twice, once on the eve of Purim (Which comes out this year on Monday night March 9 2009) and once again on Purim morning (March 10 2009)
Every Jewish male and female must hear the Megilah being read, preferably in Shul. Children who are old enough to quietly listen to the entire Megilah should also come to Shul to hear the Megilah (Shulchan Aruch Siman 689:6. See Mishna Berura 689:18 that those who bring very young children to Shul for the express purpose of "banging" by Haman, and by doing so they disturb everyone else during the rest of the Megilah, are not being Mekayem the Mitzvah of Chinuch)
Once the time for the Megilah reading arrives, eating, sleeping or doing any work is prohibited before the Megilah is read, unless one must eat something for health reasons. Learning Torah is permitted before the Megilah is read. (Mogen Avraham Siman 692:7)
2) It is a Mitzvah -for both men and women- to hear the Megilah as part of a large congregation (B'rov Am Hadras Melech), as this way the "Pirsumei Nisa- the spreading of the miracle of Hashem" will be greater. Thus, one [who doesn't belong to any one Shul] should choose the largest Shul in his/her city or neighborhood and hear the Megilah there. (Mishna Berura Siman 687:7) However, if one is part of a Shul, and always davens there, there is no need to find a larger Shul (Chayei Adam quoted in Mishna Berura ibid.)
QUESTION & ANSWER CORNER:
(Reader Submitted Questions of interest (on topics related to Halachos we covered, as well as other interesting topics) and my Answers taken from the Q & A page on the Halacha For Todaywebsite. For study purposes only, NOT for Psak Halacha. Questions can be sent to Halacha For Today)
Reader's Question:
If a person keeps Rabbeinu Tam's Zman (waits 72 minutes after sunset before doing Melacha) on Motzei Shabbos but didnt make a neder to keep it would it be an aveira to break shabbos before Rabbeinu Tam [and wait an earlier zman such as 60 or 50 minutes after sunset]?
My Answer:
If a person does a good thing(Hanhaga Tovah) 3 times, it is as if he/she made a neder to do this, and would need to be Matir Neder before stopping to do it.
Thus, if you kept Rabbeinu Tam Zman, you must always keep it unless you are Matir the Neder.
Incidentally, after 120, if someone (G-d forbid) is judged to go to Gehinnom (hell), he/she gets a break from the punishment on Shabbos. When Shabbos is over, the torture continues.
When is Shabbos over for that person? The Seforim say that the amount of time that one waited in this world, is the amount of time he/she gets the reprieve in the next world! Every second of Gehinom is like years of suffering! So it is worthwhile to keep Shabbos until the latest Zman possible.
Important Numbers
