1)It is the accepted Minhag of all of Klal Yisroel, when reading the Megilah, that the Megilah scroll of the Ba'al Koreh is unfurled and folded like a letter before commencing the reading. The reason for this Minhag is that the Megilah is referred to in the Posuk as an "Igeres- a letter".
The congregation need not unfurl their personal Megilah (for those who follow along in a Kosher Megilah), though they may do so if they wish. (See Kitzur Shulchan Aruch)
2) There are 4 Pesukim in the Megilah, which are referred to as "Pesukim Shel Geulah- Pesukim of redemption", and these Pesukim are customarily said aloud by the entire congregation, and afterwards read by the Ba'al Koreh. (The Mateh Moshe quotes the Ba'al HaTania that this is only if children are present, as it is done to keep them interested, thus if one is reading the Megilah for only adults, it needn't be done. According to the Gaon of Vilna though, it is done even if no children are present)
The 4 Pesukim are 1) Ish Yehudi Haya B'Shushan HaBirah... (Perek 2 Posuk 5) 2)U'Mordechai Yatza M'Lifnei haMelech B'LvushMalchus... (Perek 8 Posuk 15) 3) LaYehudim Hoysa Ohra V'Simcha... (Perek 8 Posuk 16) 4) Ki Mordechai HaYehudi...(The last Posuk of the Megilah)
If one does not have a kosher Megilah, he/she should have in mind not to be Yotzei the aforementioned Pesukim when saying them aloud, rather to be Yotzei with the Ba'al Koreh's reading like the rest of the Megilah. (Mishna Berura 690:58)
When the Ba'al Koreh reads the words "B'Laila HaHu Nadedah Shnas HaMelech(Perek 6 Posuk 1) he raises his voice, as that is the beginning of the miracle. (MaHaril quoted in Mishna Berura ibid. 52)
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QUESTION & ANSWER CORNER:
Reader Submitted Questions of interest on topics related to Halachos we covered, as well as other interesting topic and my Answers. Taken from the Q & A page on the Halacha For Today website. For study purposes only, NOT for Psak Halacha. Questions can be emailed to Halacha For Today)
Reader's Question:
[You wrote, regarding women reading the Megilah] : "She may, however, read the Megilah for another woman. (Mishna Berura ibid: 7). However, according to some Poskim, a woman may not read the Megilah for an entire group of women. (Sha'ar Hatzion ibid.)
All of the above is B'dieved, as ideally (L'Chatchilah) a woman should not read the Megila herself, rather she should hear it from a man, if at all possible. (Mogen Avraham quoted in Mishna Berura ibid. 8)"
In our community there is a "Kri'at Nashim" where three or four women share the megilla reading for a group of women. This is in addition to the general minyan. Is this halacha saying we are wrong?
Our local (orthodox) Rabbi allows this. That is why I was surprised to read your halacha. There are a number of women here who initiated it. We also have a women's reading on Simhat Torah (without blessings I believe - I don't recall)
They have the Megila reading in both the evening and the morning.
My Answer:
After doing further research, I discovered that Rav Shlomo Zalmen Auerbach Zatzal (Halichos Shlomo page 330 in the footnotes #4) indeed maintained that a woman may read the megilah for a group of women. So, your rabbi is well within his right to pasken according to that opinion.
Thanks for your question, which led me to discover this new (to me) opinion.
Our holy sages, the Chazal tell us
תנא דבי אליהו כל השונה הלכות בכל יום מובטח לו שהוא בן עולם הבא, שנאמר הליכות עולם לו, אל תקרי הליכות אלא הלכות - one who studies [at least two] Halachos daily is assured a portion in Olam Haba - the world to come. (:מגילה כ"ח )
Important Numbers
