Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Tzav; Parshas Zachor
12 Adar II, 5771; 2 Days until Purim
March 18, 2011
SPECIAL TRIPLE EDITION L'KAVOD SHABBOS KODESH AND L'KAVOD CHAG HAPURIM
Halachos for Erev Shabbos Kodesh
1) It is a Mitzvah on all Jewish men, women and children to partake of a festive Seudah, meal, on Purim.
The Purim Seudah needs to be eaten on Purim day, and if it was only eaten on Purim eve, you have not satisfied your obligation.
However, it is a Mitzvah to be joyous and have a small Seudah on Purim evening as well. (Rama Siman 695:1)
The meal should consist of meat (B'dieved chicken is acceptable too) and wine, and other delicacies as best as one can afford. It is also important to wash and eat bread at the Seudah, as according to some opinions you cannot satisfy the obligation of the Seudah without Pas, bread. (See Rosh to Maseches Brachos Perek 7 Siman 23 and Shu"t MaHarshal Siman 48)
2) It is good to study some Torah before beginning the Seudah, as the Posuk says "Layehudim Haysa Ohra V'Simcha..." and Chazal say (Talmud Megilah 16b) Ohra is referring to the light of Torah which should precede the Simcha! (Rama Siman 695:2)
It is customary to daven Mincha before beginning the Seudah, as not to end up davening Mincha while drunk. The Seudah should begin when it is still daylight, and not close to sunset, so that most of the meal should be eaten during the day.
The Seudas Purim should not be eaten alone; rather it is good to join with family and friends so it will be joyous.
However, care must be taken that the Seuda should be a Simcha Shel Mitzvah and not simply a wild party, with things Chas V'Shalom happening that are against Halacha.
The hands should be properly washed for Netilas Yadayim, Hamotzi should be recited on the bread, Birchas Hamazon should be recited after the Seudah, all Halachos of Tznius must be observed etc.
The table at the Purim Seudah (both by day and night) should have candles on it, to make it a Yom Tov Seudah (Mishna Berura Siman 695:9)
Halachos for Shabbos Kodesh, Erev Purim
1) Chazal have instituted that on Purim one should drink more than his usual share of wine. According to some opinions it is a Mitzvah to actually get intoxicated on Purim.
Others maintain that actual intoxication is not mandatory; rather one should drink until he gets tired, and falls asleep.
This is based on the words of the Talmud (Megilah 7b) "Chayav Inish L'Besumei B'Puraya Ad D'Lo Yada Bein Arur Haman L'Baruch Mordechai- one is obligated to drink on Purim until he cannot distinguish between "cursed is Haman" and "Blessed is Mordechai".
There is a plethora of ways to understand the above Gemara, according to Halacha and Hashkafa as well as Kaballah, and covering all of them is beyond the scope of this forum. (For those who are interested in delving deeper into this, please start with the following sources: Shulchan Aruch, Rama and Mishna Berura Siman 695, Aruch HaShulchan Siman 695:2-5, Yad Ephraim to Shulchan Aruch ibid., MaHarsha Megilah 7b and Chochmas Manoach to Megila 7b)
2) If by getting drunk, one will come to be lax in Mitzvah observance, or will Chas V'Shalom transgress sins (as is unfortunately the case sometimes, as intoxication in a non Torah environment often leads to promiscuity) , he is forbidden from getting drunk. (Meiri Maseches Megilah 7b,quoted in the Biur Halacha, Ran ibid., Shl"a ibid., Bais Yosef Siman 695 and Chayei Adam)
The point of drinking on Purim is to help us reach a higher level of Ahavas Hashem, loving our father in heaven. If one drinks in a manner that will bring disgrace to Hashem's name, not only has he not fulfilled the Mitzvah, he will also bear a very grave sin. May Hashem give us all the strength to fulfill the Mitzvos of Purim in the path of the Torah and not allow the Yetzer Hara to intervene.
Halachos for Chag HaPurim, Sunday March 20 2011
1) Although Purim is a Yom Tov on which work is permitted, the prevalent custom is not to work on Purim [day]. One who works on Purim will never see any blessing from the money he/she earns that day. (Some are lenient on Purim eve, in cases of great necessity) (Shulchan Aruch and Rama Siman 696:1. See also Shu"t Chasam Sofer Siman 195)
2) Although it is customary to dress up in costumes on Purim, care must be taken that men do not don women's clothing, and women do not wear men's clothing as doing so is a biblical transgression of "Lo Tilbash" as well as being a problem of Pritzus.
This applies to children as well, and G-d fearing people should not treat this lightly. (See Mishna Berura Siman 696:30 and Be'er Heitev Os 13. See also Aruch HaShulchan and Siddur Ya'avetz who are very stringent with this.)
Care should also be taken to ensure that the costumes do not contain Sha'atnez (materials containing wool and linen together) as that is also a biblical transgression, and may not be transgressed even on Purim. (ibid.)
PURIM 5771: WORLDWIDE TEHILLIM
The goal is to complete Sefer Tehillim as many times as possible as a Z'chus for Shidduchim for all those in need. The project will take place on Purim day at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. A perek will be assigned to you when you sign up by going to www.worldwidetehillim.com. The idea is that you should have in mind the name(s) for whom you are davening as you say your assigned Perek. At 10:00 a.m., the organizers will be reciting the names they have compiled by those signing up for this project.
QUESTION & ANSWER CORNER
Reader Submitted Questions of interest on topics related to Halachos we covered, as well as other interesting topic and Answers. Taken from the Q & A pages on the Halacha For Today website.
Although the answers I give to questions are taken directly from the Sifrei HaPoskim, and aren't my own, they are still for study purposes only, NOT for Psak Halacha.
Questions can be emailed to HalachaForToday@Yahoo.com
Reader's Question:
When my Grandmother moved into her new apartment she found a mezuza hanging on her doorpost, she used it but now wants to replace it and doesn't know if she should keep the old one.
Is it in her rights to keep the mezuza she found?
Answer:
Yes, the halacha is that when one leaves an apartment they must leave the Mezuzos there for the next person who lives there. Even though there are ways around this when one wants to take their Mezuzos with them, if they dont take them they belong to the new person.
Thus, the Mezuzah belongs to your grandmother
CHIZUK CORNER
As a Zechus for the Refuah Shelaima of one of the Gedolei HaDor, the Telzer Rosh Yeshiva , HaRav Chaim Stein Shlita, R' Chaim Yaakov ben Chasya Miriam, B'soch Sha'ar Cholei Yisroel, we will B'Ezras Hashem post here each day a short inspirational thought to help us all improve our lives and grow in our service of our Father in heaven, HaKadosh Baruch Hu.
IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING MEANINGFUL FOR THIS SECTION, PLEASE EMAIL IT TO ME. THANK YOU AND TIZKEH L'MITZVOS!
אל תתיאש מן הרחמים
Chizuk For Today:
DEAR FRIENDS,
NO MATTER WHAT, DO NOT FORGET TO UTILIZE THE HOLY DAY OF PURIM TO DAVEN, DAVEN, DAVEN.
DAVEN FOR YOUR FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, SPOUSES, CO-WORKERS, FOR ALL OF KLAL YISROEL.
DAVEN FOR MASHIACH'S ARRIVAL TO FINALLY END THIS DARK AND BITTER GALUS.
DAVEN FOR HASHEM TO REVEAL HIS GLORY UPON HIS CHILDREN, KLAL YISROEL, AND THE END OF ALL PAIN AND HARDSHIP IN THE WORLD.
DAVEN FOR THE MILLIONS OF ASSIMILATED JEWS WHO DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO SAY "SHMA YISROEL"
DAVEN FOR THE COUNTLESS JEWISH SOULS WHO LACK DIRECTION AND ARE FALLING INTO THE WORLD OF THE YETZER HARA FASTER THAN WE CAN BRING THEM BACK.
DAVEN FOR HASHEM TO REDEEM US DESPITE OUR MANY SINS.
DAVEN.
JUST DAVEN.
CRY REAL TEARS.
DANCE HARD.
SING.
SMILE AT PEOPLE.
LEARN SOME TORAH.
BUT, ALL THE WHILE...DAVEN!
THANK HASHEM FOR ALL THE GOOD HE GIVES US AND BEG HIM TO ALLOW THE REBUILDING OF THE BAIS HAMIKDASH TO HAPPEN REALLY SOON.
DAVEN FOR ALL THE CHOLIM IN KLAL YISROEL.
DAVEN FOR THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE PARNASSAH.
DAVEN FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT SEEING YIDDISH NACHAS FROM THEIR CHILDREN.
DAVEN FOR OTHERS.
GIVE BRACHOS TO EVERYONE YOU MEET ON PURIM.
SHOW HASHEM THAT WE FEEL EACH OTHERS PAIN.
WISH SUCCESS UPON ONE ANOTHER.
MAKE UP WITH THOSE WE MAY BE IN A FIGHT WITH.
GO OUT OF YOUR WAY TO SAY A KIND WORD TO AN "EX FRIEND"
LET'S SWALLOW OUR PRIDE AND DO IT ANYWAY.
DAVEN HARD.
DAVEN FOR MENUCHAS HANEFESH.
DAVEN WITH KAVANNAH.
BEG HASHEM TO ACCEPT OUR TEFILOS.
DAVEN FOR STRENGTH...KOCHOS.
BESEECH HASHEM TO ACCEPT THE TEFILOS OF ALL JEWS, NO MATTER IF THEY LOOK LIKE YOU OR NOT.
DAVEN FOR HASHEM TO ACCEPT OUR TESHUVAH AS IF IT WAS AS SINCERE AT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN.
MAY HASHEM ANSWER ALL OUR TEFILOS AND ALLOW THE FINAL REDEMPTION TO RID THE GLOBE OF ALL THE HAMANS OF THE WORLD.
MAY HASHEM USHER IN THE DAY WHEN THE YETZER HARA IS SLAUGHTERED FOREVER AND WE CAN ALL BE REUNITED IN YERUSHALAYIM HABENUYA.
AMEN.
A FREILICHEN PURIM TO ALL MY DEAR READERS, HOLY BROTHERS AND SISTERS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE.
L'CHAIM! TO A LIFE OF CLOSENESS TO HAKADOSH BARUCH HU!
Important Numbers
