Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- Jewish Holidays
- Purim & The Month of Adar
(Shushan Purim is Sunday), Ta’anit Esther will be
held early, on Thursday. The primary mitzvot of
Purim include: Hearing Megila both evening &
morning; Matanot Levyonim (giving at least 1 gift
to at least 2 poor people); Mishloach Manot
(giving at least 2 ready-to-eat items to at least
1 friend); Seudat Purim, the festive Purim meal
eaten Purim afternoon. On erev Purim it’s
customary to donate Machatzit HaShekel, the
1/2-shekel, giving 3 of the fixed coin of our own
time & place (shekel in Israel, $ in the USA,
etc.). Why 3? Because the pasuk uses the word
"Truma - offering" 3 times. Al HaNisim is added
to the Amida & Birkat HaMazon; Purim morning’s layning is the year’s shortest!
The Gemara says one should drink on Purim so he
is unable to distinguish between "Arur/Cursed
Haman" & "Baruch/Blessed Mordechai." But if this
leads to improper behavior or an inability to
daven properly with kavana/concentration it may
be suspended. One certainly should not drink
before driving home from the Seuda.
Halachot of Purim Meshulash
What Happens When Purim Coincides With Shabbos?
Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff | Adar 2 5768
What Mordechai Discovered When He Returned to Shushan
Rabbi Netanel Yossifun | Adar 10 5783
Happy Birthday
Rabbi Michael Linetsky | Shvat 25 5781
