EXCERPTS FROM BATEI YOSEF

A RIETS PRESS PUBLICATION

A Deaf Person Reading the Rabbi Soloveitchik noted that while reading the words of the Megillah
Megillah our version of Rambam does not oneself or by listening to someone
mention a cheresh (deaf person) as one else read the Megillah and thereby
The Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim of the people who is not obligated to fulfilling the mitzvah through
689:2, states regarding the reading of read, there are older versions that do. the mechanism of shomei’a k’oneh
the Megillah: Furthermore, Shulchan Aruch clearly (through which the listener is like
‫ יצא ידי‬,‫ אחד הקורא ואחד השומע מן הקורא‬does state that one cannot fulfill the the reader). Yet there is an additional
.‫ והוא שישמע ממי שהוא חייב בקריאתה‬.‫ חובתו‬mitzvah by listening to the reading of aspect, hearing the Megillah, which is
,‫ אם היה הקורא חרש או קטן או שוטה‬,‫ לפיכך‬a cheresh. However, one must ask: if a function of the obligation of pirsumei
.‫ השומע ממנו לא יצא‬the cheresh is reading the Megillah, he nisa (publicizing the miracle, see Beis
Whether one reads or hears from the is clearly not a deaf-mute (the deaf- Yosef 689 who connects hearing the
reader, one fulfills the obligation, as long mute is exempt from the mitzvah of Megillah with pirsumei nisa). The
as he hears from someone who is obligated Megillah). As such, why can’t such a cheresh, who cannot hear his own
to read it. Therefore, if the reader is deaf, cheresh read on behalf of others? He reading, is exempt from that aspect of
a minor or deranged, the listener doesn’t too is, ostensibly, obligated to perform the mitzvah. He cannot read on behalf
fulfill the obligation. the mitzvah of Megillah. of others because he does not share
The source for the idea that one the same obligation as others since
Rabbi Soloveitchik explained that
can fulfill the mitzvah of Megillah he is exempt from the requirement to
we see from here that part of the
by listening to its reading is the hear the Megillah.
mitzvah of Megillah is to actually
Yerushalmi (Megillah 4:1). Rambam hear the Megillah. Indeed, there
(Hilchos Megillah 1:2) codifies this are two aspects to this mitzvah: to
idea in stating that one can fulfill by read the Megillah and to hear the
listening, as long as the reader himself Megillah. Reading the Megillah can
is obligated to fulfill the mitzvah of be accomplished either by actually
Megillah.

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Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger Torah To-Go Series • Purim 5783
Megillah Reading as a Form Megillah 14a, quotes one opinion of the Megillah as an actual tefillah.
of Tefillah that the reason we don’t recite Hallel The Gemara, Megillah 4b, states:
on Purim is that the reading of the ‫אריב"ל חייב אדם לקרות את המגילה בלילה‬
The Shulchan Aruch 689:5, states: Megillah is actually a form of Hallel. ‫ ג) אלקי‬,‫ולשנותה ביום שנאמר (תהלים כב‬
‫ אם אחד יודע והאחרים אינם‬,‫ מקום שאין מנין‬When it comes to Hallel, Magen ‫אקרא יומם ולא תענה ולילה ולא דומיה לי‬
,‫ ואם כולם יודעים‬,‫ אחד פוטר את כולם‬,‫ יודעים‬Avraham himself (422:5) writes that ‫ אמר רבי חלבו אמר עולא ביראה חייב‬...
.‫ כל אחד קורא לעצמו‬one person cannot recite it on behalf ‫אדם לקרות את המגילה בלילה ולשנותה ביום‬
In a place without a minyan where one of another (if the second person ‫ יג) למען יזמרך כבוד ולא‬,‫שנאמר (תהלים ל‬
person knows how to read and the others knows how to recite Hallel). As such, .‫ידום ה' אלקי לעולם אודך‬
don’t, that person can read on behalf of it makes sense that Megillah reading, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: A person
others. If they all know how to read, each which is a substitute for Hallel, would is obligated to read the Megillah at night
one should read for himself. follow the same rules. and repeat it during the day, as it is says,
“My God, I call by day, but You do not
The Shulchan Aruch rules that when Along the same lines, the Vilna Gaon,
answer; and at night, and there is no quiet
there is no minyan, one person should in his commentary to Shulchan Aruch
for me” (Psalms 22:3). R. Chelbo said
not read on behalf of others unless 690:17, explains that the practice in the name of Ulah Bira’ah, A person is
the others don’t know how to read during Megillah reading that the obligated to read the Megillah at night and
themselves. Why should this be so? entire congregation reads four verses repeat it during the day, as it is says, “So
Don’t we generally allow one person of redemption aloud is based on the that my glory may sing praise to You, and
to recite something on behalf of Gemara, Sotah 30b. The Gemara gives not be silent. Hashem, my God, I will give
others who will fulfill the mitzvah by a few examples which illustrate that thanks to You forever.” (Psalms 30:13)
listening (such as is typically done whenever there is an expression of shira
with kiddush)? Magen Avraham, (song), it is recited responsively. RabbiThere are two verses that serve as the
689:10, suggests that the reading of Soloveitchik explained that according basis for reading the Megillah at night
the Megillah has the status of tefillah to the Vilna Gaon, we read certain in addition to during the day. The
(prayer), and when it comes to prayer, verses aloud because the reading of second verse (Psalms 30:13) discusses
one cannot pray on behalf of another the Megillah is a form of Hallel, and giving thanks to Hashem forever. This
other than in the context of a minyan therefore there should be portions, is an expression of Hallel. The first
or if the listener does not know how to specifically those that relate to verse, however, discusses calling out to
pray himself. redemption, that are read responsively. Hashem even in difficult times. This is
an expression of tefillah, and as such,
Why should the reading of the Second, perhaps Magen Avraham’s by invoking the first verse as a source
Megillah have the status of tefillah? comparison of Megillah to tefillah isn’t for reading the Megillah (at night),
Rabbi Soloveitchik offered two specifically focused on Megillah as a the Gemara is indicating that Megillah
suggestions. First, the Gemara, form of Hallel, but rather the reading reading is a form of tefillah.

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Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger Torah To-Go Series • Purim 5783
How is it a form of prayer? Rabbi Shulchan Aruch’s ruling is based on On Yom Tov, simcha is part of the
Soloveitchik suggested that the the Gemara, Megillah 7b, and refers essence of the day. As such, there is
Megillah is, in its most basic form, a to someone who eats the meal at the an obligation to eat one meal at night
story of the Jewish people who were in very beginning of Purim at night. and another one during the day.
trouble and cried out to Hashem with Rabbi Soloveitchik asked, how could However, simcha on Purim is not part
the result that He ultimately saved we possibly think that one could of the essence of the day, but rather
them. When we read the Megillah, we fulfill the obligation by eating the one of the mitzvos of the day. At some
are similarly asking Hashem to save us night before? Even if the obligation point during the day of Purim, there
from our oppressors at all times. of simcha (which serves as the basis is a mitzvah to rejoice with a festive
for the requirement to have a meal) meal. As such, if the timeframe of
If the Megillah reading is indeed
would indeed be applicable at night, the mitzvah would have included the
an actual form of tefillah, we can
which itself is not so clear, eating a night before, one could theoretically
understand why when there is no
meal at night would not discharge the eat a meal at night and discharge
minyan, one who knows how to read
obligation to eat another meal during the obligation without having to eat
the Megillah should not listen to
the day, as we find regarding Yom another meal during the day. The
someone else read it but should read it
Tov. If someone ate a Yom Tov meal Gemara therefore tells us that in fact
himself.
at night, he is still obligated to eat there is no obligation at all at night, and
another one during the day. If so, why any meal that one does eat at night does
Eating the Purim Seudah at did the Gemara find it necessary to tell not in any way impact the obligation to
Night us explicitly that one does not fulfill eat a meal during the day of Purim.
the obligation to have a meal during
The Shulchan Aruch 695:1, states:
the day by eating at night?
‫סעודת פורים שעשאה בלילה לא יצא ידי‬
Rabbi Soloveitchik suggested that
.‫חובתו‬
One does not fulfill the obligation of eating the obligation of simcha on Purim
the Purim meal if it is eaten at night. is fundamentally different from the
obligation of simcha on Yom Tov.

The Batei Yosef series is a RIETS Press publication

dedicated in memory of Rabbi Joseph and Pepa Karasick,
z”l. This series highlights the Torah and practices of the Rav,
zt”l, Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik, as well as halakhic rulings
of the RIETS Roshei Yeshiva and poskim—in particular,
Rabbi Hershel Schachter and Rabbi Mordechai Willig.

The presentation that appears above is an English summary

of three of the essays that appear in the recently released
volume on Chanukah and Purim. These essays are available
here. This volume as well as the volume on Elul-Tishrei are
available for purchase online.

www.yutorah.org/batei-yosef

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Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger Torah To-Go Series • Purim 5783