Eating Before Megillah
- In general one should not eat or drink after Ta’anis Esther until one has heard the megillah. Similarly, when Purim is on Motzei Shabbos or one who observes Purim on the 15th (so isn’t fasting the day before) or was exempt from fasting on Ta’anis Esther should also not start eating in the evening (from half an hour before nightfall) until they have heard the Megillah.
- However, those who are somewhat ill, or who have had a hard time with the fast, may eat a snack before hearing the megillah if they need to. A snack is defined as follows:
- Up to a kebeitza (approx 50cc) of bread or pas haba bekisnin (the exact definition of pas haba bekisnin is beyond our scope here, but it includes baked mezonos products such as cakes, biscuits etc).
- In relation to a cooked mezonos dish, if one is eating it as a snack there is no particular limit on how much one may eat but if one is eating it as a meal, one may only eat a kebeitza. It is appropriate to treat other foods that one sometimes eats as a meal such as fish, meat etc in the same way.
- Fruit and non-alcoholic beverages are always considered to be a snack and may be eaten in an unlimited amount (R 692:4, MB 692:14, 232:34-35, 431:6, PT 232:5, re Pas Haba beKisnin see SHT 286:7, MB 639:15-16).
- Where eating a snack alone will be insufficient, someone who is weak and could fall ill may eat a regular meal before hearing the megillah, but they should ask someone to remind them after eating to hear the megillah. (MB 692:16)
- Sleep: In addition to the requirement to refrain from eating before listening to the megillah, one may not go to sleep within half an hour of nightfall at the start of Purim (MB 692:14).
Timing of the Nighttime Megillah
- The night-time megillah reading should be read after nightfall (‘tzeis hakochavim’) and it may be read until dawn (‘alos hashachar’), after which it cannot be read (SA 687:1, MB1, 3).
- There are some who allow the megillah to be read earlier (from plag hamincha, 1.25 proportional hours before night) in cases of particular need such as for those who are ill. One should seek Rabbinic guidance to determine if this is permissible, and what time one may start reading from (as there is a dispute how to calculate the time of plag hamincha) (MB 692:14, BH”L Miplag Hamincha).
BeRov Am Hadras Melech
- One should try and hear the megillah with a minyan. Furthermore, one should endeavor to do so ‘berov am’, in a large gathering of people. Therefore, those who normally partakes in a private minyan in someone’s home should endeavour to go to shul on Purim. However, one who normally davens in a shul which has a small minyan need not go to a shul with a larger minyan. (SA 690:18, MB 687:7, SHT 10).
- One who is unable to hear the megillah with a minyan should still hear/read it in private (SA 690:18).
- Women: Contemporary poskim debate whether a woman should also endeavor to hear the megillah at shul with a larger gathering (Dirshu 689:3).
The Order of Davening on Purim Night
- On Purim night, the Maariv Amidah is followed by Kaddish Shalem (full Kaddish, including ‘tiskabel’). Then the megillah is read, followed by the piyyut Asher Heni (to be discussed more below). This is followed by VeAtah Kadosh… and then a further Kaddish Shalem is said; there are different views as to whether to repeat the line ‘tiskabel…’ given it has already been said after the Amidah (SA 693:1, MB 1, Dirshu 2)
- Motzei Shabbos: When Purim night is Motzei Shabbos, the order of Tefilla mentioned above is followed, except the passuk of ‘Viyhi Noam…’ is said before Ve’atah Kaddosh. In shuls where havdala is said, this is done at its usual point after Seder Kedusha (ie the section of Ve’atah Kaddosh) and after VeYiten Lecha where this is said (SA 693:1, MB 2, Dirshu 4).
