Timing of the Daytime Megillah
- The megillah is also read in the daytime. It should be read between sunrise (‘netz hachama’) and sunset (‘shkia’). (SA 687:1, MB5)
- If one read the megillah from daybreak (‘alos hashachar’) one has fulfilled the mitzva ‘bedieved’, after the fact, and if there is a pressing need one may at the outset read the megillah from this point (SA 687:1, MB6)
- If one has not read the megillah before shkia, one should read it during twilight before nightfall (‘bein hashmashos’) without a bracha. (MB 687:5)
Eating Before the Daytime Megillah
- Just as one should not eat prior to hearing the megillah at night, one should also not eat before hearing it in the daytime, even if one has already davened Shacharis. The same leniencies as those outlined as Purim night apply regarding one who is somewhat unwell etc; see our treatment of this here (we will not deal here with the halachos of eating before Shacharis [which is generally forbidden]; one who needs to do so should consult a Rav) (MB 692:15, PT 692:8).
The Order of Davening on Purim Day
- After the Shacharis Amidah there is Krias Hatorah; the parsha of ‘vayavo amalek’ in Parshas Beshalach is read. Krias HaTorah is followed by half Kaddish as usual, the Sefer Torah is then returned to the Aron Kodesh and the Megillah is read.
- After the Megillah, Shoshanas Yaakov is recited, then regular Shacharis continues with Ashrei-Uva Letzion (SA 693:4, MB 9, 12, BH”L Motziin Sefer Torah).
- Bris Milah: If there is a bris in shul, the Bris is performed prior to the Megillah, as hinted to in the passuk in the megillah ‘ליהודים היתה אורה ושמחה וששון’ – Chazal understood the word ששון to relate to Bris Milah, and אורה to Torah, so we want the Milah to be immediately after the Torah reading. However, some argue that the Megillah should be read first (R 693,4 MB 12, Dirshu 19).
