Recap for 6 Adar I 5773

This Shabbos we continued our discussion of tefillah and where is the best place to daven and hear the Magillah reading.  As we discussed last week, we should try to have a regular shul, and a regular spot in this shul.  How should we pick a regular shul?  We should prefer large minyans over small minyans, unless the small group needs help making a minyan.  We should prefer a beit midrash, or a place with Torah study somewhere in the building, over other shuls.  However, the most important thing is to daven in a minyan that helps us have the most kuvanah.

Norm talked about his father, on the occasion of his yahrzeit.  His father worked very hard in the garmet district of New York.  Norm spoke about meeting his father at the train station with an umbrella, and how his father was very loving and generous, opening up his home for lodging and meals to anyone.

David talked about how his father says all events happen in a place and time.  How are these events determined?  With Purim we see the hand of Hashem, even though Hashem remains hidden.  We discussed this central theme of Purim – to uncover that which is hidden.  We discussed how men often hide their true character, but there are ways to see who someone really is on Purim.   These ways include seeing ones generosity with tzedukah, seing their sense of humor, and seeing how they react when angry. 

We discussed how Purim ties the written and oral Torah together.  Purim is not a Torah mitzvah, as it does not come from the Chumash, but it does come from a later written work in the Tenach.   Purim was the last book to make the canonization.  The 4 main mitzvah from the book include reading the Magillah, participating in the festivities, giving tzedukah to the needy, and giving mishloach manot bags to others.  In addition to these mitzvahs, there is a Torah reading that we do Purim morning, a fast, and a section that is added to the benching and siddur.

We discussed in detail the mitzvah of speaking the Magillah reading.  Like other speaking mitzvah, hearing the reading fulfills the mitzvah.  The mitzvah is to hear the reading both day and night.  This mitzvah applies to men, woman and converts.  Woman play a large role in the story of Purim, and were deeply affected thus it is a mitzvah for them even though it is positive and time dependent.  Converts need to participate even though their ancestry may not include a nation of Jews.  It is important to hear every word of the Magillah.  If we miss some words, we need to pick up a book, and read these words up to the point where we catch up to the reader.

We discussed how it is ok to to work on Purim, but it is better to avoid it unless our work involves festivities and simchah, or it is absolutely necessary in order to avoid loss.  Purim is a rabbinic holiday so work is not strictly prohibited, but even at home we should try to do errands and tasks that bring pleasure.  This would not be a good day to scrub toilets or mow the lawn.  If we do go to work we should not start something new.

David spoke about a joke that his father tells.  A man is talking to a potential father-in-law.  He is bragging how he makes $1000 a day.  But it turns out he only made $1000 a day on Purim delivering Mishloach Manot bags!

This is a summary of what we discussed this Shabbos.  No Halachic rulings are intended or should be inferred.