Washing Hands Before Touching a Megillah
The Shulchan Aruch (147:1) rules: “It is forbidden to touch a sefer Torah with bare hands. When touching a sefer Torah one must use a cloth”. The Rema adds: “Some say, the same is with all Kisvei Kodesh [Holy Books], however, the custom is not like this”. The Mishnah Berurah (s.k. 4) explains, that even with Megillos written on parchment in kesav Ashuris [Ashuris writing], the custom is to be lenient. The Rema concludes, however: “It is good to be stringent, if one hasn’t wash his hands”. The Mishnah Berurah explains, it’s good to be stringent with stam yodayim [hands that haven’t been guarded from becoming dirty], as it is likely that one touched a place which is dirty. If, however, one has washed his hands, there is no need to be stringent. By a sefer Torah, however, even if one has just washed his hands, he shouldn’t touch it without using a cloth. The Sha’arei Teshuvah (691:3) discusses the above at length and concludes, although the general custom is to be lenient with stam yodayim, it’s worthwhile being stringent, like the Eliyah Rabbah says.
The Pischei Teshuvah (Yoreh De’ah 285:4) cites R’ Akiva Eiger (Shu”t, Mahdura Kama 58) who says that it’s incorrect to touch a mezuzah with bare hands if the mezuzah is uncovered, as sometimes ones hands are dirty. However, many many Achronim write, that they have never seen anyone being careful not to touch an uncovered mezuzah with bare hands.
The Keses HaSofer (Lishkas HaSofer, Chakira 19) was asked, what people rely on to touch tefillin, mezuzos and Megillas Esther’s without any cloth and without washing their hands. He writes: “It mainly seems that by other Kisvei Kodesh there is room to be lenient, and those who are lenient certainly have what to rely on ... however, since the Rema writes that ‘it’s good to be stringent’, one who is careful about his soul should be stringent.” The Chazon Ish (Yodayim 7:10) writes: “It appears that with stam yodayim one should be careful before touching all Kisvei Kodesh”.
Even if we conclude that it is fitting for one to wash his hands before touching a Megillah, we can be melemad zechus [give merit] on those who don’t. The Pri Megodim (Rosh Yosef end of Megillah) writes, that if one washes his hands before davening, there is no need to wash them again before reading Megillah. We see, that if one washed his hands for davening, there is no need to wash them again. However, if one is reading the Megillah not during davening, for example, a ba’al koreh is preparing the Megillah for Purim, or one is reading for his family later on at home, one should in fact be stringent and wash his hands.
Reading Megillah On Purim Night Before Chatzos [Midnight]
The Shulchan Aruch (687:1) writes: “One is obligated to read Megillah at night and again a second time during the day. The time for the night time reading is all night”. The Magen Avraham (s.k. 1) adds in the name of the Smag, that although Chazal were goizer [enacted] that one should read krias shema before chatzos, by Megillah they never made such a gezeirah, since Megillah reading is a beloved mitzvah. Being that it is a beloved mitzvah, people are less likely to forget. The Magen Avraham then offers a second reason, which is that the main mitzvah of Megillah is in the day.
However, the Kaf HaChaim (s.k. 7) writes in the name of the Eliyah Rabbah (688:19) that lechatchilah [ideally] one should read Megillah before chatzos. The Mishnah Berurah who misses out this point, seems to hold like the simple reading of the Shulchan Aruch, that the entire night is 100% lechatchilah. However, the Aruch HaShulchan (687:4) writes, that due to the principle of zerizin makdimim lemitzvos [one should do a mitzvah as early as possible], one should try and read Megillah towards the beginning of the night (i.e. before chatzos).
The above makes a nafka minah [practical difference] for someone who travels to Yerusholayim on the night of the 15th of Adar in order to collect tzedokah, and only intends to return the next morning. According to the Mishnah Berurah, he has the din of one who lives in a place that keeps Purim on the 15th and he must hear Megillah on the night of the 15th. Such a person should try and hear Megillah before he goes collecting, and shouldn’t wait until he has finished, because if he waits, it is likely he won’t end up hearing Megillah until after chatzos, and according to the Aruch HaShulchan he will be missing out on zerizin makdimim lemitzvos.
Although it could be that if one has already heard Megillah twice on the 14th of Adar, waiting until chatzos to hear Megillah a third time is not such a problem of zerizin makdimim lemitzvos. Tzorich iyun [the matter needs more looking into].
Oops, I Just Finished Shemonah Esrei and the Ba’al Koreh is Already in the Middle of the Berachos, Now What?
Sometimes it happens that one finishes Shemonah Esrei on Purim, and he realizes that the ba’al koreh is already in the middle of reciting the berachos on the Megillah, or in some cases, he has already finished and is about to start reading the Megillah, if one finds himself in such a situation what should he do?
If one is able to recite the berachos and finish before the ba’al koreh starts reading the Megillah, then certainly it’s best that one makes the berachos himself. Although he will be making the berachos and being yoitza the mitzvah of Megillah by listening to someone else, the Rema (692:1) says, it’s ok for one person to make the berachos and a different person to read.
However, what if there isn’t enough time to finish the berachos before the ba’al koreh starts, and one doesn’t have a kosher Megillah in front of him: On the one hand it’s forbidden to fulfill a mitzvah without first reciting a berachah, like it says in Maseches Terumos (1:6): ערום לא יתרום – “One who is naked shouldn’t separate terumah”, the reason being, that one who is naked can’t recite a berachah. On the other hand, if he makes the berachos, he will need to read the beginning of the Megillah from a Chumash, which is considered reading ba’al peh [off by heart], and although bedieved [post-facto] the Shulchan Aruch (690:3) rules that one may read up to half the Megillah ba’al peh, in the end of the day it’s bedieved. What should be done in such a case?
Some say that he should recite the berachos himself and read from a Chumash until he reaches the ba’al koreh, and some say, he should listen to the reading of the ba’al koreh, even though he hasn’t heard a berachah, and when he reaches bein haperokim [in-between chapters] he should recite the berachos then. It’s clear from the Mishnah Berurah (692:6) that one is allowed to do so, and that it is no more stringent than krias shema, where we find that one is allowed to interrupt bein haperokim to be sho’el mipnei hakavod [to give greetings of honor].
[In regards to what is considered bein haperokim, the Sha’ar HaTziyon (s.k. 11) cites R’ Shlomah Kluger who says that it’s from the beginning until the pasuk of “Ish Yehudi”, and between the pasuk “Ish Yehudi” and “B’layloh Hahu”. The Sha’ar HaTziyon also cites the Machatzis HaShekel who in turn cites the Divrei Chamudos (2:20) who says that since there are parshiyos in the Megillah, even though they are stumos [closed], they are still considered bein haperokim. R’ Elyashiv holds, one can also make a berachah when the ba’al koreh is waiting for people to finish banging for Haman.]
Answering, ברוך הוא וברוך שמו, to the Berachos
The Aruch HaShulchan (692:1) writes that the tzibbur [congregation] should answer amen to the berachos, however, they shouldn’t answer, ברוך הוא וברוך שמו , as it is an interruption. If one did, the Mishnah Berurah (124:21) cites the Chayei Adam who ends off tzorich iyun. However, the Mishnah Berurah himself concludes, that bedieved it’s ok.
The Shu”t Maharam Shik (Orach Chaim 51) tries to answer up the minhag to answer, ברוך הוא וברוך שמו, on the berachos recited before Tekias Shofar, and he mentions that this was the minhag in the beis hamedrash of the Chasam Sofer, and the Chasam Sofer never protested.
However, R’ Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe, Orach Chaim 2:98) maintains that answering, ברוך הוא וברוך שמו, is an interruption even bedieved. Similarly, the Shulchan Aruch HaRav (124:2) writes, that perhaps one isn’t yoitza even bedieved, as he is interrupting between the name of Hashem and Malchus (מלך העולם), with something Chazal never enacted, and he is changing from the text Chazal fixed (see also Mateh Ephraim 585, Eleph HaMagen 8).
Listening to the Ba’al Koreh Vs. Reading the Megillah By Oneself
If one has a kosher Megillah in front of him, is it better to listen to the ba’al koreh and keep quiet, or is better to read along together with the ba’al koreh?
The Mishnah Berurah (end of 689) writes in the name of the Pri Megodim: “It is fitting for everyone to have a kosher Megillah in front of him, and to read along quietly word for word, as it is difficult to hear the ba’al koreh due to the noise and confusion of all the people banging and making a nose. It is fitting for everyone to act accordingly, if it’s possible” (see also 690:26).
Additionally, the Shulchan Aruch (690:4) writes: “One who has in his hand a Megillah which is not kosher, shouldn’t read along with the ba’al koreh, rather, he should listen and be quiet”. It would seem, however, that if one does have a kosher Megillah, he should read along together with the ba’al koreh.
However, the Madanay Yom Tov (R’ Yom Tov Sanger shlita) points out that above is not so simple, as the Mishnah Berurah (s.k. 13) mentions two reasons why if one doesn’t have in front of him a kosher Megillah he shouldn’t read along with the ba’al koreh: 1) Perhaps he will pay more attention to his reading than the reading of the ba’al koreh, and since he isn’t reading from a kosher Megillah it will be considered a reading ba’al peh [off by heart], 2) Even if he pays attention to the ba’al koreh, we are worried that other people will hear him reading, and will have kavonah [intention] to be yoitza [fulfill obligation] with his reading, and he never had them in mind.
A nafka minah [practical difference] between the two reasons will be in our case when one is reading along from a kosher Megillah. According to the first reason, if he is reading from a kosher Megillah there is no problem of reading ba’al peh, however, according to the second reason that we are worried that people will listen to him and not the ba’al koreh, then one shouldn’t read from his own Megillah even if it is kosher.
However, even if when reads from his own Megillah he has kavonah to moitzi anyone who listens in, there is still a problem, as lechatchilah [ideally] one should read Megillah in a way that he is able to hear with his ears what he is saying (see Mishnah Berurah 689:5), and very often it’s hard to do so. Additionally, lechatchilah one should read the Megillah with the trop [cantillation] and generally speaking when one does this himself it’s hard to do so. Additionally, it’s logical that there is a greater rov am hadras melech (the concept that the more people there are, the more honor there is), if one person reads for everyone, instead of everyone who has a kosher Megillah reading for himself. [One should be extra particular about this when it comes to mitzvah of Megillah, as we find the mitzvah of Megillah is so stringent, that we even interrupt Torah for it.] Therefore, in many places we find that one person says the berachos for everyone, as opposed to each person saying them himself. Additionally, if one reads himself he must make sure to read every word along with the ba’al koreh in order for it to be called kri’ah betzibbur [a reading done as part of a congregation]. Although the Chazon Ish (155:2) takes on, that even if one doesn’t read exactly together with the ba’al koreh it’s called kri’ah betzibbur, it’s well known that the Brisker Rov argues and held that if one is holding at a different place to the ba’al koreh it’s not called kri’ah betzibbur. Although if one reads by himself he is yoitsa, lechatchilah one should try and lein with ten people as is clear from Shulchan Aruch (670:18).
Therefore, concludes the Madanay Yom Tov, practically, even if one has his own kosher Megillah, it’s better for him to listen to the ba’al koreh and keep quiet, then to read along. If he misses a letter or a word here and there, he can make it up himself from his kosher Megillah, however, generally he should listen to the ba’al koreh and keep quiet. Although the Mishnah Berurah cites the Pri Megodim that “it is fitting for everyone to have his own kosher Megillah and to read from it quietly”, it must be he is referring to a place where there is a big tzibbur, and it’s difficult to hear the ba’al koreh. We will see below iy’H an application of when ideally one should in fact read along from his own Megillah.
Hesech Hada’as [Getting Distracted] When Listening to Megilllah
The Shulchan Aruch (690:14) writes: “One who reads Megillah needs to have in mind to be moitzi those listening, and the listener must also have in mind to be yoitsa from the reader.” The truth is, besides for the listener having kavonah [intention] to be yoitsa, he must also have kavonah on the actual reading. Therefore, the Shulchan Aruch (s.k. 12) rules, even though one who reads the Megillah whilst dozing off fulfills his obligation, that’s because practically he never fell asleep when reading, however, if the listener dozed off he doesn’t fulfill his obligation. (However, instead of explaining that he doesn’t fulfill his obligation because he never paid attention to the reading, the Mishnah Berurah (s.k. 41) explains, the reason he hasn’t fulfill his obligation is because he certainly missed a few words).
Due to the above, the Biur Halachah (693:4) writes in the name of the Beis Meir that we return the sefer Torah to it’s place before reading Megillah. The one holding the sefer Torah must have kavonah for the reading of the Megillah as is clear from 690:14, and if he is holding a sefer Torah it’s very difficult to do so. We see that besides for having kavonah to fulfill the mitzvah of Megillah, one must have kavonah on the reading of the Megillah as well.
What’s the din if one started to hear Megillah with intention to fulfil the mitzvah, and made sure not to doze off in the middle, and is sure that he heard every word, however, he took his mind off the reading, and stopped paying attention to the words being read and started to think about the mitzvos of the day, mishloach manos, matonas l’evyonim etc.?
If one is looking inside the Megillah and knows where the ba’al koreh is up to, and if he would be asked what words were just said he would be able to point, then it would seemingly be no worse than a lo’azi [someone foreign who doesn’t understand lashon hakodesh] who heard Megillah in lashon hakodesh, who doesn’t understand what is being said, and still fulfills his obligation. The Mishnah Berurah (s.k. 26) explains, that even those who speak lashon hakodesh don’t understand the words, האחשתרנים בני הרמכים, so we see that as long as one hears the words and knows where the ba’al koreh is up to its ok.
However, if one isn’t looking inside, spaces out for a few seconds, and has no idea where the ba’al koreh is up to, and then he has to look around to find where the ba’al koreh is up to, such a case is more complicated. The Magen Avraham (690:15) brings a Shu”t HaRashbah who discusses if one listening must have kavonah for every single word. The Levushei Srad explains, that one doesn’t need such dikduk [focus], as even am ha’aretz [ignorant person] who doesn’t even know lashon hakodesh and isn’t able to have that much kavonah:כיון שמטה אזנו להקורא ואינו חושב מחשבות אחרות מסתמא שמע הכל וא"צ לכוון בכל תיבה בבירור – “since he pays attention to the one reading, and doesn’t think about other things, presumably he heard everything, and he doesn’t need to have specific intention for every single word”. From the Levushei Srad it seems quite clear, that if one is,חושב מחשבות אחרות - “thinks about other things” when hearing Megillah, he doesn’t fulfill his obligation.
The Biur Halachah (59:4, d.h. Im Hashatz) cites a Shu”t HaRosh which says, that if one is listening quietly to the chazon, and in the middle of the berachah his mind wonders and starts thinking about other things, it’s considered as if he stopped in the middle. When one is fulfilling his obligation by listening to the chazon one must have kavonah on every word, and can’t think of other things, if one does he doesn’t fulfill his obligation. If, however, one is reading along from a kosher Megillah, even if he reads a few words without kavonah he fulfills his obligation.
According to the above, if one’s mind wonders completely and he doesn’t know where the ba’al koreh is up to, there is certainly a high chance he missed a word, and that he hasn’t fulfilled his obligation.
