Mishlo’ach Manot

Laws and Customs | February 28, 2026

It is a mitzvah to give (at least) two ready-to-eat food items to (at least) one friend on this day.
Men should give to men and women to women.
A married woman should, preferably, give separately from her husband.
Children who have reached the age of education should be trained in this mitzvah.
Some say that it is best to send these gifts with a messenger, as this mitzvah is called Mishlo’ach manot – sending gifts of food. This messenger may be a child, or even a non-Jew.
The gifts should be respectable based on the recipients of the gifts.
The two types of food may even be two different cuts of meat. Certainly they may be foods that the same beracha is recited on.
In order to fulfill the mitzvah, these gifts should not be delivered to the recipients before Purim day.
Even a poor person must fulfill this mitzvah.
Some say that one does not fulfill this mitzvah by giving mishlo’ach manot together with a partner or a group. If one participated in a group mishlo’ach manot, they should also give to at least one friend individually.
See below regarding giving (and receiving) Mishloach Manot to (and from) a mourner (avel).
It is best to fulfill this mitzvah (as well as that of Matanot La’evyonim) after the Megillah reading as the blessing of Shehechiyanu also refers to these mitzvot (see above).

It is a mitzvah to give (at least) two ready-to-eat food items to (at least) one friend on this day.
Men should give to men and women to women.
A married woman should, preferably, give separately from her husband.
Children who have reached the age of education should be trained in this mitzvah.
Some say that it is best to send these gifts with a messenger, as this mitzvah is called Mishlo’ach manot – sending gifts of food. This messenger may be a child, or even a non-Jew.
The gifts should be respectable based on the recipients of the gifts.
The two types of food may even be two different cuts of meat. Certainly they may be foods that the same beracha is recited on.
In order to fulfill the mitzvah, these gifts should not be delivered to the recipients before Purim day.
Even a poor person must fulfill this mitzvah.
Some say that one does not fulfill this mitzvah by giving mishlo’ach manot together with a partner or a group. If one participated in a group mishlo’ach manot, they should also give to at least one friend individually.
See below regarding giving (and receiving) Mishloach Manot to (and from) a mourner (avel).
It is best to fulfill this mitzvah (as well as that of Matanot La’evyonim) after the Megillah reading as the blessing of Shehechiyanu also refers to these mitzvot (see above).

View The Full Article (PDF)

Laws and Customs | February 28, 2026