Some have a custom to light candles for this meal.
This meal should preferably be scheduled in such a way that most of the meal is eaten during the day.
At the very least, all the assembled should wash and eat bread before sunset.
Despite the above halacha, many people do begin the meal towards the end of the day and extend it into the night. Several reasons are offered for this custom.
- During the day people are busy with the other mitzvot of the day.
- Since this day celebrates the downfall of Haman, a non-Jew, and for non-Jews the night follows the day, we therefore extend the meal into the night.
- By extending the meal into the night we unite with those (in walled cities) who celebrate Purim on Shushan Purim by celebrating simultaneously with them.
If one recites the Grace after Meals after dark, they may say Ve’al HaNissim if they did not yet pray Ma’ariv.
The Rama would go around in his community on the evening after Purim reminding them to pray Maariv.
Drinking
It is a mitzvah to drink (wine) to the point that one cannot discern between Baruch Mordechai (blessed be Mordechai) and Arur Haman (cursed be Haman) during the Purim meal to recall that much of the Purim miracle happened as a result of drinking wine.
- One may fulfill this mitzvah by drinking to the point that one falls asleep and then (of course) cannot tell the difference between the two above-mentioned statements.
- If one wishes to fulfill this by actually drinking to the point of inebriation, one should only do so if it will not lead to inappropriate or immodest behavior and will not prevent him from saying any blessings or praying any of the daily prayers.
- Certainly, this mitzvah does not apply to women.
- In addition, the Lubavitcher Rebbe enacted a rule that his Chassidim should not drink more than four (1 oz) shots of alcohol if they are younger than the age of 40. This rule applies to Purim as well.
One should not forget to pray Ma’ariv in the evening.
Hamantashen
It is a widespread custom to eat Hamantashen (triangular cookies with a sweet filling) on Purim. There are several reasons given for this custom.
- The three corners allude to the three patriarchs in whose merit G-d saved the Jewish people.
- The three corners allude to the Torah which was reaccepted by the Jewish people on Purim. (See Shabbat, 88a that the Torah has three aspects (Tanach), was given on the third month (Sivan) and on the third day of the days of separation (between spouses), by Moshe who was a third born, to a people made of three groups (Kohanim, Leviyim, and Yisraelim). In addition, the Torah is called the Torah of truth and Yaakov, the third patriarch, is considered to embody the trait of truthfulness).
- The word “Tash” means “weak” in Hebrew (as well as pocket – alluding to the pocket inside the dough). Thus, the word Hamantash can mean that Haman was weakened.
