Megillah 14: Hallel or Megillah?

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There is a dispute cited in our daf regarding the reason that Hallel is not recited on Purim. One reason offered is that once Klal Yisroel entered Eretz Yisroel, we do not recite Hallel on a miracle that occurred outside of Eretz Yisroel. This reason is challenged because it can be said that once they were sent into exile, Hallel can be recited even on a miracle that transpired in the Diaspora. Rav Nachman states that the reading of the Megillah replaces the obligation to recite Hallel. Rava explains that there is no obligation to recite Hallel on the miracle of Purim because we are still servants of Achashverosh.

Rabbi Hutner explains this ruling in a most remarkable way, based on our earlier explanation. The psalms in Hallel speak about overt miracles and praise God for His revealed wonders such as those related in the Torah. Hallel intentionally does not include praise to God for covert miracles, since those must be praised in a hidden way so as to remind the worshipper that such miracles occur on a daily basis. This is the reason why on Purim one reads Megillat Esther and does not recite Hallel. Megillat Esther is the story of a hidden miracle, and through the reading of this story in front of a congregation, God receives praise in the appropriate way – in a subtle and hidden manner. After all, it is not God who needs praise, but people who need to praise; they must therefore do it in a way that corresponds to the actual miracle. They have to realize what kind of miracle took or takes place. Singing Hallel, instead, would be missing the point.

Megillah 13: Esther’s Complexion and Fragrance

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It is written in the Megillah [2:7]: He raised his cousin Hadassah, also called Esther, for she had neither father nor mother. She is called Hadassah and Esther. What, in fact, was her actual name? Rabbi Meir said: Her real name was Esther, but she was referred to as Hadassah, because the righteous are called myrtles. Rabbi Yehudah said: Her real name was Hadassah, but she was referred to as Esther because she concealed her words (regarding her origin). Rabbi Nechemyah said: Her real name was Hadassah, but she was referred to as Esther because the other nations called her Esther, saying that she was as beautiful as the moon (istaher). Ben Azzai said: Esther was neither too tall nor too short, but of medium size, like a myrtle. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korchah said: Esther's complexion was greenish (similar to a myrtle), but she had grace (provided to her by Hashem, making her appear beautiful).

We explore the deeper meaning behind her complexion and the midrashic and kabbalistic implications for yerakroket.

Megillah 12: Vashti's Tail/Tale

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Vashti has been a character with few words but many interpreters.

In our daf, we are presented with a specific view of Vashti: libidinous, cruel to the women – especially the Jewish women – who serve her, vain, and likely being punished by G-d.

Even though the text suggests that Vashti is modest, for she does not wish to appear naked before the King and his guests, chazal find reason to suggest otherwise. She developed leprosy just at that moment or she grew a tail and was embarrassed.

According to our Sages, we should see Vashti as wicked, which means sexual, willful, and hurtful.

How do we make sense of these narratives when teaching children?

And how come feminists appropriated her narrative?

And what of her relationship to Muriel Wilson and Winston Churchill?

Megillah 11: Achashverosh’s Identity

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The daf begins a walk through the Megilla, in an effort to explore the characters of its dramatis personae.

For example, the name of Achashverosh is broken down and analyzed. Out of many passages and words that are examined, one is the use of "hu" before the name of Achashverosh.

The rabbis note that we also see this pronoun used before the names of other 'great' leaders. (Avram, hu Avraham, or Avram, this is Avraham, is one example). The rabbis wonder why Achashverosh would be included in the company of Avraham, Moses, Aaron and King David. They decide that 'hu' represents someone who was consistent in his character throughout his life. Wicked or righteous.

We explore the historical and critical views of this ambivalent personality and the wonderful musical oratorios by Handel and Wesigal depicting them.

Megillah 10: Tamar's Veil

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Our daf states that : Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said that Rabbi Yonatan said: "Any bride who is modest in the house of her father-in-law merits that kings and prophets will emerge from her. From where do we derive this? From Tamar"

We explore the issue of Tamar's qualities and examine Gen 38 to reveal a textual analysis the ambivalence of the narrator and how modern feminist interpretations expose the misogyny inherent in how we appropriate sacred texts halachically.

Megillah 9: Ekphrasis

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The targum shiv’im was the first translation of the Torah into a foreign language, an occurrence that the Sages viewed at first as dangerous, at best (Megillat Ta’anit records that a fast day was established in commemoration of the event). After a time, however, the translation was accepted as important and valuable and was treated with respect by the Sages. The Jews of Egypt, in particular, viewed the targum shiv’im with great reverence and saw its creation as one of holiness.

Aside from the record of the event that appears in Rabbinic literature, a lengthy description of the translation and how it came to be has been found in an ancient Greek letter entitled “the letter of Aristias,” which describes the king’s initiative to have the Torah translated and the greatness of the Sages who were brought from Israel to carry it out. We explore the history of the letter and how its author employed a device called ekphrasis or embellishment in order to praise Ptolemy and curry favor for the Jewish community.

Megillah 8: Lost In Translation

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Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel’s opinion quoted in the Mishnah limits foreign writing in Sifrei Torah to Greek, based on the passage in Sefer Bereshit (9:27) that invites Yefet to dwell in the tents of Shem. This pasuk is understood to recognize the beauty of Greek, which would be appropriate to use to enhance Jewish practice. The Gemara rules like Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel, a position accepted by the Rambam, who argues that the original Greek has become corrupted and has effectively been lost. Therefore today all of our ritual objects, including Sifrei Torah, are only written with ketav Ashuri.

We examine the translations of our Torah into other languages and its relationship to the Oral Law.

Megillah 7: Opus Non Gratum

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Our daf relates that Esther requested from the Chachamim permission to record the miracle of Purim in writing. They dissented based on the verse in Mishlei (22:20) which says, "Have I not written for you a threesome (Shalishim)?" The verse implies that the defeat of Amalek may be recorded in writing only three times and no more.

The Chachamim, however, later agreed to Esther's request. They derived from a verse in the Torah that the miracle of the defeat of Amalek in the times of Esther may be written in a Sefer.

The Rabbis also offer various proofs that the Book of Esther was written with (ruach hakodesh) the spirit of divine inspiration. They derive this from the various verses that reflect the thought of the characters, or that attest to actions of which a normal person could not be cognizant, such as “Haman said to himself” (Esth. 6:6), or the definite statement, that could be known only to God: “but they did not lay hands on the spoil” (9:10). This book therefore has the same sanctity as the other books of Scripture.

Megillah 6: Tiberian Walls

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On yesterday’s daf we learned that Chizkiya asserted that Tiberias was a walled city dating back to the time that the Jewish people entered the land of Israel at the end of their exodus from Egypt.

This assertion is supported by a passage in Sefer Yehoshua (19:35) that lists walled cities included in the area set aside for the tribe of Naftali, and includes cities in the vicinity of the Kinneret, including one that is identified as Tiberias.

Contemporary Tiberias was established in the year 18 CE by King Herod, who named the new city in honor of the Roman Caesar Tiberius.Although the city was built anew, it was established on the ruins of an ancient city – according to most opinions in the Gemara, of the city Rakat.

We review the halachic aspects of naming ancient cities with walls for the sake of megillah reading and second day Purim, then move onto a mediation on the history of Tiberias, its archeology and the curious visit of Rebbe Nachman during a plague 5569.

Finally, the dazzling work by Motti Zohar on the great earthquake of 1837, using reconstruction of three-dimensional models of the city prior to and after the earthquake enabling a 360º examination of the damage distribution in high resolution and evaluation of the overall impact of the earthquake.

Megillah 5: Walled Cities

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Our daf explains that a city must have at least ten (batlanim) idlers, or congregants who are not paid to be at the service, to qualify as a city. The difference between city and village is important because it determines whether the Megilla reading might be postponed when Purim falls on Shabbat.

Our daf ends with a question about walled cities. We know that those living in cities that were walled from the time of Joshua celebrate Purim on the 15th of Adar, postponed from the 14th of Adar. All others celebrate on the 14th of Adar. But what if we aren't sure whether or not a city has four walls?

We explore recent anomalies like Prague and Bet Shemesh to see how halachic authorities struggle with the issue of walled city status as it affects when to read the megillah.

Megillah 4: אֵלִ֣י אֵ֖לִי לָמָ֣ה עֲזַבְתָּ֑נִי

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Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi ruled: It is obligatory for women to hear the reading of the Megillah, because they benefited also by the same miracle (Haman’s decree to kill all the Jewish people included the women).

The Rishonim dispute whether a woman can read the Megillah and discharge the obligation for a man. Rashi (Eruchin 3a) maintains that she could and Tosfos cites a Behag that she cannot. There are those that explain the Behag that he holds that a woman is only obligated to hear the Megillah but not to read it. Rashi’s viewpoint is easily understood by the fact that the Gemora explicitly states that women are obligated in the reading of the Megillah.

We explore the history of halacha and its development as regards this issue as well as the relationship between Purim and Psalm 22.

Megillah 3: Mysterious Angels

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Our Daf asks: Is the Temple service more important than Torah study? does this affect the priority of Megillah reading over Torah learning? and how do we derive that?

The Gemora relates a conversation between Yehoshua bin Nun and an angel, proving that Torah study is regarded as being stricter than the service in the Beis Hamikdosh (which is inconsistent with that which was previously learned). Yehoshua bin Nun, during the night between two days of battle, had a vision of the Heavenly Warrior Angel. The verse states that Yehoshua prostrated himself before the Angel.(Josh 5)

As for the angel’s mission, the Gemara explains that the angel said to Joshua: Yesterday, i.e., during the afternoon, you neglected the afternoon daily offering due to the impending battle, and now, at night, you have neglected Torah study, and I have come to rebuke you. Joshua said to him: For which of these sins have you come? He said to him: I have come now, indicating that neglecting Torah study is more severe than neglecting to sacrifice the daily offering. Joshua immediately determined to rectify the matter.

We explore another case of mortal combat with an angel... that of Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi on his last day immortalized by the Longfellow poem.

Megillah 2: Introductions

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The Mishnah lists the days on which the Megillah may be read under various circumstances: the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, or fifteenth of Adar.

What is the source for these dates? The verse (Esther 9:21) explicitly states that the Megillah may be read on the fourteenth and the fifteenth of Adar. The Gemara derives from other verses that the Megillah may be read on the eleventh and twelfth of Adar.

We review the basics of our introductory Mishnah as well as the issue of women reading the Megillah.

Taanit 31: Hadran-"Dancing with the Zaddikim"

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In the final section of our masechta we explore the joy of the festival for which the daughters of Jerusalem would go out to the dance in the vineyards in borrowed white clothing (so that girls who were poor would not be embarrassed), calling out to the young men suggesting that they choose wives from among them.

Our Daf here concludes the Maseches by saying that in the future, Hashem will make a (machol) circle of Tzadikim.

The Shechinah will sit inside the circle, and the Tzadikim will point towards the center of the circle and declare, "This is my G-d, we will rejoice in His salvation."

This event is understood by the commentaries as referring to a mystical event rather than a physical one. Other midrashim will suggest that when Hashem offers them a cup of consolation (for all the suffering of Galut)

They will refuse it!!

We explore the notion of learning Torah by night as well as the incongruity for the rationale (for the 4th brocho in benching) for the burial of the victims of Beitar with the historical dates.

Taanit 30: Mourning and Messianism

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Aside from the five basic activities forbidden on Tisha be-Av (eating and drinking, washing, anointing, wearing leather shoes, and sexual relations), the baraita teaches that all of the restrictions that apply to someone who is in mourning for a close relative are applicable to all Jews on Tisha be-Av. A person is not allowed to learn Torah – neither Tanakh nor the Oral Law – except for things that are in the spirit of the day, like kinot, Sefer Iyov and the parts of Yirmiyahu that describe the destruction of the Temple.

Over the past millenia Tisha B'av also embodies the hope for the future rebuilding of the destroyed Beis Hamikdash as well as the birthday of the Messiah.

We explore the halachic parameters of learning on this day then look at false Messiahs who were born on this day. We end with the disturbing article by Sol Kirsch reviewing the academic analysis of Chabad Messianism.

Taanit 29: Calamity and Communal Memory

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The Mishnah (26a-b) taught that five separate occurrences took place on the seventeenth of Tamuz and another five on the ninth day of Av for which we are in mourning to this day.

The events of Tisha be-Av are discussed on our daf. They include:

After the sin of the spies, the Children of Israel were condemned to die in the desert rather than enter the Promised Land

The first Temple was destroyed

The second Temple was destroyed

The city of Beitar was captured

The city of Jerusalem was plowed up

We explore the historical events from Apostemus to Himmler associated with Tisha B'Av and how it shapes our communal memory and self identity.

Taanit 28: Zatu and Bikkurim Smugglers

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On our daf we find that it was once decreed that the Jewish people could no longer bring their bikkurim/ new fruits to Yerushalayim. Guards were stationed along the roads leading to the holy city just as they had been during the days of Yeravam ben Nevat.

Certain righteous people, however, would smuggle in their bikkurim by covering the new fruits with a layer of dried figs. When the guards asked what they were doing with the basket of figs, they would respond that they were bringing in figs for processing. It is clear that those who were not especially righteous did not bring their bikkurim during that period of prohibition. This appears to be very problematic.

We explore the history of Jewish identity during the period with Rivkah Fishman-Duker's excellent review as well as the transformation of the wood offering from biblical times onward.

Taanit 27: Neshama Yeseirah

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Reish Lakish said: They would not fast on Sunday due to the added soul, as Reish Lakish said: An added soul is given to man on Shabbat eve, and at the conclusion of Shabbat it is removed it from him, as it is stated:

“He ceased from work and rested [vayinafash]”

which he expounds as follows: Since one has rested and Shabbat has passed, woe for the soul [vai nefesh] that is lost, the added soul that each individual relinquishes. Consequently, one is still weak from this loss on Sunday.

We explore the mystical notion of the added soul of Shabbat.

Taanit 26: Tu B'Av

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Our daf reminds us that the 15th of Av and Yom Kippur are our most joyous holidays. On both of those days, wood is burned, and women dance in the fields all dressed in white. Their clothes are all borrowed from each other to divert attention from wealth. They call out to the boys to choose themselves wives. However, they also quote from Psalms (30:31-2) to remind young men that beauty is not as valuable as righteous behaviour.

Tu b'av reminds us of five historical events the most disturbing being the scandal of Pilegesh B'Givah.

Taanit 25: מַעֲבִיר עַל מִדּוֹתָיו/Nicht Fargin

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Rabbi Eliezer led the congregation in the lengthy amidah prayer for fast days, but his prayers were not answered. At that point, his student, Rabbi Akiva, prayed for rain, and rain began to fall. When the rabbis present began to discuss why the student, Rabbi Akiva, was successful, while Rabbi Eliezer was not, a heavenly voice called out that it was not an issue of greatness; rather, Rabbi Akiva was more relaxed and forgiving, while Rabbi Eliezer was more exact and demanding. God responded to each of them according to his personality.

We look at the avina malkenu prayer in depth.

We then examine the concept of מַעֲבִיר עַל מִדּוֹתָיו as applied to personal conduct and behavior as well as the yiddish term "fargin".