Questions on Purim to think about and discuss:

 

1. Why is Purim different to all the other festivals in that Jews in different places keep it on different days?
2. What is the word “Purim” connected to and how does this encapsulate the essence of Purim?
3. What are the mitzvos of Purim?
4. Which one of the three regolim parallels Purim and how is this seen?
5. Why is there no explicit mention of Hashem’s Name in Megillas Ester?
6. Why do we read the Megilla both by day and by night?
7. How is Taanis Ester different to the other fasts?
8. What is a lesson that can be gleaned from Megillas Ester for the usual pattern in life?
9. What are the different names of Mordechai?
10. How many sons did Homon have?
11. The Midrash (Mishlei 9) say that in the future all the festivals will be stopped besides for Purim. Why?
12. What was Ester thinking of when inviting the enemy, Homon, to her private feast with Achashverosh?
13. Why do people get dressed up on Purim?
14. Chazal say that Purim is greater than Yom Kippur. How are we to understand this?
15. Chazal say that although throughout the rest of the year we can ask people asking for money for proof of their need, however on Purim, we are to give without asking for proof. What lies behind this?
16. Why do we read aloud certain pesukim from Megillas Ester?
17. What was so terrible about the Jews participation in the feast of Achashverosh?
18. What was the source that enabled the evil decree of Homon and how was it rectified?
19. Homon offered Achashverosh 10,000 silver kikor to kill the Jews. What is the significance of exactly this amount?
20. Why is Purim not a Yom Tuv like the other festivals with prohibition from work
21. Why are the names of the main characters in the Purim story all called after spices – Mordechai and Hadassah?
22. What lies behind the “greger” associated only with Purim?
23. What is the reason for Mishloach Monos?
24. There were two main Jewish characters in the Purim story. When call it Megillas Ester more than Mordechai?

Ideas for answers on Purim:

1. This is because each place celebrates the day when the battle stopped. In shushan it was an extra day and the walled cities in Eretz Yisroel from the times of Yehoshua keep the same day. Elsewhere, they only fought one day on the 13^th of Adar. However, by all the other festivals we remember the events when the Jews were all together.
2. The Maharal says that it is from the word “Perurim”, crumbs. The events of the Purim story took place over many years and only when brought together – like crumbs – was the full miracle realised. (This can explain why someone who reads the Megilla backwards has not fulfilled his obligation. The full picture is only gleaned when reading the events in order.)
3. The reading of Megillas Ester; Mishloach Monos; Matonos LoEvyonim and the festive meal (with getting drunk).
4. The Sfas Emes (Chanuka) says that the rabbinically instituted Purim parallels the regel of Shavuos. Both of these times are a time of accepting the Torah.
5. See answer 2. Purim is a miracle that is hidden through a string of seemingly natural events. Hashem’s Name expresses when Hashem is openly revealed. Since this was not openly seen by Purim His Name is not explicitly mentioned. The Ibn Ezra says that since this megilla is also found in the history books of the gentiles therefore Hashem’s Name is omitted for fear of it being used wrongly. The Menos HaLevi in his introduction says that since Amolek is still alive therefore not yet time for the full revelation of Hashem’s Name.
6. To remember how at the time of the Purim story the Jews called out to Hashem for help both day and night. (Rashi to Megilla 4a).
7. All the other fasts (besides for Yom Kippur) are sad times remembering the different stages in the destruction of the Beis Hamikdosh. However, the fast of Ester in contrast is a happy time remembering how the Jews fasted as they victorious fought their enemies. It is also the only fast that is brought forward when Purim falls just after Shabbos.
8. The Vilna Gaon (in the Remez on Megillas Ester) explains that it alludes to a person’s life. How he fights his evil inclination and eventually makes them have a downfall. (See further there).
9. Mordechai HaTzadik; Mordechai Bilshon; Pesachya (Mishna Shekolim 5:1).
10. From the possuk (9:10) it appears Homon had ten sons who were also hung. The Gemora (Megilla 15b) brings that Rav said he had thirty sons and the Rabbonan said he had ninety while Romi Bar Aba said he had two hundred and eight – of these ten were hung. The Midrash Tehilim (22:2) says he had 100 sons and the Pirkei DeReb Eliezer Chapter 50 brings he had forty sons.
11. Purim stands out as the only remembered hidden miracle. All the other festivals remember revealed miracles. In the future when everything will revert to the miraculous and no longer will there be nature, all the festivals that celebrate miracles will fade away. What will remain is Purim that remembers a hidden miracle within the framework of nature. (Maharal)
12. The Gemora 15b brings eleven different reasons to which Eliyohu HaNavi said that all were true! Just to quote one of them. R’ Nechamia brings that Ester specially did so in order that the Jews should no longer rely on her as coming to help them, as why invite the enemy? This led them to now instead beseech Hashem themselves.
13. A main idea of getting dressed up – both in the mask and a different form of clothing, is to appear outwardly different – something that you really are not. This expresses the hidden miracle of Purim that outwardly looked one way but the inner reality was different.
14. The Mesillas Yeshorim talks about a ladder of spiritual levels. Yom Kippur is reflected in the level of Perishus, abstention of food and dealing with the physical world. Instead the focus is the spiritual. However, the highest level of Kedusha is where the physical world is incorporated with the spiritual. This is reflected in what we do on Purim – we are meant to take the physical and use it as a tool for the spiritual.
15. This expresses the special time and present of Purim. By acting this way in this world, to give even to those unworthy, we are arousing the spiritual realms to act towards us in the same way and be given presents even though we are not deserving of them.
16. Perhaps it is based on the Gemora Megilla 19a that brings an argument from where starts the main part of the megilla – a highpoint in the story. We read aloud the pesukim that portray a turning point of the story.
17. Perhaps the idea here is that the purpose of this feast was to celebrate the fact that the seventy years of exile on Bovel had passed and now it appeared that the Jews would no longer be redeemed. Therefore participating at this feast was tantamount to agreeing to this notion!
18. The Monos HaLevi brings that the cause of the decree was enabled through the arguments and split amongst the Jews. This was rectified when Ester told all the Jews to gather and unify. It was this achdus that led to the reacceptance of the Torah out of love by Purim.
19. Tosfas (Megilla 16a) brings that this amount was specific coming to counteract the half shekel given by the six hundred thousand Jews who left Mitzrayim.
20. The Gemora (Megilla 5b) brings that originally Purim was to be a Yom Tuv with cessation from creative work. However, in the end, the people did not want to accept this aspect of it, presumably the restrictions on work was too much for them.
23. There are two main reasons – either to increase the unity amongst fellow Jews or to provide food to others for their Purim seuda.
24. It was Ester who asked the Chachomim to make the Megilla part of Nach and therefore she is given the credit with it being named after her. Additionally, she put her life in greater danger than Mordechai. Perhaps also because she was the one who finally did the actions that resulted in the final salvation. Also, because her name alludes to hester, revealing the nature of this hidden miracle.