Megilla 7 Is the Megilla Divinely Inspired?

We are told that Esther said, "write me for future generations", and variations of that sentiment.  The rabbis interpret this as a desire to have the Purim story included in the Torah.  As a story where Jews win a war against "Amalek", however, the rabbis share their concern about the political implications of that inclusion.  They wonder whether:

• we are permitted to include more than three mentions of our success over Amalek
• the scroll of Esther renders hands impure
• the scroll of Esther is Divinely inspired

The rabbis discuss this last question in great detail. Many passages from the Megilla are quoted to prove that G-d must have spoken directly to at least one of the story's players.

Amud (b) begins with a conversation about food and gifts.  Who gives to whom? How much food is given?  Money can be given - if it is used to help people enhance their Purim meal.  

We end today's daf with two new, short Mishnayot.  The first discusses the difference between Festivals and Shabbat.  The focus in this case is on food preparation for these holidays, where the rabbis are more lenient with food preparation for Festivals. 

A story mentioned earlier in the Talmud is repeated today.  We are told that on Purim we should drink so much that we cannot differentiate between the phrases "Haman is cursed" and "Mordechai is blessed".  The rabbis offer many interpretations, from the use of numerology to drinking until we fall asleep.  We are told the story of Rabba, who drinks so much that he slaughters Rabbi Zeira.  He begs for help and G-d restores Rabbi Zeira to health.  Again, our rabbis help us understand this miracle by suggesting a number of options: perhaps Rabbi Zeira was drunk and asleep, then awakening.  Perhaps Rabba had Rabbi Zeira drink until he fainted.  Regardless, both rabbis agreed that "Miracles do not happen every hour," and they chose not to repeat their experience.

The second examines the differences between Festivals and Yom Kippur.  Rather than focusing on food preparation, we now focus on punishment for transgressing the halachot of each holiday.  Shabbat and Yom Kippur desecrations are punishable by karet and lashes.  But on Yom Kippur, lashes are stayed.  This is related to a larger examination of the laws of multiple consequences in Masechet Ketubot.  A principle: when more than one punishment applies to the same crime, only the most severe consequence is applied.

Women are mentioned in two interesting ways in today's daf.  First, Esther is said to want to be cannonized in Torah.  Is this referring to Esther herself?  Or is this a metaphor; the ideal that the Megilla begs to be included?  Second, we are told that "one's sister is excluded" when the rabbis are discussing how the punishment of karet is applied in cases of incest.  Whenever women are mentioned, it is worth asking "why now?", as this is such an unusual occurrence.