Megilla 4 Who, How and When: Women and the Poor

Our rabbis look back at walled cities and try to determine when the walls were built.  How old are these cities?  Who ordered the walls built?  Do the walls look old enough?

The rabbis move along to the concept of who is obligated to read the Megilla.  Rabbi Yahoshua ben Levi states that women are obligated to read the Megilla for they were part of the miracle.  This is an unusual statement, for women are not obligated to participate in time-bound, positive mitzvot.  Commentary by Steinsaltz teaches that our rabbis suggested different reasons for Rabbi Yahoshua ben Levi's decree.  First, women would also have been killed by Haman, so women - as well as Canaanite slaves! - should give thanks by reading the Megilla.  Additionally, Queen Esther helped to facilitate the miracle of Purim.  Given Esther's participation, we are reminded that women should not be the main focus of the celebration.  Of course, note on halacha suggest that women can read the Megilla but men are still obligated to recite the blessings.

We also learn about and when the Megilla should be read. The rabbis agree that we should read the Megilla at night and repeat it the next day.  There is an argument that a reading during the day should be good for the entire day.  Notes explain our rabbis' explanations for this contradiction - perhaps individuals have different obligations than communities; perhaps we are supposed to read the Megilla as well as studying the Mishnayot.  It is continually inspiring to note our rabbis' creative thinking when it comes to rectifying seemingly unsolvable problems with halacha.

Our rabbis consider the possibility of moving the date of the Megilla reading to ensure that villagers are saved an extra trip to the city and thus are able to have adequate food and water.  If all people are obligated to read the Megilla, it should not cause undo hardship to perform this mitzvah.

Rabba declares that the Megilla must be read by everyone, but it cannot be read on Shabbat.  Why not?  Not everyone can read, and thus people will bring scrolls to be read by others.  Carrying their Megillot more than four cubits in the public domain would be going against Shabbat halacha.  In addition, people might be so preoccupied with their own obligations to read the Megilla that they would not remind others to desist from carrying on Shabbat.  Now that's a fence!  But this particular fence is one that creates a lessening of the pressure on people... to avoid reading the Megilla on Shabbat will make better the lives of the poor, even though the fence is created due to a stringency.