Question: Taking into account the fact that one might have to travel on Purim day, may one make one’s Purim se’udah on Purim eve?
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Answer: The Mechaber (Orach Chayim 695:1) states clearly that when a person makes a Purim feast at night, his obligation is not discharged. However, to understand this halacha we would do well to seek out the source for our making a Purim se’udah. Megillat Esther (9:17-19, 22) refers to “yemei mishteh vesimcha – days of drink and rejoicing.” It is important to note that mishteh usually refers to mishteh yayin – a celebration with wine; thus, there is no clear reference in the megillah to a se’udah with meat.
Regarding biblically-based festivals, the Torah states, “vesamachta bechagecha – you shall rejoice in your festivals” (Deuteronomy 16:14). Our sages (Pesachim 109a) teach us that “ein simcha elah bevasar…beyayin – there is no real rejoicing without meat and wine.” Hence, all Yom Tov seudot must include meat and wine. But Purim is a rabbinic holiday and our sages never state that we must have a se’udah with meat and wine.
The Rema (Orach Chayim 695) states: It is a manifold mitzvah to make the se’udat Purim, a festive meal, and with one meal that obligation is discharged. The Rema refers us to the Tur (Orach Chayim ad loc.), who simply states it is a manifold mitzvah, an additional obligation to make the se’udat Purim. However, the Tur cites no Talmudic source for this requirement.
The Bach (Orach Chayim ad loc.) cites a memra of Rav Ashi (Megillah 7b) who was sitting before R. Kahana (others say before Amemar) on Purim and asked, “Where are the rabbis? How come they are not in the study hall?” The response he received was that perhaps they were occupied with the se’udat Purim. The Bach explains that from this passage we see one is permitted to eat the Purim se’udah and not come to the study hall since one who is busy with a mitzvah is free from another mitzvah. It also serves as source for the requirement of the se’udat Purim.
We find as well (Pesachim 68b) a memra of R. Yosef commenting on the discussion of the Gemara regarding the requirement of se’udot for the biblical festivals that the Gemara derives from the verse (Numbers 29:35) “Bayom hasehemini atzeret t’hiyeh lachem… – On the eighth day shall be a restriction [an assembly] for you…” The Gemara notes a contradiction from Deuteronomy 16:8: “ubayom hashevi’i atzeret la’Shem Elokecha – and on the seventh day shall be a restriction [an assembly] to Hashem your G-d.” The Gemara answers that every festival should be divided – half in the service of Hashem (prayer and study) and half in rejoicing with se’udot.
R. Yosef adds that all are in agreement that Purim also requires “lachem – for you” – a festive se’udah, since the megillah states (Esther 9:22), “yemei mishteh v’simcha – days of drink and joy.”
As we noted, the Rema states that a person is only required to have one se’udah to discharge his obligation of se’udat Purim. The Mechaber (ad loc. 695:1) rules that if a person made his Purim se’udah at night he has not discharged his obligation. In actuality he is citing Rava (supra Megillah 7b) who finds support for his ruling from Megillat Esther (9:17-19, 22): “yemei mishteh vesimcha – days of drink and rejoicing.” Here we obviously take the word “yemei – days” to mean just that – days, not nights. Nevertheless, the Rema adds that even at night, there is somewhat of a mitzvah to eat a seu’dat Purim.