Question: If someone heard Megillat Esther in shul, and he then has to read the Megillah at home for his wife and other members of his household, does he recite the blessings again?
Menachem
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Synopsis: Last week we noted that three blessings are recited before the reading of the Megillah: “Al mikra Megillah,” “She’asa nissim,” and “Shehecheyanu,” referred to by the acronym MaNaCh – mem, nun, and chet (Megillah 21a). The Mechaber (Orach Chayyim 689-692) cites these blessings and also rules that if one forgot to say them, the mitzvah of reading the Megillah has nevertheless been fulfilled (see Mishna Berurah ad loc., because of the principle that “berachot einan me’akvot” – the omission of the recital of blessings does not interfere with the performance of a mitzvah). Since all agree that women are required to hear the Megillah, most authorities rule that a man may discharge that obligation for them by reciting the appropriate blessings before the reading. The Rema, however, notes that if possible (that is, if the women are capable of reciting the blessings), they should recite the blessings, but with a variant text in one of the blessings, saying “Lishmo’a Megillah” (to hear the Megillah) instead of “Al mikra Megillah” (to read the Megillah).
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Answer: The Gaon Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef, zt”l, answers a similar question in his responsa Yechaveh Da’at (Orach Chayyim Vol.1, 84). He quotes the Gemara (Megillah 4a): “R. Yehoshua b. Levi states: ‘Women are under the obligation to read the Megillah since they were included in that miracle.’” Rashi (ad loc. s.v. She’af hen) explains that women were included in Haman’s decree “to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, both young and old, little children, and women” (Esther 3:13). Tosafot remark, citing Rashbam, that the miracle of salvation occurred several times through women – Esther on Purim, Yehudit on Chanukah, and in the merit of the righteous women of that generation at the Exodus from Egypt. Rabbi Ovadia Yosef adds that the Talmud Yerushalmi (Megillah 2:5) relates that R. Yehoshua b. Levi would gather the members of his household around him and read the Megillah before them (even though women are usually exempt from precepts that are time-bound).
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef states that according to most poskim, one is required to recite the blessings when reading the Megillah for women, while noting that the Rema writes that women say “Lishmo’a Megillah” instead of the established “Al mikra Megillah.” But the Pri Chadash (Orach Chayyim 689) disputes the Rema and rules that even when one reads for women, the blessing “Al mikra Megillah” is recited, and that is also the opinion of the Vilna Gaon (ad loc.).
Rabbi Yosef also notes that a number of halachic authorities, both Ashkenazic and Sephardic, rule like the Pri Chadash and the Vilna Gaon. However, Rabbi David Amar, a student of Rabbi Hayyim (Ibn) Attar, posits in his sefer Tefillah LeDavid (85b) that when reading the Megillah for women, the appropriate blessings are not recited at all because it is unrealistic to expect that they will not be distracted in the course of the reading, if only during a few words, and the reader would have uttered the blessings in vain. Rabbi Yosef cites several authorities who support this opinion, but points out that the Gemara (Megillah 18a) explains the Mishnaic statement (supra 17a), “If one who does not understand Hebrew heard it read in Hebrew, he has performed his obligation,” to refer to women and unschooled people, and it is obvious that the blessings are recited to perform that obligation.
We note that Ravina (ibid.) does not think that a perfect understanding of Hebrew is required in order to fulfill the obligation of reading the Megillah since nobody knows exactly, for example, what “Ha’achashtranim bnei ha’ramachim” (Esther 8:10) means, yet we still recite the blessings and perform the mitzvah of reading the Megillah and proclaiming the miracle (pirsumei nissa). Rashi explains that even if those who listen do not understand, they inquire and are told, and thus the miracle is proclaimed and publicized.
Rabbi Yosef remarks that, as explained by Pri Chadash, the established custom in Jerusalem is to recite the blessing “Al mikra Megillah” when reading before women. He concludes the controversy about the recital of the blessings with the statement that now that women are literate and understand well all that is written in the Megillah, it would not be right to deprive them of the blessings preceding the Megillah, namely, “Al mikra Megillah,” “She’asa nissim,” and “Shehecheyanu.”
Regarding the blessing at the conclusion of the reading of the Megillah, “Harav et riveinu,” it should be recited only in the presence of a quorum of ten, for it is in essence a prayer of thanksgiving (not directly related to the mitzvah of reading the Megillah). That is the ruling of most poskim, and this is what should be done, in particular since we follow the principle of “safek berachot le’hakel” – in cases of doubt we opt for leniency in the matter of berachot. Instead, he suggests to say, in accordance with Tosafot (Megillah 7b s.v. “Ad delo yada”) who quote the Yerushalmi, “Cursed be Haman, blessed be Mordechai, cursed be Zeresh, blessed be Esther, cursed be all the wicked and blessed be all the Jews.”
Rabbi Yosef concludes his responsum with a beautiful prayer that I like to share: “May Hashem, who wrought miracles for our forefathers in those days, at this time [of the year], perform for us acts of salvation, gather our exiles from the four corners of the earth, and hasten the era of miracles and wonders. And may ‘these days of Purim not disappear from among the Jews, nor their remembrance perish from their seed,’ as stated in Megillat Esther (9:28).”
Indeed, we hope that the message of Purim will keep reverberating in our hearts as we approach Passover, the Festival of Freedom, which is so intimately linked with the theme of geulah, the ultimate redemption.
