Mr. Goodman woke early on Purim morning to daven Vasikin. By 7:45 a.m., he was already home from shul after Megillah reading.
“I’m going to bring mishloach manos to our neighbors, the Shushans,” Mr. Goodman said to his wife.
“It’s only 8 a.m.!” she exclaimed. “I hope they’re up!”
“I saw Mr. Shushan in shul this morning,” said Mr. Goodman. “He also davened early.”
Mr. Goodman knocked on the door. “A freilichen Purim!” Mr. Shushan greeted him warmly. “Come have a drink! We’ve got some fine Carmel wine!”
Mr. Goodman was surprised to see the family sitting around the table, already eating their Purim seudah, with suitcases arranged neatly by the door.
“What’s going on?” Mr. Goodman asked. “Are you traveling?”
“Indeed!” answered Mr. Shushan. “We’re flying this afternoon to our son in Yerushalayim. B’ezras Hashem, we’ll get there tomorrow morning.”
“Wow!” exclaimed Mr. Goodman. “You get to celebrate Purim twice! In Yerushalayim, they celebrate tomorrow, the 15th of Adar.”
“Sort of…” replied Mr. Shushan. “We won’t get to Yerushalayim till after daybreak, so we won’t be obligated in the mitzvos of Purim. But yes, we’ll enjoy the festivities and costumes, and join our son and his family for their Purim seudah. It’s quite leibedig!”
Mr. Goodman thought for a moment. “I have needy relatives in Yerushalayim who live near your son,” he said. “Could you bring them matanos la’evyonim from me? It will make their Purim really happy!” He took five $100 bills out of his wallet.
“I’m happy to bring them the money,” said Mr. Shushan, “but I’m not sure it counts as matanos la’evyonim for you. They don’t celebrate Purim today, and tomorrow it won’t be Purim for you.”
“Why shouldn’t it count?” responded Mr. Goodman. “I’m giving it on my Purim, and they’re getting it on their Purim.”
Later that day, Mr. Goodman brought mishloach manos to Rabbi Dayan and asked:
“Can I send matanos la’evyonim to someone living in Yerushalayim which they will receive when they are celebrating Purim?”
“Many Acharonim allow sending matanos la’evyonim before Purim, provided it gets to the needy recipient on Purim,” replied Rabbi Dayan (Be’er Heitev 695:7; Piskei Teshuvos 694:8; see, however, Aruch HaShulchan 695:17).
“This indicates that we primarily follow the recipient. Based on this, several Acharonim maintain that if someone outside of Yerushalayim gives money to a needy recipient living in Yerushalayim on the 14th, and the needy person saves it until the 15th or if the giver sent it on the 14th and the recipient in Yerushalayim receives it on the 15th, the giver fulfills his obligation of matanos la’evyonim (Mishneh Halachos 4:87; Divrei Moshe (Halberstam) #38-39; Ir HaKodesh v’HaMikdash, vol 3, 26:7; Toras HaMoadim, Purim 6:8).
However, other Acharonim maintain that the giver does not fulfill his obligation, since the 14th is not Purim for the recipient. Therefore, these Acharonim hold that a gift to this recipient cannot be defined as matanos la’evyonim vis-à-vis the giver, who is obligated to fulfill matanos la’evyonim on the 14th (Halichos Shlomo, Purim 19:21; Teshuvos v’Hanhagos 1:404; Mikra’ei Kodesh (Harari) 11:7).
A similar discussion exists regarding mishloach manos. The ruling may depend on the classic question of whether the primary purpose of mishloach manos is to increase camaraderie or to enable others to have the joy of the Purim seudah (Moadim u’Zmanim 2:186).
Your question can arise even outside of Yerushalayim when there is a significant time zone difference. Matanos la’evyonim should be given during the daytime on Purim. Thus, ideally, money should not be given in Israel on the morning of the 14th on behalf of someone living in America, when it is still nighttime there, but some are lenient. Conversely, someone living in America can no longer fulfill matanos la’evyonim in the afternoon by wiring money to someone living in Israel, since for the recipient, Purim is over (Mishnah Berurah 695:22; Az Nidberu 6:80; Mikraei Kodesh (Frank) 45:3; Mikraei Kodesh (Harari) 11:10).
Within Israel, if a resident of Yerushalayim sleeps outside of Yerushalayim on the eve of the 14th, he is obligated in the mitzvos of Purim also on the 14th. Then, everyone agrees that he can give matanos la’evyonim also on the 14th (O.C. 688:5; Mishnah Berurah 688:12).
“Returning to your case, it remains an unresolved dispute in the Acharonim,” concluded Rabbi Dayan. “People are typically not stringent about this, since usually they give gifts to two local needy individuals anyway” (Bi’ur Halachah 694:1).
Verdict: The Acharonim dispute whether one can send matanos la’evyonim on the 14th to a resident of Yerushalayim. Within Israel, if the resident sleeps outside of Yerushalayim on the eve of the 14th, it is certainly permissible.