Siman - Megillah Daf 4
- Why women are chayav in reading the Megillah and discussing the Megillah on Shabbos
The Gemara brings a number of rulings from Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi. He said: נשים חייבות במקרא מגילה שאף הן היו באותו הנס – Women are obligated in the reading of the Megillah as they too were included in that miracle. Rashi explains that Haman decreed to kill the women too. Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi also said: פורים שחל להיות בשבת שואלין ודורשין בענינו של יום – If Purim falls on Shabbos, when the Megillah is not read, we ask and have shiurim on the topic of the day. The Gemara asks why it was necessary to teach that specifically with Purim, when this halachah of speaking about the topic of the day applies to all Yomim Tovim. The Gemara answers, that one might have said נגזור משום דרבה – we should decree that it is forbidden to do give a drasha on Purim because of what Rabbah explained, that the Rabbis forbade reading the Megillah on Shabbos lest one carry it dalet amos in reshus harabim. Rashi explains that if we permit giving a drasha on the Megillah on Shabbos, one might come to read the Megillah on Shabbos. Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi is coming to teach that there is no prohibition of saying a drasha on Purim which falls on Shabbos.
- חייב אדם לקרות את המגילה בלילה ולשנותה ביום
Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi also said: חייב אדם לקרות את המגילה בלילה ולשנותה ביום – A person is chayav to read the Megillah at night of Purim and repeat it the following day, as it is written in the passuk: "אלקי אקרא יומם ולא תענה ולילה ולא דומיה לי" – My G-d, I call out by day and You do not answer; by night, and there is no reprieve for me. The talmidim who heard this, thought that he meant that one should read the Megillah at night and learn the Mishnayos of Maseches Megillah by day. Rashi explains that they understood לשנותה to be mean to study Mishnah. Rebbe Yirmiyah said to them that it was explained to him personally by Rebbe Chiya bar Abba, that לשנותה here means to repeat, as people say, I will finish this parsha and then repeat it. Rebbe Chelbo said in the name of Ulla from Biri, that a person is chayav to read the Megillah at night and then read it the following day, as it is written in the passuk: "למען יזמרך כבוד ולא ידום ה' אלקי לעולם אודך" – So that my soul might sing to You and not be silent, Hashem my G-d, I will thank you forever.
- When do unwalled towns read the Megillah when the fifteenth falls on Shabbos?
It was taught in a Baraisa: חל להיות בערב שבת – If the fourteenth of Adar falls on erev Shabbos, כפרים ועיירות גדולות מקדימין ליום הכניסה – villages and large towns bring their reading earlier, to Thursday, ומוקפין חומה קורין בו ביום – and walled cities read on that day, being Friday. Rebbe says: אומר אני לא ידחו עיירות ממקומן אלא אלו ואלו קורין בו ביום – I say, that the unwalled towns should not be pushed from their regular place, the fourteenth of Adar, but rather both the unwalled towns and walled cities read on Friday. The Gemara clarifies that they both use the same passuk to support their positions. The passuk states: "בכל שנה ושנה" – in each and every year. The Tanna Kamma holds that just as in each year, unwalled towns read the day before walled cities, so too here when the fifteenth is on Shabbos, and walled cities read on Friday, the unwalled towns should read before and read on Thursday, the thirteenth. Rebbe learns from that passuk, that just as in each year, unwalled towns are not moved from their place and shifted to an earlier date, so too here they are not shifted, and they read the Megillah on Friday, which is the fourteenth.
