Siman - Megillah Daf 7
- כתבוני לדורות
Rav Shmuel bar Yehudah said: שלחה להם אסתר לחכמים – Esther sent the following message to the Chochomim: קבעוני לדורות – Fix me for generations, meaning establish my name for generations, by establishing the festival of Purim and the reading of the Megillah. They sent her the following reply: קנאה את מעוררת עלינו לבין האומות – You are going to arouse the wrath of the nations against us, as Rashi explains, they will say that we are rejoicing by recalling their downfall. She answered back: I am already written in the chronicles of the Kings of Persia and Medes. Four Amoraim taught a different exchange. Esther requested: כתבוני לדורות – Write me, referring to the story of Purim, for generations. They responded that in Mishlei it is written about recording the battle of Amalek: "הלא כתבתי לך שלישים" – Have I not written for you three times? Three times and not four times, meaning the battle with Amalek has already been recorded three times, and should not be written about a fourth time. They were against including the Megillah in Tanach until they found the passuk that stated: "כתב זאת זכרון בספר" – Write this for a memorial in a sefer. “Write this” refers to the two parshios in the Torah about Amalek in Beshalach and Ki Seitzei, “as a remembrance” refers to the parsha of Amalek in Neviim, “in a sefer” refers to what is written in the Megillah.
- אסתר ברוח הקדש נאמרה
It was taught in a Baraisa: Rebbe Eliezer said: אסתר ברוח הקודש נאמרה – Megillas Esther was written with ruach hakodesh, since there are things written that no one could have known about. For it is stated in the passuk: "ויאמר המן בלבו" – And Haman said in his heart. Rebbe Akiva brought the passuk: ותהי אסתר נשאת חן בעיני כל ראיה"” – And Esther found favor in the eyes of all who saw her. Rebbe Meir brought the passuk: "ויודע הדבר למרדכי" – And the matter became known to Mordechai. Rashi explains that Mordechai could not have known about Bigsan and Teresh’s plot to assassinate Achashverosh if not for ruach hakodesh. Rebbe Yose ben Durmaskis brought the passuk: "ובבזה לא שלחו את ידם" – They did not lay their hands on the spoils of war. Rashi explains that it was not possible for the authors of the Megillah to know that this was the case in distant places. Shmuel said that if he had been present when the Tannaim presented their pesukim, he would have bested them all, and said that it says in the passuk, "קימו וקבל" – They established and accepted, which means קימו למעלה מה שקיבלו למטה – they confirmed above in the Beis Din shel Maalah what the Jews accepted, referring to the reading of the Megillah. The Gemara continues by showing that each of the Tannaim’s sources are not conclusive.
- מיחייב איניש לבסומי
Rava said: מיחייב איניש לבסומי בפוריא – One is chayav to get drunk with wine on Purim, עד דלא ידע בין ארור המן לברוך מרדכי – until he does not know the difference between cursed is Haman and blessed is Mordechai. The Gemara relates that Rabbah and Rebbe Zeira had the Purim seudah together, and when they became drunk Rabbah shechted Rebbe Zeira. The next day, Rabbah davened for rachamim and revived Rebbe Zeira. The next year, Rabbah asked Rebbe Zeira to come again so they could have the Purim seudah together. Rebbe Zeira answered him: לא בכל שעתא ושעתא מתרחיש ניסא – Not every time does a miracle happen.
