Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim Siman 690

Siman 690

Presented here for study, not as a practical ruling. The Shulchan Aruch rules by Sephardi custom, the Rema's glosses by Ashkenazi custom, and the Kitzur follows Ashkenazi custom. For a practical question, ask your rabbi.

א קוֹרֵא אָדָם אֶת הַמְּגִלָּה בֵּין עוֹמֵד בֵּין יוֹשֵׁב; אֲבָל לֹא יִקְרָא בְּצִבּוּר, יוֹשֵׁב, לְכַתְּחִלָּה מִפְּנֵי כְּבוֹד הַצִּבּוּר. הַגָּה: וְאָסוּר לַחַזָּן לִקְרוֹת אֶת הַמְּגִלָּה עַד שֶׁאוֹמְרִים לוֹ: קְרָא, (מָרְדְּכַי פֶּרֶק הַקוֹרֵא).
1 Laws of reading megilah One should read the Megillah either standing or sitting; but in shul in the first place he shouldn't read it sitting because of honor for the Congregation. Rema: it is forbidden for a Chazan to read the Megillah until they said to him "read". [Mordechai, Perek HaKoreh]
ב אֲפִלּוּ שְׁנַיִם, וַאֲפִלּוּ עֲשָׂרָה, יְכוֹלִים לִקְרוֹתָהּ בְּיַחַד וְיוֹצְאִים הֵם וְהַשּׁוֹמְעִים מֵהֶם.
2 Even only two, or even ten people, can read (the Megillah) together and they can fulfill the obligation and the obligation of the people listening to them.
ג צָרִיךְ לִקְרוֹתָהּ כֻּלָּהּ, וּמִתּוֹךְ הַכְּתָב; וְאִם קְרָאָהּ עַל פֶּה, לֹא יָצָא. וְצָרִיךְ שֶׁתְּהֵא כְּתוּבָה כֻּלָּהּ לְפָנָיו לְכַתְּחִלָּה, אֲבָל בְּדִיעֲבַד אִם הִשְׁמִיט הַסוֹפֵר בְּאֶמְצָעָהּ תֵּבוֹת, אֲפִלּוּ עַד חֶצְיָהּ, וּקְרָאָם הַקּוֹרֵא עַל פֶּה, יָצָא. הַגָּה: אֲבָל אִם הִשְׁמִיט תְּחִלָּתָהּ אוֹ סוֹפָהּ, אֲפִלּוּ מִעוּטָהּ, לֹא יָצָא (רַ"ן); וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּאֶמְצָעָהּ דַּוְקָא דְּלֹא הִשְׁמִיט עִנְיָן שָׁלֵם, (בֵּית יוֹסֵף בְּשֵׁם א"ח); אֲבָל בְּיוֹתֵר מֵחֶצְיָהּ, אֲפִלּוּ הֵן כְּתוּבוֹת, אֶלָּא שֶׁהֵן מְטֻשְׁטָשׁוֹת וְאֵין רִשּׁוּמָן נִכָּר, פְּסוּלָה.
3 You need to read the Megillah entirely and from a scroll; and if you read it by heart you do not fulfill your obligation. You need to have the whole scroll in front of you in the first place, but if the Sofer left out in the middle some letters even until half of it (the Megillah) and you read it, then the one who read it by heart fulfills his obligation. Rema: even if (the Sofer) left out letters from the beginning or the end, even if he left out just a little, one does not fulfill one's obligation (if you read from it by heart) [the R"an]. And even in the middle, specifically, where an entire topic is not left out [Beis Yosef]. However, if more than half (was left out), (or) even if the letters were written but they were unclear/blurry and their writing was not recognizable, it is pasul.
ד מִי שֶׁתּוֹפֵס בְּיָדוֹ מְגִלָּה שֶׁאֵינָהּ כְּשֵׁרָה, לֹא יִקְרָא עִם שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר, אֶלָּא שׁוֹמֵעַ וְשׁוֹתֵק. הַגָּה: וְכֵן לֹא יְסַיֵּע שׁוּם אָדָם עַל פֶּה לַחַזָּן, וְלָכֵן אוֹתָן הַפְּסוּקִים שֶׁקּוֹרִין הַקָּהָל צָרִיךְ הַחַזָּן לַחֲזֹר וְלִקְרוֹתָם מִתּוֹךְ מְגִלָּה כְּשֵׁרָה. (בֵּית יוֹסֵף בְּשֵׁם שִׁבּוֹלֵי לֶקֶט).
4 One who holds in his hand a Megillah that is not kosher may not read it with the Chazan (or reader in this case); rather he should listen and be quiet. Rema: Similarly, no one should assist the Chazan by mouth. And therefore regarding those verses that the congregation reads, the Chazan must go back and read them from a kosher Megillah [Beis Yosef in the name of Shibulei Leket]
ה קְרָאָהּ סֵרוּגִין, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁפָּסַק בָּהּ וְשָׁהָה וְאַחַר כָּךְ חָזַר לַמָּקוֹם שֶׁפָּסַק, אֲפִלּוּ שָׁהָה כְּדֵי לִגְמֹר אֶת כֻּלָּהּ, יָצָא. הַגָּה: וַאֲפִלּוּ סָח בֵּינְתַיִם. מִיהוּ גּוֹעֲרִין בְּמִי שֶׁסָּח בֵּינְתַיִם, כְּדִלְקַמָּן סִימָן תרצ"ב סָעִיף ב'. (הָרַשְׁבָּ"א סי' רמ"ד).
5 If one reads it in a grating manner, in other words, one stops and tarries and then afterwards goes back to the place that he stopped - even if one tarried in order to finish it all - he has fulfilled his obligation. Rema: And even if one speaks in the midst of it. But, we rebuke one who speaks in the midst of it, as like [the law is] below Siman 692, Seif 2 [the Rashba].
ו הַקּוֹרֵא אֶת הַמְּגִלָּה לְמַפְרֵעַ, לֹא יָצָא; קָרָא פָּסוּק אֶחָד וְדִלֵּג הַשֵּׁנִי וְקָרָא שְׁלִישִׁי וְאַחַר כָּךְ חָזַר וְקָרָא הַשֵּׁנִי, לֹא יָצָא. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁקָּרָא לְמַפְרֵעַ פָּסוּק אֶחָד; אֶלָּא כֵּיצַד יַעֲשֶׂה, מַתְחִיל מִפָּסוּק שֵׁנִי שֶׁשָּׁכַח, וְקוֹרֵא עַל הַסֵדֶר.
6 One who reads the Megillah incorrectly has not fulfilled his obligation. If one reads one verse and then skips over the second verse and read the third verse, and then afterwards he goes back and reads the second verse, he does not fulfill his obligation because he is reading one verse incorrectly. Rather, what does he do? He begins from the second verse that he forgot and continues to read in order.
ז הַקּוֹרֵא אֶת הַמְּגִלָּה עַל פֶּה, לֹא יָצָא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ.
7 One who reads the Megillah by heart does not fulfill his obligation.
ח הַלּוֹעֵז שֶׁשָּׁמַע אֶת הַמְּגִלָּה הַכְּתוּבָה בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ וּבְכִתְבֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ מַה הֵם אוֹמְרִים, יָצָא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ.
8 One who speaks a different language (other than Hebrew) who hears the Megillah which was written in the Holy Language (Hebrew) fulfills his obligation even if he does not know what they are saying.
ט הָיְתָה כְּתוּבָה תַּרְגּוּם אוֹ בְּלָשׁוֹן אַחֶרֶת מִלְּשׁוֹנוֹת הָעַכּוּ"ם, לֹא יָצָא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ בִּקְרִיאָתָהּ אֶלָּא הַמַּכִּיר אוֹתוֹ הַלָּשׁוֹן בִּלְבַד; אֲבָל אִם הָיְתָה כְּתוּבָה בִּכְתָב עִבְרִי, וּקְרָאָהּ אֲרַמִּית לַאֲרַמִּי, לֹא יָצָא, שֶׁנִּמְצָא זֶה קוֹרֵא עַל פֶּה, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁלֹּא יָצָא הַקּוֹרֵא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ לֹא יָצָא הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ מִמֶּנּוּ. הַגָּה: אֲבָל אֵין לָחוּשׁ בְּאֵיזֶה כְּתָב כְּתוּבָה (בֵּית יוֹסֵף).
9 If there is a writing of a translation, or [the Megillah] is written in another of the languages of the Non-Jews, one does not fulfill his obligation by reading it [in that language] unless he is familiar with the language itself. However, if [the Megillah] was written in Hebrew and one reads it in Aramaic, one does not fulfill his obligation, because this is like reading it by heart. Just like the reader does not fulfill his obligation in this manner, so to one who hears it from him. Rema: However we are not concerned about which language it was written in. [Beis Yosef]
י מִי שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ לַעַז וְיוֹדֵעַ אַשּׁוּרִית, אֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא בְּלַּעַז; וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁיּוֹצֵא. הַגָּה: וְאִם כְּתוּבָה בִּשְׁנֵי לְשׁוֹנוֹת, מִי שֶׁמְּבִינִים יָצְאוּ (בֵּית יוֹסֵף).
10 One who knows a foreign language, and knows the Assyrian language, he does not fulfill his obligation with that language. And there are those who say one does [fulfill one's obligation]. Rema: And if the writing is in two languages, he who understands it fulfills his obligation. [Beis Yosef]
יא יֵשׁ לִמְחוֹת בְּיַד הַקּוֹרְאִים לְנָשִׁים הַמְּגִלָּה בִּלְשׁוֹן לַעַז, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכְּתוּבָה בִּלְשׁוֹן לַעַז.
11 One should protest against those reading the Megillah to women in a foreign language, even though it is written in a foreign language.
יב קְרָאָהּ מִתְנַמְנֵם, הוֹאִיל וְלֹא נִרְדַּם בְּשֵׁנָה, יָצָא; אֲבָל אִם שְׁמָעָהּ מִתְנַמְנֵם, לֹא יָצָא.
12 If one is reading and dozes off, given that he didn't completely fall asleep, he has fulfilled his obligation. However if he heard it [from someone else] while dozing off he has not fulfilled his obligation.
יג הָיָה כּוֹתְבָהּ, שֶׁקּוֹרֵא פָּסוּק בַּמְּגִלָּה שֶׁהוּא מַעְתִּיק מִמֶּנָּה, וְכוֹתְבָהּ; אִם כִּוֵּן לִבּוֹ לָצֵאת יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ, יָצָא, וְהוּא שֶׁתְּהֵא כְּתוּבָה כֻּלָּהּ לְפָנָיו בַּמְּגִלָּה שֶׁהוּא מַעְתִּיק מִמֶּנָּה; וְכֵן אִם הָיָה מַגִּיהָהּ; וְכֵן אִם הָיָה דּוֹרְשָׁהּ, שֶׁקּוֹרֵא פָּסוּק בִּמְגִלָּה שְׁלֵמָה וְדוֹרְשׁוֹ, אִם כִּוֵּן לִבּוֹ לָצֵאת יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ, יָצָא; וְלֹא יַפְסִיק בָּהּ בְּעִנְיָנִים אֲחֵרִים כְּשֶׁדּוֹרְשָׁהּ, שֶׁאָסוּר לְהַפְסִיק בָּהּ בְּעִנְיָנִים אֲחֵרִים.
13 If a writer reads a verse in the Megillah in order to copy it and he writes it, if he intends in his heart to fulfill his obligation [in this manner] he does fulfill. This is where he writes the whole thing before him in the Megillah that he is copying from. And likewise if he is proofreader and also if he is an expositor who reads a verse in a whole Megillah and expounds upon it; if [these people] intend in their heart fulfill their obligation [in this manner] they do fulfill. And he must not delve into other matters while he expounds upon the Megillah as this is forbidden.
יד הַקּוֹרֵא אֶת הַמְּגִלָּה צָרִיךְ שֶׁיְּכַוֵּן לְהוֹצִיא הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ, וְצָרִיךְ שֶׁיְּכַוֵּן הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ לָצֵאת, וְאִם הַקּוֹרֵא שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר מִסְתָמָא דַּעְתּוֹ עַל כָּל הַשּׁוֹמְעִים, אֲפִלּוּ הֵם אֲחוֹרֵי בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת, אֵין מְדַקְדְּקִין בְּטָעֻיּוֹתֶיהָ; וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים דַּוְקָא בְּטָעוּת שֶׁהַלָּשׁוֹן וְהָעִנְיָן אֶחָד, כְּהַהוּא עֻבְדָּא דִּתְרֵי תַּלְמִידֵי דַּהֲווּ יָתְבֵי קַמֵּהּ דְּרַב, חַד קָרֵי יְהוּדִים וְחַד קָרֵי יְהוּדִיִּים וְלֹא אַהְדַּר חַד מִינַיְיהוּ; אֲבָל טָעוּת אַחֵר; לֹא.
14 One who reads the Megillah must intend to fulfill the obligations of those who hear it from him, and the one who hears must intend to fulfill his obligation through hearing it. And if the reader is the chazan he likely intends to fulfill the obligation of all who hear from him, even those in the back of the shul. We are not precise in correcting reading errors. And there are those who say [that we are not so precise] specifically with errors which don't change the meaning such as the two students that were sitting with Rav, and where one read it as Yehudim and another reads it as Yehudiim, and neither were corrected. But [according to this second opinion] regarding other errors [which do change the meaning] he does not fulfill their obligation [if he is not precise in the language].
טו צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר עֲשֶׂרֶת בְּנֵי הָמָן וְעֲשֶׂרֶת, הַכֹּל בִּנְשִׁימָה אַחַת, לְהוֹדִיעַ שֶׁכֻּלָּם נֶהֶרְגוּ וְנִתְלוּ כְּאֶחָד. הַגָּה: וְדַוְקָא לְכַתְּחִלָּה, אֲבָל בְּדִיעֲבַד אִם הִפְסִיק בֵּינֵיהֶם יָצָא (תוס' ספ"ק דִּמְגִלָּה וְאַבּוּדַרְהַם וּמַהֲרִי"ל). וּלְכַתְּחִלָּה נוֹהֲגִין לוֹמַר בִּנְשִׁימָה אַחַת מִתְּחִלַּת חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת אִישׁ וְאֶת פַּרְשַׁנְדָתָא וכו' עַד עֲשֶׂרֶת; (מַהֲרִי"ל בְּשֵׁם רוֹקֵחַ).
15 One must say the names of the ten sons of Haman in one breath, so that we may know that all of them were killed and hung as one. Rema: And specifically initially. However, after the fact, if one paused between them he has fulfilled his obligation. [Tosefos; Avudraham; Mahar"il] Initially, it is our custom to say everything in one breath from "500 men, and Parshandata, et" until the word "aseret". [Mahar"il in the name of the Rokeach]
טז צָרִיךְ שֶׁיֹּאמַר: אָרוּר הָמָן, בָּרוּךְ מָרְדְּכַי, אֲרוּרָה זֶרֶשׁ, בְּרוּכָה אֶסְתֵּר, אֲרוּרִים כָּל עוֹבְדֵי אֱלִילִים, בְּרוּכִים כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל; וְצָרִיךְ שֶׁיֹּאמַר: וְגַם חַרְבוֹנָה זָכוּר לְטּוֹב.
16 One must say "cursed is Haman", "Blessed is Mordechai", "cursed is Zeresh", "Blessed is Esther", "cursed are all those who worship idols", "Blessed are all Israel". And one must say "and Charvonah, may he be remembered for good".
יז מִנְהַג כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהַקּוֹרֵא קוֹרֵא וּפוֹשְׁטָה כְּאִגֶּרֶת, לְהַרְאוֹת הַנֵּס; וּכְשֶׁיִּגְמֹר, חוֹזֵר וְכוֹרְכָהּ כֻּלָּהּ, וּמְבָרֵךְ. הַגָּה: יֵשׁ שֶׁכָּתְבוּ שֶׁנּוֹהֲגִין לוֹמַר ד' פְּסוּקִים שֶׁל גְּאֻלָּה בְּקוֹל רָם, דְּהַיְנוּ: אִישׁ יְהוּדִי וְגו', וּמָרְדְּכַי יָצָא וְגו', לַיְּהוּדִים הָיְתָה אוֹרָה וְגו', כִּי מָרְדְּכַי הַיְהוּדִי וְגו'; וְכֵן נוֹהֲגִין בִּמְדִינוֹת אֵלּוּ (הַגָּהוֹת מַיְמוֹנִי פ"א וְכָל בּוֹ וְאַבּוּדַרְהַם); וְהַחַזָּן חוֹזֵר וְקוֹרֵא אוֹתָן. עוֹד כָּתְבוּ שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ הַתִּינוֹקוֹת לָצוּר צוּרַת הָמָן עַל עֵצִים וַאֲבָנִים, אוֹ לִכְתֹּב שֵׁם הָמָן עֲלֵיהֶן, וּלְהַכּוֹתָן זֶה עַל זֶה כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּמָּחֶה שְׁמוֹ עַל דֶּרֶךְ: מָחֹה תִּמְחֶה אֶת זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק (דְּבָרִים כה, יט) וְשֵׁם רְשָׁעִים יִרְקַב (מִשְׁלֵי י, ז) וּמִזֶּה נִשְׁתַּרְבֵּב הַמִּנְהָג שֶׁמַּכִּים הָמָן כְּשֶׁקּוֹרִים אֶת הַמְּגִלָּה בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת (אַבּוּדַרְהַם); וְאֵין לְבַטֵּל שׁוּם מִנְהָג אוֹ לִלְעֹג עָלָיו, כִּי לֹא לְחִנָּם הֻקְבָּע. (בֵּית יוֹסֵף בְּשֵׁם א"ח).
17 It is a custom of all Jews that the reader reads and spreads out [the Megillah] like a letter in order to make the miracle seen. And when one finishes, one goes back and wraps it all up and makes a blessing. Rema: There is what is written that we say four verses of redemption in a loud voice, [the verses are] "A Jewish Man", "And Mordechai went out", "The Jews had light", "Because Mordechai the Jew" and such is the custom in our lands. [Hagahos Maimoni; Kol Bo; Avudraham]. And then the reader goes back and reads these verses. It is also written that the young children are accustomed to draw pictures of Haman on trees or stones or to write the name of Haman on themselves and to strike one against the other in order to blot out his name according to "The name of Amalek shall surely be erased" (Devarim 25:19) and "But the fame of the wicked rots". (Proverbs 10:7). From this is derived the custom that we strike Haman wen we read the Megillah in the synagogue [Avudraham]. We must not nullify any custom nor should we ridicule [any custom] because "לא לחנם הוקבע". [Beis Yosef]
יח מְגִלָּה בְּי"ד וּבְט"ו צָרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר אַחַר עֲשָׂרָה, וְאִם אִי אֶפְשָׁר בַּעֲשָׂרָה קוֹרִים אוֹתָם בְּיָחִיד. הַגָּה: וְיֵשׁ לְהִסְתַּפֵּק אִם נָשִׁים מִצְטָרְפוֹת לַעֲשָׂרָה. (הַגָּהוֹת אֲשֵׁרִי פ"ק טוּר סי' תרס"ט). וְאִם קָרְאוּ אוֹתָם בְּצִבּוּר, וְאֵיזֶה יָחִיד לֹא שְׁמָעָהּ, יָכוֹל לִקְרוֹת אֲפִלּוּ לְכַתְּחִלָּה בְּיָחִיד, הוֹאִיל וְקוֹרִין אוֹתָם בְּאוֹתָהּ הָעִיר בַּעֲשָׂרָה (בֵּית יוֹסֵף בְּשֵׁם א"ח); וּכְשֶׁהַיָּחִיד קוֹרֵא אוֹתָהּ בִּזְמַנָּהּ, צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ עָלֶיהָ. (בֵּית יוֹסֵף).
18 The Megillah [of Esther is read] on the 14th [of Adar in unwalled cities] and on the 15th [of Adar in waled cities], [and] one must make sure that [he is attending the Megillah reading among] a [congregation of at least] ten men. And if one cannot find [a congregation of] ten men, one may read it by himself. Rema: It is uncertain if women are [legally counted as composing part of] a congregation of [at least] ten men [Hagahos Ashiri; Tur]. If [the Megillah] is read in a congregation [of at least ten men], and an individual happened to not hear the reading, he should read it on his own (even though ideally, one must seek a congregation of at least ten men), since [at least] it is being read in his city amongst a congregation [of at least ten men] [Beis Yosef in the name of Orach Chayim]. And when an individual (not amongst a community) reads it during the time [period when it is legally required], he must make a blessing (special blessing acknowledging the requirement of reading the Megillah) on it. [Beis Yosef]
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