“There
are those that maintain that the reading of Parshat Zachor and Parshat Parah is
a Torah obligation. Therefore, people
living in an area in which there is not a congregation are obligated to come to
a place that has a minyan for these Shabbatot.
This is in order to hear these Torah readings that are Torah
commandments.”
(Shulchan Aruch, Orech Chaim 685:7)
The
Shabbat prior to Purim, we read Parshat Zachor. This special reading is found at the end of Parshat Ki Tetze. It discusses two mitzvot. The first is the
obligation to remember the evil of Amalek.
The second is the obligation to destroy the very memory of this corrupt
nation. Shulchan Aruch notes that,
according to many authorities, the reading of Parshat Zachor is required in
order to fulfill the mitzvah of
remembering Amalek. Therefore, it is
important for every person to hear this reading.
Parshat
Zachor is one of two sections in the Torah that discusses the wickedness of
Amalek. The second section is at the
end of Parshat Beshalach. These
passages describe the unprovoked war that Amalek waged against Bnai
Yisrael. This section also records
Hashem’s pledge to destroy Amalek.
These passages are the Torah reading for Purim. Magen Avraham raises an interesting
question. Can one fulfill the
obligation to recall the wickedness of Amalek through the Purim Torah
reading? This reading also discusses
the wickedness of Amalek.
Magen
Avraham suggests that one can fulfill the obligation to remember Amalek with
the Purim reading. He argues that there
is no reason for specifically requiring one to read the passages at the end of
Parshat Ki Tetze. Neither is there any
obvious reason for requiring that one fulfill the mitzvah the week before Purim.
Rav
Yosef Dov Soloveitchik Zt”l disagrees.
He points out that there is a basic difference between these two
sections. Parshat Zachor discusses the mitzvot regarding Amalek. These are the mitzvot to remember Amalek and to destroy the nation. The reading of Purim does not describe these
commandments.
Rav
Soloveitchik continues his analysis with a very simple question. What is the nature of this mitzvah to remember Amalek? In his Mishne Torah, Maimonides implies that
this commandment to remember Amalek is closely linked to the mitzvah to destroy the nation. Maimonides explains that we are required to
destroy Amalek. Then, he adds that we
are required to regularly recall the evil of Amalek in order to evoke an
abhorrence of this nation. Maimonides
seems to imply that remembering Amalek is a precursor to waging war against the
nation. We remember Amalek in order to
motivate us to fulfill the commandment to destroy Amalek.[1]
This
implication is confirmed by Maimonides’ formulation of the mitzvah to destroy Amalek in his Sefer HaMitzvot. There,
Maimonides writes that we are obligated to recall the evil of Amalek in order
to motivate the Bnai Yisrael to wage war with this wicked nation.[2]
Rav
Soloveitchik suggests that Maimonides’ formulation of the mitzvah to remember Amalek suggests that Parshat Zachor may be
specifically required. It is possible
that the Purim reading is not adequate.
The mitzvah to remember Amalek
is designed to provide motivation for waging war. It is reasonable to assume that the mitzvah can only be fulfilled through a Torah reading that
specifies the obligation to destroy Amalek.
Through this reading, the recollection of Amalek’s wickedness is linked
to the commandment to destroy the nation.
The Purim reading does not discuss the requirement to wage war against
Amalek. This commandment is only
mentioned in Parshat Zachor.[3]
“One
is obligated to read the Megilah at night and to repeat it during the day…” (Shulcah Aruch, Orech Chayyim 687:1)
Shulchan
Aruch explains that the Megilah is read twice on Purim. It is read at night and during the day. This law is derived from the Talmud in
Tractate Megilah.[4] Tosefot and many other commentaries explain
that the two readings of the Megilah are not of equal importance. The more fundamental reading is during the
day. There are numerous proofs for this assertion. One simple proof is that the fundamental mitzvot of Purim are observed during the day. For example, the
Purim feast can only be held during the day.
The Talmud equates these observances to the reading of the Megilah. The equation seems to imply that, just as
other mitzvot performed of Purim must
be performed during the day, so too the reading of the Megilah is related to
the day of Purim and not the night. [5]
This
raises an interesting question. Why,
then is the Megilah read at night?
Secondly, the wording of Shulcah Aruch and the Talmud seem to imply that
the nighttime reading is the more fundamental.
Both refer to the daytime reading as a repetition of the nighttime
reading. Referring to the second
reading as a repetition indicates that it is secondary!
Rav
Naftali Tzvi Yehudah Berlin (Netziv) Zt”l answers this question through
a brilliant explanation of the relationship between the two readings. In order to understand his explanation, we
must more carefully study the text of the Talmud.
The
discussion in the Talmud begins by quoting Ribbee Yehoshua ben Levi. He explains that a person is required to
read the Megilah at night and lesshnotah
by day. The term lesshnotah can be interpreted in two ways. It can mean “to learn” or it can be
understood as “to repeat”. At first the
Talmud understands the term to mean “to learn”. According to this interpretation, we are required to read the
Megilah at night and the study the laws during the day. The Talmud rejects this interpretation and
concludes that lesshnotah means “to
repeat”. Therefore, the requirement is
to read the Megilah at night and repeat the reading during the day.
Netziv
asks, “How could the Talmud initially assume that the Megilah is not read
during the day?” Yet this seems to be
the Talmud’s original understanding of Ribbee Yehoshua ben Levi’s lesson. The Talmud interprets his statement to mean
that the Megilah is read at night and the laws of Purim are studied during the
day!
Netziv
responds that the Talmud never assumed that the laws of Purim should be learned
to the exclusion of reading the Megilah.
The Talmud always understood that the fundamental reading of the Megilah
takes place during the daytime.
Instead, the Talmud originally assumed that Ribbee Yehoshua ben Levi was
establishing an additional requirement.
Beyond the mere reading to the Megilah, one must study the laws. This enriches the reading of the
Megilah. Through the study of the laws,
the student acquires a more advanced comprehension of the Megilah’s
contents. Netziv further points out
that this initial interpretation of Ribbee Yehoshua ben Levi’s dictum reveals
an essential premise of the Talmud. The
Talmud assumes that Ribbee Yehoshua ben Levi is not describing the fundamental mitzvah of reading the Megilah. The fundamental mitzvah is to merely read the Megilah during the day! Ribbee Yehoshua ben Levi is establishing a
requirement to enhance this performance.
Through
identifying the Talmud’s premise, Netziv answers our questions. The Talmud rejects its initial
interpretation of Ribbee Yehoshua ben Levi’s lesson. His intention is to require the reading of the Megilah at night
and its repetition during the day. However, the Talmud never abandons its
essential premise! Ribbee Yehoshua ben
Levi is establishing a requirement to enhance the performance of the mitzvah. In order to enhance the reading during the day, it must be
preceded by a reading during the night.
The daytime reading will be a repetition of the nighttime reading. Like any material, the Megilah more is
understood more clearly with review!
Because the daytime reading is a second review, it will be better
understood and appreciated.
Netziv
explains that the nighttime reading is required to prepare us for the daytime
reading. The daytime reading must be a
repetition of the nighttime reading.
True, the Talmud and Shulchan Aruch
refer to the daytime reading as a repetition. However, this is not intended to diminish the importance of this
second reading. The intention is to
stress its fundamental nature. Through
rendering this daytime reading into a repetition it is enhanced with greater
understanding and appreciation.[6]
[1] Rabbaynu Moshe ben Maimon (Rambam / Maimonides) Mishne Torah,
Hilchot Melachim 5:5.
[2] Rabbaynu Moshe ben Maimon (Rambam / Maimonides) Sefer HaMitzvot, Mitzvat Aseh 189.
[3] Rav Michel Sherkin, Harrai Kedem, Chapter 195.
[4] Mesechet Megilah 4a.
[5] Tosefot,
Mesechet Megilah 4a.
[6] Rav Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin (Netziv), Meromai Sadeh,
Commentary on Mesechet Megilah 4a.