Masechta Megillah

1. Masechta Megillah YUHSB 9th Grade Rabbi Schenker

2. (Beraisa): Fourty-eight male and seven female Nevi'im prophecized to Yisrael; they did not detract nor add to the Torah, except for Kri'as ha'Megilah. What was their source to add Megillas Esther? (R. Chiya bar Avin): We sing Shirah (Hallel) for going from slavery to freedom (on Pesach), all the more so for going from death to life! If so, we should also say Hallel (on Purim)?!

3. ת"ר ארבעים ושמונה נביאים ושבע נביאות להם לישראל ולא פחתו ולא הותירו על מה שכתוב בתורה חוץ ממקרא מגילה מאי דרוש אמר רבי חייא בר אבין אמר רבי יהושע בן קרחה ומה ומה מעבדות לחירות אמרי' שירה ממיתה לחיים לא כל שכן אי הכי הלל נמי נימא Megillah Lines 1-7

5. If so, we should also say Hallel (on Purim)?! Answer #1: We do not say Hallel on a miracle in Chutz la'Aretz. Answer #2 (Rav Nachman): Kri'as ha'Megilah is like Hallel. Answer #3 (Rava): Hallel begins with "Halelu Avdei Hash-m..." This is fitting for Yetzi'as Miztrayim, for we ceased to be slaves of Paroh. On Purim we did not become (exclusively) Avdei Hash-m; we remained subjects of Achashverosh! Yetzi'as Miztrayim was in Chutz la'Aretz, and we say Shirah! (Beraisa): Before we entered Eretz Yisrael, all lands were fit to say Shirah (for a miracle done there). After we entered Eretz Yisrael, they were disqualified from Shirah.

6. לפי שאין אומרים הלל על נס שבחוצה לארץ יציאת מצרים דנס שבחוצה לארץ היכי אמרינן שירה כדתניא עד שלא נכנסו ישראל לארץ הוכשרו כל ארצות לומר שירה משנכנסו ישראל לארץ לא הוכשרו כל הארצות לומר שירה רב נחמן אמר קרייתא זו הלילא רבא אמר בשלמא התם (תהילים קיג) הללו עבדי ה' ולא עבדי פרעה אלא הכא הללו עבדי ה' ולא עבדי אחשורוש אכתי עבדי אחשורוש אנן Lines 8-13

8. Iyun on the Daf • When the Gemara asked “what was their source?”, what was bothering the Gemara? • It’s possible for it to be the issur of bal tosif, which is the issur to add on new mitzvos to the Torah?! • However it can’t be because bal tosif is only when we physically add onto a mitzvah; for example if we add a 5th parsha onto tefillin or a 5th corner onto tzitzis. However, to do something extra is not bal tosif. • Rav Herschel Schachter (Rosh Kollel YU) explains that the issur must be the issur of a Navi adding a new mitzvah to the Torah which is its own separate issur. • So when the Gemara made a kal v’chomer from shira on Pesach, it needed to do that to show that Mordechai wasn’t making a new law out of nowhere, he was basing it on a kal v’chomer (which is a d’oraisa tool) based on a previous posuk in the chumash.

9. Iyun on the Daf • When did we say shira when we went from slaver to freedom? • Rashi explains that it is when we sang Az Yashir after crossing the Yam Suf. • The Chasam Sofer (R’ Moshe Sofer, Hungary, Late 1700’s) explains that according to Rashi, Az yashir was a model for all generations. This comparison is a Kal Vachomer which is teaches laws that are d’orasisa. Therefore according to Rashi and this Gemara, the obligation to read the Megilla on Purim which is its shira, is a mitzvah from the Torah.

10. Iyun on the Daf • What else does Purim have in common with Pesach? • They were both events which led to a national redemption and led further to a creation of a temple. In the desert we built the Mishkan after we left Mitzrayim. • After Purim, Esther’s and Achashveirosh’s son was named Daryavash (Darius). He became king after his father. When the Jews wanted to build the 2nd Beis Hamikdash, the Navi Nechemya asked Daryavash and not only did he let them, he helped them.

11. Iyun on the Daf • We see from both events, that whenever we have a building of a temple, there is an obligation to make a Yom Tov. We see this from the following events: • After the Mishkan was built, they had a week of Yom Tov and korbanos. • After they fixed up the Beis Hamikdash by Chanukah, they declared a Yom Tov. • After Shlomo finished building the 1st B”H, he declared a week long Yom Tov of seudos which actually went through Yom Kippur that year.