DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

Halacha is In Memory of
 Sarah bat Helen
"Who didn't love your beautiful smile? We will always love you mom"

Dedicated By
Her family

Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
      
(File size: 612 KB)
Purim – The Writing of the Names of Haman’s Sons in the Megilla

Halacha requires that the verses which list the names of Haman’s ten sons should occupy an entire column of the Megila; these names must appear on a separate column, without any other text. It is therefore common to write the names in especially large script, as otherwise, there would be blank space, which, according to some opinions, would disqualify the Megilla (as it would constitute an unwarranted paragraph break).

The Vilna Gaon (Rabbi Eliyahu of Vilna, 1720-1797), however, noted that there is no established tradition that the letters of the names of Haman’s sons should be written in large script. We have such a tradition regarding a number of other letters in the Megilla, such as the "Tav" in "Va’tichtov" and the "Vav" in "Vayezata," but there is no tradition regarding the names of the ten sons of Haman. Therefore, the Gaon maintained that the entire Megila should be written with only eleven lines in every column, so that the column with the names of Haman’s sons will be the same size as all the other columns of the Megilla, and they could be written in normal-sized script.

Most Megillot that are written and used today are not written in accordance with the Gaon’s view. Nevertheless, those who are looking to purchase a Megilla should be aware that there is a Hiddur (means of enhancing the Misva) to have the entire Megilla written with only eleven lines in each column, to satisfy this opinion of the Vilna Gaon.

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
Pesah- Use Your Best Dishes & The Proper Time for Kiddush
Pesah – If a Gentile Bring Hametz Into One’s Home
Some Laws of Chol Ha'mo'ed
Pesah-How Much Massa Must One Eat at the Seder?
Passover- Complications of Mechirat Hametz When One Travels Overseas for Pesah
Passover- Bedikat Hametz – Where One is Required to Search; the Custom to Put Ten Pieces of Bread Around the Home Before the Search
Pesah-If a Piece of Wheat is Found in Rice During Pesah
The Sale of Hametz: The Need for a Formal “Kinyan,” and the Status of Wine Sold to a Gentile
Pesah-Baking Massa on Erev Pesah
Pesah-What Massa Must be Used for the Seder Night?
Pesah-Baking Massot on Ereb Pesah
Pesah-The Water Used to Bake Massot
Pesah-What are the practical applications of “Stolen Massa?”
Is it Proper to Recite the 13 Midot on Yom Tob?
How Many Days of Yom Tob Does One Observe if He Always Visits Israel for the Shalosh Regalim?
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found