Men, women, and children must hear the Megillah on Purim night, and again on Purim day. At night it should be read after tzeit hakochavim - the appearance of stars in the sky, and in the morning after neitz hachamah - sunrise.
Preferably it should be read in a shul, and in the presence of a minyan of ten men -- so that it will accomplish pirsumei nisa - publicizing of the miracle, and also so that it will be in accordance with the principle "Berov am hadrat melech" - "In the multitude of people is the King's glory" (Proverbs 14:28).
The prevailing custom (including Chabad) is that before beginning to read the Megillah, the reader and the listeners open their Megillahs in the manner of a letter (folded three times). Three berachot - blessings - are then recited . The reader should have in mind the intent of fulfilling the obligation for the congregation for the berachot and the reading. The listeners should have in mind the intent to fulfill their obligation of hearing the Megillah read.Everyone should listen carefully to the berachot, and not interrupt by answering "Baruch Hu uvaruch Shemo." One should simply answer "Amein" at the conclusion of each berachah.
The reader must stand while reciting the berachot and reading the Megillah in public. The listeners may sit. However, when the berachot are recited, all must stand.
It is forbidden to make any interruption until the conclusion of
the blessing which is recited after the reading. If the reader or the
listener misses even one word, he fails to fulfill his obligation. In this case the
reader must return to the word that was missed, and re-read the Megillah from that point on.
Unless the listener is holding a kosher Megillah in his hands, he should not read along with the reader.
During the reading, when the name of Haman is mentioned, it is customary to "bang" or stamp with the feet, to sound graggers (noise makers), etc. In many shuls (including Chabad shuls) this is done only when Haman's name is accompanied by a description such as "Haman HaAgagi" etc. When this noise occurs, the reader should stop, and not resume reading the Megillah till absolute quiet prevails.
It is customary for the entire congregation to read four verses aloud: "Ish Yehudi" (2:5), "U'Mordechai yatza" (8:15), "LaYehudim..." (8:16), and "Ki Mordechai..." (10:3). Afterward the reader repeats them.
The names of Haman's ten sons (9:7-9) should be read in one breath. This includes the preceding words, "Chameish mei'ot ish," and the following word "aseret."
(The Chabad custom is that this is also read by the listeners first, with one breath.)
| The Phrases Laharog ul'abeid (Esther 8:11) and V'ish lo amad bif'neihem (Esther 9:2) |
| According to HoRav Mordechai Breuer, both laharog (in Esther 8:11) and bif'neihem (in Esther 9:2) are incorrect, and the only correct readings are v'laharog and lif'neihem. Nevertheless, the prevailing custom (according to the Shita Mekubetzet) is to firstly read Esther 8:11 using the version laharog, and to then repeat using the version v'laharog. Similarly, we firstly read Esther 9:2 using the version bif'neihem, and then repeat using lif'neihem. What exactly is repeated? In some shuls, the reader repeats just the word; in others, he repeats the whole phrase [V'ish lo amad bif'neihem]; and in still others, he repeats the entire pasuk (verse). |
When the reader pronounces the phrases, "Ha'iggeret hazot" - "this letter" (9:26), and "Iggeret haPurim hazot" - "this Purim letter" (9:29), the Megillah should be lifted and shaken.
After the reading of the Megillah, the concluding berachah, "Harav et riveinu" is recited.
There are different customs as to whether only the reader recites this concluding berachah, or whether the listeners also do so, and whether the rolling up of the Megillah is done before the berachah or afterwards, and if the berachah is recited only when the Megillah is read in public.
The prevailing custom (including Chabad) is that the berachah is recited only by the reader. It is recited before the Megillah is rolled up, and only when the Megillah is read in public (with a quorum of ten men).
Afterward all recite, "Asher heini," followed by "Shoshanat Yaakov." (Chabad custom is to say only "Shoshanat Yaakov.")
All the details regarding the Megillah reading apply equally at night and during the day. (The Chabad custom is that when the Megillah is read during the day, during Shacharit, the Rashi tefillin are worn, and "Asher heini" is not recited.)
During the day when the berachah of "Shehechiyanu" is recited by the Megillah reader,
everyone should also have in mind the mitzvot of mishlo'ach manot (shalach-mones) -
sending portions of edibles to friends; matanot le'evyonim - gifts to
the poor; and the se'udah - festive meal.