Purim Torah

As this week is a hectic week I have made sure that whenever you get around to reading this. it will be approriate. Whether you read this on Purim, or don't get a chance to read it till Pesach, Sukkos or even next Chanukah - read on because there is something approriate for you. The following question was posed to me this week: Why are women required to hear the Megillah? Isn't it a Mitzvas Asey Sh'hazman Grama? As we have discussed multiple times all positive commandments that are time bound, women are exempt from performing. So, as the requirement to read the Megillah is only on the 14th of Adar, unless you live in Yerushalyim where it is the 15th, women should be exempt. However, we know they aren't. So what gives? The Gemara Megillah actually asks this question and answers with a very interesting rule: Af Hen Hayo B'oso Ha'Nais- Since women were an integral part of the miracle, they too are required to perform the mitzvos of the day. This concept comes up three times throughout the Gemara- in regards to Megillah on Purim, drinking four cups of wine on Pesach, and lighting the Menorah on Chanukah. While this rule might seem nice and promote equality in the genders, we are faced with a daunting question. If the guiding principal in this rule is that any mitzva that is based off a miracle in which women played a role trumps the time bound exemption, why don't women have to put on tefillin? One of the sources for the requirement for tefillin is based off of the pasuk "Ki B'yad chazakah hotzeiacha Hashem M'Mitzraim" for with a strong hang Hashem took you out of Eygpt. If women have to drink four cups of wine on Pesach because they partook in the exodus shouldn't they also have to wear Teffilin to commerate the event? Rav Soloveitchik answered there with classic Brisk Lomdus. He says there is a fundamental difference between the two commandments of 4 cups and Teffilin. The concept of "Af Hain" is only said when the fulfillment of the mitzva is a means to Persumei Nisa - publicizing the miracle, like by the 4 cups. However, if the mitzva is only a recolocation of a miracle, without the specific obligation of Persumei Nisa, like Tefillin, women remain exempt. This thesis answers up a question I always had. How can we say by Pesach women need to drink four cups of wine , yet by Sukkos we say women are exempt from sitting in the Sukkah? However, upon learning this Rav the question really isn't one at all. By Megillah, 4 Cups, and Menorah there is a specific commandement and focus to publicize the miracle, however by Sukkos even though we sit in the Sukkah to commerate either the tents Hashem provided for us or the Clouds Hashem protected us with in the desert- this commeration and rememberence is lacking the crucial element of Persumei Nisa. So this Purim remember:While yes to this: View full sizeAnd Yes to this: View full sizeAnd 4 Yes's to these: View full size View full size View full size View full size A DEFFINITE NO TO THIS: