וּתְשׁוּבַת שְׁאֵלָה זוֹ מִמְּתִיבְתָא. שָׁאֲלוּ, הָא דִתְנַן מְגִלָּה נִקְרֵאת בְּאַחַד עָשָׂר, בִּשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר, בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה עָשָׂר, בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר, בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר, לֹא פָּחוֹת וְלֹא יוֹתֵר, A response to an inquiry from the Academy.13Probably a reference to the Academy at Pumbeditha. R. Ahai, who wrote this in his She’iltot, expected to be appointed head of the Academy but was deprived of the office by the exilarch because of personal animosity. They asked: It was taught that the Scroll of Esther may be read on the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth days of Adar, but not before or after those days.14Mishnah Megillah 1:1.
וְאָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אֵימָתַי, בִּזְמַן שֶׁהַשָּׁנִים כְּתִקְנָן וְיִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁרוּיִן עַל אַדְמָתָן, אֲבָל בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה הוֹאִיל וּמִסְּתָמָא בְּקִיאִין הֵן, אֵין קוֹרִין אוֹתָהּ אֶלָּא בִּזְמַנָּהּ, R. Judah qualified this statement: When was this rule in effect? This rule was in effect during the period in which the calendar was fixed by the Beth Din, and when Israel dwelt on its own land. Now that the exact date of Purim is predetermined, the Purim Scroll is read only at the appointed time (the fourteenth or fifteenth of Adar).
וַהֲלָכָה כְּתַנָּא קַמָּא אוֹ הֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה? הֵשִׁיבוּ, בֵּין לְרַבִי יְהוּדָה בֵּין לְתַנָּא קַמָּא, מְגִלָּה אֵינָהּ נִקְראֵת אֶלָּא בִּזְמַנָּהּ, Is the law for the reading of the Scroll of Esther in accordance with the first teacher in the Mishnah or with R. Judah? They answered: The first teacher/opinion in the Mishnah and R. Judah are in agreement that the Scroll of Esther should be read only at the appointed time.
וַהֲכִי קָאֲמַר תַּנָּא קַמָּא, כְּרַכִּין הַמֻּקָּפִין חוֹמָה מִימוֹת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן, קוֹרִין אוֹתָהּ בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר, כְּפָרִים וַעֲיָרוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת קוֹרִין בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר, אֶלָּא שֶׁהַכְּפָרִים מַקְדִּימִין לְיוֹם הַכְּנִיסָה. וְהָא The first teacher of the Mishnah meant to convey that in cities fortified with walls since Joshua’s time, the Scroll was to be read on the fifteenth of Adar, that in villages and large cities it was to be read on the fourteenth day, and that in rural villages the reading was to be advanced to the market day preceding Purim.15Thursday was the market day in rural villages, etc.
דִתְנַן מְגִלָּה נִקְרֵאת בְּאַחַד עָשָׂר, בִּשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר, בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה עָשָׂר וְכוּ', לְיוֹשֵׁב בְּתַעֲנִית שֶׁכְּבָר פֵּרַשׁ בְּסוֹף הַמִּשְׁנָה, אֶלָּא שֶׁהַכְּפָרִים מַקְדִּימִין לְיוֹם הַכְּנִיסָה. What is implied, then, by the statement that the Scroll of Esther may be read on either the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, or fifteenth day of Adar? This statement indicates that the Scroll could be read in advance of the appointed day because of the fast that precedes Purim, as is explained at the conclusion of Mishnah Megillah, and that it could also be read in advance by the people who lived in rural villages; that is, on the market day before Purim.
וּמַאי יוֹם הַכְּנִיסָה? יוֹם הַקְּהִלָּה, דְּאָמַר מַר, שְׁלֹשָׁה עָשָׂר, יוֹם קְהִלָּה לַכֹּל הִיא, דִּכְתִיב: וּבִשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ הוּא חֹדֶשׁ אֲדָר בִּשְׁלֹשָה עָשָׂר יוֹם בּוֹ וְגוֹ', נִקְהֲלוּ הַיְּהוּדִים בְּעָרֵיהֶם וְגוֹ' (אסתר ט, א-ב). נִקְהֲלוּ וְגָזְרוּ תַעֲנִית בִּשְׁלֹשָה עָשָׂר בַּאֲדָר. אֲבָל אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר, יוֹם טוֹב הוּא, דִּכְתִיב: וְנוֹחַ בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר בּוֹ וְעָשׂה אֹתוֹ יוֹם מִשְׁתֶּה וְשִׂמְחָה (אסתר ט, יז). What is the day of assembly? It was said: The thirteenth of the month of Adar is the day of assembly, as it is written: On the thirteenth day the Jews assembled in their cities (Est. 9:1–2). That is, they assembled on that day and decreed that the thirteenth day of Adar should be a fast-day, However, they designated the fourteenth day of Adar as a festive day, as it is written: And on the fourteenth day they rested and made it a day of feasting and gladness (ibid., v. 17).
וּבְשׁוּשַׁן הַבִּירָה לֹא נָחוּ אֶלָּא בַחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר, לְפִיכָךְ שׁוּשָׁן וְכָל הַמֻּקָּפִין קוֹרִין בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר וְעוֹשִׂין יוֹם טוֹב. זֶה שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ מְגִלָּה נִקְרֵאת וְכוּ', In Shushan they read the Scroll on the fifteenth day. Hence the Scroll of Esther is to be read in Shushan and in other fortified cities on the fifteenth day, and that day is designated as a festive day. We learn all this from the words of the Mishnah: “The Scroll of Esther may be read on the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth,” etc.
לְיוֹשֵׁב בְּתַעֲנִית, שֶׁאָסוּר לֵישֵׁב בְּתַעֲנִית בַּשַּׁבָּת, שֶׁאִם חָל אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר לִהְיוֹת בְּאֶחָד בַּשַּׁבָּת, אָסוּר לְהִתְעַנּוֹת בַּשַּׁבָּת. וּבְעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת נַמֵּי אָסוּר, מִפְּנֵי טֹרַח שַׁבָּת, אֶלָּא מַקְדִּימִין וּמִתְעַנִּין בַּחֲמִישִׁי שֶׁהוּא אַחַד עָשָׂר בַּאֲדָר. The day on which the Scroll of Esther may be read varies because of the fast that precedes Purim. Inasmuch as it is forbidden to fast on the Sabbath, which would be the situation if the fourteenth day of Adar fell on the first day of the week, and since it is forbidden likewise to fast on the eve of the Sabbath because the Sabbath would then be disturbed, they advance the fast to Thursday, which is the eleventh of Adar.
וְאִם חָל אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר בַּשַּׁבָּת, אָסוּר לְהִתְעַנּוֹת בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת, מִפְּנֵי טֹרַח שַׁבָּת, שֶׁעִקַּר תַּעֲנִית, סְלִיחוֹת וְרַחֲמִים הוּא, וְאָתֵי לְאִמְנוּעֵי מִכְּבוֹד שַׁבָּת, וּכְבוֹד שַׁבָּת עָדִיף מֵאֶלֶף תַּעֲנִיּוֹת, דִּכְבוֹד שַׁבָּת דְּאוֹרַיְתָא, וְתַעֲנִית דְּרַבָּנָן, וְאָתֵי כְּבוֹד שַׁבָּת דְּאוֹרַיְתָא וְדָחֵי תַעֲנִית דְּרַבָּנָן, אֶלָּא מַקְדִּימִין וּמִתְעַנִּין בַּחֲמִישִׁי שֶׁהוּא שְׁלֹשָה עָשָׂר. וְאִם חָל אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת, מִתְעַנִּין בַּחֲמִישִׁי שֶׁהוּא שְׁלֹשָה עָשָׂר. Similarly, when the fourteenth day of Adar falls on the Sabbath, the reading is advanced, for it is forbidden to fast on Friday, the eve of the Sabbath, since that would impair the Sabbath. Inasmuch as the primary reason for fasting is to recite penitential prayers, one would be deterred from honoring the Sabbath, and honoring the Sabbath is more important than a thousand fasts. Honoring the Sabbath is a biblical commandment, while fasting is only a rabbinic decree; therefore honoring the Sabbath takes precedence over the fast. Hence the fast is advanced to Thursday, that is, the twelfth day of Adar. When the fourteenth day of Adar falls on Friday, we naturally fast on Thursday, on the thirteenth day.
וְכֵן פֵּרַשׁ בַּמִּשְׁנָה, כֵּיצַד? חָל לִהְיוֹת בַּשֵּׁנִי, כְּפָרִים וַעֲיָרוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת קוֹרִין בּוֹ בַיּוֹם וּמֻקָּפִין חוֹמָה לְמָחָר. חָל לִהְיוֹת בַּשַּׁבָּת אוֹ בְּאֶחָד בַּשַּׁבָּת, כְּפָרִים מַקְדִּימִים לְיוֹם הַכְּנִיסָה וְכוּ'. This entire subject is discussed in Mishnah Megillah: If the fourteenth day of Adar falls on a Monday, they read the Scroll in towns and large cities on that day, but in cities fortified since Joshua’s time, they read it on the following day. However, if the fourteenth day of Adar falls on the Sabbath or on the first day of the week, they advance the reading in the rural villages to the day of assembly in the market place, Thursday.
אֲבָל תִּשְׁעָה בְּאָב שֶׁחָל לִהְיוֹת בַּשַּׁבָּת, מְאַחֲרִין לְאַחַר שַׁבָּת, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא פֻּרְעָנוּת, לְכָךְ מְאַחֲרִין וְלֹא מַקְדִּימִין. Conversely, if the fast of the ninth of Ab falls on the Sabbath, we postpone the fast to the day following the Sabbath, and never advance the fast-day. This is so because the ninth day of Ab was imposed upon Israel as a punishment, and the fast is therefore postponed and not advanced.
וּמֵהַנֵּי שְׁמַעְתְּתָא יַלְפִינַן, דְּלָא יַתְבִינַן בְּתַעֲנִית בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת בְּעִנּוּי הָרְשׁוּת, לֹא צִבּוּר וְלֹא יָחִיד כְּלָל. וְכֵן הִלְכְתָא. From this discussion we learn that one may not fast on Friday in voluntary self-affliction, either privately or with the community. And that is the law.