## Megillah Daf 19a

###### Megillah 19a:1
[Megillah 19a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/19a:1)

קַנְקַנְתּוֹם — חַרְתָּא דְאוּשְׁכָּפֵי. דִּיפְתְּרָא — דִּמְלִיחַ וּקְמִיחַ וְלָא עֲפִיץ. נְיָיר — מְחָקָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
***Kankantom*** is what is called in Aramaic ***ḥarta de’ushkafei*,** a black dye used by shoemakers. ***Diftera*** is hide **that was processed with salt and flour, but not with gallnuts. *Neyar*** is known in Aramaic as ***maḥaka*,** paper made from reeds.


###### Megillah 19a:2
[Megillah 19a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/19a:2)

עַד שֶׁתְּהֵא כְּתוּבָה אַשּׁוּרִית, דִּכְתִיב: ״כִּכְתָבָם וְכִזְמַנָּם״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ It was taught in the mishna: He does not fulfill his obligation **unless** the Megilla **is written in *Ashurit*.** The Gemara explains the reason for this: **As it is written** concerning the Megilla: **“According to their writing and according to their time”** (Esther 9:27), i.e., the way it was originally written.


###### Megillah 19a:3
[Megillah 19a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/19a:3)

״עַל הַסֵּפֶר וּבִדְיוֹ וְכוּ׳״. מְנָלַן? אַתְיָא ״כְּתִיבָה״ ״כְּתִיבָה״. כְּתִיב הָכָא: ״וַתִּכְתֹּב אֶסְתֵּר הַמַּלְכָּה״, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: ״וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם בָּרוּךְ מִפִּיו יִקְרָא אֵלַי אֵת כׇּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וַאֲנִי כּוֹתֵב עַל הַסֵּפֶר בַּדְּיוֹ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The mishna concludes: He does not fulfill his obligation unless the Megilla is written **“upon parchment and with ink.”** The Gemara asks: **From where do we** derive this? The Gemara answers: It is **derived** by way of a verbal analogy between one instance of **writing** and another instance of **writing. It is written here** in the book of Esther: **“Then Esther the queen,** the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, **wrote** all the acts of power, to confirm this second letter of Purim” (Esther 9:29), **and it is written there: “Then Baruch answered them: He pronounced all these words to me with his mouth, and I wrote them with ink on the parchment”** (Jeremiah 36:18). Just as there the writing was with ink on parchment, so too here, a Megilla must be written with ink on parchment.


###### Megillah 19a:4
[Megillah 19a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/19a:4)

**מַתְנִי׳** בֶּן עִיר שֶׁהָלַךְ לִכְרַךְ וּבֶן כְּרַךְ שֶׁהָלַךְ לְעִיר, אִם עָתִיד לַחְזוֹר לִמְקוֹמוֹ — קוֹרֵא כִּמְקוֹמוֹ, וְאִם לָאו — קוֹרֵא עִמָּהֶן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** With regard to **a resident of an** unwalled **town who went to a walled city,** where the Megilla is read on the fifteenth of Adar, and conversely, **a resident of a walled city who went to an** unwalled **town** where it is read on the fourteenth, the following distinction applies: **If he is destined to return to his** original **place, he reads** it **according to** the *halakha* governing **his** own **place, and if not,** i.e., if he is not destined to return to his place, **he reads with them,** the residents of his current location.


###### Megillah 19a:5
[Megillah 19a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/19a:5)

וּמֵהֵיכָן קוֹרֵא אָדָם אֶת הַמְּגִילָּה וְיוֹצֵא בָּהּ יְדֵי חוֹבָה? רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: כּוּלָּהּ. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: מֵ״אִישׁ יְהוּדִי״. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: מֵ״אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Beginning **from where must a person read the Megilla in order to fulfill his obligation? Rabbi Meir says:** He must read **all of it. Rabbi Yehuda says:** He need read only **from** “There was **a certain Jew”** (Esther 2:5). **Rabbi Yosei says: From “After these things”** (Esther 3:1).


###### Megillah 19a:6
[Megillah 19a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/19a:6)

**גְּמָ׳** אָמַר רָבָא: לֹא שָׁנוּ אֶלָּא שֶׁעָתִיד לַחְזוֹר בְּלֵילֵי אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר, אֲבָל אֵין עָתִיד לַחְזוֹר בְּלֵילֵי אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר — קוֹרֵא עִמָּהֶן. אָמַר רָבָא: מְנָא אָמֵינָא לַהּ? דִּכְתִיב: ״עַל כֵּן הַיְּהוּדִים הַפְּרָזִים הַיּוֹשְׁבִים בְּעָרֵי הַפְּרָזוֹת״. מִכְּדֵי כְּתִיב: ״הַיְּהוּדִים הַפְּרָזִים״, לְמָה לִי לְמִיכְתַּב ״הַיּוֹשְׁבִים בְּעָרֵי הַפְּרָזוֹת״? הָא קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן, דְּפָרוּז בֶּן יוֹמוֹ נִקְרָא פָּרוּז.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** **Rava said: They taught** the mishna that one who is destined to return to his own place reads according to the *halakha* governing his own place **only** with regard to **one who is destined to return** to his own place **on the night of the fourteenth** of Adar. **But if he is not destined to return on the night of the fourteenth, although** he does intend to return to his own place eventually, **he reads with** the residents of his current location. **Rava said: From where do I say this? As it is written: “Therefore the Jews of unwalled towns, who dwell in the unwalled towns,** make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting” (Esther 9:19). **Since it is** already **written: “The Jews of unwalled towns,” why do I** need it **to write** further, **“who dwell in the unwalled towns”?** It comes to **teach us this: That one who is in an unwalled town** even **for the day is** also **called one who** lives **in an unwalled town.**


###### Megillah 19a:7
[Megillah 19a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/19a:7)

אַשְׁכְּחַן פָּרוּז, מוּקָּף מְנָא לַן? סְבָרָא הוּא: מִדְּפָרוּז בֶּן יוֹמוֹ קָרוּי פָּרוּז, מוּקָּף בֶּן יוֹמוֹ קָרוּי מוּקָּף.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **We have found** proof for a resident of a walled city who is temporarily located in **an unwalled town.** But **from where do we** derive the opposite case, that one from an unwalled town who is temporarily in **a walled city** is governed by a similar *halakha*? The Gemara answers: **It is** based on **logical reasoning: Since one who is in an unwalled town for the day is called someone from an unwalled town,** so too conversely, **one who is in a walled city for a day is called someone from a walled city.**


###### Megillah 19a:8
[Megillah 19a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/19a:8)

וְאָמַר רָבָא: בֶּן כְּפָר שֶׁהָלַךְ לְעִיר — בֵּין כָּךְ וּבֵין כָּךְ קוֹרֵא עִמָּהֶן. מַאי טַעְמָא? הַאי כִּבְנֵי הָעִיר בָּעֵי לְמִקְרֵי, וְרַבָּנַן הוּא דַּאֲקִילּוּ עַל הַכְּפָרִים כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּסַפְּקוּ מַיִם וּמָזוֹן לַאֲחֵיהֶם שֶׁבַּכְּרַכִּין. הָנֵי מִילֵּי — כִּי אִיתֵיהּ בְּדוּכְתֵּיהּ, אֲבָל כִּי אִיתֵיהּ בְּעִיר — כִּבְנֵי עִיר בָּעֵי לְמִקְרֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rava said** further: **Someone from a village, where** the Megilla is read on the Monday or Thursday prior to Purim (2a), **who went to a town, reads** the Megilla **with** the residents of the town, even if he had already read it in his own place. He does so **in all circumstances,** whether or not he will be returning to his own village. The Gemara explains: **What is the reason** for this ruling? **This** villager **should** actually have **read** at the same time **as the residents of the towns, but the Sages showed leniency toward the** people of the **villages** and allowed them to advance their reading of the Megilla to the previous day of assembly **so that they** would be free to **supply water and food to their brethren in the cities** on the day of Purim. **This,** however, **applies** only **when** the villager **is in his place,** in the village, **but when he is in a town, he is required to read like the residents of the town,** and not like the villagers.


###### Megillah 19a:9
[Megillah 19a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/19a:9)

אֵיתִיבֵיהּ אַבָּיֵי: בֶּן כְּרַךְ שֶׁהָלַךְ לְעִיר — בֵּין כָּךְ וּבֵין כָּךְ קוֹרֵא כִּמְקוֹמוֹ. בֶּן כְּרַךְ סָלְקָא דַּעְתָּךְ?! בְּאִם עָתִיד לַחְזוֹר תַּלְיָא מִילְּתָא, אֶלָּא לָאו, בֶּן כְּפָר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Abaye raised an objection to** Rava from a *baraita*: **A resident of a walled city who went to** an unwalled **town, in all circumstances,** whether or not he will be returning to his own city, **reads** the Megilla **according to** the *halakha* governing **his** permanent **place.** The Gemara first questions the text of the *baraita* as it is currently worded: **Can it enter your mind that the resident of a walled city** always reads in accordance with the *halakha* governing his own place, even if he is currently situated in an unwalled town? But doesn’t **the matter depend on whether** or not **he will be returning** on Purim to his hometown, as stated in the mishna? Therefore, it is clear that the *baraita* must be emended. **Rather, is it not** to be changed to: **A resident of a village** who went to an unwalled town? The *baraita* therefore teaches that a resident of a village who is visiting in a town must read the Megilla according to the *halakha* governing his own place, the village, unlike Rava’s teaching.


###### Megillah 19a:10
[Megillah 19a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/19a:10)

וְלָאו תָּרוֹצֵי מְתָרְצַתְּ? תְּנִי: קוֹרֵא עִמָּהֶן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara rejects this: **But did you not emend** the reading in the *baraita*? Since you admit that the *baraita* in any event requires revision, change it further and **teach: He reads** the Megilla **with** the residents of the town. This wording in the *baraita* would then support the opinion of Rava.


###### Megillah 19a:11
[Megillah 19a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/19a:11)

מֵהֵיכָן קוֹרֵא אָדָם אֶת הַמְּגִילָּה וְכוּ׳. תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי אוֹמֵר: מִ״בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna teaches that three Sages disagree about the question: Beginning **from where must a person read the Megilla** in order to fulfill his obligation? **It is taught** in a *baraita* that there is a fourth opinion as well: **Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai says:** One must start to read from **“On that night”** (Esther 6:1).


###### Megillah 19a:12
[Megillah 19a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/19a:12)

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, וְכוּלָּן מִקְרָא אֶחָד דָּרְשׁוּ: ״וַתִּכְתֹּב אֶסְתֵּר הַמַּלְכָּה וּמׇרְדֳּכַי הַיְּהוּדִי אֶת כׇּל תּוֹקֶף״, מַאן דְּאָמַר כּוּלָּהּ — תּוֹקְפּוֹ שֶׁל אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Yoḥanan said: And all of** these *tanna’im*, in arriving at their respective opinions, **were expounding the same verse.** As it is stated: **“Then Esther the queen,** the daughter of Abihail, **and Mordecai the Jew, wrote about all the acts of power** to confirm this second letter of Purim” (Esther 9:29). **The one who said** that the Megilla must be read **in its entirety** interprets “acts of power” as referring to **the power of Ahasuerus,** and so the Megilla must be read from the beginning, where the power of Ahasuerus is recounted.


###### Megillah 19a:13
[Megillah 19a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/19a:13)

וּמַאן דְּאָמַר מֵ״אִישׁ יְהוּדִי״ — תּוֹקְפּוֹ שֶׁל מָרְדֳּכַי, וּמַאן דְּאָמַר מֵ״אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה״ — תּוֹקְפּוֹ שֶׁל הָמָן, וּמַאן דְּאָמַר מִ״בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא״ — תּוֹקְפּוֹ שֶׁל נֵס.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And the one who said** that it needs to be read **from “There was a certain Jew”** explains that “acts of power” is referring to **the power of Mordecai. And the one who said** that it needs to be read **from “After these things”** maintains that “acts of power” is referring to **the power of Haman. And the one who said** that it needs to be read **from “On that night”** understands that the expression is referring to **the power of the miracle,** which began on that night when Ahasuerus could not sleep, and therefore one must begin reading the Megilla from there.


###### Megillah 19a:14
[Megillah 19a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/19a:14)

רַב הוּנָא אָמַר, מֵהָכָא: ״וּמָה רָאוּ עַל כָּכָה וּמָה הִגִּיעַ אֲלֵיהֶם״,

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Huna said:** The four Sages derived their respective opinions **from here:** “Therefore, because of all the words of this letter, **and of that which they saw concerning this matter, and that which had befallen them,** the Jews ordained...that they would keep these two days” (Esther 9:26–27).


###### Megillah 19a:15
[Megillah 19a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/19a:15)

מַאן דְּאָמַר כּוּלָּהּ: ״מָה רָאָה״ — אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בְּכֵלִים שֶׁל בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, ״עַל כָּכָה״ — מִשּׁוּם דְּחַשֵּׁיב שִׁבְעִים שְׁנִין וְלָא אִיפְּרוּק, ״וּמָה הִגִּיעַ אֲלֵיהֶם״ — דִּקְטַל וַשְׁתִּי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rav Huna continued: **The one who said** that the Megilla must be read **in its entirety** explains the verse as follows: “They saw” refers to what **Ahasuerus saw, in that he used the vessels of the Temple. “Concerning this matter”** was **because he had calculated seventy years** from the Babylonian exile **and** the Jews **were** still **not redeemed,** and he consequently thought that they would never enjoy deliverance. **“And that which had befallen them”** is referring to the fact **that he had killed Vashti.** Since the Megilla was written and continues to be read in order to inform future generations of all these events and what had happened to the people who were involved, and these are detailed at the beginning of the Megilla, it must be read in its entirety.


###### Megillah 19a:16
[Megillah 19a:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/19a:16)

וּמַאן דְּאָמַר מֵ״אִישׁ יְהוּדִי״: ״מָה רָאָה״ — מָרְדְּכַי דְּאִיקַּנִּי בְּהָמָן, ״עַל כָּכָה״ — דְּשַׁוִּי נַפְשֵׁיהּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, ״וּמָה הִגִּיעַ אֲלֵיהֶם״ — דְּאִתְרְחִישׁ נִיסָּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And the one who said** that the Megilla needs to be read **from “There was a certain Jew”** interprets this verse as follows: **That which Mordecai “saw” in that he acted** so **zealously concerning Haman. “Concerning this matter”** was **because Haman had made himself** an object of **idol worship. “And that which had befallen them”** is referring to the fact **that a miracle took place.** Therefore one must read the Megilla from “There was a certain man,” where all this is recounted.


###### Megillah 19a:17
[Megillah 19a:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/19a:17)

וּמַאן דְּאָמַר מֵ״אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה״: ״מָה רָאָה״ — הָמָן שֶׁנִּתְקַנֵּא בְּכׇל הַיְּהוּדִים, ״עַל כָּכָה״ — מִשּׁוּם דְּמָרְדְּכַי ״לֹא יִכְרַע וְלֹא יִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה״, ״וּמָה הִגִּיעַ אֲלֵיהֶם״ — ״וְתָלוּ אוֹתוֹ וְאֶת בָּנָיו עַל הָעֵץ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And the one who said** that it needs to be read **from “After these things”** interprets the verse in this way: **That which Haman “saw” in that he became incensed with all the Jews. “Concerning this matter”** was **because “Mordecai did not bow down, nor prostrate himself before him”** (Esther 3:2). **“And that which had befallen them”** is referring to the fact that **“he and his sons were hanged on the gallows”** (Esther 9:25). Accordingly, the Megilla must be read from the first mention of Haman.


###### Megillah 19a:18
[Megillah 19a:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/19a:18)

וּמַאן דְּאָמַר מִ״בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא״: ״מָה רָאָה״ — אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ לְהָבִיא אֶת סֵפֶר הַזִּכְרוֹנוֹת, ״עַל כָּכָה״ — דְּזַמֵּינְתֵּיהּ אֶסְתֵּר לְהָמָן בַּהֲדֵיהּ, ״וּמָה הִגִּיעַ אֲלֵיהֶם״ — דְּאִתְרְחִישׁ נִיסָּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And the one who said** that the Megilla must be read **from “On that night”** offers the following explanation: **That which Ahasuerus “saw”** in that he commanded **to bring the book of chronicles** before him. **“Concerning this matter”** was **because Esther had invited Haman** along **with him** to the banquet she made. **“And that which had befallen them”** is referring to the fact **that a miracle took place.** And therefore one must read the Megilla from “On that night the king could not sleep and he commanded to bring the book of chronicles.”


###### Megillah 19a:19
[Megillah 19a:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/19a:19)

אָמַר רַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ אָמַר רַב חָמָא בַּר גּוּרְיָא אָמַר רַב: הֲלָכָה כְּדִבְרֵי הָאוֹמֵר כּוּלָּהּ. וַאֲפִילּוּ לְמַאן דְּאָמַר מֵ״אִישׁ יְהוּדִי״ — צְרִיכָה שֶׁתְּהֵא כְּתוּבָה כּוּלָּהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Ḥelbo said** that **Rav Ḥama bar Gurya said** that **Rav said: The *halakha* is in accordance with the statement of the one who says** that the Megilla must be read **in its entirety. And** moreover, **even according to the one who said** that it need be read only from **“There was a certain Jew”** and onward, the Megilla itself **must** nevertheless **be written in its entirety.**


###### Megillah 19a:20
[Megillah 19a:20](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/19a:20)

וְאָמַר רַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ אָמַר רַב חָמָא בַּר גּוּרְיָא אָמַר רַב: מְגִילָּה נִקְרֵאת ״סֵפֶר״, וְנִקְרֵאת ״אִגֶּרֶת״. נִקְרֵאת ״סֵפֶר״ — שֶׁאִם תְּפָרָהּ בְּחוּטֵי פִשְׁתָּן פְּסוּלָה. וְנִקְרֵאת ״אִגֶּרֶת״ — שֶׁאִם הֵטִיל בָּהּ שְׁלֹשָׁה חוּטֵי גִידִין כְּשֵׁרָה. אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן: וּבִלְבַד שֶׁיְּהוּ מְשׁוּלָּשִׁין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rabbi Ḥelbo said** further that **Rav Ḥama bar Gurya said** that **Rav said:** The **Megilla is referred to as a “book”** (Esther 9:32), **and it is** also **referred to as a “letter”** (Esther 9:29). **It is called a book,** indicating a comparison to the book of the Torah, i.e., to a Torah scroll, to teach us **that if one sewed** its parchment sheets together **with flax threads** the Megilla **is unfit,** just as a Torah scroll sewn in this manner is unfit. **And it is called a letter** to teach us **that if one stitched** the Megilla sheets together **with** only **three threads of sinew,** in the manner of a letter, the Megilla **is fit** for use, as it does not have to be completely stitched like a Torah scroll. **Rav Naḥman said: This is** true **provided that** the stitches are **made in three parts.**


###### Megillah 19a:21
[Megillah 19a:21](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/19a:21)

אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: הַקּוֹרֵא בִּמְגִילָּה הַכְּתוּבָה בֵּין הַכְּתוּבִים — לֹא יָצָא. אָמַר רָבָא: לָא אֲמַרַן אֶלָּא דְּלָא מְחַסְּרָא וּמְיַיתְּרָא פּוּרְתָּא, אֲבָל מְחַסְּרָא וּמְיַיתְּרָא פּוּרְתָּא — לֵית לַן בַּהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: If one reads from a Megilla that was written together with** the rest of **the Writings he has not fulfilled** his obligation, as it must be evident that one is reading specifically from the Megilla rather than simply reading ordinary passages from the Bible. **Rava said: We said** this **only** in a case where the parchment of the Megilla **is not a little shorter or longer** than the parchment of the other biblical books on the scroll and are consequently not plainly discernible among them. **But if it is a little shorter or longer** than the other sheets of parchment of the other biblical books, **we have no** problem **with it,** and one may read from such a scroll.


###### Megillah 19a:22
[Megillah 19a:22](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/19a:22)

לֵוִי בַּר שְׁמוּאֵל הֲוָה קָא קָרֵי קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב יְהוּדָה בִּמְגִילָּה

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
It was related that **Levi bar Shmuel was** once **reading before Rav Yehuda from a Megilla**