3/24: Taanit Esther/Erev Purim
Fast Begins: 4:29am
Shacharit: 7:30am - Chapel
Early Mincha: 1:30 - Chapel
Mincha:5:30pm - International Lounge
Maariv: 6:20pm - International Lounge
Fast Ends: 6:32pm
Megillah: 6:30pm - International Lounge
Hillel Purim Party: 9:00PM - Levin Ballroom
3/25: Purim Day
Shacharit: 8:30am - International Lounge (Megillah scheduled for approximately 9am)
Purim Seudah for Men: 11:00am, location: Conference Room C
Purim Seudah for Women: 11:00am, location: Lurias
Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat: 5:45pm - International Lounge
3/26: Shabbat (Shushan Purim)-Parshat Tzav
Shacharit: 9:00am - International Lounge
Mincha:5:30pm - International Lounge
Maariv/Shabbat Ends: 6:45 - International Lounge
The Shabbat before Purim, we read the section of the Torah that deals with Amalek. Most commentators are of the opinion that there is a biblical requirement to hear this reading. For anyone who is not able to attend the morning reading, an additional reading will take place in International Lounge at 5:10 PM, immediately before the afternoon service.
The Fast of Esther commemorates the fact that the Jews fasted and prayed when they went to war during the Purim story. It is this Thursday, from the 4:29 in the morning until 6:32 at night. If you plan to wake up real early and eat, you should stipulate that before you go to sleep. As this is one of the minor fasts, anyone who is feeling sick should not fast.
When the Mishkan (tabernacle) was built, people donated money and materials on three occasions, to finance the project. The best known instance is that of the Machtzit Hashekel, the half-shekel donation.
Haman offered to donate money to Achashverosh to annihilate the Jews. Before we read about this story, we commemorate the donations to the Mishkan by donating three coins to charity on Taanit Esther or Purim, before the morning Megilla reading. This signifies that the merit of our donations to the Mishkan overpowered Haman’s monetarily based attempt to destroy us. Just like the half-shekel, we use coins that are half the local currency, in this case half dollars.
One should first buy the three half-dollar coins by donating $1.50 or more to charity, and then pick up the three coins themselves and donate them. This allows everyone to fulfill the custom with only one set of half-dollar coins.
The money raised is donated to charity, and not actually consecrated for the Temple.
To publicize the Purim story, the megilla is read both at night and during the day. The primary mitzva is the daytime reading. One should pay close attention throughout the reading of the megilla and follow along so as to hear it in its entirety.
When listening to the megilla reading, it is customary to bang and make noise when the name of Haman is read. Still, one should take care to hear the entire megilla read from the scroll. If one cannot hear a part of the reading, one may read that part from a book, provided that they catch up with the reading of the scroll, and resume hearing the megilla sequentially. One cannot make up missed verses after the reading has ended.
In order to add an air of friendship and festivity, gifts of food are given to friends on Purim. One should give at least 2 foods to at least one person. The foods don't need to be of different Brachot, but they do need to be significant enough to be courses in a meal. If all else fails, one can give a plate of food to someone else at the Purim meal in order to fulfill this mitzva. Of course, if you want to give lots of food to lots of people, that's all the better.
One does not fulfill the mitzva of Mishloach Manot through group-organized distributions, because there is no food given from the sender to the recipient.
Mishloach Manot must be given on Purim Day.
It is customary not to send Mishloach Manot to a mourner, and for men not to send Mishloach Manot to women. One may avoid this concern by sending Mishloach Manot from one group to another, as in from one room or suite to another. However, each individual should also send at least one Mishloach Manot to one individual, to clearly fulfill the Mitzvah.
We also remember those in need on Purim and give them money so that they can buy food for the Purim celebration. One should give enough money to provide a Purim meal for 2 poor people. The money must be distributed on Purim, but can be collected before Purim. Contact Marc Herman to give Matanot LaEvyonim through BOO. If one has a choice of which to spend more on, Mishloach Manot or Matanot La'evyonim, Matanot La'Evyonim takes precedence.
One is required to partake of a festive meal on Purim. While that meal traditionally features wine, one should not endanger one's safety or health to that end. The notion that drinking to excess is halachically required is a dangerous error. An excellent article on this subject, by Rabbi Howard Jachter, is available here.
There is no mitzvah to drink Purim night.
This year, as Purim is on a Friday, it is preferable to have the meal early in the day, so one can enter shabbat with an appetite for dinner.