28 Feb KASHRUS QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK WITH RABBI MOSHE ELEFANT FROM THE OU

A person is in
the midst of his
Purim seudah
& his neighbor
knocks on the
door to say that
they are having
a minyan for ma’ariv. He leaves
his seudah and davens ma’ariv
for chol. When he gets back to
his seuda and it’s time to bentch,
does he say Al Hanisim on his
bentching? Is this the same case
as one who is eating shalosh
seudos on Shabbos afternoon
and his neighbor asks him to
daven ma’ariv in his house?
After saying “ata chonantanu”
in ma’ariv he goes back to his
shalosh seudos and it’s time
for him to bentch, does he say
“retzei” in his bentching still?
When it comes to Purim, there are many
people that are more lenient since one
goes from Purim into Shushan Purim.

Even we who do not celebrate Purim on

Shushan Purim, it’s still somewhat connect-
ed. That’s why people are lenient with say-
ing “al Hanisim;” even though it is already

Shushan Purim and you haven’t bentched
for your Purim Seuda. I would certainly say
that you would say al ha’nisim if you began
your meal during the day and went into the
night, even when you had already davened
maariv. This is a very important question
not only relating to Purim: What happens
if you’re starting your dinner, and your
minyan comes for maariv but you intend
to continue
your meal
when you
come home?
Do you have

to say a bra-
cha acharona

before you
go to maariv
and then
start all over
again when
you come
back? Or do

you just con-
tinue where

you left off? If you left someone at the ta-
ble, whether it’s your wife or anyone else,

then certainly you can come back and
continue when you left off. If you aren’t
leaving anybody at the table and if when
you wash you have in mind that you
might have to go to maariv in the middle
of your meal, then you can come back.

But if you aren’t leaving anyone at the ta-
ble and you didn’t have in mind that you

might have to go to maariv when you
washed, then you need to start the meal
all over. If you’re davening maariv at
your house then it wouldn’t be an issue.
The best example of this is at weddings or
simchas. When you daven right there, then
you can go back to your table. Here you’re
leaving the house, going to shul, not leaving
anyone at the table and you didn’t expect
to have to go daven when you washed. The

best thing to do is to say the bracha achro-
na, daven maariv, and then come back and

start the meal all over again.
Is one permitted to bathe, take
a haircut or listen to music on
Taanis Esther?
The Meiri (Sefer Magen Avos 23) writes
that Taanis Esther is different than other
communal fast days. Other communal
fast days commemorate events of
tragedy, while Taanis Esther is a day of
celebration, for on that day, the Jews of
old fasted before going to war (Mishna
Berura 686:2), merited to have Hashem
listen to their plea and overcame their
enemies. This contrast is reflected in
the following halacha: The Gemara
(Megila 5a) states that when the 9th
day of Av falls on Shabbos, the fast of
Tisha B’av is delayed until Sunday. We
do not observe the fast before Shabbos
because one should postpone, rather
than advance, the commemoration of
tragedy. In contrast, when the 13th day
of Adar falls on Shabbos (as is the case
this year), Taanis Esther is observed
on the previous Thursday. We may
advance the fast since it commemorates
a joyous event. By the same token,
Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach,
zt”l (Halichos Shlomo, Purim 18:6)
contrasts Taanis Esther with other fast
days with respect to bathing and cutting
hair. Although bathing is technically
permitted on all fast days except Tisha
B’av (Shulchan Oruch 550:1), and hair
cutting is acceptable on Tzom Gedalia
and Asara B’teves, some are stringent
and do not bathe and take haircuts on
communal fast days, in keeping with
the sad character of the day. This is
not the case with Taanis Esther, where
everyone agrees that bathing and

haircuts are permissible. Rav Zilberstein,
shlita (Chashukei Chemed Megila 16b)
writes that one may even listen to music.
However, Rav Elyashiv, zt”l is quoted in the
sefer Ashrei HaIsh (Vol. 3:41:20) as saying
that it is inappropriate to listen to music on
Taanis Esther. Taanis Esther is also a day of
forgiveness, and music will detract from the
solemnity of the day.
It is Taanis Esther. I have a
headache. Am I permitted to
break my fast?
The halachos regarding breaking one’s fast
on Taanis Esther are more lenient than
with regard to other fasts. This is because
the Rama (OC 686:2) writes that fasting on
Taanis Esther is not a complete obligation.
Taanis Esther is not explicitly mentioned
in the Nevi’im (Prophets) or in the Talmud
as a fast day. However, since it has become
customary to fast on this day, one may not
separate themselves from the rest of the
Jewish people. Because Taanis Esther is
more lenient, the Mishnah Berurah (686:4)
writes that the custom in many places is
that expectant or nursing mothers may
eat even if they do not feel any discomfort.
The Piskei Teshuvos (686:3) quotes many
sources that write that today, this is the
prevailing custom. An additional leniency
is that on most fasts, one who is ill need
not fast, but a common headache does not
constitute an illness. However, on Taanis
Esther, even one who has a headache is
permitted to break their fast. However, one
who has a headache might want to consider
whether they really want to break their fast,
since they are required to make up the fast
at a later date (Rama ibid).