אסתר, פרק ט׳, פסוק כ״ז

The establishment of Purim marks a defining moment in Jewish history, as the nation voluntarily committed to creating a holiday for all future generations. Interestingly, the historical record notes that the people fulfilled the holiday before officially accepting it. The primary approach among commentators explains this chronologically: during the first year, the Jews celebrated spontaneously, even in distant lands before the story was formally recorded. Only later did they accept it as a permanent institution [אור חדש, מנות הלוי, צאינה וראינה, ישע אלהים]. On a deeper level, this sequence hints at divine approval. The Israelites fulfilled in the heavenly court what they accepted on earth, elevating a rabbinic decree to the status of a command from God [תורה תמימה, אור חדש, מנות הלוי]. Furthermore, this event represents a profound spiritual renewal. The Jewish people re-accepted the entire Torah, particularly the Oral Torah, with love and free will, contrasting with their original acceptance at Mount Sinai which was done under the coercion of a mountain suspended over them [תורה תמימה, מחיר יין, אור חדש, מנות הלוי]. This unified commitment was absolute, reflecting an agreement not only between the rabbinic court and the masses who enthusiastically joined them, but also a shared consensus between the earthly leadership and God [אור חדש, מנחת שי].

This new obligation was designed to encompass everyone, extending even to future converts who would join the Jewish people. Although their ancestors did not personally experience the miracle, these new members are equally bound to observe the holiday [רש״י, אבן עזרא, יוסף אבן יחיא, שטיינזלץ]. The commitment was established as an eternal decree that no future high court possesses the authority to annul [מלבי״ם, עמנואל הרומי]. Practically, this means no individual Jew has the right to ignore the festivities [אבן עזרא]. It also imposes strict chronological boundaries. The public reading of the story cannot be delayed past the fifteenth of the month of Adar [תורה תמימה, מנות הלוי]. Unlike other holidays where an extra day might occasionally be added due to calendar doubts, Purim must be observed strictly on its designated days without any deviation [ישע אלהים].

The celebration itself demands active preparation, particularly in organizing the festive meals and banquets, much like the preparations required for the Sabbath [אבן עזרא, מנות הלוי]. A central requirement of the holiday is the public reading of the scroll, which must be executed exactly as it was originally written [מלבי״ם, אבן עזרא, יוסף אבן יחיא]. The scroll must be written in the traditional Assyrian script and read in the Holy Tongue. One cannot fulfill this duty by reciting the story from memory or by reading it out of chronological order [רש״י, תורה תמימה, מנות הלוי]. The observance is also tied to specific times, creating a precise division between locations: unwalled cities celebrate on the fourteenth of Adar, while walled cities celebrate on the fifteenth [מלבי״ם, אור חדש, מנות הלוי]. Historically, villagers would sometimes advance their reading to earlier market days when they gathered in the towns [יוסף אבן יחיא, אור חדש].

Finally, the holiday is an annual, uninterrupted obligation, regardless of whether the year follows a standard or a leap calendar. During a leap year, when an extra month is added, Purim is specifically observed in the second month of Adar. This deliberate placement ensures that the redemption of Purim is celebrated immediately adjacent to the redemption of the Exodus from Egypt in the following month of Nisan [תורה תמימה]. Ultimately, this joyous obligation spans the globe, remaining valid in every location, even in newly established countries where no Jewish communities existed at the time the miracle occurred [אבן עזרא].