Daf HaYomi B'Halacha Daily Email - 24 Shevat/Jan 26

 

Can a person daydream while listening to the Megilah? A person who dozes off while reading the Megilah is yotzei the mitzvah. He is considered to be dozing if he can answer when his name is called, even when he cannot express a coherent thought. He must also be in a state that he can give the correct answer to a question when prompted. Although a dozing reader in that state is yotzei, a dozing listener is not. A person who loses focus while listening to the Megilah is yotzei if he can still pinpoint where the ba’al korei is holding. [שו"ע תרצ, יב, ומשנ"ב מ-מא; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 35] Must a person read the Megilah with intent to be yotzei the mitzvah? There is a dispute in the Gemara about whether the intention to fulfill a mitzvah is necessary for its fulfillment. The concept of mitzvos requiring prior intent is known as mitzvos tzrichos kavanah. From a halachic perspective, this dispute remains unresolved. Therefore, one must have kavanah before doing a mitzvah. On the other hand, if someone did a mitzvah without intent, he must repeat its performance without reciting a brocha. Some hold that only mitzvos min haTorah need kavanah. Others do not differentiate between mitzvos mid’oraisa and mitzvos mid’rabonon. The halacha follows this view. Therefore, a person must have proper intent before reading the Megilah, both by day and at night. [שו"ע תרצ, יג, משנ"ב מג, ושעה"צ מא; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 36 ו־40] Must the intent to be yotzei the mitzva be kept in mind throughout the reading of the Megilah? Regarding the above-mentioned discussion of mitzvos tzrichos kavanah, there are those who limit the discussion to mitzvos performed through action. They hold that mitzvos done through speech must have proper intent according to all views. Some say that even if speech-related mitzvos do not need kavanah, reading the Megilah does require proper intent. Otherwise, the necessary component of pirsumei nisa would be lacking. Kavanah is only necessary at the onset of the Megilah reading; it does not need to be maintained throughout. Accordingly, once a person recites the brocha (which, by default, is a kavanah to be yotzei), no further focus on intention is necessary. [שו"ע תרצ, יג, משנ"ב מג, ושעה"צ לט; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 38] All credit goes to Dirshu | 911 County Line Rd. , Suite 205, Lakewood, NJ 08701