Purim Explained: Obligations, Costumes, and the Megillah

Purim raises many practical and meaningful questions. Beyond the joy and celebration, it is a day rich with mitzvot, customs, and deep ideas that shape how we observe it. Below are clear answers to some of the most common questions about Purim practice and meaning, from obligations to tradition and history.

What Are Women Obligated to Do on Purim?

Women are obligated in the core mitzvot of Purim just as men are. This includes hearing the Megillah both at night and during the day, sending mishloach manot, giving matanot la’evyonim, and participating in the Purim meal. These obligations stem from the principle that women, too, were included in the miracle of Purim.

Is Wearing a Costume on Purim an Obligation?

Many people notice that not all religious children dress up as animals and wonder whether this is permitted. There is no prohibition against dressing as animals on Purim. At the same time, wearing costumes is not an obligation at all, but rather a long-standing and beloved custom.

This custom is already discussed in Sefer HaToda’ah, which explains that Israel’s practice of disguising themselves on Purim is not arbitrary. The custom reflects deep spiritual ideas. By dressing in clothing that conceals one’s identity, the distinction between Mordechai and Haman becomes blurred, echoing the Sages’ teaching of ad d’lo yada, the state in which one cannot fully distinguish between cursed Haman and blessed Mordechai.

On a deeper level, this disguising expresses a historical truth. When Israel sinned during the Purim era, their resemblance to the surrounding nations was only external. In their hearts, they remained faithful to Hashem. Just as a Jew dressed in foreign clothing on Purim remains inwardly devoted, so too the Jews of that generation did not truly bow to idolatry in their hearts.

Why Do We Wear Costumes on Purim?

Another explanation ties the custom to the concept of divine concealment. The Torah states, “And I will surely hide My face on that day,” and the Sages see in this verse a hint to Esther. Purim is a story of hidden miracles, and costumes mirror that hiddenness.

There is also a symbolic connection to Esau and Amalek. Esau wore garments that were not his own to present himself as righteous, while his inner nature remained corrupt. Jacob, by contrast, appeared outwardly concealed while possessing deep inner righteousness. On Purim, dressing in borrowed garments affirms that even when Jacob wears Esau’s clothing, the blessing rightfully belongs to him.

Is There a Mitzvah to Drink on Purim, and When Is the Megillah Read?

The mitzvah of levasumei, drinking wine to reach a state of joy, applies only during the daytime Purim meal, not at night. The Megillah is read at night after tzeit hakochavim and again the following morning. Exact times vary by community and synagogue.

In Jerusalem, the laws differ, as it is a city walled from the days of Joshua bin Nun. Anyone traveling between Jerusalem and other cities over Purim should consult knowledgeable Torah scholars to clarify their obligations.

Are the Events of the Megillah Historically True?

Many elements of the Megillah align with general historical findings. The king is identified with Xerxes I, and Shushan is known to have housed a royal palace complex consistent with the Megillah’s description. Records also mention a senior official named Marduk, which some scholars associate with Mordechai.

Still, an important point must be made. There exists, unfortunately, a tendency among some Jews to doubt their own tradition unless it is corroborated by external sources. This reflects an unnecessary sense of intellectual inferiority.

The Megillah has been accepted and transmitted by the Jewish people since the earliest generations. It is referenced throughout the Mishnah, and an entire tractate is devoted to its laws. The events it records occurred only a few centuries before its formal canonization, at a time when false claims could easily have been challenged and rejected.

Introducing new mitzvot is not simple in Jewish law, and the Jewish people are famously meticulous in preserving tradition. A text that has been read publicly, year after year, by the entire nation, across continents and generations, does not lose credibility because of shifting academic theories or disputed archaeological interpretations.

The enduring power of the Megillah lies precisely in this. It is a living tradition, preserved by a people who never stopped gathering to hear it, remember it, and live by it.