Festive Meal
The Book of Esther records that the Jews agreed “to observe them as days of feasting and joy” (Esther 9:22). One is obligated to partake in a festive meal on Purim day.
The bare minimum to fulfill this mitzvah requires that one wash and eat bread and then recite the bentching, the Grace after Meals.
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- One should include Al Hanissim, the special prayer for Purim, in bentching.
- If one forgots Al Hanissim, one does not repeat bentching.
- It is customary to invite guests to one’s Purim meal.
- The Purim meal is normally held later in the day so that the feasting and rejoicing carries over past sunset into the next day.
- The festive meal concludes with bentching, Grace after Meals, which can be found in any Jewish prayerbook or bentcher, special Grace after Meals booklets.
- Al Hanissim is added to bentching before the conclusion of the 2nd blessing.
Purim
Purim is a holiday of fun and festivities, like all Jewish holidays it is also an opportunity to fulfill numerous mitzvot.
