By Rabbi Yochanan Eskenazi
The Posuk [Esther 9:22] says that the days of Purim [i.e. the 14th and 15th of Adar] are "Yemay Mishteh V'Simcha (days of feasting and joy)". Therefore, there is a mitzvah to have a seudah on Purim (Rama 695: introduction quoting the Tur).
Additionally, since the Posuk says "Yemei" (days), this teaches us that the meal needs to be during the day and not by night (Mishneh Berurah 696:24). Nevertheless at night, a person should have more than usual (Mishneh Berurah 695:3).
The minhag is to have a seudah after mincha on Purim and most of the seudah should occur during the day (Rama 695:2). According to Harav Shmuel Kamenetsky, shlit"a, one may l'chatchila one can have the seudah anytime on Purim day, even in the morning. This is based on the Magen Avraham [695:5] who explains the reason the Rama said one should have a seudah after mincha is a practical reason that people are busy beforehand (Koveitz Halachos 18:3).
One should have the Purim seudah together with other people [family and friends], because it is impossible to rejoice properly when one is by themselves (Mishneh Berurah 695:9). While rejoicing, it is important to remember that the point of rejoicing is to get closer to Hashem and to work on ahavas Hashem (loving G-d), and not just to be involved in sh'tus v'hevalos (levity) (see Be'ur Halachah 695:2 s.v. ad).
It is a good thing to learn Torah before the seudah, because the Posuk [Esther 8:16] says "La'yehudim heisa orah v'simcha" and Chazal teach us that "orah zu Torah" (lit. "orah" [light]is referring to Torah [Gemara Megillah 16b] (Rama 695:2).
The Gemara [Megillah 7b] says M'chaiyiv inish l'vesumay ad delo yadah bein baruch Mordechai v'arur Haman. The literal understanding of the Gemara seems to say that a person is required to become intoxicated to a point that he does not know the difference between Mordechai Ha'tzaddik and Haman Ha'rasha. There are numerous opinions in the Rishonim whether this Gemara should be understood as is.
The Shulchan Aruch [695:2] seems to paskin like the literal explanation of the gemara. However, the Rama [695:2] argues that a person should drink more than usual and as a result of the extra drinking he should go to sleep. [Since when someone is sleeping he will not know the difference between Mordechai and Haman, he fulfills his obligation]. Harav Shmuel Kamenetsky, shlit"a, explains that the Rama does not mean that one needs to go to sleep immediately from the drinking, rather as long as one drinks more than usual and eventually goes to sleep [because of the assistance of the wine] (Koveitz Halachos 18:12).
The Mishneh Berurah [695:5] rules that it is befitting to conduct oneself like the Rama. Additionally, the Mishneh Berurah [695:4] writes that someone who gets drunk needs to be careful to fulfill other halachos [e.g. making brachos, birchas hamazon, davening, netilas yadayim, etc. or who will come to a level to be nohaig kalos rosh (lightheadedness)]. Additionally, in the Be'ur Halachah [695:2 s.v. v'ad], the Chafetz Chaim zt"l writes that if a person knows himself that if by getting drunk he will be lax in other areas of halachah, it is better that he not get drunk (Also see Aruch Hashulchan 695:2-5 that holds one should not get drunk). Similarly, the Pri Chadosh [OC 695:2] writes, that even if we paskin l'halachah that a person is obligated to get drunk, that was in previous generations. However, because there has been a yeridos hadoros it is better just to drink a little more than usual.
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