purim feast

Seudat Purim – The Mitzvah of the Festive Purim Meal

When Is the Purim Feast Held?

The Purim feast, known as Seudat Purim, must be held during the daytime rather than at night.

This is derived from the Book of Esther, which describes Purim as “days of feasting and gladness” (Esther 9:22).

The festive meal may be held at any time during the day.

According to Chabad custom, the Purim feast traditionally begins during the afternoon and continues into the evening.

Traditional Foods for the Purim Feast

It is a mitzvah to celebrate Purim with a festive meal, enjoying delicious food, wine, and the company of family and friends.

The meal should be prepared generously, according to each person’s financial means.

Eating Bread at the Purim Feast

It is customary to wash one’s hands (Netilat Yadayim) and eat bread as part of the Purim feast.

Bread is traditionally served at the beginning of the meal, followed by a variety of festive dishes.

Eating Meat on Purim

It is customary to serve meat at the Purim feast as an expression of joy and celebration.

Some halachic authorities emphasize eating beef rather than relying solely on chicken to fulfill the custom of eating meat at the festive meal.

Eating Kreplach on Purim

One traditional Ashkenazi Purim food is kreplach — small dumplings filled with meat, often served in chicken soup.

Eating kreplach on Purim is a longstanding Jewish custom, particularly among Ashkenazi communities.

Drinking Wine on Purim

The Talmud (Megillah 7b) teaches that a person should drink on Purim until they cannot distinguish between “Cursed is Haman” and “Blessed is Mordechai.”

This teaching is the basis for the traditional mitzvah of drinking wine during the Purim feast.

However, Jewish authorities offer different interpretations regarding how much wine should be consumed.

How Much Wine Should You Drink on Purim?

Several interpretations are found in halachic literature:

The Rema (Rabbi Moses Isserles) explains that one may fulfill the obligation by drinking more wine than usual and then going to sleep. While asleep, a person cannot distinguish between Haman and Mordechai.
The Gematria Interpretation: The Hebrew phrases Arur Haman (“Cursed is Haman”) and Baruch Mordechai (“Blessed is Mordechai”) both have a numerical value of 502. Some interpretations connect the Talmudic statement to the inability to calculate this numerical equivalence.
The Miracles of Purim: Another explanation relates the statement to the difficulty of distinguishing between the significance of Haman’s downfall and Mordechai’s elevation.

Important Halachic Guidance About Drinking on Purim

Although drinking wine is associated with the mitzvah of celebrating Purim, Jewish law emphasizes that the celebration must remain respectful and spiritually meaningful.

A person who knows that drinking alcohol may cause them to behave improperly, neglect a mitzvah, or act disrespectfully should avoid becoming intoxicated.

The purpose of the Purim feast is to experience genuine joy in fulfilling a mitzvah, not to engage in reckless or inappropriate behavior.

Excessive drinking that endangers health or safety must be avoided.

Are Women Required to Drink Wine on Purim?

Women are obligated to participate in the mitzvot of Purim, including the festive Purim meal.

However, women are not required to become intoxicated on Purim.

They can fulfill the mitzvah of celebrating the holiday through a festive meal and joyful participation in the day’s observances.

Birkat Hamazon – Grace After Meals on Purim

During Birkat Hamazon (Grace After Meals), the special prayer Al HaNissim (“For the Miracles”) is added in thanksgiving for the miracles of Purim.

If the Purim feast begins during the day and continues into the evening, Al HaNissim is still recited in Birkat Hamazon, provided the meal began while it was still Purim day.

This follows the customary practice for a meal that continues beyond nightfall.

Other Mitzvot of Purim

In addition to the festive Purim meal, there are three other main mitzvot observed during the holiday.

Learn more about each mitzvah:

Machatzit HaShekel – The Half-Shekel Custom

During the month of Adar, it is customary to give a charitable donation in remembrance of the Machatzit HaShekel (Half-Shekel) that was donated during the time of the Holy Temple.

This custom is traditionally observed around the Fast of Esther, before the Purim holiday.

You can participate in the Machatzit HaShekel donation online through our website using a credit card or other available payment methods.