Megilla reading on the radio, kosher?

shabbatiscoming

Sat, Mar 15 2014, 5:35 pm

The religious radio station here in Israel had the megilla being read about 45 minutes after shabbat ended tonight.
I was just wondering if anyone knew if such a reading is kosher and if not, then why read it from the radio at all?

(I am going to ask our rav tomorrow, but was wondering, in case anyone is on here and knows the answer Smile

)

grace413

Sat, Mar 15 2014, 5:37 pm

Not 100% sure but I don't think you can be yotzei from the radio.

Let us know what you find out.

DrMom

Sat, Mar 15 2014, 5:39 pm

As far as I know, that doesn't count. But maybe there are different opinions.

Aylat

Sat, Mar 15 2014, 8:23 pm

According to the halacha book Guidelines on Purim: not kosher.

When I have time, b'n I'll look up their source at the back of the sefer.

oliveoil

Sat, Mar 15 2014, 11:21 pm

Not kosher.

naturalmom5

Sat, Mar 15 2014, 11:29 pm

Absolutely not

Are you already drunk Shabat [b]

greenfire

Sat, Mar 15 2014, 11:45 pm

interesting concept ... why couldn't it be - if it's hearing it while it's actually happening ...

Mama Bear

Sun, Mar 16 2014, 12:41 am

Maybe its meant for homebound ppl or not - so - religiuos ppl who would otherwise not hear the megillah tonite at all.

questioner

Mon, Mar 17 2014, 11:49 am

Not kosher, I think it's meant for children who are too young to go to megilla, who can get their chance to "hear megilla" and shake their graggers without any worries about disturbing others. At least that's how we used it around here - kids had a great time making noise for Haman (and the rest of time Smile

), and then we turned it off after a few minutes.

Hashem_Yaazor

Mon, Mar 17 2014, 1:24 pm

It's not -- not l'chatchila, and not even b'di eved.

I am very, very confused why a prominent (read: well-known) rav in America had a tele-conference for megillah reading, and why many women assumed it was fine to hear it snuggled in PJs instead of going to an actual reading.

shabbatiscoming

Mon, Mar 17 2014, 1:26 pm

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

maybe that rav says its ok?
I was talking about here in israel, the religious station has the reading about 5 minutes after shabbat was over.

Hashem_Yaazor

Mon, Mar 17 2014, 1:42 pm

For cultural awareness/feel good to the homebound who won't have any reading? Doesn't count as hearing it though!

Ruchel

Mon, Mar 17 2014, 2:32 pm

Maybe these are for moms who would disturb with their kids?? lol

simhat_nisuyyin

Mon, Mar 17 2014, 2:35 pm

Maybe the reason it's not kosher is akin to the Talmudic case of hearing the shofar through echoes in a cave? Anyone remember anything like this from their learning? Can't place the source in the recesses of my mind...

simhat_nisuyyin

Mon, Mar 17 2014, 2:36 pm

*In the caverns of my mind... Cheers

Hashem_Yaazor

Mon, Mar 17 2014, 2:59 pm

There is a whole teshuva written by R' Moshe about megillah through a microphone. I think the conclusion was there is room to understand why it may be permitted, but it should not be done, even for a mitzvah d'rabonnan like a megillah reading. R SZ Auerbach is even more machmir. But in the case of hearing it over a radio/telephone, you don't ever hear the reader's voice itself (which may be a possibility with a mike that also amplifies it) -- you only hear the electronic rendition.

freidasima

Mon, Mar 17 2014, 4:02 pm

It's like HY writes...milechaschila no one allows it as it is not direct and one has to hear it directly...however...from experience there are some people who can't hear it any other way and for them, this is their megilla reading which is better than nothing.

greenfire

Tue, Mar 18 2014, 10:36 am

apparently it's being done ... read the fine print

shabbatiscoming

Thu, Mar 20 2014, 2:51 am

Here is the answer that I got to my question:

Thank you for your question. Much has been written about hearing the migillah via the radio, or even via a loudspeaker (see for example Shut Yechavay Da'at 3,54, and the Tzit Eliezer 4,26). The overwhelming ruling of rabbis today is that one should not fulfill their mitzvah of listening to the migillah via the radio, (though they debate the possibility that perhaps after the fact, or in times of great need, whether one can rely on hearing the megillah via the radio).
The main issue at hand is whether what one hears from the radio's speaker is in fact the voice of the person reading. In order to fulfill the mitzvah one needs to hear the reading from someone who is themselves obligated in the mitzvah. So if, for example, one heard the reading from a trained parrot, everyone agrees that the mitzvah was not fulfilled (though that would be some Purim act!). Also, if one heard a recording of the migillah reading, it would not suffice. So, is the electrical reproduction of the broadcast voice from the radio considered as a "voice" of the reader or not? That is the question the rabbis debate when it comes to listening to the migillah via a speaker or radio.
Even though we wrote that the main stream ruling is to be strict, it is still a great thing that the national radio station broadcasts the megillah reading (for not only the private religious station broadcast it, but also the national station – Kol Yisrael). This is for two reasons. Firstly, there are opinions that hold that one can fulfill the mitzvah in this way, and it is certainly better than not hearing the megillah at all. So for those people who will not get to a synagogue reading, this is the next best thing. Secondly, even if no one fulfills their mitzvah by the radio reading, it is still a great Kiddush Hashem (sanctification of G-d's name) to have the national radio station's prime time used to broadcast words from the Tanach – may we merit to increase all types of Torah in Israel!

Hashem_Yaazor

Thu, Mar 20 2014, 9:58 am

But this doesn't address the entire segment of people who decided to rely on this vs going to reading in person which they could have worked out...