Following the Megillah Laining from a Chumash

 

Question:

What is the value of following the Laining of the Megillah with a Chumash? If I miss a word from the Baal Koreh am I Yotzei just by seeing the word in the Chumash? I am guessing saying the word would not help since it is not a Kosher Megillah.

 

Answer:

A listener following the reading from a printed text should not read along with the Ba’al Koreh.

If someone in this scenario misses a few words or a Possuk, they may then read it from the printed text and still fulfill the Mitzvah. This can be done only for less than half of the Megillah’s total words.

Seeing the word in the Chumash is not sufficient.

 

Sources:

For a more detailed discussion regarding one who missed the beginning, ending, or an entire episode of the Megillah reading, see these sources: Bi’ur Halacha 690:3, s.v. Davka; Sha’alos u’Teshuvos Emek HaTeshuvah, vol. 3, 62.

Some consider the list of Haman’s ten sons an independent episode in this regard. See Sha’alos u’Teshuvos Shevet Halevi vols. 3:97 and 7:9. (The latter resolves a difficulty of the Pri Megadim. See also Nachal Eshkol, Hilchos Sefer Torah, 15.) See Sha’alos u’Teshuvos Teshuras Shai, vol. 1:79. Apparently, it would be better to read the list in more than one breath than to recite them from memory (according to Bigdei Yesha, Orach Chayim 690:4. Certainly, this must be true of one who is listening to the Megillah. See Emek HaTeshuv ah.) However, see Kanei Bosem, vol. 4:37.

 

 

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