From the Ravs Desk: Guidelines for Megillah Reading in the Event of a Siren

Guidelines for Megillah Reading in the Event of a Siren

Question

In light of the current security situation in Israel and recent experiences during Shabbos Zachar, our Shul seeks clear guidance regarding the proper conduct if a siren sounds in the middle of the Megillah reading.

Specifically:

• What should the congregation do immediately upon hearing a siren?
• Are people permitted to speak during the interruption?
• If someone spoke, does this invalidate their fulfillment of the mitzvah?
• Must the Megillah reading be restarted from the beginning?
• Do the blessings need to be repeated?
• May the baal koreh speak to give instructions?
• From where should the baal koreh resume the reading after the interruption?
• Does the ruling depend on the length of the interruption (e.g., 10–20 minutes)?
• Is it permissible to continue the reading in a bomb shelter?

Answer

Ordinarily, it is forbidden for anyone to speak or make even a silent interval during the Megillah reading, and the Megillah must be read from beginning to end in proper order. However, in the event of a siren, which is defined as pikuach nefesh, everyone must immediately proceed to a protected area. In such a case, the following options are available:

1. The Megillah may be continued in the bomb shelter, resuming from the place where it was interrupted.
2. Alternatively, the congregation may wait until it is safe to return to the shul or designated minyan area, and then continue the Megillah from the point where it was left off. This ruling applies irrelevant to the length of the interruption, even if the delay lasts 10–20 minutes or longer.

If one spoke: Although speaking during the Megillah is ordinarily forbidden, speech that occurs out of necessity, including giving instructions, clarifying the situation, or responding to the siren, is not considered a halachic interruption. Furthermore, even if someone spoke unnecessarily, it is not considered an interruption bedi’avad, provided that the individual ultimately heard every single word of the Megillah. There is no requirement in such a case to restart the Megillah from the beginning, and the blessings are not repeated.

The baal koreh may speak as needed, and when the reading resumes, he should continue from the passage he was holding at the time of the interruption.

Explanation

The Shulchan Aruch rules that ideally (lechatchilah) the Megillah must be read like a letter, meaning continuously, from beginning to end, without any interruption at all, even a silent pause. However, this requirement applies only lechatchilah. After the fact (bedi’avad), if an interruption occurred, everyone nevertheless fulfills their obligation. Certainly, in the event of a siren, which requires everyone to stop and seek shelter, the interruption does not violate the laws of Megillah reading in any way.

The remaining question, therefore, is from where the reading should be resumed. Although speaking during the Megillah reading is forbidden—even unnecessarily, and even in a bomb shelter—such speech never invalidates the Megillah reading, nor does it invalidate the blessings. Furthermore, a silent interruption, even one lasting many hours, is not considered an invalidating interruption, and it is therefore permitted to resume the reading from the exact place where it was stopped. The only situation in which the chazzan would be required to return to the beginning of the Megillah is a case of Oness, where halacha prohibits the person from continuing the reading—such as if he enters a bathroom and remains there for the full amount of time it takes to read the entire Megillah. This scenario, however, is not relevant in the case of interrupting the reading in order to enter a protected area due to a siren.

Sources:

See regarding Lechatchilah reading the Megillah from beginning to end without an interval: Michaber 690:5; M”A 690:17; Elya Raba 690:10; M”B 690:52; M”B 690:20; Kaf Hachaim 690:32

See regarding that bedieved an interval does not invalidate the reading and one continues from the area he left off: Michaber 690:5

See regarding that this applies even if the amount of time of delay was more than the amount of time it takes him to read the entire Megillah from beginning to end: M”B 690:17; Kaf Hachaim 690:33; Even one hour. [Chayeh Adam 154:18]

See regarding that if the interval is due to Oness, then one must repeat from the beginning: M”B 690:18; Biur Halacha 65 “Karah Seirugin”; Peri Megadim 690 A”A 7; Kaf Hachaim 690:35; based on M”A 422:9 regarding Hallel.

See in general regarding the law of Oness and regarding that only a Halachic Oness, such as a filthy area has the Geder of an Oness for Shema and the same applies to Rabbinical Mitzvos: Admur 104:4; 65:1 [brings dispute regarding Shema, and a dispute regarding if Sakana is considered Oness, although concludes that by Shema we don’t consider Sakana as Oness]; 185:5; Michaber and Rama 65:1; 104:5-6; Brachos 23a; M”A 65:1; M”B 65:16; Ketzos Hashulchan 20:21; Ben ish Chaiy Mishpatim 1:8; Kaf Hachaim 10428, 90:48; Ish Matziliach 1:11; Yabia Omer 3:10;  Piskeiy Teshuvos 104:11;

See regarding that Lechatchilah it is forb idden to talk in the middle of the Megillah reading: Rama 690:5; Michaber 692:2; Taz 692:2; M”B 692:9; M”B 690:19

See regarding that bedieved even talking does not invalidate the reading and one continues from the area he left off: Rama ibid; M”B 690:19 based on Rashba; Kaf Hachaim 692:22