Siman 693

And after the reading of the Megillah in the evening service, we say "And You are Holy." And it would be appropriate to begin with "And a redeemer shall come to Zion," for it is a time of redemption. And indeed, in the Siddur of Rav Amram it is written so, as the Tur wrote. However, the Tur wrote that we do not practice this way, because the primary redemption was not at night; see there. And regarding the matter of saying "And You are Holy": it seems to me that because we have recounted the miracles that the Holy One, blessed be He, performed for us—we say "And You are Holy, Who dwells amidst the praises of Israel," meaning: that, as it were, His entire primary concern, may He be blessed, is the praises of Israel, and therefore He rejoices in our well-being, and the opposite during a time of our distress, Heaven forbid. And therefore we say "And You are Holy" both on Tisha B'Av and on Purim.

And if it falls on the conclusion of Shabbat, they also say "Vihi Noam," and afterward they say a full kaddish with "Titkabel." But after the Shemoneh Esreh before the reading of the Megillah – he should not say "Titkabel," for one should not say "Titkabel" twice in one prayer. And some have written to say a half kaddish before the Megillah (Levush and Taz). However, in the Minhagim it is written that they should say a full kaddish, though certainly without "Titkabel." And the world says "Titkabel" after the Shemoneh Esreh and also after "Ve-Atah Kadosh." And it is a wondrous thing, and they have already wondered about this (ibid.). And in any case: if they say "Titkabel" after the Shemoneh Esreh – they should not say "Titkabel" after "Ve-Atah Kadosh" (Magen Avraham). And what is more correct is that the essence of "Titkabel tzelotehon" is for the Shemoneh Esreh, and if so, it should not be said afterward. And so it is proper to establish as the practice. And see what I wrote above, at the beginning of siman 559, section 3.

When it falls on Saturday night, it would have been appropriate to perform havdalah before the reading of the megillah, for how can we benefit from the light when we have not yet recited the blessing "Who creates the lights of the fire"? And at the very least, we should have recited the blessing "Who creates the lights of the fire" before the reading of the megillah, but even regarding this—the custom is not so. And the reason: because everyone needs to perform havdalah in his home, and he needs to also recite the blessing "Who creates the lights of the fire" for the sake of the members of his household, and why should he recite it two times? Therefore, even in the synagogue, they do not perform havdalah before the megillah. Furthermore: for we have a general rule that we delay havdalah as much as we can, so as not to completely remove from ourselves all the sanctity of the Shabbat. And if it is because of benefiting from the light during the reading of the megillah before the blessing "Who creates the lights of the fire"—there is no concern in this, for we have not found that it is forbidden to benefit from the light before this blessing. For we have already recited in the morning the blessing "Who forms the luminaries," and there is no case here of one who benefits from this world without a blessing. And the blessing "Who creates the lights of the fire" is because of its creation on Saturday night, as is explained in the Gemara. If so, our custom is well-founded. And know that "Veyiten Lecha" is said after "Ve'atah Kadosh" or after havdalah, according to the custom of every Saturday night. And when Purim falls on Saturday night—one must be careful not to bring the megillah on Shabbat to the synagogue, for it is forbidden to exert oneself on Shabbat for a weekday. And even by means of a minor it is not proper; rather, he should prepare it from the eve of Shabbat, or bring it after Ma'ariv. However, it is possible that if he will look into it to understand it on Shabbat itself, to study it and expound upon it—it is possible that it is permitted to bring it, for he does this for the sake of Shabbat, as it is permitted to study it on Shabbat. Nevertheless, we are careful not to come to this (see Sha'arei Teshuva).

One says "Al HaNissim" during the night and day of the fourteenth, and not on the fifteenth day. And one says it both in the prayer and in Birkat HaMazon. And if one did not say it – they do not make him return, as in Chanukah, since they do not have a Musaf sacrifice. And also in Maariv on the night of the fourteenth, even though they have not yet read the Megillah – they say "Al HaNissim." But on the night of the fifteenth and the day of the fifteenth – they do not say it, and nevertheless if one said it – it is not an interruption, and they do not make him return, since for those in walled cities today is the primary Purim. And they did not institute Hallel on Purim, for the reading of the Megillah is in place of Hallel. And furthermore: it is well and good that on the festivals and on Chanukah we say "Praise, O servants of Hashem..." – and not the servants of Pharaoh and Antiochus. But on Purim, we are still the servants of Achashverosh (Gemara 14b). And they do not perform Nefilat Appayim on Purim. And they do not say "Lamnatzeach" and "El Erech Appayim." And it is proper to say the psalm "Ayelet HaShachar" on Purim, for it is expounded regarding Esther as is known. And "Mizmor LeTodah" is said.

We take out a sefer Torah, and three men read "Vayavo Amalek." And it contains only nine verses, even though we do not decrease from ten verses. For this reason, there are those who repeat the final verse. However, our custom is not so, for they explicitly said in the Gemara (23b) regarding the haftarah: Where the subject matter concludes, it is different. And here too, in the parashah of Purim. And so wrote the Tosafot and the Rosh (ibid. 21, starting with the words "Ein," see there). And afterward we read the Megillah. And afterward "Ashrei," "Uva LeTziyon." And it is proper not to remove the tefillin until after the reading of the Megillah, as it is written therein, "and joy and honor," and we expound: "joy" – this is milah, "honor" – this is tefillin. Therefore, when there is a milah on Purim – we circumcise the infant before the reading of the Megillah, so that we may read "and joy." However, if it is impossible to circumcise in the beit knesset, and if they go before the Megillah they will not hear the Megillah – they circumcise afterward (and see what I wrote above, siman 137, section 1).