Mesechtas Megillah

Mesechtas Megillah has four chapters and thirty and a half pages. The Mesechtas deals with the laws of reading the Megillah.

In this Mesechtas, it explains that one who holds a Torah scroll without a cover will be buried naked. The Gemara asks, "Could it literally mean naked?" The explanation is that since it's not possible for a spiritual transgression to result in a physical punishment, as burial without clothes would only be a punishment for the body, the punishment must necessarily be spiritual - for the soul. However, even regarding the second answer, the Gemara immediately raises the question "naked without mitzvot?" Because it's not possible that for neglecting one mitzvah one would lose all their mitzvot, the Gemara concludes that the punishment is being buried without that specific mitzvah.

Tosafot are divided on this matter. Some hold that one loses the reward for the mitzvah of holding the Torah scroll. However, the Tosafot authors question this approach, since it's obvious that one won't receive reward when the mitzvah wasn't properly fulfilled, and therefore Tosafot explains that the memory of Torah reading is completely taken from them.

The Rebbe explains this disagreement by suggesting there are three ways to understand the nature of the Torah scroll's cover: a. The cover relates to the "gavra" (person) who holds the Torah scroll, enabling them to hold it. b. The cover relates to the "cheftza" (object) of the Torah scroll itself, designed to preserve and increase its honor. (In parentheses, the Rebbe adds that one could also investigate whether the cover is meant to add to the scroll's honor - "positive," or "negative" - preventing its disgrace). c. It's not just about the scroll's honor but its very sanctity, similar to the blank margins around the Torah scroll that become part of it.

According to the first approach, that it only relates to the person and how they hold the Torah scroll, the punishment of being "buried naked" - the deprivation of one's garments - is understandable. According to the second approach, that the cover is a garment for the Torah scroll, the second opinion in the Gemara makes sense, that one is buried naked without mitzvot, since mitzvot are spiritual garments for the Torah within a person, and since they diminished the Torah's garments, the garments of Torah in their soul are likewise diminished. And according to the third approach, that the cover is an inseparable part of the Torah scroll, since they removed the cover from the Torah scroll, they lose that specific mitzvah itself, but one cannot say they are buried without mitzvot, because mitzvot are separate garments from the Torah within them and are not similar in essence to the scroll's cover.

The Rebbe's Explanations

• 2a. "The Megillah is read on the 11th..." Likkutei Sichos Vol. 40, page 117.
• 2b. "But say the 16th and 17th." Hitva'aduyot 5745 Vol. 3, p. 1463, (p. 77)
• 7b. "A person is obligated to drink on Purim." Likkutei Sichos Vol. 7, p. 20 (p. 32)
• 11a. "From Hodu to Kush," the disagreement between Rav and Shmuel. Likkutei Sichos Vol. 16, p. 3 (p. 18)
• 14a. The parable of the owner of the mound and the owner of the ditch. Delivered on Purim 5725. Torat Menachem, Vol. 43, (p. 34) (Haman and Achashverosh and the roots of hatred, adapted from the Rebbe's talk, on the Chabad Youth website)
• 13b. "The remedy precedes the affliction." Likkutei Sichos 32, Vayikra p. 73 note 13 (p. 86)
• 20a. "And they don't circumcise." Likkutei Sichos Vol. 17, p. 125 (p. 138)
• 32a. "Naked without that mitzvah." Likkutei Sichos Vol. 23, p. 141 (p. 156)

Explanations of Chabad Rebbes

• The Tzemach Tzedek Rebbe, "Mesechtas Megillah," Tzemach Tzedek on the Shas, Brooklyn, 5755 (1995), pages 152-158, on the HebrewBooks website

Keser Shem Tov

Daf Gimmel amud aleph - In Sefer Keser Shem Tov, section 120, the Baal Shem Tov explained that the feeling of fear that Chananya Mishael and Azariah felt connects to feeling in tefillah. Sometimes a Jew may pray with such devotion that they will cry without control. This is caused by their "Mazal" who sees the judgements against them.