When I celebrated Purim for two days TB Megillah 19

We’ve already learned that Jews in villages and towns celebrate Purim on the 14^th day of Adar and Jews living in cities that had a wall around it at the time of Joshua’s conquest of Canaan celebrate Purim on the 15^th day of Adar. Today’s daf TB Megillah 19 deals with the question what should a person do when he is traveling. Should the person celebrate Purim on the day where he comes from or should he celebrate Purim on the day where he is now located? The answer depends on how long the person plans be in his new location.

“Rava said: They taught the mishna that one who is destined to return to his own place reads according to the halakha governing his own place only with regard to one who is destined to return to his own place on the night of the fourteenth of Adar. But if he is not destined to return on the night of the fourteenth, although he does intend to return to his own place eventually, he reads with the residents of his current location. Rava said: From where do I say this? As it is written: “Therefore the Jews of unwalled towns, who dwell in the unwalled towns, make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting” (Esther 9:19). Since it is already written: “The Jews of unwalled towns,” why do I need it to write further, “who dwell in the unwalled towns”? It comes to teach us this: That one who is in an unwalled town even for the day (ben yomo-בֶּן יוֹמוֹ) is also called one who lives in an unwalled town.” (Sefaria.org translation) Rashi defines ben yomo as a person who spends the night and at least through dawn in the place where he is located.

The Shulkhan Arukh poskins “Whether one goes from a city to a big city or a big city to a city - if it was his intention to return to his place at the time of the reading and he was delayed and did not return [to his usual place] reads according to his [usual] location. If it was his intention to return only after the time of the reading, he reads with the people of the place where he is currently. RAMA: And if one is in the desert or on a boat one reads on the 14th like the rest of the world. [Kol Bo]”  (Sefaria.org translation)

Purim is my favorite holiday by far. When I was in Israel during Purim as a student, I took advantage of celebrating the holiday twice! Since I lived in Jerusalem those years, I naturally celebrated Purim on the 15^th day of Adar. I made it my business to be out of town on the 14^th day of Adar so I could celebrate Purim again for the first time. The most memorable occasion was when I visited my friend Rachel Friedman on her kibbutz Kfar Etzion 46 years ago. Somewhere where I keep all my old slides, I have pictures of all the kibbutz children dressed up in costumes. Now those children have children of their own!