Megillah reading livestreamed for those in coronavirus quarantine – watch

The Great Synagogue of Tel Aviv will livestream the megillah reading, but those who aren't sick are still required to hear it in person.

By AARON REICH
‘BECAUSE IT’S a megillah written in Safed, we chose the writing style of the Ari as our font.’ (photo credit: DAVID BRIAN BENDER/COMPELLING PHOTOGRAPHY)
‘BECAUSE IT’S a megillah written in Safed, we chose the writing style of the Ari as our font.’
(photo credit: DAVID BRIAN BENDER/COMPELLING PHOTOGRAPHY)
Those in quarantine due to the coronavirus won't need to miss out on megillah reading on Purim, with the Great Synagogue of Tel Aviv running a livestream of reading of Megillat Esther.
The livestream will begin Monday evening at 6:45 p.m. and will livestream again Tuesday morning at 8:15 a.m.
"Please note that this halachic solution is only for those who do not have kosher megillah and or do not know how to read from it," the synagogue's gabbi, Yosef Rabin, stated, adding that those who are healthy can only fulfil the obligation by hearing it in person.
"Furthermore, those hearing the Megillah through the internet cannot fulfil their obligation via playback or a pre-recording, but only in real-time," he said.
Those in quarantine with a kosher megillah are encouraged to follow along with the reading.
The reading will be streamed live on their Facebook page.
Megillah reading is one of the most important mitzvot in Purim, alongside mishloah manot, which are gifts of food given to friends, and matanot leevyonim, which is charity.
Despite being a time-bound mitzvah, which women are typically exempt from, both men and women are obligated to hear it. This is said to be because women were involved in and benefited from the miracle of Purim as much as men, with Queen Esther having foiled the plot of Haman to wipe out the Jews.
The coronavirus outbreak began in Wuhan, China, and has since spread across the world, infecting over 100,000 people and killing well over 3,000. An effort to combat the virus was made by a network of Chabad shluhim for Jews around the world to say five specific chapters of Psalms simultaneously on Taanit Esther, the day before Purim, even providing times for multiple countries to ensure synchronicity.
Another group prayer effort will be made on Taanit Esther in Brooklyn, with the Kossover Rebbe – a prominent hassidic leader residing in Boro Park – telling all of his supporters to gather and say Psalms to pray against the coronavirus at 6:00 p.m. EST.