By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

It wasn’t a snake that wrapped around a leg.  They were a number of snakes that aimed and fired missiles toward Eretz Yisroel.  But shocking enough, we can derive the halacha of the snakes from the halacha of a snake that wraps around the leg of someone davening Shmoneh Esreh.

 It was a missile siren – a tzeva adom – and it happened to a kehilla in Eretz Yisroel in the middle of reading the Megillah. But in order to understand the halacha, we need to look at the halacha regarding snakes and scorpions, the laws of hefsek in Shemoneh Esrei, and the fascinating question of how these principles apply to the reading of the Megillah.

The Case

A shul in an Israeli city was in the middle of Krias HaMegillah on Purim night. The baal korei had reached the middle of perek daled when suddenly the siren went off – a tzeva adom indicating an incoming rocket. Everyone immediately left the shul and went to the bomb shelter, as required by pikuach nefesh. After a few minutes, the all-clear was given and the mispallelim returned to the shul. The question is: Does the baal korei go back to the beginning of the Megillah? Or does he pick up where he left off?

The Background: Snakes, Scorpions and Shemoneh Esrei

The first Mishna of the fifth perek in Maseches Brachos (30b) states that if a snake wraps itself around a person’s ankle during Shemoneh Esrei, he is still not permitted to make a hefsek (an interruption). The Gemorah (Brachos 33a) explains, however, that if a scorpion is approaching, one does make a hefsek.

The ramifications are significant. If the person made a hefsek when he should not have (the snake case), he must restart Shemoneh Esrei from the beginning. If he made a hefsek when he was supposed to (the scorpion case), he picks up where he left off.

The Rambam (Peirush HaMishnayos) explains the underlying reasoning: the majority of the time, the snake does not bite. Since most encounters with snakes do not result in a bite, this is not considered a sufficient reason to interrupt Shemoneh Esrei.

The Fundamental Question

But this raises a powerful question. The Gemorah in Yuma (84b) states a fundamental principle: “delo halchu b’pikuach nefesh achar harov” – when it comes to matters of life and death, we do not follow majorities. If so, how can we rely on a majority to tell us that one may not interrupt Shemoneh Esrei when a snake wraps around his ankle? Isn’t there a concern of pikuach nefesh? And how is the snake different from the approaching scorpion?

There are at least seven answers to this question, each of which has implications for our case of the Megillah and the missile siren.

The Seven Answers and Their Implications for the Megillah

1. Rav Elchonon Wasserman zt”l (Kovetz Shiurim Psachim #32) explains that someone standing in the middle of Shemoneh Esrei is considered a Shliach Mitzvah – a person involved in a Mitzvah. The Gemorah in Psachim (8a) teaches that Shluchei Mitzvah ainam nizakin – those involved in a Mitzvah are not harmed. There is, however, a qualification: if the damage is common, this dictum does not apply. A scorpion is more likely to bite, so the principle does not protect against it. But since a snake is much less likely to bite, the person remains protected by his Mitzvah status. According to this approach, if the majority of the time a siren goes off in a particular area there is in fact genuine danger, then those who left to the bomb shelter would have acted properly, and they would pick up the Megillah where they left off. However, if the majority of the time the sirens in that area are false alarms, the hefsek was unnecessary, and they would have to restart the Megillah from the beginning. Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l, however, (cited in Shmiras Shabbos K’hilchasa chapter 25 footnote 15) disagrees with Rav Elchanan’s understanding of Shluchei Mitzvah and its parameters.
2. Rav Tzvi Elimelech Spira of Dinov zt”l (1783–1841), the author of the Bnei Yissaschar and nephew of the Rebbe Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk, in his Sefer entitled “Vehaya Bracha,” explains that the halacha regarding snakes in Shemoneh Esrei is entirely unique. There is a special pasuk in Mishlei (16:7) that states: “When Hashem accepts a person’s ways, He will cause even his enemies to make peace with him.” The Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah 54:1) identifies this “enemy” as the snake. It is specifically because of this verse that we do not make a hefsek for a snake – but there is no comparable verse for other dangers. According to the Bnei Yissaschar, since the missile siren has nothing to do with the special verse about the snake, the hefsek was entirely justified. The kehilla would therefore pick up the Megillah where they left off and would not have to restart from the beginning.
3. The Klausenberger Rebbe zt”l (Divrei Yatziv OC Siman 61) writes that there is a drasha in Yuma 19b regarding Krias Shema: “Vedibarta bam – and you shall speak in them” – in them (Shema) and not in Tefillah. This drasha teaches us that the rules of hefsek in Tefillah have unique stringencies and that we do not follow the standard rules of rov (majority) when dealing with Tefillah. According to this approach, since our case deals with Krias HaMegillah and not Shemoneh Esrei, the special stringency of Tefillah would not apply. The kehilla would therefore, likely, pick up where they left off.
4. Rav Avrohom Stern zt”l in his Kisvei Aish (Volume V Siman 6) makes an inference from the Bartenura that the case of the snake involves a double majority – most times snakes do not bite, and even when they do bite, most snakebites are not fatal. By virtue of this extreme rarity of actual danger, it is not considered pikuach nefesh at all. According to this reasoning, the missile siren presents a very different scenario. A siren indicates a genuine and immediate threat with real statistical danger of harm. Since there is no double majority to minimize the danger, the hefsek was entirely justified, and the kehilla would pick up the Megillah where they left off.
5. Rav Avrohom Dirnfeld zt”l, the Rav and Rosh Mesivta of Puppa, in his Bais Yosef Sefer on Brachos, cites the Chasam Sofer’s responsum (YD #245) that when the minority danger is not present before us – meaning, one cannot see the actual threat – then we do follow a rov, a majority. When it comes to the missile siren, one could argue that the threat is not visibly present before the mispallelim – they hear a siren but do not see the rocket. According to this view, the question would hinge upon whether the majority of the time the sirens result in actual danger or not. If the majority of the time there is no actual strike in that location, they would have to restart the Megillah from the beginning.
6. The Rashash explains that sometimes we do indeed follow a rov even in regard to pikuach nefesh (see Shulchan Aruch OC 618:3). This view suggests that the distinction between the snake and scorpion is not about the general principle of pikuach nefesh and majorities, but rather about the specific level of probability in each case. For the missile siren, a posek would need to evaluate the actual statistical likelihood of danger when a siren sounds in that particular area.
7. The Magadim Yekarim by Rabbi Shlomo Menachem Schwartz explains that by virtue of the fact that there is a Chillul Hashem involved in leaving in the middle of Shemoneh Esrei for only a very remote chance of danger, we do not make a hefsek. According to this view, one would need to consider whether leaving in the middle of the Megillah reading to go to a bomb shelter constitutes a Chillul Hashem or, to the contrary, a Kiddush Hashem. It would seem that demonstrating the primacy of pikuach nefesh – showing that the Torah values life above all – would actually be a Kiddush Hashem rather than a Chillul Hashem. If so, the hefsek was entirely appropriate, and the kehilla would pick up where they left off.

What Constitutes a Hefsek in Megillah?

It should be noted that there is a debate among the Poskim as to the nature of a hefsek. The Talmidei Rabbeinu Yonah rule that the prohibition of interrupting during Shemoneh Esrei is only through speech, but walking is not considered a hefsek. The Ramah (OC 104:3) rules in accordance with this view. The TaZ and the Vilna Gaon, however, maintain that walking is also considered a hefsek. The Vilna Gaon cites the view of the Rosh (Siman 3) that talking would not help in the situation of a snake, and that is why the hefsek being discussed refers to walking away.

When it comes to Megillah, however, the parameters may be different. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 690:5) rules that if one paused during the Megillah reading, even for a significant amount of time, one picks up where one left off. The Mishnah Berurah (690:18) explains that this is true as long as the interruption was not of such a duration that one would have to start over. The Poskim discuss what that duration would be.

Additional Considerations for the Megillah

There is another important factor to consider. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 692:1) rules that one must hear every single word of the Megillah. If words were missed, there is a serious question as to the validity of the reading. When the kehilla rushes to the bomb shelter, it is likely that the baal korei stopped in the middle of a pasuk. When they return, he must be careful to resume from the exact place he stopped and not skip even a single word.

Furthermore, the Rema (OC 690:5) writes that if there was a significant interruption, it is preferable to go back to the beginning of the Megillah if possible. Many Poskim understand this to be an ideal practice (l’chatchilah) even if b’dieved one would be yotzei from where one left off.

The Rivevos Ephraim on Fire Alarms

Rav Ephraim Greenblatt zt”l (Rivevos Ephraim Vol. 8 #311) rules that one must leave if a fire alarm goes off even in the middle of Shemoneh Esrei. He notes, however, that the situation may be different if there is a history of the alarm going off in error. Kal vachomer, when a missile siren sounds in Eretz Yisroel, one must certainly leave immediately. Pikuach nefesh overrides all.

Practical Conclusion

Based on the analysis of the seven approaches, the majority of the views would hold that when a missile siren goes off during Megillah reading in Eretz Yisroel, the kehilla acted properly in going to the bomb shelter, and when they return, the baal korei should pick up the Megillah from where he left off. This is because the danger presented by a missile siren is real and immediate, and interrupting for genuine pikuach nefesh is not considered an improper hefsek.

However, it is advisable, l’chatchilah, to go back a few pesukim before the point of interruption to ensure that the listeners reconnect with the flow of the Megillah and do not miss any words. And of course, one should consult one’s Rav or Posek for a final ruling.

May Hashem protect all of Klal Yisroel, and may we soon merit the day when the only sounds we hear during Megillah reading are the joyous shouts of “Arur Haman” and “Baruch Mordechai.”

As an aside, we must always use every opportunity to look at things from the perspective of halacha and Torah.  In this zchus, may we merit that none of acheinu bnei Yisroel be hurt, chalilah, nor any innocent bystanders, nor the brave US soldiers that are fighting against evil and tyrrany, Amain!

Post Script:  Someone pointed out to me that Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein shlita wrote about this topic as well and wrote as follows: 

From where do you resume Kriyah after the tzibur returns?

If the tzibur stayed in a clean place where it would have been halachically possible to read the Megillah, then even if a long time passed and even if they had to interrupt by talking, they resume from the point where they stopped and do not return to the beginning.

But if they were in a shelter that is not halachically clean (a place where one may not read the Megillah), or if such a long time passed that they could have completed the entire Megillah from start to finish during that interval, then they must go back and read from the beginning. In that case, they do not repeat the brachos, as long as they never fully removed their mind (hesach da’as) from the mitzvah.

Are the brachos repeated when they continue the Kriyah?

When the tzibur regathers and continues from where they left off, if they did not divert their minds (hesach da’as) from the Megillah, they do not recite the brachos again.

If their attention was diverted from the mitzvah, they must repeat the bracha of ‘Al Mikra Megillah’ (but not the other brachos).

Siren between the brachos and the Kriyah

If a siren sounds immediately after the three brachos were recited, but before the Kriyah began, or right after finishing the Kriyah but before reciting ‘הרב את ריבנו’, the following applies:

If they then spoke or lost focus on the mitzvah (hesach da’as), the brachos must be repeated (and it appears they should also repeat “She’asa Nissim” and “Shehecheyanu”).

But if they managed to read even one word of the Megillah (for example, “Vayehi”) before the interruption, this already counts as beginning the mitzvah, and the original brachos remain valid.

Therefore, if a siren sounds between the brachos and Megillah, the Shliach Tzibur should quickly recite at least one word of the Megillah as soon as he completes the brachos in order not to invalidate them.

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