A recent halachic ruling issued by the Gaavad of Heichal Hora’ah, HaGaon Rav Moshe Bransdorfer, concerning individuals stranded abroad due to the war has drawn sharp opposition. Rav Yosef Abitbul has published a letter expressing strong objection and stating that the ruling should not be followed in practice.

Rav Bransdorfer had ruled that anyone stuck in chutz la’aretz because of the war should observe Purim according to his city of residence. Rav Abitbul, author of Shaarei Yosef, responded that this approach is not correct according to halachah.

In his letter, Rav Abitbul explains that the Megillah states, “Al kein haYehudim haPerazim haYoshvim b’arei haPerazos,” and Chazal derive from this that even a peruz ben yomo is considered a peruz, and a mukaf ben yomo is considered a mukaf. Therefore, he argues that if a person is currently remaining in chutz la’aretz, even if he is there b’oneis, he must observe Purim according to the place where he is physically present.

He writes that it is difficult to understand the opposing view, calling it “chiddush atzum neged divrei haPoskim.” He explains that the halachic authorities who rule based on a person’s intent are discussing a case where someone is delayed but expects to arrive at his destination in time. However, if a person is delayed due to circumstances beyond his control and knows that he will remain where he is, he must observe Purim according to his current location and not according to where he resides. Since he is anus and aware that he will remain in that place and not in Yerushalayim, he is certainly obligated to observe on the fourteenth of Adar, as Rav Abitbul elaborates at length in Shaarei Yosef, Hilchos Purim. He concludes that it is extremely difficult to say otherwise.

According to Rav Abitbul, this ruling also does not align with the view of Maran the Chazon Ish, who held that one follows his actual location rather than his prior intention. In his view, the determining factor is where the person is physically present when Purim arrives.

{Matzav.com}