[Avodah] What is the reason for the mitzvah of giving Mishloach Manos on Purim?

[Micha Berger]

On Tue, Mar 19, 2019 at 03:53:47PM +0000, Professor L. Levine via Avodah wrote:
: >From today's OU Kosher Halacha Yomis

: .... Manos Halevi (Megillas Esther 9:16-17)

R Shelomo al-Qabetz, author of Lekha Dodi.

:                                             explains that the Purim story
: took place because Haman maligned the Jews, saying that they engage in
: personal feuds and do not get along with one another....
: lacking unity. To demonstrate the falsehood of this libelous charge,
: Mordechai and Esther instituted that Mishloach Manos should be given
: to one's friends and acquaintances, to foster camaraderie and good will...
: to others. Terumas HaDeshen (1:111),

R Yisrael Isserlin, one of the Rama's primary sources.

(In the text below I reversed the order; I guess my instinct was to
put the rishon before the acharon.)

:                                      however, explains that the purpose
: of giving one's acquaintances Mishloach Manos is to ensure that poor
: people enjoy a festive and lavish Seudas Purim...

The CS gives this two step thing, we give to the poor, and to the wealthy
so as not to embarass the poor. But IIRC, the Terumas haDeshen just says
"kedei sheyehei lekhol echad dai".

It's not clear just how much Rav Shelomo al-Qabetz is actually
disagreeing with the ThD. Why are we making sure everyone has food
for the se'udah? Beyond matanos le'evyonim? Isn't that to practice
achdus? Especially if we don't assume like the Chazon Ish, and we take
the Terumas haDeshen at face value, the focus isn't on tzedaqah, just
trying to think about everyone.

So to my eye the machloqes is:

The Terumas haDeshan holds the mitzvah is an act of achdus. The point
is the bein adam lachaveiro.

Rav Shelomo al-Qabetz holds the mitzvah is "symbolic" of achdus,
in response to Haman's accusation against us. The point is more bein
adam laMaqom.

-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             "'When Adar enters, we increase our joy'
micha at aishdas.org         'Joy is nothing but Torah.'
http://www.aishdas.org    'And whoever does more, he is praiseworthy.'"
Fax: (270) 514-1507                     - Rav Dovid Lifshitz zt"l