Can one fulfill the mitzvah of reading the Megillah by listening to the ba’al korei through an amplification system (microphone and speakers)?

Question: Can one fulfill the mitzvah of reading the Megillah by listening to the ba’al korei through an amplification system (microphone and speakers)?

Answer: This question does not relate to the people who are sitting close to the ba’al korei and would be able to hear his voice without the microphone for they are certainly fulfilling the mitzvah. Even if the microphone is allowing them to hear it better, they would still fulfill the mitzvah without question. The question here relates to those sitting to far to actually here the voice of the ba’al korei and need the microphone to hear him.

1.     The Minchat Elazar discusses hearing shofar on Rosh Hashanah and Megillah on Purim over a telephone. He says that for Shofar you are certainly not yotsei because this would be the equivalent to the Mishnah’s case (Rosh Hashanah 27b) of one who blows the shofar into a pit, if the listener hears the actual sound of the shofar, he fulfills the mitzvah of listening to the shofar. However, if he hears the echo of the shofar, he does not fulfill the mitzvah. Listening through a telephone would also not be effective to fulfill the mitzvah as it is not viewed as hearing the actual words of the reader. However, when it comes to Megillah, the Mishnah does not prohibit hearing that from the echo of a pit and hence he knows of no reason to invalidate an amplification system for the mitzvah of Megillah.

2.     Rav Yosef Engel states that the fact that one does not hear the actual sound produced by the shofar or the reader does not prevent one from fulfilling the mitzvah. After all, even without an amplification system, one only hears the vibration of matter in one's immediate area and not the original sound waves. Nevertheless, the problem with an amplification system is that one does not hear the sound in a natural manner. Hearing a sound through in an abnormal fashion may not be considered a halachically valid form of hearing.

3.     One can add that this is the Mishna's problem with hearing an echo. Although there is always an echo produced by any sound, the human ear cannot detect the echo unless there is a considerable delay (approximately 1/10 of a second) between the original sound and the echo. Thus, it is possible that the problem with hearing the echo of the shofar is that one does not hear the shofar in a natural manner.

4.     R.  Shlomo Z. Auerbach notes that there is a fundamental problem with fulfilling the mitzvah of shofar or Megillah through an amplification system because when one hears the sound coming out of the speaker, it is not the actual sound of the shofar or the reader. Rather, it is an analog or digital reproduction of the original sound.

Teshuvot Yerushat P'leitah  presents the same objection to fulfilling these mitzvot through an amplification system and suggests that the Mishna's problem of hearing the echo of the shofar is simply that one does not actually hear the shofar but rather a reproduced sound.

5.     R’ Moshe Feinstein (Igrot Moshe, Orach Chaim 2:108) argues that even if one were to consider the sound coming out of a speaker as a reproduction, it does not necessarily invalidate the sound because any sound that is heard is not the actual produced sound (similar to R. Engel's initial assertion). He posits that the problem with hearing the echo is that an echo is a weak sound. Sound produced through an amplification system is a strong sound and therefore not subject to the invalidity of the sound of the echo. Therefore, R. Feinstein rules that in principle one should not protest those who use an amplification system for the reading of the Megillah. [R. Feinstein presents other reasons why one should not accept this practice.]

6.     Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank, also suggests that there is a difference between listening to a shofar through an amplification system and listening to the Megillah through an amplification system. Regarding the shofar, the mitzvah is actually to hear the sound of the shofar. Therefore, if the sound is tainted by an echo, one cannot fulfill the mitzvah. However, regarding the Megillah, the mitzvah is not to listen to the Megillah, but to read the Megillah. All of the listeners fulfill their mitzvah based on the principle of shomei'a k'oneh (the listener is like the responder). When one listens to the Megillah, it is as if he himself is reading the Megillah. According to R. Frank, a tainted sound does not prevent the shomei'a k'oneh principle from taking effect and therefore, one can fulfill the mitzvah of Megillah by listening through an amplification system.

7.     Rav Auerbach, notes that he discussed the matter with R. Avraham Y. Karelitz (Chazon Ish). Chazon Ish responded that if the listener hears the sound through an amplification system immediately after the sound is produced it is possible that he fulfills the mitzvah. R. Auerbach explains that accordingly, one must explain that the problem with the echo is that the sound is not heard immediately upon its production.

Summary: One would not fulfill the obligation of hearing the Megillah on Purim if he listens through an amplification system or over the radio. However, those sitting close to the ba’al korei and can hear him without the amplification system would fulfill their mitzvah.

Author’s note: While we did cite some poskim who are lenient, Rav Ovadia takes the strict approach and hence it would appear that Sefardim should not utilize a microphone to listen to Megillah.

(Summary based on יחוה דעת חלק ג׳ ס׳ נד)