Question:
Hi there, I will be traveling to remote location no were on island to hear megilla over Purim. I have someone that can read it over phone for me, Can I be “Yozeh” this way?
Answer:
You should try to do whatever you can to avoid being in such a place for Purim or get a hold of a megillah so that you can read it. According to most poskim, a person can not be yotza megilla this way. However b’dieved when left with no choice one can rely on the minority opinions that hold that one can be yotza that way.
Sources:
Maharsham O:CH 682, Minchas Shlomo-9, Eretz Tzvi 1-23, Eidus L’yisroel ( R’ Henkin zt”l) pg. 122, MInchas Yitzchok 1-37, Mishneh Halachos 4-85, TzitzELiezer 4-24(2), 8-11, Igros Moshe O:CH 2-108, O:CH 4- 91(4),
As a side point, although it is well known the R’ S. Z. Auerbach zt”l ruled stringently regarding this question. I once was zoche to speak to R’ S. Z. Auerbach zt”l regarding listening to the Megillah using a hearing aid, ( a situation where the person really didn’t have much of a choice), and he answered me with his sweet smile, “I am leaning to be stringent with this, but the Chazon Ish was lenient about this, ” divrie horav vdivrei hatalmud, who says that I am even befitting to be called a talmid of his” therefore he said that we can be lenient! He even went on to tell me some of the debate that he had with the Chazaon Ish about this. He said that he asked the Chazon Ish, ” If someone would talk, and it would make the table rattle, so that it would sound exactly like the person speaking, could you be yotza with that? And the Chazon Ish said Yes!
