Kvod harabanim,
Is there a mitsva to eat meat at the mishte shel Purim, as well as for yamim tovim ? Or is it possible to organise a ‘halavi or parve mishte ?
Thanks a lot for your answer, shalom uvracha.
Answer:
Several poskim write that there is an obligation to eat meat at the Purim meal, including the Rambam (Megillah 2:15) and the Shulchan Aruch (696:7).
Although the Beis Yosef writes that today, in the absence of the Mikdash, there is no longer an obligation to eat meat on festivals, it appears that there is a distinction between festivals and Purim. The Magen Avraham (696:15) wonders why this would be so, and does not offer an explanation.
Some suggest (see Shut Divrei Moshe 1:40) that by contrast with the subjective obligation of simcha for festivals, on Purim there is a concrete obligation of a “feast,” which is specifically fulfilled by means of meat.
However, if a person does not take pleasure in meat, and enjoys a dairy meal far more, then eating meat would defeat the purpose, and he should eat whichever foods he enjoys the most.
Best wishes.
