When the Gemara asks "heichan Remizah", why do we assume there's a remez that we read on the 11, 12, and 13th? Who said we need a remez? Was this a curiousity question?
And for whatever reason we thought that we need a remez then why don't we need a remez for the 13th because it's the zman "hakiheillah" and was the ikur hanes (Rashi)? Who cares? Heichan Remizah? Please don't just answer "bec it's the ikur neis". That doesn't answer what I'm asking. Think about this because it's a real problem.
Moshe Frankel, Lakewood
That is another excellent point, Reb Moshe.
(a) Rashi (DH Ela Peshita) explains that the logic behind the question "Heichan Remiza" is that if the Rabanan who originally instituted the reading of the Megilah allowed it to be read on more days than are stated explicitly in Megilas Esther, they must hinted to that fact somewhere in the Megilah itself.
As for your question, how did Chazal hint in Megilas Esther that the Megilah can be read on the 13th of Adar - Rashi (DH Zeman Kehilah) might be alluding to an answer by pointing out that the 13th was when the Jews avenged themselves of their enemies "K'Mo she'Kasuv ba'Sefer". That is, by Chazal recording in Megilas Esther that the 13th was a day of vengeance against the enemy, Chazal also alluded right there that the Megilah can be read on that day. That is, there is enough information in Megilas Esther to deduce that Chazal allowed the Megilah to be read on the 13th as well.
(b) Of course, there are other interpretations of Zman Kehilah la'Kol, as we pointed out in Insights to the Daf to Megilah 2:1. The Ran, citing Tosfos, explains that the verse which adds 2 more days for reading Megilah cannot be referring to the 13th, since it is referring to days of rest and not days of war . The 13th is valid for reading the Megilah only by deductive reasoning. If Chazal allow one to read the Megilah on the 11th and 12th and on the 14th and 15th - the 13th must be valid for reading as well. According to the Ran, then, we again have enough information in the verse to deduce that the 13th is a valid day for reading the Megilah.
(c) However, according to Rabeinu Tam (cited in Insights ibid.), the 13th is valid for reading the Megilah simply because it is Ta'anis Esther. Since Ta'anis Esther is not even hinted at in the Megilah, I cannot use the answers suggested earlier to reconcile Rabeinu Tam. So your question remains a question according to Rabeinu Tam.
Best regards,
Mordecai Kornfeld
Kollel Iyun Hadaf