Hi, my gemara shiur has just started Megillah and we had this question. If people from villages go into the city to read the megillah, we assumed the reason is because it's because there is no one in the village who is able to read the megillah. So they would have someone from the large city read it for them on that market day.
But then, the reader isn't obligiated in Megillah until the 14th or 15th, so how can they be yoetze from his reading? Wouldn't he need to be obligated on the 11th as well (and we have learned he is not)?
Thank you
Josh Danziger, NY, USA
This question bothers many of the commentaries. The Ritva answers that being that the Rabbanan instituted that the city person should read for them and the city person indeed could read earlier and fulfill his Mitvzah b'Di'eved (i.e. he knew he would not be able to read on his regular Purim), he can be Motzi them. However, the Turei Even and Tosfos Rebbi Akiva Eiger answer that the person from the city must not actually be reading for them, but rather instructs them how to read. [This is done today by some Gabaim who help along their Ba'al Korei by reading in a low voice a little in advance, which shows the Ba'al Korei how to read.]
Kesivah v'Chasimah Tovah,
Yaakov Montrose