Mishloach manot

What it is

Mishloach manot means the sending of portions. The command appears in the Book of Esther, where the Jewish people are told to mark the days of Purim with feasting and gladness, by passing food to others and by giving presents to those in need. Teachers read that verse as three duties: eating the Purim meal, sending food to a friend, and giving charity to two poor people. The parcels serve a practical aim, since they help make sure there is enough for the feast later in the day, and they are also meant to deepen affection between Jewish people and their neighbours.

How the giving works

Halakha, the body of Jewish law, asks each person past bar or bat mitzvah age to send two kinds of food to at least one other person. The parcel has to change hands while it is still light on Purim. Most authorities hold that giver and receiver should be keeping the same day. Children from about six or seven join in, partly as practice for the duty. Many families pass the parcels through a messenger rather than handing them over in person, and children often carry them, earning sweets for the errand. There is no duty to send anything back to someone who sent to you, though giving to several people is praised.

What goes inside

Any food or drink that is ready to consume counts, except water. A bottle of soft drink or a packet of potato chips is enough; raw meat or dry uncooked grain is not. Wine and pastries, hamentashen among them, are common, but a parcel can also carry sweets, fruit, or something cooked or tinned. Two kinds of fruit may be given together, an apple and an orange for instance, but not two apples. Some teachers, following Israel Isserlein, hold that the food should be fit for the Purim meal held later that day. Others cite Shlomo Halevi Alkabetz, who saw the point as peace and friendship, so that candy or pretzels will do.

Mourning and charity

Parcels are not sent to someone in mourning. A mourner still has to send mishloach manot, but the package should stay simple, and some authorities allow only one recipient. The size of a parcel should suit both the giver and the receiver, so a wealthy sender gives more than a poor one, and a wealthy recipient is given more. Lawmakers also weigh cost: giving more charity on Purim is judged better than spending a great deal on fancy parcels. Poor people take part too. If someone cannot afford food for a friend, they may swap their own food with the friend's, which satisfies the duty for both. Money or other goods alone do not count.

Fundraisers today

Synagogues, Jewish schools and youth groups now run mishloach manot drives. Members hand in a list of names and pay a set amount for each one, and the organisation buys, wraps and delivers the baskets. A card inside names everyone who paid towards that gift, so one person can greet many others without shopping or travelling. Other charities gather donations instead and send the giver printed cards to sign and post. Such a card says that a donation has taken the place of a parcel. This does not count as fulfilling the mitzvah, but many people use it as a way to reach everyone they know.

How Mishloach manot is kept

People past bar or bat mitzvah age, and children from six or seven, put together parcels. Each holds two different ready-to-eat foods or drinks. The giver picks at least one recipient. On Purim, in daylight, the parcel goes out, often carried by a child or another messenger, who may be given sweets. The recipient takes it in. Many senders add charity for poor people alongside, and the day's festive Purim meal comes later, the meal the parcels are meant to support. In Israel, relatives and children also send parcels to soldiers.

When and where

On Purim itself, during the hours of daylight. The parcel has to reach its recipient that day, and most authorities say the giver and the receiver should be observing the same day of Purim.

Wherever Jewish communities keep Purim. The sources name Israel as a place where it is a fairly common practice, including parcels sent to Israel Defense Forces soldiers by their relatives and by children.

What Mishloach manot means

The parcels carry more than food. They are read as a way of making sure every household has something for the Purim feast, and as a way of building affection between Jewish people and their neighbours. The Book of Esther ties the day to food shared between people and to gifts for those in need, so the practice joins plenty, friendship and charity in a single act.

Days Mishloach manot is marked

Questions people ask about Mishloach manot

See also

SukkotA seven-day autumn Jewish festival of temporary booths, harvest prayers and hospitalityPurimA lively Jewish festival of storytelling, shared food, masks and charityMimounaA Maghrebi Jewish celebration marking the end of Passover with sweets and open doorsNovy GodA secular winter celebration of decorated trees, family feasts and midnight gifts

Good reading and sources

• Mishloach manot on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-05.