Want It

The Chofetz Chaim in Toras Habayis (Ch.7) asks why is it that we aren't able to reach the heights in learning Torah that the previous generations could?  He explains that ones ability to learn Torah depends on how much one wants it.  Since in the past learning Torah was much more important to people, they were able to learn more.  In the footnote he uses this idea to explain the possuk is the parsha, ויקרא משה אל־בצלאל ואל־אהליאב ואל כל־איש חכם־לב אשר נתן ה' חכמה בלבו כל אשר נשאו לבו לקרבה אל־המלאכה לעשת אתה, who obtained the chochma how to do the melacha?  Those that desired to do it, כל אשר נשאו לבו, those to whom it was important, got the ability to accomplish.  This is the peshat in the Gemarah Berachot (50a) that the possuk הרחב פיך ואמלאהו refers to Divrei Torah for when it comes to accomplishing in ruchniout, in learning Torah, if one asks, if one truly desires to accomplish, there will be a way.  In the parsha sheet מתוקים מדבש he adds to this idea the Gra on the Siddur explains the words of Hallel מאשפות ירים אביון the Gemarah says אביון תאב לכל דבר, the way to be raised, to obtain greater levels, is by desiring to grow. 

The beginning of the possuk of הרחב פיך ואמלאהו says אנכי ה אלקיך המעלך מארץ מצרים.  What is the connection between Hashem taking us out of Egypt and asking to obtain divrei Torah?  The Maharsha says since Hashem took us out of Egypt, he can give us the ability to obtain Torah.  Why do we need to derive this from the fact that Hashem took us out of Egypt?  Rav Uri Zohar explains the limud is that one might think yes, one can ask to have the ability to acquire Torah but it has to be logical.  One can't expect to beseech Hashem to become a gadol baTorah if they barely know aleph beis.  The possuk is teaching us that is not the case, I was מעלה, I elevated Klal Yisrael from the depths of tumah so that in just 7 weeks they were able to accept the Torah, so too, a person can ask for the capabilities to excel in Torah beyond his dreams.  A person that wants to excel in Torah is given the capability to do so, one though must still put in the effort to do the work, כל אשר נשאו לבו לקרבה אל־המלאכה, there is a נשאו לבו but it has to lead to a לקרבה אל המלאכה.

Weighted Down

Rashi says three interpretations in word קרך in parshas Zachor.  One peshat is מקרה, another is קרי וטומאה and the third is קור.  What is the connection between the fact the Amalek caused tumah and cooled off the greatness of Klal Yisrael?  The very fact that there is a coolness is a tumah.  When there is a lack of fire, of inspiration, it automatically leads to sin. 

Rabbenu Bechai asks why did Moshe break the luchos after the agel why did he not  give them back?  He explains that the "neshama" of the luchos, the letters flew up to the heavens by themselves and all that was left in Moshe's hands was the physical stones of the luchos.  Once the life force of the luchos left, they were no longer a "חי נושא את עצמו" and they naturally became a dead weight that was to hard to carry and slipped from his hands.  The Bechai concludes this is a principle found by all things when the life force, the fire, is removed, then it or a person becomes heavier. In other words, a lack of fire, a coolness, leads to heaviness which equates with death.  

The taharah of Parah comes to cleanse one's self from the sins brought about by Amalek.  The power of Amelek is he coolness, the dead weight, the breaking of the luchos.  The tikkun says the Sfas Emes (Parah 5634) is the fire necessary for the learning of Torah.  The fire, the energy, gives a person new life.  וע"י ההבל מהתורה שבלב כל איש ישראל שצריך עי"ז ההתלהבות לשרוף כח היצה"ר שבו כמ"ש בית יעקב אש כו' עשו לקש וע"י השריפה ניתן הטהרה.  One who becomes tumah through a dead body, one who becomes defiled by sin and becomes weighed down by sin, needs the taharah of the חוקת התורה, to give him new life. 

The Mikdash is called בית חיינו.  In a sicha, Rav Yaakov Shapira notes that we find the term בית חייהם associated both with Torah and tefillah.  Both of these aspects are present in the Mikdash.  As cited here from Rav Yaakov Katz, the essence of the Mishkan is to remind a person that the learning of Torah is a means of connection to Hashem.  As the Ramban says the Mishkan is a portable Matan Torah.  It is through the Mishkan that one can be come inspired to learn Torah as Tosfos Bava Bathra (21a) says.  The Mishkan is the antidote to the the sense of deadness brought about by sin and gives a person a new chiyus.  Hence it is called בית חיינו.

Beyond Daas

Why did Klal Yisrael receive crowns for saying נעשה ונשמע but had to remove them after the agel?  At the time of the giving of the Torah there was a chance to correct the sin of Adam.  However, Klal Yisrael sinned with the agel which was the same root as that of Adam.  The Beis Halevi explains the sin of the agel was the use of human understanding.  Klal Yisrael believed Moshe Rabbenu was dead and they needed a replacement for him.  Although, logically this was a sensible argument it was incorrect since Hashem said it is prohibited to make an idol.  This was the root of the sin of the eitz haddas as well.  The holy books write all source of noble intentions that Adam had when he ate from the eitz haddas but since it was prohibited, it was prohibited.  When man acts based upon his understanding against G-d's wishes it brings downfall.  The greatness of נעשה ונשמע is that Klal Yisrael was willing to suspend their own daas and just follow what Hashem commands.  This is hinted to by the crown which goes above the head.  That was given to Klal Yisrael on account of their willingness to surrender their daas to a higher authority.  When they fell due to the use of their own daas, then they lost their crowns.  The Arizal teaches on Shabos the crowns are returned.  On Shabbos a Jew gets to experience a pre-agel sense of  following Hashem.

Haman made a gallows 50 amos high.  The Maharal says that Haman was trying to access the power of the שער נ and thereby defeat Mordechai (see more about 50 here.)  This is hinted to in the name Haman which is המ, the gematria of אדם and ן, the שער נ he tried to access.  However, ultimately this led to his downfall.  What is the capability of overpowering the שער נ accessed by Haman?  50 is the max level of daas that a person can obtain.  In as much as there are levels of daas of kedusha, there are in tumah.  Haman was trying to draw his power from the extreme powers that mankind can reach.  However, Klal Yisrael is not limited by the limit of man knowledge but their connection to Hashem goes beyond that.    Chapter 51 in Tehillim is about the teshuva of Dovid Hamelech.  The avodah of teshuva brings a person higher than one can obtain with their own daas.  Teshuva is not something that logically makes sense, one can't go back in time to correct the past but it comes from a place greater than daas.  That is the avodah of עד דלא ידע to connect to Hashem beyond one's daas.  

Purim Points

 A few points on Purim.

1. The Gemarah (4b) gives two reasons why Megillah can not be read on Shabbos.  Rav Yosef says since the poor people wait for the day the Megillah is read to be able to collect money which they won't be able to do on Shabbos.  Rabbah says we are worried someone will carry a Megillah in a public domain to read it and therefore it should not be read on Shabbos.  The Turay Even (5a) points out hat the reason of Rabbah which is a גזירה may have been a later decree but the reason of Rav Yosef which is not a גזירה must have been around from the time of the original takkanah to read Megillah otherwise a later Beis Din would not have the power to change which day the Megillah should be read.  In other words, according to Rav Yosef in a year like this year when the 14 of Adar is Friday and those that read on the 15th read on Friday as well, according to Rav Yosef it is the correct day for them to be reading for the takkanah was for them to read on the 14th if the 15th is Shabbos but according to Rabbah it is a push forward of when they should have read.  The question is discussed in poskim if someone for some reason could not read on the 14th or a katan that becomes bar mtizvah on the 15th should they read on the 15th?  According to Rav Yosef it would seem no, for the halacha is to read on the 14th but according to Rabbah maybe yes, for the גזירה is only on the tzibbur but if there is a particular case where one has to read maybe they should just like the Ran writes Chazal did not make a gezerah not to do milah on Shabbos because it is only for a specific person?  See about this is (Tzits Hakodesh siman 55, Cheshek sholom Megiilah 5a.  (Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank (Teshuvot volume 2 siman 127) seems to understand the opposite, that according to Rabbah the takkanah was uprooted from the 15th,I didn't understand what he was saying.) 

2. The Tur (siman 692) cites the Baal Haetur holds that one may talk between the end of the Megillah and the beracha of הרב את ריבנו.  The Beis Yosef explains that is since it is not a beracha on them mitzvah, it is just a separate beracha of thanks for the miracle there is no issue of interruption.  The Tur disagrees.  The Shaar Hatzion (692:12) is unsure if one does talk, if the Tur holds even bidieved that one can no longer say the beracha or he only argues לכתחילה.  In other words ,does the Tur hold it is a birchas hamitzvah and one cant interrupt or does he hold even though it is a birchas hashevach for the miracle it still should be connected to the Megillah and one should not interrupt.  See more about the geder of the beracha in Ratz Katzvi. 

3. The Smag lists the mitzvah of mikrah Megillah but does not list the other mitzvot of the day.  (As noted last year, this is also the case in the Rambam.)  The Mizrachi in his commentary asks why?  He answers that the yesod of all the mitzvot is the same, פרסומי ניסא and therefore, the Smag lists only the mitzvah which is the best pirsum which is Megillah.  I assume he means that since the yesod of all them itzvot is the same, it is the same theme, that it counted as one mitzvah.  The Pri Migadim (cited in Beur Halacha 694) has a doubt if ne can fulfill the mitzvah of מתנות לאביונים with a מתנה על מנת להחזיר.  What is the doubt?  Rav Zvi Reyzman suggests his debate is if the nature of them mitzvah is the mitzvah of charity to be done on Purim or a mitzvah to make people happy on Purim (which there are sources for both approaches.)  If the mitzvah is charity a מתנה על מנת להחזיר doesn't suffice but if the mitzvah is merely to increase happiness then maybe it suffices.  It is hard for me to hear that a מתנה על מנת להחזיר increases one's simcha.  However, in light of the Mizrachi, maybe he holds it suffices for a מתנה על מנת להחזיר has a שם מתנה and will effect פירסום הנס.   

4. The Rambam (Megillah Ch. 2 Law 16-17) says כיצד חובת סעודה זו שיאכל בשר ויתקן סעודה נאה כפי אשר תמצא ידו ושותה יין עד שישתכר וירדם בשכרות, וכן חייב אדם לשלוח שתי מנות של בשר או שני מיני תבשיל או שני מיני אוכלין לחברו ... מוטב לאדם להרבות במתנות אביונים מלהרבות בסעודתו ובשילוח מנות לרעיו, שאין שם שמחה גדולה ומפוארה אלא לשמח לב עניים ויתומים ואלמנות וגרים, שהמשמח לב האומללים האלו דומה לשכינה.  From the fact that the Rambam compares all of these three mitzvot, mishteh, mishloach manos, matanos lievyonim and emphasizes the importance of matanos lievyonim due to its simcha, it would seem that the Rambam holds the nature of all of these mitzvot is to increase simcha on Purim.  This is indeed how Rav Solevetchik (Harraray Kedem 232) and The Reebe (Likutay Sichos volume 16) both understand the Rambam.  The Rebbe asks how does the Rambam know that this is the nature of all of these mitzvot?  He explains since the possuk says  לעשות אותם ימי משתה ושמחה ומשלוח מנות איש לרעהו ומתנות לאביונים it means the establishment of the day is a day of joy and the laws that follow, mishteh, mishloach manos, matanos lievyonim are ways of expressing this joy.  Rav Asher Weiss goes a step further and says as opposed to a a yom tov where the mitzvah of simcha is limited to the activities one typically does to enhance a yom tov, on Purim any activity that increases one's happiness would be a fulfillment of experiencing the happiness of the day.  Or, in other words, as expressed here, the mitzvah's are to turn the day into a happy day.  This would be not like the aforementioned Mizrachi. 

5. The Manos Helevi writes the point of the mitzvah of mishloach manos is to increase friendship between people.  The Bach says this idea in order to explain the opinion of Rashi (Megillah 7b) that one can fulfill mishloach manos by eating the Purim seudah at someone else's house even without sending anything because there was an act of bonding together.  In other words, this reason of the Manos Helevi is no just a reason for the mitzvah but defines the geder of the fulfillment.  Rav Refael Shmulevitz asks why is there a specific focus on increasing friendship on Purim?  He explains that on Purim there was a new act of the acceptance of the Torah.  When it comes to Matan Torah there was a prerequisite of כאיש אחד בלב אחד as the Or Hachaim says (Yisro 19:2.)  Why is this so?  Rav Chayim Shmulevitz explains since the Torah was given to the totality of Klal Yisrael as an entity not to a cluster of individuals and hence unity is a necessity to join Klal Yisrael together.  So too, for קיימו מה שקבלו כבר, there is a need for friendship and togetherness.        

6. The Gemarah Megillah (12b) says תנא כולן על שמו נקראו בן יאיר בן שהאיר עיניהם של ישראל בתפלתו בן שמעי בן ששמע אל תפלתו בן קיש שהקיש על שערי רחמים ונפתחו לו.  The Shem MiShmuel (5671) asks the order should be the opposite for first hi prayed and only after that was he answered and lightened the eyes of Yisrael?  The Baal Shem Tov explains the double הסתר אסתר פני refers to the fact that the greatest concealment is when one doesn't feel that they are in a state of הסתר.  The Shem MiShmuel says a similar idea.  The first step to cause the salvation was to see the light, to recognize the lowly state that one is in.  It is only after Mordechai showed Klal Yisrael what they were lacking, he shined a light on their darkness, that they were then able to open their hearts to pray. 

The Holy Fragrance

There are two parshios in Titzaveh that seem to be out of place.  The bulk of the parsha deals with the garments of the kohanim and their inauguration but the beginning of the parsha discusses the oil for the Menorah and the end discusses the mizbach haketores.  The bookends of the parsha seem to fit better in parshas Teruma, what are they doing here? 

The possuk in Mishlay (27:9) says שמן וקטרת ישמח לב.  The Tanchuma (15) applies this possuk to this parsha that the kohan gadol anointed with oil offered ketores created the atonement for Klal Yisrael on Yom Kippur.  The Midrash also says that the Shechina only came to rest in the Mikdash with the offering of the ketores.  Says Rav Yitzchak Sorotzkin, that is why the mizbach haketores comes at the end of the description of all the parts of the Mishkan and the kohanim, since it isn't a vessel of the Mkdash but a means to bring about the presence of the Shechina (see Seforno who already alludes to this idea.)  What is it about the ketores that brings the presence of the Shechina?

The parsha end off that the Kohan Gadol offers ketores on the mizbaoch on Yom Kippur.  Why is this possuk included here when the avodah of Yom Kippur is described in Acharei Mos?  The Torah is demonstrating the importance of the avodah of the ketores that it plays a central theme in the avodah of Yom Kippur.  The root of קטורת is קטר which is the same word as the Aramic word for tie or connection, קטירא.  The ketores represents the deep connection Klal Yisrael has to Hashem.  Why is this connection demonstrated through ketores in particular?  As discussed in the post 'Smell Of Purity' the sense of smell is the one sense not contaminated by sin and the smell of the ketores represents the internal purity of the person which is not sullied by sin.  The Gemarah Berachot (43b) says the neshama benefits from smell.  There is no bodily pleasure from smell, it is the neshama, the essence of a person that benefits.  This is demonstrated by the fact that a person can be woken up when they are passed out by strong smells for the smell touches the internal life force of the person to awaken the physical body.  Rav Moshe Shapira notes that is due to the fact the the ויפח באפיו נשמת חיים comes through the nose of a person, the nose, the sense of smell is the entrance to the attachment between the body and the neshama.  He adds that the shape and the word for nose allude to this idea as well.  The word for nose is אף, even, something additional and in the physical form the nose protrudes from the face, it something tacked on and elevated from the rest of the face.  This is reflective of the nature of the nose to be elevated beyond the normal physicality of the rest of the body.  With this idea he explained the Gemarah Berachot (56b) that one who sees an elephant in a dream פיל פילים נעשה לו.  The Rema says that we say ומפליא לעשות in asher yatzar because it is a פלא, a wonder that the neshama can be attached to a physical body.  We see that פלא refers to the connection of gashmi and ruchni.  This is the essence of the פיל and thus it is named, for its nose, its place of ruchni, is its hand, it uses or its physical needs of eating.    

אמר רבא חייב איניש לבסומי בפוריא עד דלא ידע בין ארור המו לברוך מרדכי.  Rashi explains לבסומי - להשתכר ביין.  But why the strange term לבסומי?  The word לבסומי is related to the word בסמים, fragrance spices.  The Sfas Emes (5640) connects this word with the Gemarah Shabbos (88a) that says when Hashem said the 10 dibros the world became filled with besamim.  Why was the world filled with besamim at the giving of the 10 dibros?  At the time of Matan Torah the sin of the eitz hadaas was nullified.  That is why the dibros came with besamim for they were electric shocks to awaken the neshama.  The purity of the untainted part of mankind was awoken.  

The Gemarah in Chullin (139b) says that Mordechai is hinted to in the Torah in the words of the ketores, מר דרור ומתרגמינין מרי דכי.  Mordechai is connected to the ketores.  Ester is also called הדסה, a myrtle known for its nice fragrance.  The heroes of the Purim story are connected to smell for they awoke the sleeping souls of Klal Yisrael with the smelling salts to make them realize their predicament.  The Sfas Emes concludes that Mordechai is the light of Moshe and hence on Purim also one's drinking is לבסומי.  What does that mean?  The Gemarah Chullin says Haman is hinted to in the words המן העץ, he is connected to the eitz hadaas.  On Purim we connect to the innermost part of our soul untouched by sin.  The point of the wine is to unlock the inner depths of a person, to bring out the neshama, the part untouched by the eitz hadaas, by the Haman.  That is the antidote to Haman. 

Rashi Vayeshev (37:25) says when Yosef was sold to the Arabs as opposed to the normal horrific smelling cargo they normally carried, in this scenario they carried besamim so as Yosef would not have to smell awful smells on his journey with them.  It is specifically through the sense of smell that Hashem was indicating to Yosef don't think you are forsaken.  I am still connected to your neshama.  I am guiding you through this journey.  Even though externally it may look bad, internally, from the neshama's perspective, it is for the best. 

When one is inline with their nose, with their pure neshama, then there is nothing that stands in the way.  There is no Haman, no tumah, that can stand in the way.  That is why we find in the ketores, even the חלבנה which smells terrible on its own, is able to be transformed into the pleasant smelling ketores.  Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld (cited by Maharil Diskin) adds that the gematria of חלבנה is the same as המן, they both equal 95.  Even the Haman, the foul smell, בני בניו של המן למדו תורה ברבים.  The allusion to Mordechai is in the מור דרור which many Rishonim say is a derivative of the blood of a non-kosher animal.  Even that which is impure is able to become nullified when its source of kedusha is revealed (see Chasam Sofer and Torah Or Ad D'lo Yadah.)  Rav Kook (מדות הראי"ה אות ו) points out it says to wipe out Amalek מתית השמים but in שמים, the root of Amalek can be purified.  The Shla (Derush for Zachor) says that is why the holiday of Purim will never be nullified for the entire concept of Purim is about taking away the power of the evil forces and accessing their source of kedusha which is a fulfilment of the mission of the future. 

The ketores is burnt between the preparation of the candles of the menorah (Yoma 14b.)  Why is it done then?  The neros represent the illumination of the souls.  The ketores and neros go hand in hand.  The neros represent the spread of the light of the neshama outward.  The parsha opens with the law of olive oil for the menorah for it is the inner part of the olive, the oil, the inside of a person, the soul is illuminated.  The Torah the parsha following the Mishkan highlighting the point of the Mishkan not a mere building but as a point of spreading the light to the world.  The parsha ends with the avodah that demonstrates the innermost pure part of a person which is what brings the Shechina to be present in the Mishkan (see Toras Menachem 5752.)

100 and 101

This post is adding to ideas in the post, 'Toras Purim: Nothing Certain other than Taxes: Vayasem Achashveirosh Mas' on Divrei Chaim blog. 

The word עמלק can be broken down into עמל ק.  This of course is reminiscent of the Gemarah Chagigah (9a)  אינו דומה שונה פרקו מאה פעמים לשונה פרקו מאה ואחד.  The tumah that is Amalek is to learn only 100 times. What does this mean?  What is the advantage of learning 101 times?  The Arizal (שער מאמרי חז"ל) says that the angel in charge of forgetting is called מ"ס which equals 100 and by learning 101 times one moves past the malach of forgetting.  What is it that one forgets when learning 100 times but remembers with learning 101 times?  

The Megalleh Amukot notes that Michael, 101, is the malach in charge of remembering.  By learning 101 times, one is tied to the malach of remembering which is one more than the malach of forgetting.

The Baal Shem Tov teaches that the difference between 100 and 101 times is not a difference in number but the difference if one put The One, the אלופו של עולם, in the learning of 100 times.  Is one learning to connect to Hashem?  If that is the learning, there is the 1 in the 100, it will be remembered, if not it would be forgotten.  The Degel Machene Efraim reads this into the words of the Megillah , ישנו עם אחד, meaning, a nation that puts The one, puts Hashem into their learning.  The malach of forgetting is מ"ס, meaning one can learn the maximun amount of times, 100 times but if one isn't learning with the connection to Hashem, then the Torah will be forgotten, meaning it will not permeate through the individual to transform him into a better person.  לא זכה נעשה לו סם המות.  The Torah actually will destroy the person.  זכה נעשה לו סם חיים, one is able to connect the סם with Hashem and elevate it.  

The tumah of Amalak is to cause that disconnect between learning Torah and transforming the person.  אשר קרך בדרך, on the path between the mind and the heart, between the rest of the body, they come and attack, they interrupt the flow.  Amalak comes when רפו ידיהם מן התורה, when the Torah is not connected to the hands, when one's gashmi is not permeated with the Torah he is studying.  The Arizal continues וז"ס ויתן על פניו מסו"ה ר"ל כי הקליפה הזו רוצה לעשות הפסק למעלה.  The מסוה is מ"ס and ו"ק, the break between the teachings of the Torah and Hashem.  כי יד על כס קה, the last two letters of the name of Hashem are broken by the מ"ס of the מסוה.  The first two letters represent the knowledge of Hashem as expressed in the Torah while the last two letters refer to the middot (see Tanya, Igeres Hateshuva.)  The Torah, the knowledge is here but Amalek breaks the connection between the knowledge and transforming one's middot (see sicha 5749.) 

This is why we are commanded זכור את אשר עשה לך עמלך.  We must remember.  Amalek, עמל ק, makes us forget the א, אלופו של עולם, that has to be added to our learning so we are commanded to remember, to add the א to our learning, to learn 101 times.   

The parsha of Tiztavah is the only parsha after Shemos that des not have the name of Moshe.  The Megalleh Amukot points out though that there are 101 pessukim in the parsha and the hidden letters in the name of Moshe, משה = מם שין הא, add up to 101.  Even though Moshe doesn't appear overtly, he is hidden in the parsha.  In addition, he notes that 101 is the gematria of מיכאל because when Moshe is hidden, Michael comes.  In other words, when Klal Yisrael sinned with the agel, Hashem said now the angel (Michael) will lead them, not Hashem directly and Moshe davened that Hashem himself should lead them.  But after Moshe passed, then Michael leads them.  Even after Moshe is not physically here, he is not forgotten.  He is embedded in the parsha.  Michal is not a substitute but a way to hang on to Moshe and thereby connect to Hashem. 

As noted by the Meor Einayim, the parsha of Titzavah  usually falls out around 7 Adar, the day Moshe passed.  The fact that Moshe is not present in the parsha but is still alluded to shows that even in the absence of Moshe Rabbenu himself, his presence is still there.  In fact the connection to Moshe is greater now for it is a connection to Moshe as אתה, the essence of Moshe, not limited by the name of Moshe (see Kli Yakar, sichas Rebbe 5752.) The Maggid teaches that ואתה תצוה from the word צוותא, to be connected.  How to be connected to Moshe?  את בני ישראל, by learning the Torah, the letters of the Torah, א- ת.  By connecting ourselves to Moshe through the Torah, putting the א of אתה into our learning, then we will sill the 101, the hidden Moshe.  The the passing of Moshe is not a negative but a new לידה to be able to connect to Moshe on a deeper level. 

(Sources: תכלית מלחמת עמלק, chabad.org, שער מאמרי חז"ל, שבילי פנחס.)  

Hallel Of The Megillah

The Gemarah Megillah (14a) has three reasons why there is no hallel said on Purim.  The reason the Rambam codifies (3:6) is the reason of Rav Nachman that the reading of the Megillah is the fulfillment of hallel.  The simple read of the Gemarah is that there technically hallel should be said but is is fulfilled via reading the Megillah.  This is fact is the opinion of the Meiri that holds if one is not hearing the Megillah of Purim for some reason, then they must recite hallel.  This leads to questions discussed in the Achronim such as if there should be hallel said on cities that read on the 15^th when that falls out on Shabbos and the Megillah is not read on Shabbos like this year or why we don't have to stand throughout the Megillah like when reading hallel (see Chasam Sofer siman 51 and article by Rav Zvi Ryzmanץ) 

Both the Rebbe (Likutay Sichos volume 36) and Rav Solevetchik (Mesorah journal volume 18) have a different take on this Gemarah.  They explain that the Gemarah means not that there is a din to say hallel on Purim and it is fulfilled through the Megillah but the only correct form of hallel on Purim is reading the megillah.  The explanation is that we only say hallel on an overt, open miracles.  The Purim story did not contain any jaw dropping miraculous events and it is only through the Megillah that connects the dots for us that we can glimpse the mircale that took place.  קריאתה זו הילולא means that the only only hallel experience that is applicable on Purim is that of the Megillah which allows us to acknowledge the covert miracles that took place.  

The opinion of Tosfos Megillah (4a) is that even though the beracha of shechiyanu is said on the night time reading of the Megillah, it is repeated again before the day time reading for the main obligation is the day time reading.  The Rambam (1:3, see Magid Mishna) disagrees and holds there is no new shechiyanu in the day.  Rav Zolti (Mishnas Yaavetz siman 77) says the Rambam agrees to the assertion of Tosfos that the main reading is in the day time but nonetheless disagrees with the conclusion of Tosfos that this should require a new shechiyanu blessing.  His explanation of this idea is that the advantage of the daytime reading over the night time reading is that it is also a fulfilment of the law of hallel.  However, since the essence of the obligation of the reading of the Megillah is the same, the shechiyanu on the night time reading covers the day time reading as the added element of hallel does not obligate shechiyanu for we never say shechiyanu on hallel.  [In light of his explanation, Tosfos would have to hold the fact that there is an added element to the reading of the daytime defines the daytime reading as a different type of reading and that enables a shechiyanu or Tosfos holds there are other advantages to the daytime reading.]  Rav Solevetchik however, uses his approach to explain the opinion of Tosfos.  Since the reading of the Megillah is not in place of hallel but rather a unique form of hallel expressed only through the Megillah, that form of krias megillah deserves its own shechiyanu.