The Megillah may be read on the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, and fif-teenth [day of Adar], but never earlier nor later. Cities that were surrounded by walls at the time of Joshua son of Nun read on the fifteenth. Villages and large towns read on the fourteenth; however, villages [sometimes] advance [their reading] to the day of entry [into the towns].

How is this possible? [If] the fourteenth [of Adar] fell on a Monday, villages and large towns read on that very day; and walled cities [read] on the next day. [If] it fell on a Tuesday or Wednesday, villages advance [their reading] to the day of entry; large towns read on that very day; and walled cities [read] on the next day. If it fell on a Thursday, villages and large towns read on that very day; and walled cities [read] on the next day. [If] it fell on the eve of the Sabbath, villages advance [their reading] to the day of entry; large towns and walled cities read on that very day. [If] it fell on the Sabbath, villages and large towns advance [their reading] to the day of entry; walled cities read the next day. [If] it fell after the Sabbath, villages advance [their reading] to the day of entry; large towns read on that very day; walled cities read the next day.

What is considered a large town? Any in which there are ten unoccupied men. [If there are] fewer than that it is [considered] a village.  As regards these times they said to advance rather than postpone; but the time of the wood-offering of the Kohanim, [the fast of] Tishah B’Av, the festival-sacrifice, and the Assembly are postponed and not advanced. Even though [the Sages] said to advance [the reading] rather than postpone, eulogies, fasts, and gifts to the poor are permitted [on the earlier dates].  R’ Yehudah says: When [may the reading be advanced] —- in a place where they enter [the towns] on Monday and Thursday. However, in a place where they do not enter [the towns] on Monday and Thursday, they may read it only on the proper date.

[If] they read the Megillah during the first Adar and an extra month [of Adar] was added to the year, they must read it [again] in the second Adar.  There is no difference between the first Adar and the second Adar except [as regards] the reading of the Megillah and the giving of gifts to the poor.

There is no difference between [the laws applying to] a holiday and [those applying to] Sabbath except [in laws pertaining to] food.  There is no difference between [the laws applying to] Sabbath and [those applying to] Yom Kippur except that the deliberate desecration of one is punishable by man, but the deliberate desecration of the other is punishable by kares.

There is no difference between one forbidden by vow to have any benefit from someone else and one forbidden by vow to receive food from him, except for setting foot [on his property] and utensils with which people do not prepare food.  There is no difference between vow-offerings and gift-offerings except that concerning vows one is responsible for their security, but concerning gifts one is not responsible for their security.

There is no difference between a zav who experiences two issues and one who experiences three, other than [bringing] an offering.  There is no difference between a confined metzora and a confirmed metzora except letting the hair grow wild and rending the garments.  There is no difference between [the laws pertaining to] one who was [pronounced] cleansed after having been confined and [those pertaining to] one who was [pronounced] cleansed after having been confirmed except for shaving and [bringing] birds.

There is no difference between [the laws pertaining to] Books [of Scripture] and [those pertaining to] tefillin and mezuzos except that Books [of Scripture] may be written in any language, but tefillin and mezuzos may be written only in Assyrian [script]. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says that even Books [of Scripture] were not authorized to be written except [in] Greek.

There is no difference between the Kohen [Gadol] anointed with the oil of anointment and the one who donned the additional vestments except the bull offered for violation of any of the precepts.  There is no difference between a Kohen [Gadol] who is serving and a Kohen [Gadol] who is no longer serving except the bull offered on Yom Kippur and the tenth of the ephah.

There is no difference between [the laws pertaining to] a major bamah and [those pertaining to] a lesser bamah except [as regards] the pesach-sacrifices.  This is the general rule: Any sacrifice which is a vow-offering or a gift-offering may be brought on a bamah, but any sacrifice that is not a vow-offering or a gift-offering may not be brought on a bamah.

There is no difference between [the laws pertaining to the Tabernacle at] Shiloh and [those pertaining to the Temple in] Jerusalem except that in Shiloh one was permitted to eat kodashim kalim and second tithes anywhere within sight [of Shiloh], but in Jerusalem [one was only permitted to do so] within the walls. Both here and there kodshei kodashim were permitted to be eaten only within the curtains.  After the sanctity of Shiloh, bamos were permitted, but after the sanctification of Jerusalem, bamos were not permitted.

[If] someone read the Megillah out of sequence, he has not fulfilled his obligation. [If] he read it by heart, [or if] he read it in Targum [or] in any other language, he has not fulfilled his obligation. However, we may read it for those who speak a foreign language in a foreign language. One who speaks a foreign language and heard it [read in Hebrew that was written] in Assyrian [script] has fulfilled his obligation.

[If] one read it discontinuously, or while half asleep, he has fulfilled his obligation. If one was writing it, expounding upon it, or correcting it, provided he had intent, he fulfilled his obligation; if not, he did not fulfill his obligation.  [If] it was written with orpiment, vermilion, gum, or ferrous sulfate, or on paper, or on unfinished parchment, he did not fulfill his obligation, unless it is written in Assyrian [script] on parchment and with ink.

A townsman who went to a walled city, or a city dweller who went to a town, if he intends to return to his home, he reads [at the same time] as in his home; but if not, he reads with them.  From what part of the Megillah must one read in order to fulfill his obligation? R’ Meir says: All of it. R’ Yehudah says: From There was a Jewish man. R’ Yose says: From After these things.