Purim is just two weeks away. Being that Purim falls out on erev Shabbos, a question arises as to when to have the Purim seuda.The Shulchan Aruch 249:2 says that it is forbidden to eat a large meal on Friday. This is because we must have an appetite to eat the meal on Friday night. An exception to this rule is if a seudas mitzvah falls out on Friday. In this case a meal may be eaten. The Mishna Berura 249:11 says we should eat this meal early enough on Friday to ensure that by nighttime we will have an appetite for the Shabbos meal. Therefore, the Rama says in 695:2 that the Purim seuda should be started in the morning, before midday. If midday passed, and the seuda has still not started, one should wait until after davening mincha.

Rabbi Tzvi Aryeh Hyman, Mir Yeshiva
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