When to Say
Megillat Esther is read twice on Purim: once at night after Maariv, and again during the day after Shacharit. The reading must be heard from a kosher scroll.
Meaning & Significance
The Book of Esther tells the story of how Queen Esther and Mordechai saved the Jewish people from Haman's plot. It demonstrates God's hidden hand in history, even when His name isn't mentioned.