May I use
any kind of food for mishloach manos?
Although
Megilas Esther never specifies that the gifts should be food, we understand
that these gifts are meant to form the Purim Seudah (feast). Therefore, we give
two foods as our gift; ideally, each portion should be of a quantity sufficient
to serve as an independent Purim seudah. A beverage also suffices as a portion.
There is no
basis for the common notion that the two foods must require separate berachos;
it is clear in Gemara and Shulchan Aruch that foods of the same berachah may be
used. However, some authorities do require that they be two "types of
food", and using foods of separate berachos would guarantee fulfillment of
this expectation.
While
mishloach manos is a beautiful mitzvah, one who must restrict his Purim
expenditures should put more toward matanos la'evyonim than to mishloach
manos.
(Megilah
7a-b; Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Megilah 2:15; Terumat haDeshen 111; Shulchan Aruch
Orach Chaim 695:4; Aruch haShulchan 695:14; Mishneh Berurah 694:3, 695:20;
Tzitz Eliezer 14:65; Yechaveh Daas 6:45; http://matzav.com/harav-dovid-feinstein-purim-halacha-tidbits)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
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