Question:

What are some of the laws of Mishloach Manos?

Discussion:

Note: These Halachos come from the Mishna Berura 695:4 unless otherwise indicated.

The minimum one must send is two food items to one person. Drinks are included in the food category regarding this mitzvah. Seltzer is not considered a food item since it is similar to water (Kovetz Halachos).

One cannot fulfill his obligation by sending anything besides food. It is not necessary to ensure that they are separate brachos (Kovetz Halachos).

It is best to use a messenger (shliach) to deliver the mishloach manos if one does not use a shliach it is questionable if he fulfills his obligation (Binyan Tzion 44). The shliach can be a minor or a non-Jew (Silmas Chaim 276). The food has to be ready to eat however there is an opinion that if the food is ready to be cooked that is considered ready to eat.

The mitzvah of mishloach manos can only be done on Purim day, if it is given at night one needs to send another one in the morning. However, if the package will arrive on the day of Purim he has fulfilled his obligation.

Women are obligated in the mitzvah of mishloach manos; the opinion of the Magen Avrohom is that a married woman fulfills her obligation with her husband. The Mishna Berura ends off saying that a woman should send her own mishloach manos.  The Rema writes that a woman should only send to a woman and a man to a man.

Many poskim are of the opinion that the reason why we send mishloach manos is to increase the feelings of love and friendship in the community, therefore if one sends an anonymous mishloach manos he has not fulfilled the mitzvah (Kovetz Halachos).