I delivered Shalach Manos today to a number of people. Much to my dismay, everyone accepted them graciously and gratefully, and not a single person expressed how disappointed they were with my gifts. It seems clear to me that you should hate every gift you receive, as the verse says (Mishlei 15:27):
שונא מתנות יחיה
One who hates gifts will live
and דברים שבלב אינם דברים - thoughts that are not expressed are not considered (Kiddushin 50b), so this hatred should be expressed and declared.
Is there any explanation for this practice?
Answer
On Purim, we have 2 separate rules which negate the recommendation of Mishlei:
Vnahafoch hu -- the classic inversion rule, so we do the opposite. Now, you might think "how can we do the opposite of EVERYTHIING? Are we supposed to kill, eat treif etc, because it is opposite day? No -- the text tells us precisely when to invert:
The people "kiymu v'kiblu" -- they fulfilled the obligation by receiving (the gifts).
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