One cannot give seforim for mishloach manos, but one can give “lomdisher mishloach manos” where the recipient needs to do halachic research. It should be stressed that this should only be done with, for example, fellow kollelniks who will not take offence and will take it in the spirit of Purim. One sends “unusual” mishloach manot and the recipients must answer in writing giving sources, explaining whether they think the sender has fulfilled the mitzvah. Examples are: an uncooked potato and some tea bags; a packet of salt and a bottle of tap water; orange peel and apple peel – they are both edible!; two different sorts of vitamin pills. A further suggestion is that one could send just one very nice item of food and the recipient has to answer whether or not the sender has performed part of the mitzvah of mishloach manos. Another possibility is to make the recipient sign that he has received the mishloach manos and the recipient must also explain why his signature has been asked for. A final word – send at least one mishloach manos which one fulfills the mitzvah without any doubt!

Can one send an uncooked dish to somebody for mishloach manos? Rav Naftali Zvi Yehudah Berlin (the Netziv) (1816 – 1893), using a verse in parashas T’tzaveh (Shemos 29:26) shows that raw meat is called “manah”, and thus by sending an uncooked dish one fulfills the mitzvah of mishloach manos.  (Ha’emek She’eila on the She’iltos, 67:9)

To fulfill the mitzvah of mishloach manos, the recipient must personally receive it before the end of Purim. (Aruch Hashulchan, Orach Chaim 695:16) Usually mishloach manos are sent by a shaliach, who is often a child. Maybe unknown to the sender, the recipient had gone away for Purim. The mishloach manos are thus left on his doorstep, and the shaliach does not inform the sender of this fact. To cover this eventuality, one should make a point of asking the shaliach whether the recipient personally (and not just a family member) had received the mishloach manos.

Although there is a principle to be zariz to perform a mitzvah, this could be problematic with the mitzvah of “ad dlo yoda”. If a person should drink to such an extent and reach “shikroso shel Lot”, he will then be potur from all mitzvos. So even if he succeeds in giving mishloach manos or matanos l’evyonim  whilst in such a state, it would seem that he will not have fulfilled these mitzvos. The moral is - perform all these Purim mitzvos before drinking on Purim!