Children of all ages eagerly anticipate the moment on Purim when the ba’al koreh mentions Haman’s name. They bang on the floor and tables, shoot popguns, and indulge in all types of noise making activities. What is the source for this custom? Does anyone say this should not be done? Is it for adults as well? All these questions and many others will be addressed in this issue.

 

The Source

We have an obligation to “erase any semblance of Amalek.”[1] Furthermore, the posuk says,[2] shem reshoim yirkav “The name of the wicked should rot.” Based on this, the custom evolved that children draw images of Haman on stones,[3] or write his name on them. Then they bang the two objects together in order to erase the name of Haman.[4]

 

The Purpose

Some authorities explain that the purpose of banging the stones (see above) is to curse Haman the rasha. Since Haman is descended from Amalek, we also fulfill the precept of destroying Amalekby erasing Haman’s name and image when banging the stones together.[5] Others say that it is an expression of joy and praise that we defeated the rasha and his family.[6]

 

 

 

 

The Custom[7]

The custom among most of Klal Yisroel is to bang on the tables or floor when Haman’s name is recited during the megilah.[8] This custom should not be abolished, as it was established for good reason.[9]

 

Reasons

Below we will detail other reasons for banging stones together as mentioned above, and the custom of stamping feet and other sources of noise.[10]

 

The posuk says,[11] shem reshoim yirkav “The name of the wicked should rot.” Since young children do not know how to say this, they bang when the name Haman is mentioned instead.[12]Others base the custom on the posuk,[13]  v’haya im ben hakos harosha. The words v’haya im ben end in hey mem nun – Haman. This is followed by “hakos harosha – bang the rasha.[14] In addition, thegematria of macho emcheh is zeh Haman.[15]

 

The Chasam Sofer[16] opines that the reason for the banging is to show that we do not want to hear his name. Obviously, we do not want to miss a word of the megilah. Rather, we show our displeasure at the need to hear Haman’s name.[17]

 

Another reason is that we have a mitzvah to eradicate Amalek in every generation. We are in a constant battle with them. As a sign of war,[18] we bang when Haman’s name is recited. This reminds us of our obligation and keeps us focused on the proper intentions which are needed for the mitzvah to eradicate Amalek.[19]

 

The Sefer Matamim[20] gives the following reason:

 

Haman’s name is mentioned fifty-four times in the megilah.  This is hinted to with the words macho emcheh, “I will surely erase [Amalek].” The gematria of the word emcheh equals fifty-four. 

 

Children or Adults

Many poskim who discuss this halacha say that children have the custom to bang, but make no mention of an adult doing this.[21] Nonetheless, since some poskim mention that an adult should bang a little,[22] this should be done.[23]

 

Although we normally discourage parents from bringing very young children to shul,[24] it is common to find this at the megilah.[25]

 

Some explain that Haman wanted to destroy the Yidden from very young children to old men etc. After the miracle, the megilah says that these days of Purim will not pass by the Yehudim and their remembrance will not pass their “zaram”.[26] The Gr’a says that Yehudim refers to adults, and zaram refers to children.[27] Accordingly, children of all ages should hear the megilah, and the way we get them to come to shul is for them to bang when Haman’s name is said in the megilah.[28]

 

Women

The Mekor Chaim[29] says that the custom applies to women as well.

 

 

 

Other Customs When to Bang

Some had the custom to bang when “orur Haman” is said during asher heiney after the megilah.[30] Some had the custom only to bang when Haman was said in a posuk with other degrading words such as ha’agagi and hara.[31] Others only hit when the ten sons of Haman are read.[32] There is a custom in some communities to bang and make noise when Haman is mentioned during al hanissin in Shemonei Esrei.[33]

 

The Ben Ish Chai[34] had the custom to only bang for the first and last Haman mentioned in the megilah. However, the overwhelming custom is to bang at all Hamans.[35]

 

How Many Times?

Some say that one should hit three times when the name of Haman is said,[36] but once is definitely sufficient.

 

Hands vs. Feet

Although many people bang with their hands, many poskim are of the opinion that one should bang with his feet on the ground.[37]

 

Saying a Posuk when Banging

The Medrash Rabbah[38] says that if one does not say “zecher tzadik l’veracha” when he mentions a Tzaddik’s name he has transgressed a positive commandment (asei). In addition, if one does not say “shem reshoim yirkav”[39] (or cursed is this and this rosha) when he mentions the name of a rosha, he has transgressed a positive commandment.[40] Based on this, some poskim suggest that one should say shem reshoim yirkav “the name of wicked people should rot”[41] when making noise at the recital of Haman.[42] Nonetheless, the overwhelming custom does not follow this view, since doing so would constitute as a hefsek of talking during the megilah (even though the listener did not make a beracha on the megilah).[43] The reason why banging during the mentioning ofHaman is not a hefsek is because it is done for a purpose.[44]

 

Those Who do Not Have the Custom

There are communities that do not have the custom to bang at all when the name of Haman is recited in the megilah.[45] There are a number of reasons for this. First, it is not honor for a shul to have all that noise. Second, it is very common for the reader to continue before the noise concludes, and some people are not yotzei.[46] Finally, all the noise at the recital of Haman is considered by many as too much of a hefsek during the megilah, since according to some opinions one should not be mafsik more than the time it takes to take one breath.[47]

 

The opinion and custom of Harav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach zt”l was not to bang at all.[48]

 

Today’s Noise

Today we witness many novel noise sources during the recital of Haman. In most cases, mature adults make more noise than the children. The poskim mention that people are so busy with what kind of noise they are going to make that they lose focus of the entire megilah and are not yotzei with the recital of the megilah. In addition, one should avoid any dangerous items (such as firecrackers).[49]

 

Noise which is getting out of hand during the reading of the megilah should be stopped.[50] It is a good idea to limit the duration of the noise,[51] and one should be appointed to make sure that the congregants adhere to these guidelines.[52]

 

In addition, since the point of making noise is to embarrass the wicked Haman, one should not make noises which give him honor such as a long melody.[53]

 

Children and Dangerous Noises

Children often play with firecrackers before and during the megilah. This is dangerous and a lack of proper decorum for a shul, and this practice should be stopped.[54] Parents should not let their children play with these items.[55]

 

Ba’al Koreh

The ba’al koreh should remain quiet until the noise dies down, as the congregants will not hear the megilah.[56] If there is a lot of noise and the ba’al koreh started reading the megilah anyways, he should go back and repeat those words to make sure all people present hear the entire megilah.[57] It is a good idea to read the megilah in case you miss a word or two.[58]

 

Making an Early Minyan

In many communities there is a minyan vasikin on Purim day. The question was asked if one is allowed to forbid banging at this minyan. One should bang for a short period of time as opposed to the regular routine when there are children in shul.[59]

 

Grager[60]

There is a custom on Purim to use a grager to make noise at the megilah.[61] The reason for this is the following: On Chanukah we play with a dreidel which is spun on the top because the salvation came only from Hashem who saved us from the Greeks and who did a miracle for us regarding the jug of oil. On Purim, however, we fasted and contributed to the miracle. Therefore, we turn thegrager from the bottom to symbolize this.[62]

 

Others say the reason why the dreidel is spun on Chanukah is because our enemies wanted to destroy our nishama which comes from above, and on Purim our enemies wanted to kill us (our bodies), so we turn the grager from the bottom.[63]

 

Why is it that the dreidel is spun on a table and the grager is spun in the air?

 

We waged war on Chanukah on this physical plane, so we spin a dreidel on the table which is on land. However, on Purim there was no war, as we simply asked Hashem to help us. Therefore, we spin the grager in the air.[64]

 

Other Customs

In earlier years the children used to make a picture of Haman and hang it on their roofs, and on Purim they would make a fire and throw the picture inside.[65]

 

Mentioning Haman

There is a custom brought down that when one is reading the megilah (not during Purim) and he reaches the words of Haman he should read it arur haman and when he reaches Mordechai sayboruch Mordechai and berucha Esther.[66]

 

Afternote on Making Noise

It is imperative that one should not focus on the noise as the main point and the megilah as secondary. One should not plan so much on which kind of noise he is going to make; rather he should sit down with the megilah before Purim and spend time understanding the megilah.[67]

 

Other Customs Relating to Haman and Purim

 

Hamantashin

Hamantashin are eaten by Jews worldwide on Purim.[68] Where did this custom come from?

 

Traditionally,[69] hamantashin were filled with poppy seeds,[70] which is called “mon” in Yiddish. It is spelled mem hey nun, which spells haman (in Hebrew). The three corners represent the threeAvos. When Haman saw the three Avos, his power waned.[71] The corners are based on the pasuk,[72] “V’chol karnei resha’im agadei’a – I will uproot the ‘corners’ of wickedness.”[73] Others say that theYiddish spelling is mem alef hey nun. Tash in Yiddish means pocket. The pastry was called mohntashin – poppy seed pockets, as the dough is wrapped around the filling like a pocket.[74] Over time, the word changed, and people started calling it hamantashin.[75] Others explain the name hamantash is a reference to Haman’s downfall. His strength was weakened (tash kocho – in Hebrew) and he did not destroy the Yiddin.[76]

 

Today they are made with many different flavors, including prunes, nut, poppy, date, fruit preserves, chocolate, or even caramel or cheese.

 

Harav Yaakov Kamenetsky zt”l[77] said the reason for eating hamantashin on Purim is that the consumed item is destroyed. When one eats a hamantash he is in essence fulfilling the obligation of erasing Amalek since we are getting rid of Haman (Amalek) by eating a hamantash.[78]

 

Some call it “asneihaman” (ears of haman) instead of hamantash.[79]

 

Some poskim say that the reason why we eat kreplach (see next paragraph) applies to hamantashin as well.[80]

 

Others have reservations about using Haman in a food that goes into our mouths and would rather call it “Purim cookies.”[81]

 

Kreplach

The reason for eating kreplach on Purim is because it is a Yom Tov, but one is permitted to do melacha. Therefore the Yom Tov is in a sense hidden. Simchas Yom Tov is accomplished with meat. Therefore, we hide the meat in a pocket to represent this idea.[82] This is why kreplach are eaten on Erev Yom Kippur and Hoshanah Rabbah as well.[83]