מנהגי לג בעומר for the non-Kabbalistically Inclined

In our times there are many customs associated with לג בעומר that stem from קבלה. This is because ר שמעון בר יוחאי, author/compiler of Kabbalistic works such as אידרא רבא, אידרא זוטא, died on לג בעומר. He also revealed many secrets to his תלמידים immediately preceding his death, which were later contained in the זהר. In fact, he specifically told them that his entire life he desired to see this day (i.e. the day he would die) upon which revealing those secrets would be opportune, and therefore it is a day of rejoicing for the whole world. [1]

Those who are not Kabbalistically inclined in particular may find it a challenge to ascribe today with any religious significance. To this end, I have collected all the מנהגים that I could find, related to לג בעומר, that do not stem from קבלה [2].

In general, לג בעומר is referred to by the פוסקים [3] as a day of joy and feasting, for then the plague that killed רבי עקיבא's תלמידים subsided. [4]

ר יוסף צבי Dunner related that in his childhood hometown of Keln לג בעומר was a day of שמחה  for children, and that in the תלמוד תורה the מלמדים would take their תלמידים on an outing. דינרי זהב explains that רבי עקיבא began teaching his 5 greatest תלמידים (among whom was רבי שמעון בר יוחאי) on לג בעומר in order to return תורה to the world. Indeed, that same day he gave them סמיכה. For this reason, לג בעומר was made a יו"ט for תלמידי ישיבה [5].

[1] אוצר דינים ומנהגים ערך לג בעומר

[2] The מנהגי אבלות, such as restrictions against music, haircuts and the like, that are lifted today are halachic in nature and are beyond the scope of this discussion.

[3] שו"ע או"ח תצג:ב; מהריל, בין פסח לשבועות אות ז ע"פ רוב כת"י

[4] An additional cause for joy is that on יח אייר the מן began to fall in the מדבר. See חת"ס יו"ד סי' רלג

[5] מנהגי מהריץ הלוי פרק טו אות ב. See דינרי זהב there where the customs of various communities in this regard are discussed at length.

יקום פורקן - המשך

A perusal of the ספרדי סדורים that I have collected indicates that ספרדים [1] do not say יקום פורקן. This would seem to be a result of the fact, as discussed here, יקום פורקן is a תפלה for the ריש גלותא, a no-longer extant position. To this end, ספרדי communities do not say יקום פורקן.

A slightly different objection to saying יקום פורקן was apparently made to the Chief Rabbi of England, namely that יקום פורקן is an anomaly, in that the ריש גלותא and the ישיבות of בבל are no more. He responded that this is a mistaken view in light of the addition (in his text of the סדור) of the words די בכל ארעת גלותנא (my translation: "in all the lands of our exile") making the תפלה applicable to our own times. Nevertheless, the omission of יקום פורקן was, as of the publication of The Authorized Daily Prayer Book, sanctioned in English Synagogues. [2]

[1] specifically Syrian (Siddur Abir Yaacob, Sephardic Press 2002), Kavkazi (סידור תפילה רינת קווקז, גבריאל דוידוב תשפ), Persian (A Sephardic Daily and Sabbath Siddur, Sephardic Traditions Foundation 2016), Spanish-Portuguese (Book of Prayers According to the Custom of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews, Union of Sephardic Congregations 1997), as well as סידור יחוה דעת (מכון יחוה דעת תשנה), which is not particular to any specific local custom but rather follows the פסקים of ר עובדיה יוסף.

Anyone who can provide me with access to סדורים of other distinct communities (ספרדי or otherwise) would be much appreciated.

[2] Hertz, 1948; see pgs. 499-503

יקום פורקן - הנוסחא המקורית

Following the reading of the הפטורה on שבת morning, a תפלה for the congregation is printed in אשכנזי סדורים.

Examining this תפלה, one observes that it is split into 3 parts: 2 paragraphs beginning יקום פורקן, and a מי שברך. In this article we intend to examine both יקום פורקן paragraphs in some depth. We hope to address the מי שברך separately אי"ה.

1

An immediate observation that is easily apparent is that most of the text of both paragraphs are repetitive, i.e. identical to each other. The primary difference lays in the fact that the second paragraph is addressing the congregation directly, in the second person; whereas the first paragraph addresses a variety of institutions in the religious community, in the third person. Theoretically (as we will discuss below), both paragraphs could be combined into one, thereby eliminating the need for such repetition.

A second observation that is also immediately apparent is that the structure of the תפלה - in that in it is a תפלה on behalf of the congregation, ending with ונאמר אמן - would seem to indicate that it is intended to be said by one person (such as the שליח ציבור, who is, literally, the messenger of the ציבור) on the congregation's behalf.

I have not, as yet, come across any סידור which combines both paragraphs of יקום פורקן into one, or nearly any that instructs the שליח ציבור to say the תפלה out loud, on behalf of the congregation [1]. This is despite the fact that the original source (see below) for יקום פורקן indeed combines both paragraphs into one, instructing the שליח ציבור to say it out loud for the congregation to respond אמן. This would, indeed, seem to be the original practice. Further research is necessary to determine how and why the original practice changed to the current one, and by whom was it changed.

Following are the instructions and text of יקום פורקן as they appear in מחזור ויטרי [2], one of the first נוסח אשכנז סדורים ever compiled:

After the מפטיר finishes the הפטורה, the שליח ציבור gives a ברכה to those who are involved in צורכי ציבור, the ראשי ישיבות and those who are involved in לימוד התורה worldwide from whom תורה and הוראה go out to כלל ישראל. This practice was instituted by ראשונים to encourage the public in יראת שמים because where people see that those who attend services at the shul are being commended, those who need encouragement to attend shul strengthen their own alacrity.

The שליח ציבור says:

יקום פורקן מן שמיא חנא וחסדא ורחמים וחיי אריכי ומזוני רויחי וסייעתא דשמיא ובריות גופא זרעא חיא וקימא זרעא דלא  יפסוק ודלא יבטול מפתגמי אורייתא ובנין דחיין בעובדי אורייתא למרנן ורבנן חבורתא קדישתא דבארעא דישראל ודבבבל ולרישי כלה ולרישי מתיבתא ולדייני דבבא ולדייני דמתא ולכל תלמידי חכמים ולכל תלמידיהון ולכל תלמידי תלמידיהון. לכל מאן דעסקין באורייתא, לכל קהלא קדישא הדין - רברביא עם זעריא טפליא עם נשיא - מלכא דעלמא יפיש חייהון ויסגא יומיהון ויתן ארכא לשניהון ויפרוק וישזב יתהון מכל צרה ועקא ומכל מרעין בישין. מרן דבשמיא יהא בסעדהון וישמע בקול צלותהון ויתן יתהון לחנא ולחסדא קדם כורסא דיקר מלכותיה וקדם שלטוני דארעא ויקיים זכותהון דכל ישראל בכל זמן ועדן. ונאמר אמן

Translation (mine):

Let there arise, from Heaven, salvation, favor, kindness, mercy, longevity, abundant sustenance, Heavenly assistance, physical health, living, healthy offspring that will not stop or desist from the dicta of תורה, and offspring that will live according to the תורה's expectations of behavior to the teachers and rabbis, the Holy Group, that are in ארץ ישראל and that are in בבל; and to the heads of כלה [3]; and to the heads of ישיבות; and to the judges of the gate; and to the judges of the city; and to all תלמידי חכמים, and all their תלמידים, and all their תלמידים's תלמידים; to anyone who is involved in לימוד התורה. For this entire Holy Congregation - elders and youth, children with women - the King of the World should increase their lives, and enlarge their days, and give length to their years; and save and redeem them from any sorrow and misfortune and from all bad occurrences. Our Master in Heaven should be at their assistance, and hearken to the sound of their תפלה, and consider them to be in favor and kindness before the כסא הכבוד and before Earthly rulers; and the merit of all כלל ישראל should last in every time and era. (Congregation responds: אמן)

2

Recently, I met R Hershel Schachter and I discussed this topic with him. He suggested [4] that יקום פורקן was originally instituted as a תפלה for the ריש גלותא [5]: in the ריש גלותא's presence, the שליח ציבור would say a תפלה for his success (similar to the practice of many shuls today, where the rabbi's name is mentioned in a מי שברך if he is there); if he was not present, there would be no יקום פורקן (similar to the practice of many shuls today, where if the rabbi is not present, his name is not mentioned). At the same time, the members of the congregation are mentioned in יקום פורקן as well; seemingly, they did not want to miss an opportunity to be blessed only because the ריש גלותא was not there; so, to this end, יקום פורקן was split in two. Eventually, (ed. - perhaps at the abolishment of the ריש גלותא's position altogether [6]) the מנהג developed to say the first יקום פורקן as well; and once they were split, they remained split.

Regarding why the congregation mumbles יקום פורקן together instead of the שליח ציבור saying it out loud and the congregation responding אמן, as the setup of the תפלה would indicate, R Schachter suggested that perhaps this is similar to ואמרו אמן at the end of שמונה עשרה which, perforce, is said quietly; namely, that there we are, so to say, asking the מלאכים to say אמן to our תפלות [7]. He agreed to my comment, however, that there is a דין to say שמונה עשרה quietly; there is no such דין by יקום פורקן. 

ועדיין נשאר בצ"ע.

[1] This is, however, the מנהג in KAJ (מחזור שבחי ישרון, שבת, מאת דוד חיים ראט 2016 עמ' 139). I have heard a rumor to the effect that R Yaakov Neuburger says יקום פורקן on his shul out loud on behalf of the entire congregation, to which they respond אמן, but this information is, as yet, unconfirmed. Any leads or clarifications are appreciated.

[2] מח"וו סדר שבת אות יד, מהדורת אוצר הפוסקים

[3] those who conducted study sessions for the general public. See The Authorized Daily Prayer Book, R Joseph H Hertz, Bloch Publishing Company, 1948 pg. 499

[4] based on בעל המאון (עירובין נט.)

[5] Exilarch, or political leader of the Jews in Babylonia; see next note

[6] in 1040 למספרם (see Hertz there). For more on ריש גלותא, see R Berel Wein, In the Footsteps of Eliyahu Hanavi, Shaar Press 2019 pg. 25-29

[7] This is ברוך שאמר's explanation.

Presumably (my suggestion) this would not be included in the איסור (expressed in the רמבם's 5th עיקר אמונה) of davening to מלאכים because the assumption here seems to be that we are not literally asking the מלאכים to please choose to bring out תפלות to the כסא הכבוד, rather, we are using this phrase as a figure of speech whose plain meaning is a בקשה to 'ה that our תפלה should be accepted. Other suggestions are welcome.

שמיעת מוזיקה בימי ספירת העומר

During the period of ספירה there was a plague that killed רבי עקיבא's 24,000 תלמידים. Additionally the Crusades and שר"י Chmielnicki's massacres took place during that same period of the year. As such, there is a מנהג to decrease שמחה, to which end, we do not listen to music played with instruments, even one person listening alone.

Since the principle of the custom is decreasing שמחה, music played for non-שמחה purposes, such as practice or פרנסה (where there is no significant enjoyment involved) is allowed. The same would apply to listening to music during work, driving or exercise in order to keep awake or maximize productivity.

At the same time, acapella music (vocals that are intending to resemble real music closely, such as where digitally modified or the like), although lacking instruments, provides the listener with a similar experience as real music, so acapella music would be no different; the מנהג not to listen to music applies there as well. The same would apply to background music, such as that which accompanies a story, or a ringtone (if the ringtone is musically meaningful).

Choral music, meaning a group of individuals singing together in multi-layer harmony or the like, is permitted, as this does not sound like real music, and, thereby, does not provide the listener with the identical musical experience as real music does.

If a person is in a state of discontent, they may listen to music to lift their spirits, however, they should not use not abuse this התר as an opening to listen to music excessively, i.e. more than what is necessary to improve their mood.

A child who is not developed enough yet to appreciate the ענין of אבלות may listen to music and even have music played for them by an adult, but one should make sure not to abuse this התר as well.

Hebrew Sources:

שולחן הלוי (הרב ישראל בעלסקי) פרק יג תשובה ו; מנהגי ישיבה תורה ודעת (ישיבה תורה ודעת תשעח) פרק יח הע' קנז; שלמי מועד (פסקי הרב שלמה זלמן אאוערבאך על מועדי השנה, נערך ע"י טוביה פריינד תשסד) פרק פה "שמיעת קלטות בימי הספירה"; אג"מ או"ח חלק א סי' קסו, שם חלק ג סי' פז, יו"ד סי' קלז; בין פסח לשבועות (הרב צבי כהן)  פרק ח סעיף א-ד, שם פרק טו סעיף ז; ערוה"ש או"ח תצג:ב

English Sources:

פסקי הלכה of Harav Yisroel Belsky vol. 1 (compiled by Moishe Dovid Lebovits, Israel Bookshop 2016) Chapter 32; פסקי הלכה of Harav Yisroel Belsky vol. 2 (compiled by Moishe Dovid Lebovits, Israel Bookshop 2022) Chapter 15; Rabbi Tuvia Posen's הלכה classes (self-published, 2022) pg. 392-395; http://matzav.com/p%E2%80%99sak-from-rav-yisroel-belsky-and-rav-shlomo-miller-on-acappella-music-during-sefirah-2/

קריאת שיר השירים בחג הפסח

1

We read שיר השירים on פסח because שיר השירים mentions יציאת מצרים, and many פסוקים are explained by חזל in שה"ש רבה as alluding to יציאת מצרים [1]; and specifically שבת חול המועד because the פיוטים for that day are based on שיר השירים [2] [see, for example, יוצרות in מחזור זכרון מאיר, ArtScroll 2018, p. 337-340. 343, 347-348].

חזל say that שה"ש is קודש קדשים. Based on what appears from the plain meaning of the פסוקים, it explains the affection of הקב"ה and ישראל from the moment they became a nation until משיח. Chapter 1 alludes to גלות מצרים. Chapter 2 alludes to בני ישראל's travels in the מדבר and מתן תורה. Chapter 3 alludes to entering ארץ ישראל. Chapter 4 alludes to building the בית המקדש. Chapter 5 alludes to the destruction of the first בית המקדש. Chapter 6 alludes to the building of the בית שני and its time. Chapter 7 alludes to the present exile. Chapter 8 alludes to the time of משיח [3].

If there is no שבת חול המועד on a given year, we read שה"ש specifically on the last day of פסח, because on the first day of פסח the davening is already lengthened by תפלת טל [5].

Following the reading of שה"ש there is a קדיש יתום [6].

[1] א:ט "לסוסתי ברכבי פרעה". אוצר טעמי המנהגים (אריה פנחס געלבארד, הוצאת מפעל רשי, תשנו) שער אות עב 

על פי רמא או"ח תצ:ט, מ"א שם ס"ק ח, לבוש שם סעיף ה [2] 

[3]  הגדה של פסח שיח שפתותינו (הרב חיים קניבסקי, תשעה) עמ' 121-122

[4] הגדה של פסח באר החיים (הרב אלימלך בידערמאן, עוז והדר תשעד) עמ' רפו

[5] פרי מגדים או"ח שם ס"ק ח. The second day of פסח can never be שבת, based on לא בד"ו פסח.

[6] לבוש שם

עיכוב משמים נגד עשיית מצוה כראוי

1

In previous posts (see here, here, here, here, and here) we established that there is no legitimate reason why אשכנזים do not perform ברכת כהנים daily.

It is unclear exactly at what point the practice changed from how it was originally, although מחזור ויטרי, a primary source for מנהג אשכנז, contains a detailed section on the דינים of ברכת כהנים, positioned at the end of חזרת השץ of weekday שחרית, making no mention of what is today the common אשכנזי practice in חו"ל, namely to only perform ברכת כהנים by מוסף on יו"ט.

Here we will discuss a few instances where there were those who tried to restore the original practice:

1) ר נתן Adler was a כהן מיוחס. Among other innovative הנהגות, he performed ברכת כהנים daily in his בית מדרש. Eventually, he was placed in a severe חרם ר"ל, for (multiple reasons including) daily ברכת כהנים that took place in his בית מדרש [1].

2) A כהן מיוחס in Vilna was instructed by the גאון that he should perform ברכת כהנים in the גאון's בית מדרש the following day. That night the כהן מיוחס died. [2]

Another time the גאון tried to reinstate daily ברכת כהנים. That night he was thrown into jail (for sending money to ארץ ישראל). He understood this as a sign from Heaven to stop. [2] [3]

3) ר חיים Volozhener once attempted to institute daily ברכת כהנים in Volozhen. That night there was a fire in which half the town, including the shul, burnt down. He also understood this to be a sign from Heaven to stop. [2]

2

ר ישראל Reisman directed me to the following סוגיא (as presented by ערוה"ש יו"ד שנא) which is another example of being prevented by שמים from doing a מצוה properly.

The (:גמ' (מנחות מא says that a man should be buried in his ציצית so as to avoid a problem of לועג לרש, namely, that those who are carrying the body are wearing ציצית, while the dead person is not; this would result in "rubbing it in", so to say, that the מת can no longer perform מצות.

'תוס there addresses why (evidently) the prevailing custom at the time was not to bury someone with ציצית. -?- 

'תוס suggests that in the times of the 'גמ everyone wore ציצית so there would indeed be a problem of לועג לרש; today (in 'תוס's time), however, where ציצית is uncommon [4], there is no problem of לועג לרש.

Today ב"ה the practice of wearing ציצית was restored to its former glory, so we should, in principle, revert to the practice of the 'גמ to bury with ציצית, however, the מנהג הפשוט in all תפוצות ישראל [5] is that we prepare the מת with ציצית and before we put him in the grave, we take off one of the four ציציות.

This is based on ה"ר יצחק בן מלכי צדק who suggested a solution as a compromise between the 'גמ and our מנהג: as the body is prepared for burial, we put ציצית onto the body so the נושאי המטה shouldn't be wearing ציצית and the מת not; as we bury him, we take the ציצית off.

3

The ערוה"ש testifies regarding the גרא that he instructed one of his תלמידים of his wishes to be buried with his ציצית fully intact. Where it was time for the חברה קדישא to clothe the גרא's body, that תלמיד had to step out, and the חברה קדישא was unaware of the גרא's instructions, so they pulled out one of the ציציות. Once the תלמיד returned, he began to cry out in distress over the fact that the מנהג was followed against his rebbi's instructions and an explicit 'גמ. The גדולים who were present saw this episode as a sign from שמים not to change the מנהג.

ר אלכסנדר זיסקינד of Horodna was lowered into his grave with all his ציציות intact (perhaps he learned from the גרא's mistake and gave instructions to the entire חברה קדישא, rather than only instructing one person). One of the ציציות got stuck on a peg and was ripped out, so it was understood that this was decreed from שמים.

עד כאן תוכן דברי הערוה"ש

4

Some may say this is proof of an איסור to change any מנהג whatsoever, even if it is against a 'גמ. A counterargument to this is that indeed, to change a מנהג is no simple matter [6], however, not all מנהגים are created equal; not everything that anyone does is necessarily considered an authentic מנהג.

For example: a מנהג is considered authentic if it was established by ותיקים; if, on the other hand, a custom has no real source, that is simply a mistake in judgment. In addition, to restore a practice to how it used to be is allowed. [7]

Conclusion

We have demonstrated extensively throughout this series that there is weak legitimate halachic basis for the אשכנזי practice in חו"ל to only perform the מצוה of ברכת כהנים by מוסף on יו"ט. Yet, those who have attempted to be מחזיר עטרה ליושנה have not only failed, but were even punished from שמים for doing so.

This raises a profound theological problem: why would an attempt to perform a מצוה properly arouse Heavenly disapproval? Why would someone be punished for trying to do a מצוה properly?

I do not have an answer to this question. It is a problem that bothers me tremendously. Multiple תלמידי חכמים that I have approached regarding this issue have not been able to give me an answer. I plan to write letters in the mail to גדולים, asking them to address this thorny topic. Anyone who can share any leads will be much appreciated.

אריה לייב Kramer assisted with the preparation of many sources for this סוגיא,

וגדול זכות המזכה את הרבים

[1] Burak, The Hatam Sofer (Beth Jacob, 1967) p. 67 and מפי השמועה

[2] Eliach, "הגאון (מורשת הישיבות, תשסב) פרק ו "ברכת כהנים. Eliach there mentions that ר ישראל Salanter was bothered by why, if this was the right thing to do, did they stop based on a Heavenly sign? There is a principle that הלכה is not determined by Heavenly signs but rather by חכמי ישראל!

פסקי תשובות (או"ח קכח הע' 415) mentions that the בעל התניא tried, unsuccessfully, to reinstate daily ברכת כהנים among בני אשכנז, but he was prevented from doing so, for various reasons. I was not able to find any more information than the vague statement made there.

[3] ארץ ישראל was, at that point, ruled by the Ottoman Empire. Lithuania, at that point, was ruled by the Russian Empire. The two empires were constantly at war against each other. Sending money to an enemy country was illegal, so anyone who wanted an easy claim against anyone could inform the authorities that someone was sending money to ארץ ישראל.

[4] It is beyond the scope of this article to examine this phenomenon in detail but evidently such was the reality, as incredible as that may sound.

[5] This is indeed the מנהג in Amsterdam (מנהגי אמשטרדם פרק ה סימן ב סעיף ג אות ג). I have not been able to find confirmation of this מנהג in other communities but presumably this is a universal practice among אשכנזי חברה קדישא.

[6] רמא (או"ח תרצ:יז)

[7] מ"א וביאור הלכה שם

In a future post, I hope to compile a list of multiple sources in הלכה where פוסקים change various מנהגים. An exhaustive treatment of the issue of changing מנהגים is beyond the scope of this article.

מנהג הכאת שם המן בשעת קריאת המגילה

1

In many communities there is a custom to bang and/or make loud noises at the mention of המן's name while מגילת אסתר is being read on פורים.

According to רמא (או"ח תרצ:יז) the original מנהג was that children used to draw המן's face or write his name on stones or wood and bang the stones or pieces of wood against each other at the mention of המן's name during קריאת המגילה so that המן's name would thereby be erased [1]. From this the custom developed to bang at המן's name during קריאת המגילה not specifically on stones or wood, but rather just in general.

An additional reason was suggested by the חת"ס [2] that we are commanded to erase עמלק's memory; but yet, his very memory is sustained so many times in every place where his name is mentioned just in מגילת אסתר alone; not only that, but even after the Final Redemption, פורים will remain [3], so ultimately עמלק's memory is never fully erased. To this end, we bang and make noise to show that we do not want to hear the name עמלק.

חכמת שלמה (או"ח שם) says that normally we do not curse a king whose name is mentioned in a פסוק if, in that פסוק, the king is still alive. To this end, רב ברכיה [4], upon reading אשר הגלה נבוכדנצר, would say נבוכדנצר שחיק עצמות (pathetic bones), because this is the only place where נבוכדנצר is mentioned as deceased. המן, on the other hand, being a commoner, we can curse at any mention of his name. Now, in practice, to say שם רשעים ירקב (the name of evildoers should rot) in middle of קריאת המגילה would be a הפסק (see שער הציון או"ח שם), so instead we bang.

טעמי המנהגים (תתעו) adds that where we curse המן or we mention his name and bang, הקב"ה makes them feel the bangs so that they receive great pain because every Jew in history following המן has, in a sense, experienced נס פורים themselves. Had המן been successful ר"ל we wouldn't exist in the world, therefore all who are born after המן's downfall must pain him, so הקב"ה makes sure that המן feels the banging that we do at the mention of his name during קריאת המגילה.

2

Some communities have an established custom specifically not to bang at the mention of המן's name.

One reason is because banging can cause confusion of where the בעל קריאה left off, where he is continuing from, etc. [5]

Another reason not to bang is because pausing for more than a breath is a הפסק [6].

An additional reason not to bang is טורח הציבור [7].

Here is a summary of the London ספרדי מנהג (copied from here):

Although it is a time honoured custom in many synagogues, both Ashkenazi and Sephardi, to make a noise during Megillah reading when Haman’s name is mentioned, and in some cases to be rather noisy and frivolous throughout the service, this has never been the case in S&P (ed. - Spanish & Portuguese) communities, where "gravidade" (ed. - gravitas) has always been an overarching value.

(ed. - ironically, one of the first innovations of the Hamburg Reform Temple שר"י was doing away with banging by המן, as they considered doing so to be un-decorous. They may have borrowed this idea from the Spanish-Portuguese custom, albeit for the wrong reasons. Indeed, perhaps in part as a response to Reform innovations ר"ל, KAJ is מקפיד to bang, and not only by המן but by זרש as well [8])

[1] based on שם רשעים ירקב (משלי י:ז) and מחה אמחה את זכר עמלק (שמות יז:יד). See also לבוש (או"ח שם) and מטה משה (סי' תתרו) where other reasons are suggested על דרך הרמז

[2] שו"ת מילי דאבות חלק ג סי' יג

[3] The status of ימים טובים בזמן הגאולה is beyond the scope of this discussion, but all seem to agree that פורים will still be observed.

[4] ירושלמי סוף פ"ק דמגילה

[5] פרי מגדים או"ח שם ס"ק כא

[6] שם ע"פ מ"א שם ס"ק יז

[7] In Telz there is a הקפדה to finish banging quickly for this reason. (מנהגי ישיבת טלז, ליל פורים)

[8] entire paragraph based on conversations with Mendy Meyer and ישראל Strauss. Perhaps the decision to bang for המן and זרש specifically is due to their specific mention by name in אשר הניא (the פיוט that many congregations say/sing following קריאת המגילה). Banging by המן and זרש would seem to predate Reform as the custom is already discussed by early אחרונים; the specific הקפדה and insistence on adhering to this מנהג may be, in part, a response to Reform.