{"id":5909,"date":"2010-02-15T08:00:20","date_gmt":"2010-02-15T06:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/?p=5909"},"modified":"2018-02-26T09:50:22","modified_gmt":"2018-02-26T07:50:22","slug":"05-15-08","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/05-15-08\/","title":{"rendered":"08. Minors"},"content":{"rendered":"
It is a mitzva to train children to perform mitzvot<\/em>, and from the moment a boy or girl reaches the stage at which he or she understands the Megilla<\/em> and can listen to it as halakha<\/em> requires, one must train them to do so. This does not depend on a child\u2019s age, but on his personal development. Since the Megilla<\/em> reading is quite long, most children reach the stage at which they can listen to the entire Megilla<\/em> properly after the age of nine.<\/p>\n It is a good practice to bring younger children \u2013 from age five or six \u2013 to the synagogue to hear the Megilla<\/em>. Even though they have not yet reached the age of education in the mitzva of Megilla<\/em> reading, as they cannot listen to the entire Megilla <\/em>meticulously, it is still good to bring them, because they understand the main gist of the story. However, one should not bring small children to the synagogue if they are liable to disrupt the reading and make it difficult for others to hear the Megilla<\/em>. One must take care not to try to go beyond the letter of the law in educating his children at the expense of the other synagogue attendees, who might suffer because of his children\u2019s disruptions.[9]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n In order to stimulate joy and grab the children\u2019s attention, there is a custom for the congregation to read aloud four verses that essentially signal the beginning and end of the miracle. Afterward, the reader reads these verses again from the scroll (Rema 690:17; mb 689:16; based on Mordechai<\/em> and Levush<\/em>). (The verses are: \u201cA Jewish man\u201d [Esther 2:5]; \u201cMordechai left\u201d [ibid. <\/em>8:15]; \u201cThe Jews\u201d [ibid. <\/em>8:16]; and \u201cFor Mordechai\u201d [ibid. <\/em>10:3].)<\/p>\n It seems that the purpose of the custom to \u201cbeat\u201d Haman with noisemakers is, likewise, to excite the children during the Megilla<\/em> reading. However, one must be careful not to lend undue importance to this custom and not to make noise when the reader continues to read the Megilla<\/em> (sa 690:17; also see mb ad loc. <\/em>59 and bhl).<\/p>\n