May His Bones be Ground!
Rabbi Reuven SchrierAs any experienced Keriyat HaMegilah attendee knows, Klal Yisrael possesses a very prominent and popular minhag to “blot out” Haman’s name by making noise after his name is recited. This practice is idiosyncratic; when are Jews ever encouraged to interrupt normal shul proceedings with halachically unquantified and uncontrolled commotion? Not surprisingly, there have been several halachik authorities over the ages who have taken issue with this minhag (see Mishnah Berurah 690:59). Nonetheless, the Rama (Orach Chaim 690:17) and other very prominent poskim enthusiastically encourage this practice and identify its source. Children used to carve Haman’s name into blocks of wood and would slowly shave away the letters by rubbing the blocks together. This eventually led to the practice of “blotting out” his name through ruckus and noise when it was pronounced in the megillah.
But the Magen Avraham (690:21) notes an even more surprising practice of the Levush. When Haman’s name was pronounced, the Levush would actually recite the verse שם רשעים ירקב, “the name of wicked ones should rot” (Mishlei 10:7). It is absolutely clear that it is prohibited to make unnecessary interruptions when reading the megillah, especially when one has recited a beracha over the mitzvah (Orach Chaim 690:13). Banging on tables and booing is already considered a borderline hefsek (halachik interruption) in Keriyat HaMegilah. But, astoundingly, the Levush would actually insert his own words! What could possibly sanction such a disruption?!
The Magen Avraham already alludes to a potential source for the Levush. He points to a passage in Midrash Rabbah (Esther 6:4 and Yerushalmi Megillah 3:7), where the rabbis discuss the practice of Rebbe Yonatan when hearing the Megillah verse describing the exile from Jerusalem caused by Nevuchadnetzar (2:6). Upon hearing Nevuchadnetzar’s name, Rebbe Yonatan would cry out, “may his bones be ground!” The grinding of bones represents utter annihilation; even many years after Nevuchadnetzar’s death, Rebbe Yonatan would pray that this wicked one and his legacy have no reconstitution forever. Many commentators assume that Rebbe Yonatan would do this even while he was fulfilling the mitzvah of reading the megillah on Purim (see Igrot Moshe O.C. 1:192).
This possibly provides the precedent for the Levush’s practice. The mitzvah of megillah is not simply retelling a story; it is the epic narrative depicting the downfall of Amalek due to his machinations against us. Many sources indicate that the reading of the megillah can actually serve as a formal fulfillment of the mitzvah to remember mitzvat mechiyat Amalek. An interruption is only problematic when it is not related to the essence of Purim (אינו מענינו של יום). But when the “interruption” fulfills the essence of Mikra Megilah, it is not viewed as a hefsek at all.
For all their differences, Nevuchadnetzar and Haman share a fundamental common denominator: a deeply rooted desire to undermine HaKadosh Baruch Hu’s divine plan for Klal Yisrael’s ascension. At the center of this divine plan is Yerushalayim. The ultimate symbol of, and catalyst for, Klal Yisrael’s supremacy is a rebuilt
Jerusalem. The Arizal explains that Haman was obsessed with preventing the construction of the Beit HaMikdash (see Shem MiShmuel to Purim and our article from last year). His hatred for the Jewish people demands that Jerusalem remain in ruins. The Alshich (to Daniel 2) notes that the navi counts the beginning of Nevuchadnetzar’s reign from when he conquered Jerusalem. He wasn’t truly king until Jerusalem had been subdued. Nevuchadnetzar has a frightening dream of a small stone that will destroy the most powerful of kingdoms and grow into a mountain that fills the entire earth. This stone represents Mashiach’s reestablished seat of kingship in Jerusalem, the ultimate downfall of Nevuchadnetzar’s reign.
These reshaim desperately attempt to prevent the inevitable. But their names and legacies will be blotted out as the rock of Israel fills the entire world. Keriyat HaMegillah perfectly captures the inevitable fate of these misguided fools. The utter destruction of their legacy is part and parcel of what the Megillah is all about. ארורים כל הרשעים, cursed are all those who try to interfere with Klal Yisrael and Yerushalayim’s destiny. ברוכים כל הצדיקים, blessed are all those who eagerly facilitate Hashem’s plans for His holy city and His people.
