Ten Purim Facts
1) Although there are 5 Megilos, Chazal (Bavli & Yerushalmi) refer to, only Megillas Esther as a Megillah. They never refer to the other 4 as a Megillah.
2) There is a Machlokes if banging at Haman is for children only (Maharil) or for adults as well (Chacham Tzvi)
3) Minhag Lita is to bang only where Haman and his father are mentioned. (Haman ben Hamdasa)
4) According to Kabbalah, you should bang only with your feet.
5) According to the Targum Sheini, The 50 Amos pole, they hung Haman on, came from Noach’s Teivah.
6) The name of the horse Mordechai rode on, was שפרגז “spare gas” (Targum Sheini)
7) The Mateh Moishe writes the reason Chazal said Chayav -L’Besuma because drunk people are loose with their money and will give more to the poor.
8) According to the Tur a Chosson should not attend Shul for Megillah. He should have ten people come to the house to Lein Megillah.
9) The Seder Hadoros writes: When R. Yehudah Halevi wrote the Piyut “Adon Chasdecha” ** the Ibn Ezra added a Stanza at the letter Reish. R.Y.Halevi was so impressed, he gave him his daughter for marriage. Hence two stanzas for the letter Reish.
10) The Shu”t Dvar Shmuel (193) criticizes strongly the printers of Meseches Purim***. He claims it is Chilul Hatorah to imitate the Gemoro and turn it into a song and comedy.
**Sefardim say it on Parshas Zachor
*** written 700 years ago and printed in the year 1513