Livro de ascamot (Book of Regulations): On Purim

Decision Taken Not to Wield Hammers in the Synagogue on Purim

Inasmuch as the members of the mahamad [board of governors] consider it a vile practice among us today for youngsters to strike with hammers in the synagogue, when the scroll of Esther is read, causing a great racket, which is offensive to the place, and, in so doing, helping to wreck the synagogue, by smashing benches and acting seemingly more like barbarians than sensible people, the mahamad has decided that this practice must be stopped. It has thus ordered all the teachers to prohibit in their schools that any of their pupils bring a hammer to the synagogue or strike anyone or anything with it. Should this ruling not be heeded, the teacher of the youngster in question will be fined half a florin for tzedakah [charity] for each youngster who acts contrary to this decision. And youngsters who are not from the Talmud Torah and wield hammers or any other instrument will be fined a half florin each. And if there be men or adults who wield a hammer or wood or any other instrument, that person shall be fined one florin. These penalties are to be executed without hesitation. And the gabbai [beadle] in charge of tzedakah shall enter them in his accounts. And this ruling was made public from the tevah [reading platform] on the first day of the month of Adar, at which time this decision was so ordered.