In many shuls, many of the worshipers, both young and old, suffer from the extended Homon-klapping during the reading of the Megilla by over-enthusiastic children.
Many shuls have instituted this klapping of Homon for only the first and last mentions and in some, it has been altogether forbidden. But this is not as easy as it `sounds'. Perhaps the custom has something to say for itself!
Here, however, we present an interesting solution:
In the beis medrash of HaRav Yaakov Eidelstein, an innovation has been instituted for the past several years which seems to be working admirably: only to klapp at the mention of "Homon Ho'Agogi", "Homon ben Hamedoso" and similar forms of the name Homon with descriptives.
Throughout the entire Megilla, there are only eight such references, so that klapping at these places serves the purpose and is advantageous to one and all.
Similarly, this practice forces children to focus better on the actual reading and not miss out; in fact, in that shul they are supplied with a printed list of those designated places.
HaRav Eidelstein told the gabboim that this is not an original innovation since it was, in fact, practiced in shuls in Russia in the past, and likewise in the town where he grew up, it was followed by his father, the eminent R' Tzvi Yehuda Eidelstein.
