Haman should strike terror in the hearts of anyone who hears his name. His predecessors, Esav and Amalek, no doubt conjure up Ghangis Khan-like images of militant and merciless figures in our minds. And yet, if you say the name Haman to the average 6-year-old or even teen, they picture the eruption of the Haman experience in most shuls. If you daven at a shul like mine, the poppers, streamers and snap caps are premeditated. Alibaba bestows thousands of dollars’ worth of noisemakers upon religious communities annually in March.
This is what Haman has become. His name heralds a raucous time of celebration for the Jews, gathered together on the cusp of a day we spend joyously. In communities prior, it wasn’t entirely uncommon to see an effigy of Haman hanging, though it is a rarer sight in our communities. The evolution has been finalized. How genuinely ironic that aside from the day turning from mourning to joy, the villain’s name becomes synonymous with jubilation. Effectively, his name serves as a prompt as to how G-d turned his deepest wishes against him and, to us, a reminder of our power, unity, and faith. It is truly a demonstration of v’nahapoch hu, with the hu being he.
