Megillat Esther

In the Spanish and Portuguese rite, except for the pesukei hage'ulah, Megillat Esther is not read according to the ta'amei hamikra. Instead it is read to a fixed recitative which, attesting its antiquity, is virtually identical across all of the communities within the tradition. It is also worth pointing out that the practice of children, or indeed anyone else, making a noise during the reading is not viewed with favour within the Spanish and Portuguese minhag.