New York – Halachic Analysis: Pesach Birchas Hallel Debate

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    New York – Long, long ago, there emerged a debate about the recitation of Hallel in the synagogue on the night of Pesach. Should it be said in the synagogue, or do we just recite it at night at the Seder? The debate began during the times of the Rishonim, and the debate continues on until our times.

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    What happens when you are at a minyan where they say the Hallel, and your custom is not to say it? Rav Shmuel Kaminetsky, shlita, holds that you should surreptitiously slip away and not say it. Indeed, he writes that you are obligated to do so. Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt’l, wrote otherwise. He wrote that one should still recite it, even against one’s own family minhag.

    The Pesach hotels, by the way, love the custom. Why? Generally speaking, the hotels do not necessarily have their act together on the first night of Pesach to cater to hundreds of people, including private Seders in side rooms. Often the staff they use is not trained for the hefty demands of a Passover Seder for hundreds of people. The hotels welcome the extra time that the recitation of Hallel affords. Indeed, one kosher hotel operator was famous for ensuring that every minyan recited the Hallel just to give an extra 30 minutes to set up the Seder tables in his hotel.

    But let’s get back to the halachah aspect of things. The Talmud Bavli makes no mention of the custom of reciting Hallel in shul. However, the Rashba writes (Berachos 11a) that the essential enactment of reciting Hallel was to do so in the synagogue. This is the custom of Sephardim and those that follow the nusach Sephard. They recite a blessing both before the recitation of the Hallel and after.

    Tosefos (Berachos 14a “Yamim shehayachid”) holds that if, in fact, one did recite the Hallel in shul, then one skips it—yes, skips it—in the Seder . . . Tzafun, Barech, then Nirtzah.

    Now, while the Rashba does cite this custom, he alone in the world of major Sephardic or Mizrachi poskim mentions it. Neither the Rif nor the Rambam makes any hint of the custom. Nor does Rashi make mention of it, and it does not appear in the Machzor Vitri either—the siddur written by Rashi’s student that tells us exactly how Rashi davened.

    Clearly, the custom of Ashkenazic Jewry was not to recite Hallel in shul on the night of Pesach. In Eretz Yisrael, however, the custom has evolved even for Ashkenazim to recite it in shul. The Brisker Rav, however, stood in stark opposition to this, even after he had moved to Yerushalayim. It was his custom to walk out before its recitation at the end of Maariv on the night of Pesach.

    The Chazon Ish’s position was to recite the Hallel in shul, but without saying the berachah upon it. Some say that this was also the opinion of the Chasam Sofer (see Minhagei Chasam Sofer in the footnotes citing the Shiras Moshe’s quote of a statement of the Maharam Schick), but contemporary practices of those that follow the Chasam Sofer’s customs are not to recite it at all.

    Reasons Why
    Some Recite Hallel

    Aside from the Pesach hotel caterer’s reason to have it recited in the shul, it would seem to be a good idea to explore the reasons why it is recited. The earliest reason provided is that of the Meiri, who says that it was established as a commemoration to the Hallel that was recited in the Azarah on the 14th of Nissan at the time of the slaughtering of the Korban Pesach. This custom is also cited in the siddur entitled the Maaglei Tzedek (in the Seder HaPesach).

    Another Rishon who gives us an opinion on the reason is the Tur (O.C. 473), who writes that we recite it in shul so as to avoid an entirely different problem—that of safek berachah on the Hallel in the Seder itself. Some Rishonim held that a berachah is recited on the Hallel during the Seder. Others disagree, since it is broken up with the meal in between it. To avoid the issue of safek berachah, some recite Hallel in shul.

    The Vilna Gaon (end of O.C. 487), however, gives us a different reason, citing the Tosefta in the 10th chapter of Psachim. He writes that it was established as a kiruv measure (kind of like a Talmudic-era Gateways) so that those people that do not know how to read the Hallel themselves would have the opportunity for it to be recited on their behalf.

    One of my rebbeim, Rav Dovid Kviat, zt’l, had an altogether different reason for the general recitation of Hallel. He cited the Midrash Tehillim that while yet in Mitzrayim before we were redeemed, we had such emunah and closeness to Hashem that we recited the Hallel even before the redemption on account of the redemption that was forthcoming. Since we did this then collectively, it might be suggested that we should do it collectively nowadays too in shul.

    Another reason cited by contemporary poskim (see response section of Haggadah Imrei Chamudos #11) is that there is a concern that a person might fall asleep at night prior to reciting Hallel in the Haggadah.

    Reasons Why Others
    Do Not Recite Hallel

    The Netziv, Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin (Responsa Vol. I #13) writes that the ideal form of reciting Hallel on Pesach is to say it as an outburst of spontaneous song, which is the definition of shirah. If it is recited in the synagogue, it is not said over wine and, while still a fulfillment of the mitzvah, is only a b’dieved fulfillment of it. After one has already recited the Hallel in shul, when he says it again in the Haggadah it is only as one who reads Tehillim. To avoid the problem brought up by the Netziv, Rav Moshe Shternbuch has the practice (see Moadim U’Zmanim Vol. III, footnote 360) of asking someone else to recite the berachah for him in shul, and he says it on the following condition: If the essential mitzvah is in shul, he fulfills his mitzvah; if it is at the Haggadah, then what he is reciting in shul is just reciting Tehillim.

    Similarly, Rav Shmuel Kaminetsky, shlita, explains that when one recites it in shul, one has fulfilled the mitzvah of Hallel b’dieved, and therefore one does not fulfill it at the Seder, which is the essential venue of the mitzvah of Hallel on Pesach night. He therefore disagrees with Rav Moshe Feinstein’s view and holds that when one is in a shul that is saying Hallel one should avoid reciting it—surreptitiously, so that he does not appear as if he is going against the practice of the shul (footnote to Kovetz Halachos 18:4). Rav Moshe Feinstein wrote (Igros Moshe O.C. II #94) that when one is in a shul that says it, he should recite the Hallel even if his family minhag is otherwise.

    The Aruch HaShulchan (487:7) writes that it should not be said in shul by dint of the fact that this custom is not mentioned in the Talmud.
    Rav Shternbuch writes that the entire reason to recite the Hallel in shul is to fulfill the mitzvah of reciting Hallel for those who are unable. Since, nowadays, everyone is able, we should no longer recite it in the synagogue, similar to what has transpired with the Kiddush that used to be said in shul. In modern times, many shuls no longer recite the Kiddush in shul because everyone can recite it themselves.

    Another reason put forward by the Arugas HaBosem is cited in HaSeder HaAruch (28:3). In Maseches Sofrim (20:9) it states that the Hallel should be recited in a state of “ne’imah”—with an awakening to praise and glorify Hashem. If we are voluntarily reciting the Hallel and we cannot muster this level of enthusiasm, it is preferable not to recite it.

    What happens when the rav of the shul announces that Rav Moshe Feinstein’s view was to recite the Hallel? It is this author’s view that even Rav Shmuel would agree that under such circumstances one should recite the Hallel. (As of press time, however, this was unable to be verified.)

    The author can be reached at [email protected].


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    12 Comments
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    Rabbi Yair Hoffman
    Admin
    11 years ago

    Yasher Koach! It seems that nowadays almost everyone says Hallel in shul.

    Passaicguy
    Passaicguy
    11 years ago

    Thank you for a very informative article. I would like to make a few comments. One is, that according to Tosfos, if one recites Hallel in Shul, then its skipped at the Seder, does not work for women and others who did not say Hallel in Shul. Hallel would have to be repeated at the Seder for their sake.

    With regard to the Minhag of the Brisker Rov, I spoke with members of the family, whom I daven with, and the Brisker Minhag is to say Hallel in Shul at Maariv on Erev Pesach. The family does say Hallel in shul on Erev pesach. I was told that once when R. Chaim had a shteller where the Shul did not say Hallel, he also refrained from saying it in Shul, to be in conformance with the Minhag Hamakom. But his personal Minhag is to say Hallel in Shul on Erev pesach, which is what the family does.

    Rabbi Yair Hoffman
    Admin
    11 years ago

    This is a thorough review of the issue. It is interesting because a similar issue may have come up last night with the machlokes as to whether to say vayehi noam. If your minhag is not to say it and you are in a shul saying it – does the same psak of Rav Moshe apply?

    11 years ago

    To #4
    No its Vehee NOIAM.

    11 years ago

    With all respect, in modern times when the guests at a seder may include many yidden from different hashkafos with different minhagim, there is no downside to saying hallel both in shul and again at the seder. If it makes the guests feel more at home and they enjoy singing the hallel with nigunim they remember from their childhoods, say it and stop obessing over mamash trivia.

    11 years ago

    The ARI Z’L says to say it. Case closed!

    11 years ago

    I’m usually in total agreement with Rav Hoffman but its hard to believe that Rav Kaminetsky, Z’tl paskined that if davening in a shul where they say hallel, one should “lip synche” and make believe he/she is saying hallel while really not making any sounds. It seems like in this case, Rav Feinstein got it right.

    ChachoMoe
    ChachoMoe
    11 years ago

    Thanks again R Hoffman for the highly informative write-up. Let me share another twist to the analysis, in regard to some claiming that it has no source in the Talmud. I will point out some that do bring proof, if not direct, it is quite indirectly clear from the Talmud that they did indeed recite .
    The Gemora in Erchin (10a states on why we don’t say hallel on Purim, that on all miracles that occurred in חו”ל we do not recite any Hallel, on that the gemorah asks:יציאת מצרים נס שחו”ל ואמרינן הלל?
    The Shaget Aryeh asks in his commentaries to Megillah טורי אבן מגילה י”ד, א The reason we recite hallel on Pesach has nothing to with the miracle, it is for the same reasoning why we do so on Sukkoth and Shavuoth i.e. that the ‘Yom Tov’ on its own requires hallel? Therefore, the Shagget Aryeh claims that the Gemorah must pertain to the Hallel we say on Pesach at night. The מהרצ”ה חיות ערכין דף י’ ע”ב comments:
    ובאמת דבריו תמוהים, דהרי הלל זה אינו מן הדין, ואנחנו האשכנזים אין נוהגים באמירתו, ואם הכוונה על הלל של סדר הגדה, הנה אין מברכין ע”ז, וגם מפסיקין בו באכילה, וע”כ אינו מצד הדין רק משום מנהגא, עכ”ד (עיי”ש שת’ בדוחק – שקאי על הלל שעת שחיטת הפסח שהי, מברבין עליו)
    – 2 be Cont-

    ChachoMoe
    ChachoMoe
    11 years ago

    -cont.-
    Basically, the מהר”ץ חיות is saying, that the only way the explanation of the Shagget Aryeh to the Gemora makes any sense is, if we indeed recite a berocha to its hallel on Passover at night i.e. the way Chassidim, the Gra and Sephardim do. So in other words, it is quite clear from the above statement of the Gemorah “יציאת מצרים נס שחו”ל ואמרינן הלל” that they did recite hallel with a Bracha.otherwise, the Hallel is not a hallel pertaining to the Miracle of יציאת מצרים.

    concerned_Jew
    concerned_Jew
    11 years ago

    It’s a nice minhag. What could be bad about thanking Hashem an extra time?