Hallel

[Hebrew hallēl, song of praise, from hillēl, to praise.]

1.

Hallel ha-Gadol ("The Great Hallel"), which according to the Talmud (Pes. 118a) comprises the 136th chapter of Psalms. Its 26 verses are said to parallel the 26 generations of mankind from the Creation to the Giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, and each verse ends with the refrain, "His steadfast love is eternal" (ki le-olam ḥasdo; see below). This "Great Hallel" is recited in the "Passages of Song" (Pesuké De-Zimra), at the beginning of Morning Service, on Sabbaths and festivals; as an additional psalm for the last day of Passover; and as part of the Haggadah on the first Seder night(s) of Passover. In Mishnaic times, it was also recited when supplicatory prayers for rain had been answered.

2.

Hallel proper, also known as "full Hallel" and on Passover eve as Hallel ha-Mitsri ("The Egyptian Hallel," since Psalms 114 refers to the Exodus), consisting of Psalms 113-118. From early rabbinic times, this has been the standard version of Hallel.

3.

Ḥatsi Hallel ("Half-Hallel"), a shortened form of the above, omitting the first 11 verses of Psalms 115 and 116. The Yemenite "half-Hallel" also omits the two verses of Psalms 117, a practice based on Maimonides (Yad, Ḥanukkah 3:8).

Religious Significance Although there is no certainty as to why tradition chose these particular psalms for Hallel, their theological content as well as their literary structure make them especially appropriate for recitation on festive occasions and at times of deliverance from crisis. The major ideas contained in the sequence are as follows:

Origin of Hallel Rabbinic tradition credits King David with having written almost all of the Psalms, including those which now make up Hallel. R. Eleazar ben Yosé, however, ascribed Hallel to Moses and the Israelites; while R. Judah taught that the prophets had decreed that these psalms be recited to mark national events and deliverance from peril. Other sages maintained that Hallel was recited by various leaders of Israel throughout the biblical period----by Joshua, Deborah, and Hezekiah, by Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, by Mordecai and Esther (Pes. l l7a-118a).

In Second Temple times, Hallel was recited while the paschal sacrifices were taking place and during the Passover Seder ritual (Pes. 5:7, 10:5-7).

Prescribed Occasions Neither "full Hallel" nor "half-Hallel" is recited on:

a. A regular Sabbath: the Sabbath is not considered a festival.

b. Rosh Ha-Shanah and the Day of Atonement: "When the King sits on His throne on the Day of Judgment, and the Books of Life and Death are open before Him, is it appropriate for Israel to sing joyous songs?" (Ar. 10b).

c. Purim: (1) The Scroll of Esther replaces Hallel; (2) The Jewish people, though saved from immediate danger, remained in subjugation to Persia; (3) The miraculous deliverance took place outside of Erets Israel (Meg. 14a).

d. New Moon or during ḥanukkah in a house of mourning: Hymns of praise and thanksgiving are inappropriate on such occasions.

"Full Hallel" is recited, according to the Babylonian Talmud (Ta'an. 28b), on 18 days each year in the Land of Israel: on the eight days of Sukkot (including Shemini Atseret), the eight days of Ḥanukkah, on Shavu'Ot, and on the first day of Passover. It is recited on 21 days each year in the Diaspora: on the nine days of Sukkot (including Shemini Atseret-Simḥat Torah), on the eight days of Ḥanukkah, on both days of Shavu'ot, and on the first two days of Passover. "Full Hallel" is also recited during the Seder on Passover and (according to Sephardi and Israeli Ashkenazi practice) at the conclusion of the Evening Service preceding the Seder. The biblical verse, "For you, there shall be singing as on a night when a festival is hallowed" (Isa. 30:29), is applied to Passover eve, the only "night when a festival is hallowed" in the religious calendar.

"Half-Hallel" is recited, in accordance with a Babylonian practice that was later generally accepted (Ta'an. 28b), on days when the New Moon is celebrated. "Half-Hallel" is also said on the latter days of Passover, even though "full Hallel" is recited on the latter days of Sukkot-Shemini Atseret. Two reasons are given: (1) The Torah prescribes a different sacrifice for each day of Sukkot; each day therefore merits its own Hallel. Each day of Passover has the same sacrifice, however, so one Hallel is sufficient (Ar. 10b). (2) After the Exodus, when the Egyptians were perishing in the Sea of Reeds, God prevented the angels from rejoicing with words of rebuke (Meg. 10b); also, "if your enemy falls, do not exult" (Prov. 24:17).

Briefly stated, the general rule is as follows:

No Hallel is recited on days when there is no pilgrimage to Jerusalem: Sabbath, Rosh ha-Shanah, Day of Atonement, and Purim.

"Full Hallel" is recited on festivals associated with a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and/or dedication of the Temple: the first day(s) of Passover and all the days of Sukkot, Shavu'ot, and Hanukkah.

"Half-Hallel" is recited on the latter days of Passover, because the people left Jerusalem after the first day and observed the last days at home (see Deut. 16:7). It is also recited on the New Moon in accordance with Babylonian practice.

Israel's Chief Rabbinate has ruled that "full Hallel," with the appropriate benedictions, should be recited on Israel's Independence Day (5 Iyyar) and on Jerusalem Day, the anniversary of the reunification of the city (28 Iyyar). This practice is followed by most Orthodox, as well as Conservative and Reform congregations. Some Orthodox congregations (both Ashkenazi and Sephardi-Oriental) recite Hallel but omit the benedictions; anti-Zionist congregations do not recite Hallel on either date.

Hallel, whether "full" or abbreviated, may be said at any time during the festive day, but the general custom is to recite it between the Morning Service Amidah and the Reading of the Law. One may do so, however, without attending a Minyan for public worship. Those Ashkenazim who wear Tefillin on the intermediate days of Passover and Sukkot (chiefly in the Diaspora) remove them before reciting Hallel. According to Orthodox practice, women are obliged to say Hallel at the Passover Seder, but not otherwise. Most authorities agree, however, that a woman who accepts the obligation of this mitsvah can recite Hallel with its prescribed benedictions. This is also the position of the Conservative movement. Reform Judaism makes no distinction between men and women in regard to saying Hallel.

Mode of Recitation: There is good reason to believe that in Temple times a levitical choir sang Hallel responsively (Tosef Sot. 6:2; cf. Tos. to Pes. 95b). Later traditions differed, Yemenite Jews having retained the ancient practice whereby the congregation repeats each verse after the reader and then responds "Hallelujah" (Suk. 3:10). In other (Sephardi and Ashkenazi) congregations, verse sequences from Psalms 118 are repeated by the worshipers. Many Ashkenazi synagogues throughout the world favor congregational singing of various passages, as well as solo renditions by the cantor or set pieces by the choir. Psalms 118:1 traditionally serves as a congregational response to each of the following three verses, and Psalms 118:25 is extended to four lines chanted responsively. On Sukkot, the lulav and etrog (Four Species) are waved when Psalms 118:1-4, 25, and 29 are recited.

It is customary to stand during Hallel, except when it forms part of the Seder home service. Ashkenazi Jews pronounce a benediction before and after Hallel whenever it is recited, the first benediction concluding with the words Ii-kro et ha-Hallel ("to read the Hallel"). According to general Sephardi-Oriental practice, however, this wording is changed to li-gmor et ha-Hallel ("to complete the Hallel") and neither benediction may be recited when "half-Hallel" only is read.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: (Judaism) a chant of praise (Psalms 113 through 118) used at Passover and Shabuoth and Sukkoth and Hanukkah and Rosh Hodesh

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v • d • e

Hallel (Hebrew: הלל‎, "Praise") is a Jewish prayer—a verbatim recitation from Psalms 113-118, which is used for praise and thanksgiving that is recited by observant Jews on Jewish holidays.

Contents 1 Hallel and the Jewish holy days 2 Forms 2.1 Full Hallel 2.2 Partial Hallel 3 Musical Settings 4 Other Hallel sequences 5 References 6 See also

Hallel and the Jewish holy days

Hallel consists of six Psalms (113-118), which are said as a unit, on joyous occasions.^[1] On those occasions, Hallel is usually chanted aloud as part of Shacharit (the morning prayer service) following the Shacharit's Shemoneh Esreh ("The Eighteen", the main prayer). It is also recited during the evening prayers the first night of Passover, except by Lithuanian and German Jews, and by all communities after the Grace after Meals in the Passover Seder service.

These occasions include the following: The three pilgrim festivals: Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot (the "major" Jewish holy days, mentioned in the Torah) and Hanukkah and Rosh Chodesh (beginnings of the new month). Many Jewish communities, especially those that identify with religious Zionism, recite Hallel on Yom Ha'atzma'ut (Israeli Independence Day). Some also recite it on Yom Yerushalayim (commemorating the re-unification of Jerusalem in 1967).

On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Hallel is not said at all, because as the Talmud states (Arachin 10b): "Is it seemly for the king to be sitting on His Throne of Judgment, with the Books of Life and Death open before Him, and for the people to sing joyful praises to Him?"

Pesach, like Sukkot, has the structure of "main holiday," followed by "Intermediate Days" (Chol ha-Moed), followed by "main holiday." Since Passover involved only a partial redemption of the Jews and the destruction of Egypt, only "Half" (or Partial) Hallel is recited on all of the last six days of Pesach. Full Hallel is recited for the entirety of Sukkot.

Partial Hallel is recited on Rosh Chodesh because it was introduced at a much later time than the major holidays.

No Hallel, neither "Full" nor "Partial," is recited on Purim, despite the fact that there was a miraculous salvation, for several reasons:

• The miracle did not occur in the Land of Israel and, for "minor" holidays, only those occurring in Israel merit the recitation of Hallel.
• Even after the Miracle of Purim, the Jews remained subjects of the Persian Empire, whereas on Hanukkah, as a result of the victory of the Maccabees, the Jews gained their independence from the Seleucid kings.
• Reading the Megilla (Book of Esther) is a substitute for Hallel.

Forms

Hallel is said in one of two forms: Full Hallel and Partial Hallel.

Full Hallel

Full Hallel (or הלל שלם Hallel Shalem in Hebrew Complete Hallel) consists of all six Psalms of the Hallel, in their entirety. It is a Jewish prayer recited on all seven days of Sukkot, on Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah), on Shavuot, on the first two days of Pesach (only the first day in Israel), and on the eight days of Hanukkah.

Full Hallel consists of: Psalm 113, Psalm 114, Psalm 115:1-11,12-18, Psalm 116:1-11,12-19, Psalm 117, Psalm 118.

A blessing is recited at the beginning and end of Full Hallel.

Partial Hallel

Chatzi Hallel (חצי הלל Half Hallel or Partial Hallel) ("chatzi is "half" in Hebrew) does not include parts of the "Full Hallel": verses 1-11 of Psalm 115, nor those verses from Psalm 116. It is recited on the last six days of Pesach and on Rosh Chodesh.

While Ashkenazi Jews recite a blessing at the beginning and end of Partial Hallel, some Sephardi Jews do not, particularly if the blessing they recite at the beginning of Full Hallel is ligmor et hahallel (to complete the Hallel) instead of likro et hahallel (to read the Hallel) as recited by Ashkenazi Jews.

Musical Settings

Psalms from the Hallel have been set to music many times, notably:
Psalm 113

• Josquin des Pres

Psalm 117

• Antonio Vivaldi

Psalm 118

• Leonin
• Perotin

American composer and conductor Michael Isaacson has composed A full Hallel for SATB Chorus entitled An American Hallel with interpolations of expressions of praise and gratitude by past and present Americans. It is to be premiered by the Carolina Master Chorale under the directorship of Tim Koch in the Fall of 2009

Composer/performer Sam Glaser has also set the Psalms on his new CD Hallel www.samglaser.com

Other Hallel sequences

The name "Hallel" is normally applied to Psalms 113-118. For greater specificity this is sometimes called the "Egyptian Hallel".

Psalm 136 is sometimes called the "Great Hallel", as it reprises the refrain of Ps. 118 "Hodu l'A. ki tov, ki le'olam hhasdo" (Thank the Lord for he is good, for his mercy endures forever). Another Hallel sequence, forming part of the pesukei de-zimrah in the morning prayers, consists of Psalms 145 to 150.^[2]

References

1. ^ Hallel - "Praise of G-d" - OU.ORG
2. ^ http://vbm-torah.org/sukkot/suk62-ml.htm

See also

Wikisource has original text related to this article: Hallel

• Biblical poetry
• Takbir
• List of Jewish Prayers and Blessings
• Hallelujah

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