parsha of the week: rabbi avi billet

Appreciate the full meaning of Hallels at Seder

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There are two Hallels, the paragraphs dedicated uniquely to praising G-d, in the book of Tehillim. One is Hallel Mitzrayim (the Egyptian Hallel), the other is Hallel HaGadol (the Great Hallel).

Hallel Mitzrayim is the one we are most familiar with, Tehillim 113-118, while Hallel HaGadol is defined differently by different early Rabbinic authorities. Basically everyone agrees that it includes Tehillim 136 (Tosefta Tannit 2:17, Sofrim 18:3), while how far it extends in the chapters before and after Chapter 136 is debated in the Talmud Pesachim 118a. One view extends it into 135, while another view includes some (or perhaps all) of the Shir Hamaalots, which are chapters 120-134.

In Mesekhet Sofrim (ibid), the passage talks about the special “song of the day” which is to be recited on the different holidays of the year. Hallel HaGadol (ch. 136) is designated as the special song of the last day of Pesach.

Before debating over the definition of Hallel HaGadol, the Talmud tells us in the name of Rabbi Tarfon that for the fourth cup of wine at the Seder, we recite all of Hallel (meaning Hallel Mitzrayim), and we also say Hallel HaGadol.

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi notes that there are 26 verses in Hallel HaGadol, corresponding to the 26 generations from Adam until the Torah was given, noting how “the world was sustained through G-d’s kindness for 26 generations” before the world changed with the Torah having been given to the Jewish people. The refrain ending each line in 136, “ki l’olam chasdo” (that His kindness endures forever), could also be understood to mean that His kindness is for the world (note to grammarians: I am aware that there is a difference between a “patach” and a “shva na” under the lamed!).

Perhaps this is why it is called the “Great” Hallel — because it talks about the greatness of G-d, whose name has the numerical value (gematria) of 26 as well.

Both Hallels are part of our Haggadah. We say the full Hallel Mitzrayim -— though broken up between “Maggid” and “Hallel” — at the Seder, and we also say Hallel HaGadol.

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