Entering the World of Jewish Prayer: Origins of Hallel - My Copy

(5) The Pesach sacrifice was slaughtered in three groups, as it is stated (Exodus 12:6), "The whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall slaughter it," [i.e. three groups according to the three different terms used to refer to the Jews:] assembly, congregation, and Israel. The first group entered, [until] the [Temple] courtyard was filled, [and then] the gates of the courtyard were closed. [And then] Tekiah [a long uninterrupted call], Teruah [a long staccato call] and Tekiah were sounded. The Kohanim [members of the priestly caste, a subgroup of tribe of Levi, which is uniquely responsible for maintaining and carrying out the sacrificial services in the Temple] would stand in double rows and in their hands were beakers of silver and beakers of gold, [namely] one row which was completely silver, and one row which was completely gold; they would not mix [them]. And there were no [flat] bottoms to the beakers, lest they would put them down, and the blood coagulate.

(6) A [common] Israelite slaughtered [the Pesach sacrifice], and a Kohen received [the blood] and gave it to his fellow [Kohen], and his fellow to his fellow; and [each] received a full [beaker], and [at the same time] returned an empty [one]; the Kohen nearest to the altar, sprinkled it out in one sprinkling at the base [of the altar].

(7) When the first group went out, the second group entered; when the second went out, the third entered. Like [the proceedings] of the first [group], so [too] were [the proceedings] of the second and third [groups. Each group] would [also] read the Hallel [Psalms of thanksgiving recited joyously and communally on many festivals]: if they finished [it], they would repeat [it], and if they repeated [it to its end], they would read it a third time; even though, during all their days, they never read it a third time; Rabbi Yehuda says, "During all the days of the third group, they never got [as far as] 'ahavti ki yishma Hashem,' ‏ because [that group's composition] was small."

(2) The [beat of the willow] is a tradition from Moses at Sinai, and Abba Sha'ul deduced it from Scripture, as it is says, “Willows of the brook”, the plural denoting two, one for the lulav, and one for the altar. Rabbi Elieser ben Yacov said, Thus were they saying, "To Him and to thee, O altar, to Him and to thee, O altar!" Eighteen days and one night (in the year) the entire Hallel is repeated. These are: the eight days of sukkot, the eight days of Hanukkah, the first day of Passover, the night of the first day of Passover, and the first day of Shavuot.

"Twelve days of the year the halil is played." Why are these [days] different [that the halil is played on them]? Since on these [days] an individual completes the Hallel. As Rabbi Yohanan said in the name of Rabbi Shim'on ben Yehotzadak, "[On] eighteen days [of the year] an individual completes the Hallel: the eight days of the Hag [Sukkot], the eight days of Hanukkah, the first day of Pesah, and the first day of 'Atzeret [Shavu'ot]. And in the diaspora, twenty-one days: the nine days of the Hag [Sukkot], the eight days of Hanukkah, the two [first] holy days of Pesah and the two holy days of Atzeret [Shavu'ot]." What is different about Hag of [Sukkot], that we say it every day, and Passover, that we do not say it [every day]?

All days of the Hag [Sukkot] are separate in their sacrifices; [those] of Passover are not separate in their sacrifices Shabbat, which has unique sacrifices, [Hallel] should be said It is not called a 'Mo'ed' Rosh Hodesh, which is called a 'Mo'ed', it should be said It is not sanctified with [a prohibition against] doing work, as it is written "The song shall be for you as [on] the night of the sanctification of the holiday." That [day] which is sanctified as a holiday requires song; that [day] which is not sanctified as a holiday does not require song. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Hakippurim, which are called 'Moed', and are sanctified with [a prohibtion against] doing work, [Hallel] should be said? [It is not said] because of [the statement of] R' Abahu, as R' Abahu said, The ministering angels said before Hakadosh Baruch Hu, Master of the World, why does [the nation of] Israel not sing before you on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Hakippurim? He [G-d] replied to them, Is it possible that the King sits on the Throne of Judgment, and the books of the live and the books of the dead are open before Him, and [the nation of] Israel sings before Me? But [what about] Hanukkah, that is not thus [called a Moed] and not thus [sanctified with a prohibition against doing work], and [yet, Hallel] is said? Because of the miracle [of Hanukkah]. Purim, [when] there is a miracle, it should be said? R' Yitzhak said, Because we do not sing on a miracle [that occurred] in the diaspora. R' Nahman bar Yitzchak asked: But there is the exodus from Egypt, which [occurred] in the diaspora, and we say Hallel? As it was recorded [according to the B'raisa] Before [the nation of] Israel entered the Land [of Israel], all other lands were appropriate to sing. After they entered the Land [of Israel], other lands were not appropriate to sing. R' Nachman said: Its reading [of the Megillah] is its Hallel Rava said: Whereas there, [it fits with what is said] "Praise, servants of Hashem" - and not [ie, are no longer] servants of Pa'aroh; here, "Praise, servants of Hashem" - and not [ie, only those who are no longer] the servants of Achashveirosh [However] we are still servants of Achashveirosh According to R'Nachman, who said 'Its reading [of the Megillah] is its Hallel', isn't it recorded [in the B'raisa] 'After they entered the Land [of Israel], other lands were not appropriate to sing.' Once they were exiled, [all other lands] were now appropriate as originally [before the nation of Israel entered the Land of Israel].

Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: The song in the Torah [the Song at the Sea (Exodus 15:1–19)], Moses and the People of Israel recited it when they ascended from the sea. And who said this Hallel [mentioned in the Mishnah]? The Prophets among them established it for the People of Israel, that they should recite it on every appropriate occasion and for every trouble, may it not come upon them. When they are redeemed, they recite it over their redemption.

The Gemara asks: And since there is the great hallel, which contains the special praise of “Who gives food to all flesh” (Psalms 136:25), as explained above, what is the reason that one also recites this hallel of Psalms 113–118, the section recited on every joyous occasion? The Gemara answers: The reason is because the regular hallel contains these five matters: The remembrance of the exodus from Egypt, the splitting of the Red Sea, the giving of the Torah, the resurrection of the dead, and the pangs of the Messiah. Since it mentions these key concepts, this hallel is also considered important. The Gemara elaborates: The exodus from Egypt, as it is written: “When Israel came forth out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language” (Psalms 114:1). And the splitting of the Red Sea, as it is written: “The sea saw it and fled; the Jordan turned backward” (Psalms 114:3). The giving of the Torah, as it is written: “The mountains skipped like rams” (Psalms 114:4), which is similar to the description of the giving of the Torah found elsewhere in the books of the Prophets. The resurrection of the dead, as it is written: “I will walk before the Lord in the lands of the living” (Psalms 116:9), which follows the verse: “For you have delivered my soul from death.” After mentioning death, the psalm describes the resurrection in the lands of the living. The pangs of the Messiah, as it is written: “Not to us, God, not to us, but to Your name give glory” (Psalms 115:1). And Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The verse “Not to us, God, not to us” and the entire psalm, including the verse “Why should the nations say, where now is their God?” (Psalms 115:2), is referring to the era of the enslavement of the kingdoms and the redemption of the Jewish people from their dominion. Some say that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The verse “Not to us, God, not to us” is referring to the war of Gog and Magog, the catastrophes and wars that will befall the Jewish people in the end of days from which they will be delivered. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: Another reason why one recites hallel of Psalms 113–118 is because it contains a reference to the deliverance of the souls of the righteous from Gehenna, as it is stated: “I beseech you, Lord, deliver my soul” (Psalms 116:4). Ḥizkiya said: Another reason is because it contains the story of the descent of the righteous Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah into the fiery furnace and their miraculous ascent from it.