Prayer Additions: V’al Hanissim
The prayer of thanksgiving, V’al Hanissim, is added to the Amidah and Birkat Hamazon on Purim.
-
Location: In the Amidah, it is inserted during the Modim (thanksgiving) blessing. In Birkat Hamazon, it follows the Nodeh Lecha blessing.
-
Correction if Forgotten: * If you realize you forgot it before saying Hashem's name at the end of the blessing, go back and say it.
-
If you have already finished the blessing, do not repeat the Amidah. Instead, before the final Yihyu Leratzon at the end of the prayer, insert a short petition: "The Merciful One (Harachaman), may He perform miracles for us as He did for our ancestors in those days at this time," followed by the text of V'al Hanissim.
-
-
Why no Hallel? Unlike Chanukah, we do not recite Hallel on Purim. The Talmud explains that we "remained slaves to Achashverosh"—the miracle was a saving from physical destruction, but the Jewish people were not yet fully sovereign or spiritually free in the Land of Israel.
The Sequence of Kaddish on Saturday Night
When Purim begins on Saturday night, the order of the service changes to prioritize the Megillah:
-
Kaddish Tiskabel: Normally said after the Amidah to ask that prayers be accepted.
-
The Interruption: On Saturday night, we recite Kaddish Tiskabel immediately after the Amidah so the prayer is "accepted" before the long interruption of the Megillah reading.
-
Conclusion: After the Megillah, we recite Vehi Noam and V’atah Kadosh, followed by a Kaddish Shalem (Full Kaddish) without repeating the Tiskabel verse, as it was already said once for that prayer service.
The Megillah: Scribal and Reading Customs
-
"Hamelech" (The King): While many Megillahs are written so that every column begins with the word "Hamelech", the Chabad tradition (following the Rebbe Maharash) does not require this.
-
The Ten Sons of Haman: Most traditions write these on a separate page; however, in the Chabad tradition, they are included within the regular columns. They must be read in one single breath to show they were all executed simultaneously.
-
Direct Hearing: One must hear the Megillah directly from a human voice. The Rebbe emphasized that electronic reproductions (telephone, radio, or microphones) do not fulfill the mitzvah because they are "machine voices."
-
Folding the Megillah: Before the reading begins, the Megillah is unfolded and folded into three parts like a letter (Iggeret).
-
Missing a Word: If you miss hearing a word, you must immediately read it yourself (even from a non-kosher printed book) and catch up to the reader, as the Megillah must be heard in its proper chronological order.
Drowning Out Haman
The Chabad custom for "banging" at Haman's name is specific:
-
The Surname Rule: We only drown out the name when Haman is mentioned with a descriptive title, such as "Haman the Agagite" or "Haman the Wicked."
-
The Verses of Joy: There are four specific verses of victory and joy that the entire congregation recites out loud before the reader repeats them.