We used to live in a two-family house, and what would happen is that when we finished the Seder, the other fellow in the house—a Polish Yid, a more veltishe Yid—he would sit after the entire Seder and begin saying different pizmonim. He would go on the whole night. We were already exhausted from the Seder, and he was just getting started.
Now, the Alter Rebbe writes at the end of the Haggadah that one should not say these pizmonim at that point. The Alter Rebbe brings down: “hanoigim loimar pizmonim ein lehafsik bahem.” One should not interrupt between the conclusion of the Haggadah—“chai olomim”—and the drinking of the fourth cup.
Then the Alter Rebbe adds: “ela miyad acharkach yivorech”—rather, immediately afterward one should make the bracha.
At first glance, this seems repetitive. He already said not to interrupt, and then he says again that one should immediately make the bracha. It appears to be a kefal loshon, a duplication.
But the Rebbe explains that it is not repetitive at all. The words “miyad acharkach yivorech” are giving the reason. Why should one not interrupt? Because immediately afterward one must make the bracha. The Chachamim instituted that the fourth cup is connected to Hallel, and therefore the bracha must follow directly. If one inserts pizmonim in between, it creates a separation between the Hallel and the bracha, which goes against the institution of Chazal.
Therefore, the proper way to read it is: “hanoigim loimar pizmonim ein lehafsik”—why? “ela miyad acharkach yivorech”—because the bracha must follow immediately. If one wishes to say pizmonim, it should be done after the bracha, not in between.
From here, we see something remarkable: how the Rebbe analyzes every single word of the Alter Rebbe. Even what appears to be repetition is exact and meaningful. The Rebbe consistently shows that every variation in wording in the Alter Rebbe’s siddur is deliberate and precise.
In many cases, when the Alter Rebbe’s wording differs from other siddurim, the Rebbe demonstrates that the Alter Rebbe’s version is the most accurate and consistent. He often shows how it aligns with the Alter Rebbe’s broader shittah.
The Rebbe compares many versions—dozens, perhaps fifty to a hundred—and shows how even a single word fits perfectly.
One example the Rebbe discusses is the phrase “Kein osoh Hillel.” We say: “Kein osoh Hillel… bizman sheBeis HaMikdash hoyo koyom.” However, in other siddurim, the wording is “bizman sheBeis HaMikdash koyom” without the word “hoyo.”
The Rebbe points out that in other places—such as by the Ketores and earlier in the Haggadah—we say “bizman sheBeis HaMikdash koyom” and not “hoyo koyom.” Some siddurim are consistent and use one version throughout, while others use the other version. The Alter Rebbe, however, uses different expressions in different places.
On this, the Rebbe remains with a tzorich iyun—this is one of the rare cases where the Rebbe does not fully resolve why the Alter Rebbe chose this variation.
Returning to “Kein osoh Hillel,” the Chok Yaakov asks a strong question: how can we say “Kein osoh Hillel”—that Hillel did as we are doing—when we are not actually doing the same thing? We do not have the Korban Pesach today, yet we say “pesach matzah u’moror.” How can we say that we are doing what Hillel did?
Additionally, the Rebbe points out another question: Hillel lived during the time of the Beis HaMikdash. So what does it mean “bizman sheBeis HaMikdash hoyo koyom”? It sounds as if Hillel experienced both times—when the Beis HaMikdash existed and when it did not—which is not accurate.
The Rebbe explains that the phrase is meant to emphasize that the obligation of Koreich was specifically during the time when the Beis HaMikdash stood. Today, our Koreich is only a remembrance—zecher leMikdash.
Regarding the word “kein,” the Rebbe offers an explanation that it does not necessarily mean “as we are doing now.” Rather, it can mean “as follows”—introducing what Hillel did.
But the Rebbe gives an even deeper explanation based on a machlokes between the Alter Rebbe and the Pri Megadim.
The question is whether, according to Hillel, one fulfills the mitzvah of eating maror by eating maror alone. The Alter Rebbe holds that one is not yotzei with maror alone according to Hillel. The Pri Megadim holds that one is yotzei on a rabbinic level, and that Koreich is an additional remembrance.
Based on the Alter Rebbe’s view, the Rebbe explains the phrase “Kein osoh Hillel.” When we say “kein,” it refers specifically to what we just did. We ate maror alone, and according to the Alter Rebbe, we were not yet yotzei the mitzvah fully according to Hillel. Therefore, we now proceed to Koreich.
Thus, “Kein osoh Hillel”—Hillel also required more than just maror. Just as we now need to combine maror with matzah, Hillel required the full combination of Pesach, matzah, and maror.
According to the Pri Megadim, this wording is difficult, because he holds that we were already yotzei with maror alone. But according to the Alter Rebbe, the wording fits perfectly.
This is another example of how the Rebbe consistently demonstrates that the Alter Rebbe’s wording is exact, precise, and deeply aligned with his halachic position.