003 - הִלְכוֹת חֲנֻכָּה פֵּרֶק ג

Laws of Chanukah, Chapter 3

1. In the time of the Second Beis HaMikdash, when the Greeks ruled, they issued decrees against the Jewish people, nullified their religion, and did not allow them to engage in Torah and mitzvos. They stretched out their hands against their property and their daughters, entered the Heichal, breached its walls, and defiled the pure things. The Jewish people suffered greatly because of them and were oppressed with great oppression, until the G‑d of our fathers had mercy on them and saved them from their hands. The sons of Chashmonai, the Kohanim Gedolim, prevailed, killed them, and saved the Jewish people from their hands. They established a king from among the Kohanim, and sovereignty returned to the Jewish people for more than two hundred years, until the destruction of the Second Beis HaMikdash.

2. When the Jewish people prevailed over their enemies and destroyed them, it was on the twenty-fifth of Kislev. They entered the Heichal and found no pure oil except for one flask, which contained enough to light for only one day. They lit from it the lights of the arrangement for eight days, until they could crush olives and produce pure oil.

3. Because of this, the sages of that generation instituted that these eight days, beginning with the nights of the twenty-fifth of Kislev, should be days of rejoicing and praise. On each and every night of these eight nights, lights are kindled at the entrances of the houses. These days are called Chanukah. They are forbidden for eulogies and fasting, like the days of Purim. The lighting of the lights during them is a mitzvah from the words of the Scribes, like the reading of the Megillah.

4. Everyone who is obligated in the reading of the Megillah is obligated in the lighting of the Chanukah light. One who lights it on the first night recites three blessings: "Blessed are You, G‑d, our L‑rd, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to kindle the Chanukah light;" "Blessed are You, G‑d, our L‑rd, King of the universe, Who performed miracles for our fathers in those days at this time;" and "Blessed are You, G‑d, our L‑rd, King of the universe, Who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this time." Anyone who sees it recites two blessings: "Who performed miracles for our fathers" and "Who has kept us alive." On the other nights, the one who lights recites two blessings, and the one who sees recites one—since "Who has kept us alive" is only recited on the first night.

5. On each and every day of these eight days, Hallel is completed, and one recites beforehand: "Blessed are You, G‑d, our L‑rd, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to complete the Hallel"—whether as an individual or with the congregation. Even though the recitation of Hallel is a mitzvah from the words of the Scribes, one recites the blessing "Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us," just as one recites a blessing over the Megillah and over the Eruv, for anything that is certainly from their words, a blessing is recited over it. But for something that is from their words and its performance is primarily because of doubt, such as the tithe of Demai, a blessing is not recited over it. Why then do we recite a blessing on the second day of Yom Tov, even though it was only instituted because of doubt? So that it will not be treated lightly.

6. Not only is the Hallel of Chanukah from the words of the Scribes, but the recitation of Hallel is always from the words of the Scribes, on all the days when Hallel is completed. There are eighteen days in the year on which it is a mitzvah to complete Hallel: the eight days of the festival (Sukkos), the eight days of Chanukah, the first day of Pesach, and Shavuos. But on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Hallel is not recited, because they are days of repentance, awe, and fear, not days of extra rejoicing. Hallel was not instituted on Purim, because the reading of the Megillah is its Hallel.

7. In places where two days of Yom Tov are observed, Hallel is completed on twenty-one days: the nine days of the festival, the eight days of Chanukah, the two days of Pesach, and the two days of Atzeres. But on Rosh Chodesh, the recitation of Hallel is a custom and not a mitzvah; and this custom is for the congregation. Therefore, it is recited with omissions, and no blessing is recited over it, for one does not recite a blessing over a custom. An individual should not recite it at all; but if he began, he should complete it with omissions, as the congregation does. Similarly, on the remaining days of Pesach, it is recited with omissions, like on Rosh Chodesh.

8. How does one omit? One begins from the start of Hallel until "Who turned the rock into a pool of water," then skips and says "Hashem has remembered us, He will bless..." until "Halleluyah"; then skips and says "What can I repay Hashem..." until "Halleluyah"; then skips and says "From the straits I called to G‑d..." until the end of Hallel. This is the common custom; but there are those who omit differently.

9. The entire day is valid for the recitation of Hallel. If one recites Hallel out of order, he has not fulfilled his obligation. If he recited and paused, and then resumed—even if he paused long enough to finish the entire Hallel—he has fulfilled his obligation. On days when Hallel is completed, one may interrupt between chapters, but not in the middle of a chapter. On days when Hallel is recited with omissions, even in the middle of a chapter, one may interrupt.

10. On every day when Hallel is completed, one recites a blessing before it; and in places where it is customary to recite a blessing after it, one does so. How does one bless? "May all Your works praise You, Hashem our G‑d, and Your pious ones and righteous ones who do Your will, and all Your people, the house of Israel, will give thanks to Your Name with song—for You, Hashem, it is good to give thanks, and to Your Name it is pleasant to sing, and from eternity to eternity, You are G‑d. Blessed are You, Hashem, the King who is praised and glorified, living and enduring, who will always reign forever and ever."

11. There are places where it is customary to repeat from "I thank You, for You have answered me" until the end of Hallel, repeating each phrase twice. In a place where it is customary to repeat, one should repeat; and in a place where it is not customary to repeat, one does not repeat.

12. The custom of reciting Hallel in the days of the early sages was as follows: After the leader who recites Hallel blesses, he begins and says "Halleluyah," and all the people respond "Halleluyah." He then says "Praise, servants of Hashem," and all the people respond "Halleluyah." He then says "Praise the Name of Hashem," and all the people respond "Halleluyah." He then says "May the Name of Hashem be blessed from now and forever," and all the people respond "Halleluyah." And so on for each phrase, until it turns out that throughout the entire Hallel, they respond "Halleluyah" one hundred and twenty-three times—a sign for them, corresponding to the years of Aharon.

13. Similarly, when the reader reaches the beginning of each chapter, the people repeat what he said. How so? When he says "When Israel went out of Egypt," all the people repeat "When Israel went out of Egypt"; the reader then says "The house of Yaakov from a people of strange language," and all the people respond "Halleluyah." This continues until he says "I love, for Hashem hears my voice, my supplications," and all the people repeat "I love, for Hashem hears my voice, my supplications." Similarly, when the reader says "Praise Hashem, all nations," all the people repeat "Praise Hashem, all nations."

14. The reader says "Please, Hashem, save now," and they respond after him "Please, Hashem, save now"—even though it is not the beginning of a chapter. He says "Please, Hashem, grant success now," and they respond "Please, Hashem, grant success now." He says "Blessed is he who comes," and all the people say "In the Name of Hashem." If the one reciting Hallel is a minor, or a servant, or a woman, he responds after them word by word throughout the entire Hallel.

15. This is the original custom, and it is proper to follow it. But in these times, I have seen in all places various customs in its recitation and in the people's responses, and no two are alike.