What Makes This Hallel Different From All Other Hallels?

The hallel we recite during the seder seems to break all the normal rules of procedure.

While we usually must recite hallel standing (Orah Hayim 422:7), we say it while seated

on the night of Pesah. While women are normally exempt from the obligation to recite

hallel, they are obligated on the seder night (Tosafot Sukka 38a). According to many

opinions, we say this hallel without a berakha (see the opinions cited in Tur Orah Hayim

473). The mere presence of hallel during the night time is a departure from the norm.

Finally, we feel free to break up the hallel into two sections and eat a meal in between.

Surely, we would never interrupt the hallel on Sukkot with a break to nosh.

We could take two approaches to explaining these anomalies. We could assume that

hallel on Pesah night resembles the normal hallel but for various reasons deviates form

the normal practice. Alternatively, we could claim that the night of Pesah reveals the

emergence of a novel type of hallel. The Ran cites R. Hai Gaon as arguing that while

hallel is usually said as kriah, on the night of Pesah we recite a hallel of shira. What is a

hallel of shira? The very text of the haggada reveals the answer. After we say, " a person

is obligated to view himself as if he is leaving Egypt", the next paragraph states

"therefore, we are obligated to give praise". If we successfully feel as if we have just

escaped Egyptian bondage, than we feel the spontaneous urge to sing praises to God.

Thus, this is not a hallel of reflection on a joyous past event (the hallel of kriah). Rather ,

this is a song of joy in response to a current salvation (the hallel of shira). Such a joyous

response need not include the halakhic restrictions of the regular kriat hallel.

May we truly experience the joy of our emerging freedom on this Pesach.

Rabbi Yitchak Blau

Yeshivat Hamivtar - Orot Lev 1999