Hallel on Chanukah

Q. I realize that I read chatzi Hallel (partial Hallel) on Chanukah. Now it is the afternoon. Should I read Hallel again? Do I recite another bracha?

A. Although the optimal time to recite Hallel is immediately after Shacharis, it can be recited at any time throughout the day until sunset. If one read chatzi Hallel on Chanukah, the obligation is not fulfilled and Hallel must be repeated. The basis for this ruling is a Gemara (Brachos 14a) which compares the reading of Hallel to the reading of the Megillah. If words of the Megillah are omitted, the mitzvah is not fulfilled. Similarly, if a portion of Hallel is not said, the mitzvah is incomplete, and the entire Hallel must be read again. Since the mitzvah was not done properly, it follows that Hallel must be repeated with a bracha.

There is an apparent difficulty with this presentation. The Maharam MiRutenberg (quoted by the Tur, OC 488) wrote that it is preferable to begin Hallel with the bracha “likro es ha’Hallel” (to read the Hallel) and not “ligmor es ha’Hallel” (to complete the Hallel), even on those days when the entire Hallel is recited. The Maharam explains that if one says “ligmor es ha’Hallel” and then omits a single word or letter, the bracha would be a bracha l’vatala (a bracha recited in vain), because “ligmor” implies completeness without omissions. But if one says “likro es ha’hallel,” it would be a proper bracha, even with omissions. This seems to imply that if one misses words of Hallel, the Hallel is valid, provided the bracha of “likro es ha’hallel” is recited. It would then follow that if one said chatzi Hallel on Chanukah (our original question), it is acceptable. Does this not conflict with the Gemarah that we quoted above, that equates reciting Hallel with reading Megillah?

The Mishnah Berurah (Shaar Hatziun 488:3) resolves this quandary and suggests that the Maharam MiRutenberg follows the first opinion cited in Shulchan Oruch 690:14, that one fulfills the reading of Megillah if there was a minor omission. By the same token, Hallel is valid even when a word is left off, provided the bracha of “likro es ha’Hallel” (rather than “ligmor es ha’Hallel”) is recited. Accordingly, the Maharam only validates minor omissions of Hallel if the bracha of “likro es ha’hallel” is recited, but he would agree that the omission of an entire paragraph would invalidate the Hallel, just as major omissions invalidate the Megillah. Our original conclusion above remains correct: If chatzi Hallel is said on Chanukah, the reading is invalid and Hallel must be recited again with a new bracha.

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.