Megillah vChanukah - Chapter Three

In [the era of] the Second Temple - The Chanukah miracle took place in the year 3596 (165 BCE). The Greek persecutions began several years beforehand.

the Greek kingdom - More particularly, the Seleucid kingdom of Syria, whose ruling hierarchy was of Greek origin.

issued decrees against the Jewish people, [attempting to] nullify their faith - Bereshit Rabbah 2:4 relates that the Greeks would have the Jews "write on the horn of an ox that they have no portion in the God of Israel."

and refusing to allow them to observe the Torah and its commandments. - See Megillat Antiochus, which relates that the Greeks prevented the Jews from observing the Sabbath and performing circumcision.

They extended their hands against their property - In this era, the Greek rulers established gentile cities in Eretz Yisrael and deprived the Jewish population of its livelihood.

and their daughters - Rashi, Shabbat 23a, states that before a Jewish virgin was married, she was required to have relations with a Greek officer.

they entered the Sanctuary, wrought havoc within - See Middot 1:6, 2:3 and Shekalim 6:3, which speak of the Greeks breaking open portions of the Soreg, a divider on the Temple Mount, and destroying portions of the wall around the Temple Courtyard.

and made the sacraments impure. - As we find with regard to the oil for the Menorah, the Greeks did not destroy the oil; they made it impure.

Herein, there is a lesson regarding the nature of the conflict between the Greeks and the Jews. The Greeks were not anxious to stamp out Judaism entirely. They were prepared to accept Judaism as one of the cultures of the Mediterranean area, which they would incorporate into an all-encompassing collection of knowledge and values; i.e., the sacraments of Judaism would remain, but they would become impure, tainted by Greek culture.

The Jews suffered great difficulties from them, for they oppressed them greatly until the God of our ancestors had mercy upon them, delivered them from their hand, and saved them. - By calling attention to the Divine origin of the Jews' victory before mentioning the Hasmoneans, the Rambam emphasizes the miraculous and spiritual nature of the miracle.

The sons of the Hasmoneans, the High Priests, overcame [them], slew them, and saved the Jews from their hand. - The valiant struggle of the Hasmoneans who were able to defeat the most powerful armies of the world with guerilla forces is recounted in many sources.

They appointed a king from the priests, and sovereignty returned to Israel for more than 200 years, until the destruction of the Second Temple. - There is a significance to these statements beyond the laws of Chanukah. There are many Rabbinic authorities who are highly critical of the Hasmoneans for assuming the kingship of the Jewish people. (See the Ramban's commentary on the Torah, Parashat Vayichi.) Although in Hilchot Melachim 1:7-8, the Rambam writes that King David's descendants have an eternal right to the monarchy in Jerusalem, his description here of the Hasmoneans as kings does not have the slightest intimation of criticism; if anything, the contrary is true.

Several laws regarding the nature of kingship are derived from the Hasmonean kings and others, even from the kings of Herod's dynasty, who ruled after them.

Accordingly, the Sages of that generation - Shabbat 21b states that the celebration of the holiday was ordained in the year following the miracle.

ordained that these eight days, which begin from the twenty-fifth of Kislev, should be commemorated - There are many who question why the holiday is celebrated for eight days, since the miracle was only for seven (for there was enough oil for the Menorah to burn for a single day). The Rambam's words seem to allude to a resolution of this difficulty. The miraculous lighting of the Menorah began on the twenty-fifth of Kislev and continued for eight days.

[Note, however, the Pri Chadash (Orach Chayim 670:1), who explains that, according to the Rambam, the first day of the celebration was instituted in appreciation of the military victories, while the remaining seven came in recognition of the miracle of the Menorah.]

as days of happiness - an acknowledgement of God's miracles in a material context in appreciation of the military victories.

As the Rambam explains in Hilchot Purim, Chapter 2, "happiness" is associated with feasting. In this context, the Yam shel Shlomo, Bava Kama 7:37, explains that according to the Rambam - in contrast to the rulings of the Tur and the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim 670:2) - the festive meals customarily served on Chanukah can be considered to be feasts associated with a mitzvah.

and praise [of God]. - A spiritual acknowledgement of God in appreciation of the miracle of the Menorah. These two aspects of the celebration of the holiday reflect the different nature of the miracles mentioned in each of the first two halachot (Likkutei Sichot, Vol. 10).

Candles should be lit in the evening at the entrance to the houses on each and every one of these eight nights to publicize and reveal the miracle. - Both factors, the kindling of the Chanukah candles at night - when their light could be seen - and their placement at the entrance to the house - where their light will be projected into the street - emphasize the principle of pirsumei nisa, publicizing the Chanukah miracle.

These days are called Chanukah. - According to the Rambam, the choice of this name is somewhat problematic: As mentioned above, there are authorities who associated the name with the expression, חנו כה, "they camped on the twenty-fifth." This certainly does not express the Rambam's view. Megillat Ta'anit associates Chanukah with chanukat hamizbe'ach, the rededication of the altar in the Temple, but there is no mention of this event by the Rambam here.

It is forbidden to eulogize and fast on them, as on the days of Purim. - As mentioned in the commentary on Chapter 2, Halachah 13, the prohibition to eulogize and fast applies only on the days of Chanukah themselves, and not on the preceding or succeeding days.

Significantly, unlike Purim, there is no prohibition against work on Chanukah (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 670:1).

Lighting the candles on these days is a Rabbinic mitzvah, like the reading of the Megillah. - This emphasizes the Rambam's perspective that the allusion to the obligation to read the Megillah in the Megillah itself does not change the status of this mitzvah. (See also the commentary on Chapter 1, Halachah 1.)

It is not the recitation of Hallel on Chanukah alone that is a Rabbinic ordinance - Since Chanukah is a Rabbinic holiday, one might think that the recitation of Hallel on those days is Rabbinic in origin, while the recitation of Hallel on the festivals has its source in the Torah itself. This is not the case.

but rather, at all times - i.e., on all the days that the complete Hallel is recited, [the obligation to do so] is a Rabbinic ordinance. - The Ra'avad notes that the Sages (see Pesachim 95b, Arachin 10b) consider Isaiah 30:29, "This song shall be to you as the night of the sanctification of the festivals" to be a reference to the recitation of Hallel. Because of this association with a Biblical verse, he considers the obligation to recite Hallel as different in status from other Rabbinic commandments. Indeed, the Halachot Gedolot considers this obligation to be one of the 613 mitzvot. This runs contrary to the position the Rambam mentions in Sefer HaMitzvot (General Principle 1), where he states that even those mitzvot ordained by the prophets are considered to be Rabbinic commandments.

The Maggid Mishneh explains that the verse in Isaiah reflects a command to recite Hallel in appreciation whenever God redeems us from difficulties. (For this reason, it is customary in certain communities to recite Hallel on the anniversary of a miraculous deliverance.) The custom of reciting Hallel on festivals, however, was established afterwards.

There are eighteen days during the year when it is a mitzvah to recite the entire Hallel - in Eretz Yisrael. There are three more days in the diaspora, as mentioned in the following halachah.

They are: the eight days of Sukkot, the eight days of Chanukah, the first day of Pesach - In contrast to the holiday of Sukkot, when a different musaf sacrifice is offered each day, on Pesach the same musaf sacrifice is offered every day throughout the holiday. Therefore, the entire Hallel is recited on the first day alone (Arachin 10b).

(Note also Megillah 10b, which states in connection to the splitting of the Red Sea, the major miracle associate with the later days of Pesach, "My creations are drowning in the sea and you desire to say Hallel!")

and the holiday of Shavuot. Hallel is not recited on Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, since they are days of repentence, awe, and fear, and are not days of extra - Rosh HaShanah is a day of happiness. Thus, Nechemiah 8:10, "Eat sumptuous foods and drink sweet beverages... for the happiness of God is your strength," is interpreted as a reference to Rosh HaShanah. Nevertheless, it is not a day of "extra celebration."

celebration. - Arachin 10b relates:

The ministering angels enquired before the Holy One, blessed be He: "Master of the world: Why do the Jews not recite songs [of praise] before You on Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur?"

He told them: "Is it proper that the King should sit on the throne of judgment with the book of life and the book of death open before Him and the Jews should recite songs [of praise]?"

See also the Rambam's Commentary on the Mishnah (Rosh HaShanah 4:7).

The [Sages] did not ordain the recitation of Hallel on Purim, because the reading of the Megillah [serves the purpose of Hallel]. - On this basis, the Meiri states that a person who cannot hear the reading of the Megillah should recite Hallel on Purim.

And how should one skip - when reciting Hallel on Rosh Chodesh and the latter days of Pesach?

One recites from the beginning of the Hallel - Psalm 113

until the phrase chalamish lema'y'no mayim. - The conclusion of Psalm 114.

One then skips and [begins] reciting A-donai z'charanu y'varech - Psalm 115:12

[continuing] until Halleluyah. - The conclusion of that psalm.

One then skips and [begins] reciting Mah ashiv lA-donai - Psalm 116:12

[continuing] until Halleluyah. - The conclusion of that psalm.

Afterwards, one skips and [begins] reciting Min hametzar karati Yah - Psalm 118:5.

[continuing] until the conclusion of the Hallel. - i.e., the conclusion of that psalm.

This is the common custom. - The Maggid Mishneh mentions that this is the custom which was followed in his community. Rav Kapach notes that there are some communities in Yemen that still follow this custom.

Others skip [passages] according to a different pattern. - Today, the popular custom in both Sephardic and Ashkenazic communities is to follow the pattern mentioned by Rashi, Ta'anit 28b. This resembles the pattern mentioned by the Rambam with one difference. Only the first two portions that the Rambam suggests skipping are skipped. From that point onward, the Hallel is recited until its conclusion. (See also Eliyahu Rabba 422.)

It is appropriate to recite Hallel throughout the entire day. - Although Hallel is recited directly after the morning service, it is not an integral part of the prayer service and may be recited at other times. See Megillah 20b, which derives an allusion to this concept from the exegesis of Psalms 118:24: "This is the day which God wrought; let us rejoice and exult in it." Our "rejoicing and exultation," the recitation of Hallel, may be carried out throughout the entire day.

A person who reads Hallel in improper sequence does not fulfill his obligation. - Megillah 17a,b equates the reading of Hallel with the reading of the Megillah in this respect. (See Chapter 2, Halachah 1.)

Note the Mishnah Berurah 422:26, which explains that there are authorities who rule that proper sequence is required only within a particular psalm. The order of the psalms themselves, however, may be altered. This view, however, is not accepted by most authorities, and the prevailing practice is to follow their ruling.

See also Hilchot Kri'at Shema 2:11, where the Rambam states that it is not absolutely necessary to read the different passages of the Shema in order. On the other hand, there the Rambam explains his decision, stating that the passages of the Shema are not found in this order in the Torah. In contrast, the psalms of Hallel are recited in the order they are found in the Bible.

If a person reads and pauses, reads and pauses, even if he pauses for a time long enough to complete the entire [Hallel], he fulfills his obligation. - From Rosh HaShanah 34b, we can conclude that the laws that apply to the reading of the Megillah also apply to the reading of Hallel. (See Chapter 2, Halachah 2.)

As mentioned in the commentary on that halachah, the Ramah (Orach Chayim 65:1) rules that should a person be forced to refrain from completing the Shema because the place in which he is located contains filth, he does not fulfill his obligation if he waited the amount of time required to recite the Shema in its entirety. The commentaries question if this law applies with regard to the recitation of Hallel as well. (See Mishnah Berurah 422:25.)

On the days when the entire Hallel is recited, - the recitation of the Hallel has the strength of a Rabbinic commandment. Hence, the laws governing it are more severe.

one may make an interruption between chapters. - Seemingly, the Rambam does not consider the recitation of Hallel analogous to the recitation of the Shema (see Hilchot Kri'at Shema 2:15-16) and appears to allow all interruptions (Maggid Mishneh). The Lechem Mishneh, however, is more restrictive and allows interruptions only when there is a need.

In their analysis of Berachot 14a (the source for this halachah), Rabbenu Asher and other commentaries differ and compare the recitation of Hallel to the recitation of the Shema. Thus, one may greet an honored person between the chapters and may respond to a greeting from anyone at that time. The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim 488:1) follows this ruling.

Within a [single] chapter, however, one may not make an interruption. - Here, the Shulchan Aruch (loc. cit.), following the principles mentioned above, states that a person may interrupt his recitation to greet his father or his teacher, or to respond to greetings from an honored person.

On the days when Hallel is read while skipping portions - The Eliyahu Rabba explains that the Rambam's ruling depends on his previous decision that a blessing should not be recited on these days. Making an interruption is significant when a blessing is recited. When a blessing is not recited, what does it matter whether one makes an interruption or not?

Although this explanation may be acceptable according to the Rambam's view, according to the Shulchan Aruch's ruling mentioned below, a different rationale must be applied. (See Be'ur Halachah 422.)

one may make an interruption - as above, any type of interruption

even within a chapter. - The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim 422:4) differs and states that while the rules for making interruptions are more lenient on these days, one may not make an interruption for a matter that has no importance whatsoever. One may, however, greet a person one must honor and respond to greetings given by anyone.