If a Person is Unable to Hear the Megillah in Person

MAOR CENTRE publications | June 27, 2025

If a person is unable to hear the Megillah in person, there may be a requirement for them to recite Hallel on Purim instead.

We recite full-Hallel on the Three Regalim; Pesach (first days), Shavuos and Sukkos. The sages also enacted that we should recite full-Hallel on each of the days of the Rabbinic festival of Chanukah.

By reciting Hallel, we are praising Hashem for the miracles that He performed for us at these times. Yet, we don’t find any requirement to recite Hallel on Purim, the second of the Rabbinic festivals, which also celebrates our miraculous salvation.

The Gemara itself asks why we do not recite Hallel on Purim. If we recite Hallel on Pesach, which celebrates going from slavery to freedom, certainly we should say Hallel on Purim where we celebrate our lives being saved?

The Gemara presents three different answers to this question;

The first answer (presented anonymously), is that we do not recite Hallel on miracles that took place outside of Eretz Yisroel. Since the miracle of Purim took place during the time of Golus in Shushan, Hallel was not established. The Gemara explains that even though Yetzias Mitzrayim took place outside of Eretz Yisroel, the limitation for Hallel only applied to miracles that happened after the initial entry into Eretz Yisroel.
Rav Nachman teaches that the reading of the Megillah itself is the Hallel קרייתא זו הלילא. Since the Megillah publicises the miracle, this brings to the praise of Hashem.
Rava says that the reason that we do not recite Hallel is because אכתי עבדי אחשורוש אנן; even though they were spared from death, “we are still slaves of Achashveirosh”.

In the opening Posuk of Hallel, we say הללו עבדי ה', “Servants of Hashem give praise.” The Gemara says that applies to Yetzias Mitzrayim where we went from being slaves of Pharaoh to being slaves of Hashem alone.

However, after the miraculous salvation of Purim, the Jewish people remained in Exile under the rulership of Achashveirosh. As such, Mordechai and the sages could not have established Hallel where we declare that we are slaves only if the reason does not apply.

After bringing much of the discussion above, Shaarei Teshuva writes that because of the different opinions, where one does not have a Megillah, they should read Hallel but without the Brachos at the beginning and the end. The rationale is that by reciting Hallel in this manner, one does not lose out.

However, Shivas Tzion writes that it is problematic to say Hallel even without a Bracha. This is based on the Gemara that “one who recites Hallel every day is a curser and blasphemer”. Rashi explains that by reciting Hallel on days other than those that the sages instituted, it cheapens Hallel making it like a song.

Sedeh Chemed explains that this concern only applies when reciting Hallel as Hallel. If one recites these chapters of Tehillim as prayers and supplications (תחינה), there is no concern. He points out that this is the intention of the Shaarei Teshuvah who writes that one should say Hallel “like reading Tehillim”.

The Rebbe provides a novel explanation for the opinion of Rav Nachman which rules out the possibility of reciting Hallel on Purim. Rav Nachman’s statement קרייתא זו הלילא is explaining that the only way to fulfil the Hallel of Purim is through the Megillah.

The conventional Hallel is only recited over open miracles that we can clearly perceive their miraculous nature. Since the miracle of Purim is hidden within the veil of natural events we cannot recite Hallel. However, the Megillah is part of the 24 books of Torah. Since Torah reveals the truth of everything, the Megillah itself can be read as Hallel.

Rabbi Yehuda Assad asked the Chasam Sofer that according to the Meiri, if one recited Hallel, they should exempt from the Megillah. The Chasam Sofer answers that Hallel only replaces the Megillah reading if it is not possible in any other way e.g. there is no megillah and one cannot write one.

Proof for this is that when Purim falls on Shabbos and the Megillah can’t be read, why don’t we just say Hallel to be Yotzai on the actual day of Purim? We see from this that even for the Meiri, relying on Hallel, is only a possibility where there is no other option.

to Hashem. Even though the Jewish people subsequently returned to Eretz Yisroel, since Hallel could not have been established at the time of the miracle, we too do not recite Hallel.

According to the first and third reasons, there would never be basis to entertain the possibility of reciting Hallel on Purim. However, the second reason implies that in truth we should have an obligation to recite Hallel on Purim. The only reason we don’t is because the Megillah reading discharges this obligation.

The Meiri writes that based on the reason of Rav Nachman, one who does not have a Megillah is obligated to recite Hallel on Purim.

The Acharonim discuss whether this practical ramification of the Meiri is or should be observed.

The Beis Yosef brings the second and third reasons. The Shulchan Aruch simply rules that we do not recite Hallel on Purim without bringing any reasons. No mention is made of reciting Hallel when a Megillah is not available.

In Birkei Yosef, the Chida writes that since the Poskim to not address the possibility, it implies that Hallel is not recited on Purim under any circumstances. He suggests that this is because the Halacha follows the reason of Rava based on the principle that the Halacha follows the later authority (הלכתא כבתראה).

This is especially so as in the Rif and Rosh’s text of the Gemara, Rava is presented as a challenge to the previous reasons, introduced with the words מתקיף רבא “Rava challenged.” Since the Gemara does not answer Rava’s challenge, his reasoning is accepted.

The Magen Avraham writes this as the reason for the Shulchan Aruch’s ruling that Hallel is not recited on Purim.

However, the Rambam and Baal Halachos Gedolos bring only the reason of Rav Nachman. Machazik Bracha explains that even though Rava is the later authority, they adopt Rav Nachman’s reason because his reasoning makes more sense.

In Machazik Bracha and Shiurei Bracha, the Chid”a explains that even according to Rav Nachman’s reasoning one would not necessarily recite Hallel. The Gemara is giving the reason why the sages did not establish Hallel for Purim. Once they did not establish Hallel for Purim, Hallel is not recited even to Hashem.

Even though the Jewish people subsequently returned to Eretz Yisroel, since Hallel could not have been established at the time of the miracle, we too do not recite Hallel.