Reb Shlomo Kluger zt’l (ג"תרפ שלמה חכמת) discusses the following scenario:
A Jewish prisoner was granted a brief leave on Chanukah for a few hours. The question was whether he should choose to go out at night to light Chanukah lecht or leave in the morning so he could say Hallel and Al HaNissim in beis medresh.
Reb Shlomo Kluger answered that he should leave prison in the morning to say Hallel and Al HaNissim with a minyan. Most people consider Chanukah lecht the highlight of Chanukah. But from this discussion, we understand that perhaps Hallel and Al HaNisim are the highest points of Chanukah.
We should certainly invest in saying Hallel and Al HaNissim correctly.
Significance of Hallel
The Sfas Emes explains that the 'ב in והודאה בהלל implies that קבעום they made it a holiday, בהלל, because of the Hallel. The Hallel makes it a holiday. Otherwise, it would state, והודאה להלל קבעום, "They established these days to say Hallel and Al Hanissim."
Someone suffering from a dibbuk was brought to the Divrei Chaim of Sanz zt’l on Chanukah. The Divrei Chaim said, “Bring him to the beis medresh when we say Hallel.” They did that, and the dibbuk immediately left his body and flew out a window. This is because every tumah inside a person can be extricated by saying Hallel.
If להשתבח means to praise Hashem, it would state לשבח. It says להשתבח, because a person becomes praised and better בתהלתך by praising Hashem.
We quoted above the following words from the Kedushas Levi: "Due to the tzidkus of Matisyahu ben Yochanan Kohen Gadol and his children, the gates of chesed and the gates of miracles open during the eight days of Chanukah. Perhaps the gates open when we light the Chanukah lecht and say Hallel and Al HaNisim. These draw down the chesed and miracles below."
Establishing the Holiday
Chazal (Shabbos 21:) say, להדליק אלא בו היה ולא אחרת לשנה ימים שמונה ממנו והדליקו נס בו נעשה אחד יום ובהודאה בהלל טובים ימים ועשאום קבעום , "The oil was sufficient for one day. A miracle occurred, and they used this oil for eight days. The following year, they established these days as a yom tov with Hallel and Al HaNissim."
The Sfas Emes says that the Gemara's words, והודאה בהלל טובים ימים ועשאום, imply that saying Hallel and Al HaNissim make and create the holiday. ועשאום קבעום, it became established, and it became a holiday בהלל והודאה, when we say Hallel and Al HaNissim.
The Tchebiner Rav zt’l said, “Hallel on Chanukah shouldn’t be like Hallel on Rosh Chodesh because Hallel on Rosh Chodesh is a minhag, while Hallel on Chanukah is a mitzvah.”
Some Rishonim say that Hallel is a mitzvah from the Torah (see Reb Yeruchem Fishel Perlow’s commentary on Sma’g, mitzvas asei ס-נ, p.258).
Masechta Sofrim (20:9) states, “We say the entire Hallel during the eight days of Chanukah...and we make a brachah before and after Hallel, and one must say it בנעימה (sweetly, pleasantly).”
It states (Mishlei 27:21), ואיש לזהב וכור לכסף מצרף מהללו לפי , "The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, and a man according to his praise." The Chida explains that while the refining pot and the furnace purify silver and gold, מהללו לפי איש, man becomes cleansed and pure when he praises Hashem.
It states (Tehillim 106:47), בתהלתך להשתבח. This means the person becomes improved, בתהלתך, by praising Hashem.
The Gemara (Pesachim 117) says, “We say Hallel עליהן תבא שלא וצרה צרה כל על, “for every tzarah that shouldn’t come...” The Ben Ish Chai says that these words imply that Hallel is mesugal, עליהן תבא שלא וצרה צרה כל על, that troubles won’t befall us.
The Bnei Yissaschar (Kislev, 4:134) teaches that when one praises Hashem, he can use that praise as a prayer to Hashem. For example, in the second brachah of Shemonah Esrei we praise Hashem, חולים רופא, "Who heals the ill." As one says these words, he can intend a prayer, "Hashem, please heal so-and-so."
When one says a standard tefillah, the malachim may prevent it from going up, claiming that the person doesn’t deserve his requests to be considered. But malachim never prevent praises from going up before Hashem. The praises go up, and Hashem hears the concealed plea and fills his request.
The Power of Praise and Thanks
When we say על 'המחי, we don’t add a line for Chanukah (as we do on Shabbos, yom tov, etc.) This is because when one praises Hashem, it shouldn’t be a one-liner. Praise requires elaboration.
When someone did a favor for Reb Aharon of Belz zt’l, he would thank him personally. His gabai’im asked, “Why do you take the effort to thank them yourself? For more important matters, you send your gaba'im. Why can't you send us to thank those who helped you?” He replied, “When the chazan says מודים, the congregation says modim together with him. This is because when it comes to thanking, one must do so himself. It isn't enough to send a shliach"
Prophetic Power of the Candles
Rebbe Pinchas of Koritz zt’l said: From the Shabbos candles, one can know what will happen during the following week, and from the Chanukah candles, one can know what will happen during the following year.
This is the meaning of the pasuk (Tehillim 18:4), אושע אויבי ומן 'ה אקרא מהולל, “I call out to Hashem with praises, and I am saved from my enemies.” Similarly, it states, לישועה לי ותהי עניתני כי אודך, "I praise You when I'm suffering, and I will certainly have my salvation."
The Sfas Emes zt’l said that when one says 'ה אנא in Hallel, all his requests can be fulfilled. Chassidim thought that the Sfas Emes was referring to the pasuk, הושיעה 'ה אנא נא, “Please Hashem, save us, now.” The Imrei Emes zt’l said that he thinks the Sfas Emes was referring to the pasuk, אני כי 'ה אנא עבדיך, “Please Hashem, because I am Your servant.”
We will be saying the same words of Hallel for eight days, but don’t allow the routine to make you tired or lazy. Remember, saying Hallel is one of the highlights of Chanukah. The same applies to Al HaNissim. Try to make every tefillah unique.
