Hallel (^5^!', Gr, vfivoc;), thei designation of a par- ticular ]iart of the hymnal service, chanted in the Tem- ple and in the family on certain festivals.
1. Origin of the name, contents of the service, etc. The name hallel', 'bh'il, which signifies 7)r«!«e, is kot l^oxoi', given to this distinct portion of the hymnal service be- cause it consists of Psalms cxiii-cxviii, which are Psalms oi praise, and because this group of Psalms begins with Hallelujah, l^'^^hhtl. It is also called '''^^''^^t^ b^n, the Egyptian Hallel, because it was chanted in the Tcm]ile whilst the Passover lambs, wliich were first enjoined in Egypt, were being slain. There is another Hallel called binsn b^n, the Great Hallel (so called because of the reiterated response after every verse, " For thy mercy endureth forever," in Psa. cxxxvi, which is part of this Hallel), which, according to K. Jehudah (Pesachim, 118) and JNIaimonides, comprises Psalms cxviii-cxxxvi (Jod Ha-Chezaka, Hilchoth Chamez v. Maza, viii, 10). Oth- ers, however, though agreeing that this Hallel ends with Psalm cxxxvi, maintain that it begins with Psalm cxx or Psalm cxxxv, 4 {Pesachim, 118).
2. Time and manner in which it rras chanted.— This hymnal service, or Egyptian ILalkl,was chanted at the sacrifice of the first and second Pcsach, after the daily sacrifice on the first day of Passover ( Jlishna, Pesachim, V, 7), after the morning sacrifice on the Feast of Pente- cost, the eight days of the Feast of Tabernacles ( :\[i>lma, Succa, iv, 8), and' the eiglit days of the Feast of Dedica- tion (Mishna, Taanith, v, 5), making in all twenty days in the j'ear. '• On twelve days out of the twenty, viz., at the sacrifice of the first and second Pesach, of the first dav of Pesach, of the Feast of Pentecost, and of the eight days of the Feast of Tabernacles, the flute was played before the altar when the Ifalhl was chanted" (iMishna, Pesnf/(«»(,ii, 3), whilst after the morning sacrifice during the eight days of the Feast of Dedication the Hallel wa.s chanted without this accompaniment of the flute. The manner in which these hymns of praise were offered must have been very imposing and impressive. The
HALLEL 32
HALLELUJAH
Levites who could be spared from assisting at the slay- iiij,' of the sacriliccs took their stand before the altar, anil chanted the JhiUel verse by verse; the jieople re- sponsively repeated every verse, or burst forth in sol- emn and intoned Jlalklujahs at every pause, whilst the slaves of tlie priests, the Levites, and the respectable lay peojile assisted in playing the flute (comp. Pe««t7«'/n, 64, a; Erachim, 10, a, b; and Tosip/ia on Cap. i; Sofa, 27, b; Tiianith, 2S, a, b). No representatives of the people (T:"Ta ""i'lX) were required to be present at the Tem- ple at the morning sacrilices on the days when the Mal- lei was clianted (Mishna, Taanith, iv, 4). See Sacki- vuv..
The Egyptian /Iidkl was also chanted in private fam- ilies at tlic celebration of the Passover on the tirst even- ing of this feast. On this occasion the Hallel was di- vided into two i^arts; the part comprising Psa. cxiii aiid cxiv was clianted during the partaking of the second cnji, whilst the second part, comprising PSa. cxv and cxvi, was chanted over the fourth and finishing cup (bbnn nx I'^PS "I?31: "iZJiaijMishnajPesacAmjX,?); and it is generally supposed that the singing of the hymn by our Saviour and his disciples at the conclusion of the Passover supper (Matt, xxvi, 30; Mark xiv, 26) refers to tlie last part of this Hallel. (Dean Alford [llrtek Testament, &A luc] strangely confounds this Hal- lel with the Great IhiUi-l.) In Babj-lon there was an ancient custom, which can be traced as far back as the 2d century of the Christian asra, to recite this Hallel on every festival of the new moon (Taanith, 28, a), omit- ting, Iiowevcr, Psa. cxv, 1-11, and cxvi, 1-11.
The great llallel (bl"ian.bbri) was recited on the first evening at the Passover supper by those who wish- ed to have a fifth cup, i. e. one above the enjoined num- ber (Maimiuiides, Jod Ifa-Chezaka, Hilchoth Chamez u. Maza, viii, 10). It Avas also recited on occasions of great joj', as an expression of thanksgiving to God for special mercies (Mishna, Taanith, iii, 9).
3. Present me of the IJxjmnal Service The Jews to
the present <lay recite the Egj^itian Hallel at the morn- iiig prayer immediately after the Eighteen Benedictions (ma:? nsi^'r) on all the festivals of the year except \ew Year and the Dai/ of A tonemenf, omitting Psa. cxv, 1-11, and cxvi, 1-1 1 , on the last six days of the Feast of Pa.ss()\-er, and on the new moon. Before the Hallel is re- cited tliey jironounce the following benediction : " Bless- ed art thou, Lord our God, King of the world, who hast sanctilicd us with thy commandments, and enjoined upon us to recite tlie Hallel!" At the Passover supper, on tlie first two evenings of the festival, both the Egyptian Hallel anil the (ireat Hallel are now recited; the "former is still divided in the same maimer as it was in the days of our Saviour.
4. Institution of this Ifjimnal Service.— It is now im- possible to ascertain precisely when this service was first instituted. Some of the Talmudists affirm that it was instituted by Moses, others say that Joshua introduced it, others derive it from Deborah, David, Hezekiah, or Ilananiah, Misliael and Azariah (Pesachim, 117, a). From 2 Cliron. xxxv, 15, we see that the practice of the Levites chanting the Hallel while the Paschal lambs were ui the act of being slain was aheady in vogue in the days of Josiah, and it is not at all improl)al)le that it was customary to do so at a much earlier period.