What is the Hallel prayer?

Hallel is a collection of Psalms (113–118) recited as a liturgical prayer of praise and thanksgiving to God, sung on major Jewish holidays and occasions of national rejoicing. It expresses gratitude for God's miracles, particularly the Exodus from Egypt, and is one of the most joyful and uplifting elements of the Jewish liturgical tradition.

Key Takeaways

Hallel consists of Psalms 113–118 and is recited on festivals, Rosh Chodesh, and Chanukah.
The word Hallel (הַלֵּל) means "praise," and the prayer is fundamentally an expression of gratitude to God for redemption.
On Passover, Hallel is uniquely split — the first half is recited during the Seder before the meal, and the second half after the meal, over the fourth cup of wine.
A distinction exists between full Hallel (said on Sukkot, Chanukah, Shavuot, and the first day/s of Passover) and half Hallel (said on Rosh Chodesh and the latter days of Passover).
Hallel at the Seder is directly connected to the mitzvah of recounting the Exodus (sippur yetziat Mitzrayim).

What Is Hallel?

The Psalms Themselves

Hallel (הַלֵּל, literally "praise") refers to Psalms 113–118, a sequence of psalms attributed primarily to King David. These psalms move through themes of:

God's transcendence and care for the lowly (Ps. 113–114)
Israel's trust in God vs. idols (Ps. 115)
Personal gratitude for being saved from death (Ps. 116)
Universal praise (Ps. 117)
Thanksgiving for redemption and the declaration "This is the day the Lord has made" (Ps. 118)

When Is Hallel Recited?

The Talmud [Arachin 10a–b] establishes that Hallel is recited on 18 days (or 21 in the Diaspora) throughout the year, including:

Pesach (Passover)
Shavuot
Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret
Chanukah
Rosh Chodesh (the new month) — though with two paragraphs omitted, known as Chatzi Hallel (half Hallel)

Hallel at the Passover Seder

The most distinctive recitation of Hallel occurs at the Passover Seder, where it is uniquely divided into two halves.

First Half (Before the Meal)

Psalms 113–114 are recited during Maggid (the storytelling section). The Haggadah explains the reason:

"לְפִיכָךְ אֲנַחְנוּ חַיָּבִים לְהוֹדוֹת, לְהַלֵּל, לְשַׁבֵּחַ..." "Therefore we are obligated to thank, praise, laud, glorify, exalt, honor, bless, extol, and acclaim the One who performed all these miracles for our ancestors and for us: He took us from slavery to freedom, from grief to joy, from mourning to festivity, from darkness to great light, and from servitude to redemption." [Pesach Haggadah, Maggid, First Half of Hallel]

Second Half (After the Meal)

Psalms 115–118 are completed after the meal, over the fourth cup of wine:

"הַלֵּל מוזגין כוס רביעי וגומרין עליו את ההלל" "For Hallel, the fourth cup is poured and the Hallel is completed over it." [Pesach Haggadah, Hallel, Second Half of Hallel]

Why Is Hallel Split at the Seder?

The Talmud [Pesachim 118a] and later commentators discuss this split. Rashi and others explain that the first two psalms cover the theme of the Exodus specifically — making them appropriate for before the meal when the story is told — while the remaining psalms, which include broader themes of redemption and future hope, are completed afterward as a song of joy following the mitzvah meal.

Full Hallel vs. Half Hallel

| Type | Days | Psalms Omitted | |------|------|----------------| | Hallel Shalem (Full) | Sukkot, Shavuot, first day(s) of Pesach, Chanukah | None | | Chatzi Hallel (Half) | Rosh Chodesh, last days of Pesach | Portions of Ps. 115 & 116 |

The Talmud [Arachin 10b] explains that the reason full Hallel is not recited on the last days of Passover is because the Egyptians drowned in the sea on those days — and we do not fully rejoice at the downfall of God's creatures (citing the image of God rebuking the angels who wanted to sing as the Egyptians drowned).

Hallel as a Theme of Redemption

The Haggadah frames Hallel not merely as liturgy but as an obligation rooted in gratitude:

"הוֹצִיאָנוּ מֵעַבְדוּת לְחֵרוּת, מִיָּגוֹן לְשִׂמְחָה..." "He took us from slavery to freedom, from grief to joy, from mourning to festivity, from darkness to great light, and from servitude to redemption." [Pesach Haggadah, Maggid]

This connects Hallel to the broader Seder theme that every Jew in every generation must see themselves as personally redeemed from Egypt [Pesachim 116b] — making the praise of Hallel a deeply personal, not merely historical, act.

Hallel and Torah Dispute

Interestingly, the practice of reciting Hallel was itself subject to rabbinic discussion. The Haggadah records a famous debate about yetziat Mitzrayim (the Exodus) being recited at night, with Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah saying:

"הֲרֵי אֲנִי כְּבֶן שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה וְלֹא זָכִיתִי שֶׁתֵּאָמֵר יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם בַּלֵּילוֹת" "I am like a seventy-year-old man and I never merited understanding why the Exodus should be mentioned at night — until Ben Zoma explained it." [Pesach Haggadah, Maggid, Story of the Five Rabbis]

This reminds us that even the greatest sages remained humble students of Torah, always seeking deeper understanding of our obligations of praise.