Praise HaShem for Redemption
Hallel
Jewish Halacha prescribes that Hallel be recited as a prayer of gratitude when one is redeemed. Hallel was instituted by Moses, Aaron and Miriam after the Red Sea was parted and the people were delivered from the Egyptians. (See Shemot Rabbah 23 about the words "and they said, to say further" [Genesis 15:1]). Chanuka recalls the deliverance from the evil king Antiochus and coupled with that, the deliverance from idolatry.(Pesachim 117a, see Rashi)
Tehillim 113-118
The complete Hallel is recite every day of Chanuka in the course of the morning prayers. The Hallel is a sequence of praise and gratitude-themed psalms (Psalms 113-118).
Tehillim 113
Hallelujah! Praise, you servants of the L-rd, praise the name of the L-rd.May the name of the L-rd be blessed from now and to eternity. From the rising of the sun until its setting, the name of the L-rd is praised.The L-rd is high over all nations; upon the heavens is His glory. Who is like the L-rd, our G-d, Who dwells on high, Who lowers [His eyes] to look in the heavens and the earth? He lifts the pauper up from the dust, from the dungheap He raises up the needy, To seat [him] with princes, with the princes of His people. He seats the barren woman of the house as a happy mother of children. Hallelujah!
Tehillim 114
When Israel left Egypt, the house of Jacob [left] a people of a strange tongue,Judah became His holy nation, Israel His dominion.The sea saw and fled; the Jordan turned backward.The mountains danced like rams, hills like young sheep. What frightens you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn backward? You mountains, that you dance like rams; you hills, like young sheep? From before the Master, Who created the earth, from before the G-d of Jacob, Who transforms the rock into a pond of water, the flint into a fountain of water.
Tehillim 115
Not for us, O L-rd, not for us, but for Your name give honor, for Your kindness and for Your truthfulness. Why should the nations say, "Where is their G-d now?" But our God is in heaven; whatever He wishes, He does. Their idols are silver and gold, the handiwork of man. They have a mouth but they do not speak; they have eyes but they do not see. They have ears but they do not hear; they have a nose but they do not smell. Their hands-but they do not feel; their feet-but they do not walk; they do not murmur with their throat. Like them shall be those who make them, all who trust in them. Israel, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield. House of Aaron, trust in the L-rd; He is their help and their shield. Those who fear the Lord, trust in the L-rd; He is their help and their shield. The L-rd, Who remembered us, will bless; He will bless the house of Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron. He will bless those who fear the L-rd, the small together with the great. May the L-rd add upon you, upon you and upon your children. Blessed are you to the L-rd, the Maker of heaven and earth. The heavens are heavens of the L-rd, but the earth He gave to the children of men. Neither will the dead praise G-d, nor all those who descend to the grave. But we shall bless G-d from now until everlasting, Hallelujah!
Tehillim 116
I wished that the L-rd would hear my voice [in] my supplications. For He extended His ear to me, and I shall call out in my days. [When] bands of death surrounded me and the boundaries of the grave befell me, and I found trouble and grief, And I called out in the name of the L-rd, "Please, O L-rd, save my soul! The Lord is gracious and righteous, and our G-d is merciful. The L-rd protects the simple; when I was poor, He saved me. Return, my soul, to your rest, for the L-rd has dealt bountifully with you. For You have rescued my soul from death, my eye from tears, and my foot from stumbling. I shall walk before the L-rd in the lands of the living. I believed so that I spoke; I humble myself exceedingly. I said in my haste, "All men are liars." How can I repay the L-rd for all His favors upon me? I shall lift up a cup of salvations, and I shall call out in the name of the L-rd. I shall pay my vows to the L-rd now in the presence of all His people. Difficult in the eyes of the L-rd is the death of His pious ones. Please, O L-rd, for I am Your servant; I am Your servant the son of Your maidservant; You have loosened my bonds. To You I shall slaughter a thanksgiving offering, and I shall call out in the name of the L-rd. I shall pay my vows to the L-rd now in the presence of all His people, In the courtyards of the house of the L-rd, in your midst, O Jerusalem. Hallelujah!
Tehillim 117
Praise the L-rd, all nations, laud Him, all peoples. For His kindness has overwhelmed us, and the truth of the L-rd is eternal. Hallelujah!
Tehillim 118
Give thanks to the L-rd because He is good, for His kindness is eternal. Israel shall now say, "For His kindness is eternal." The house of Aaron shall now say, "For His kindness is eternal." Those who fear the L-rd shall now say, "For His kindness is eternal." From the straits I called G-d; G-d answered me with a vast expanse. The L-rd is for me; I shall not fear. What can man do to me? The L-rd is for me with my helpers, and I shall see [revenge] in my enemies. It is better to take shelter in the L-rd than to trust in man. It is better to take shelter in the L-rd than to trust in princes. All nations surrounded me; in the name of the L-rd that I shall cut them off. They encircled me, yea they surrounded me; in the name of the L-rd that I shall cut them off. They encircled me like bees; they were extinguished like a thorn fire; in the name of the Lord that I shall cut them off. You pushed me to fall, but the L-rd helped me. The might and the cutting power of G-d was my salvation. A voice of singing praises and salvation is in the tents of the righteous; the right hand of the L-rd deals valiantly. The right hand of the L-rd is exalted; the right hand of the L-rd deals valiantly. I shall not die but I shall live and tell the deeds of G-d. G-d has chastised me, but He has not delivered me to death. Open for me the gates of righteousness; I shall enter them and thank G-d. This is the L-rd's gate; the righteous will enter therein. I shall thank You because You answered me, and You were my salvation. The stone that the builders rejected became a cornerstone. This was from the L-rd; it is wondrous in our eyes. This is the day that the L-rd made; we shall exult and rejoice thereon. Please, O L-rd, save now! Please, O L-rd, make prosperous now! Blessed be he who has come in the name of the L-rd; we have blessed you in the name of the L-rd. The L-rd is G-d, and He gave us light. Bind the sacrifice with ropes until [it is brought to] the corners of the altar. You are my G-d and I shall thank You; the G-d of my father, and I shall exalt You. Give thanks to the Lord because He is good, for His kindness is eternal.
Noahides and Hallel?
Is it appropriate for Noahides to say Psalms when lighting the candles (note Noahides do not say the bracha/ blessing when lighting the candles). Listen here to the answer in the Q&A with Rabbi Moshe Perets.
How beautiful it is to say these Psalms - or one, or a part of them.
Let's Practice
For shall we not all say the Hallel at the time of Messiah, at the great Redemption?
Brought By Angelique Sijbolts
Angelique Sijbolts is one of the main writers for the Noahide Academy. She has been an observant Noahide for many years. She studies Torah with Rabbi Perets every week. Angelique invests much of her time in editing video-lectures for the Rabbis of the Academy and contributes in administrating the Academy's website in English and Dutch. She lives in the north of the Netherlands. Married and mother of two sons. She works as a teacher in a school with students with special needs. And is a Hebrew Teacher for the levels beginners and intermediate. She likes to walk, to read and play the piano.
Sources
Hallel by Shloime Dachs & Yisroel Williger The Yom Tov Album Samech Music Inc.
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