The Hallel at Pesach and it’s Sources
The Navi Yeshaya foretold that the dominating Assyrian empire of Sancheriv would fall, and there would be great rejoicing among the Jews. “The shir will be k’leil hiskadeish chag.” The song will be for you like the holy festival (Yeshaya 30:29). The comparison is to Pesach night, when Hallel is sung. The geula will be as joyful as Pesach, and we will sing Hallel. (1)
Rashi (ibid.) writes something surprising: They actually sang Hallel in Mitzraim on the night of the Exodus! (Medrash Tehilim 113)
However, the Gemara states that the origin of Hallel was at Kri’as Yam Suf on the seventh day of Pesach, when klal Yisrael sang Oz Yashir (Pesachim 117). They also sang Hallel. Rashi himself writes this in his commentary to the Torah, as we will soon see. (Apparently, Rashi quoted Medrash Tehilim, but agrees with the Gemara’s mesora.)
In his commentary to the Torah, (15:41), Rashi explains:
Why are there eight strings in each corner of the tzitzis? They represent the eight days we delayed singing Shir, until we came to the great neis of Krias Yam Suf. (2)
You forgot to praise and thank Hashem for eight days! For eight days they forgot to praise and thank Hashem! The eight strings make you remember…
Tzitzis and Yetzias Mitzraim
Rashi also writes there that the four corners of the tzitzis garment represent the four expressions of geula, as do the four koses of wine at the Seder.
What connection is there between the strings of tzitzis and Pesach?
The parsha of tzitzis concludes, “I am Hashem… who took you out of Mitzraim to be for you as G-d, I am Hashem.” (B’midbar 15:41)
We have signs to remember Hashem, such as mezuzos and tefilin. The tzitzis, the Torah says, remind us of all the mitzvos. If we fulfill the mitzvos in remembrance of Hashem, who commanded us, then Hashem will be our G-d. This is why he took us out of Mitzraim.
In the Hagada
Rebbi Elazar Ben Azarya couldn’t prove that you say parshas tzitzis at night, even though it mentions yetzias Mitzraim.
Ben Zoma says, “That you should remember the day that you left Mitzraim all the days of your life,” the expression ‘all the days’ comes to include the nights, as well. The Rabbonon argue about this verse. They say that ‘all the days’ comes to include the days of Moshiach.
However, the parsha of tzitzis is an integral part of Kri’as Shema, as the Gemara shows in Brochos 12b, because of many vital concepts that it contains. The Chachomim agree in the end that it should be recited at night, even though the mitzva of tzitzis is not completely binding at night. (3)
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1.Chazal tell us that the Hallel said on the rooftops in Yerushalayim at the eating of the Pesach Korban was so exhilarating that it felt as though the roofs would give in!
2.Actually, there are only seven days from Pesach to Krias Yam Suf (not eight)! The Maharal explains that the count of eight begins with the shechita of the korban Pesach — on Erev Pesach, the day before Pesach. Normally, the shechita of the korban, on Erev Pesach, requires the recital of Hallel. They neglected the saying of Hallel for eight days, until Kri’as Yam Suf — eight days later. The eight days of delay are represented by the eight strings at each corner.
3.Tzitzis at night is a debate. One opinion says that tzitzis is not obligatory at all at night; the other says that a nighttime garment is exempt at all times, but wearing a daytime garment would require tzitzis at all times. (Because of this debate, we refrain from putting on a Talis at night. It’s a doubt whether or not it requires a brocha.)
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Date: April 10, 2025
