Next year in Jerusalem (the Hagadah)

On Seder night we split “Hallel” into two parts. The first part is said during magid and the second part is said after birkas hamazon. What is the reason that we say Hallel in two parts instead of saying it all together?!

The Levush (Mordecai ben Avraham Yoffe c. 1530 –1612) and the Gra both explain that the Hallel is split is because the two parts of the Hallel refer to two different aspects of the seder night. The first half, which is said in magid, has to do with us leaving Egypt and entering a state of geula (redemption). The second half, which is said after the meal, is at a time when there is no more matzah at all, meaning after the Exodus from Egypt. We say it to show our Emunah in the future redemptions. Rav Dovid Cohen, the Rosh Yeshiva of Chevron, points out (based on the Gra in the Maaseh Rav), that though we are particular to eat the matzah before halachic midnight, the (second half) of Hallel does not have to be said before midnight because its focus is the future redemption rather than the Exodus.

I believe it is obvious, but still important to mention, that it is specifically the night of the seder, when we have now relived our Exodus from Egypt and have refreshed our reservoir of emunah and bitachon, that we therefore look at our lives (both public and private) and pray for the ultimate redemption through our reciting of the remainder of the Hallel. It is because of this newfound emunah that we can now look forward to merit redemption. As is repeated throughout the story of the Exodus, klal Yisrael believed, and therefore they were able to merit the Exodus.

So too on this auspicious night we can create the reality that brings a redemption. We draw on our exuberance to raise our level of emunah, which gets us to a point that we almost feel that the Moshiach is right here at our seder. It was a regular custom in my parents’ home that when the door was opened for the fifth cup and for Eliyahu to walk in, that someone would be there, dressed up to play the part! I believe that the climax of this idea is brought to the forefront with the custom that we have when going to sleep after the seder. There are poskim who say that we minimize the kriyas shema said before sleeping, because it is a “leil shemurim” – a night that we are protected by Hashem. We all have had sleepless nights because of internal worries and concerns. However on the seder night we make a statement that we believe we have nothing to fear and sleep like a baby (perhaps the four cups of wine help as well).

So too, the dancing that many do at the conclusion of the seder with the words “leshana haba b’Yerushalayim”, brings us to the next stage of anticipation. May we merit this year to bring that emunah to fruition, actualizing the fifth cup.