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It does not seem to be an argument of much consequence. The Sephardic tradition is to recite Yehalelucha after Nishmat at the end of the Seder. The Ashkenazic tradition is to recite Yehalelucha after completing Hallel HaMitzri (the regular holiday Hallel). However, upon deeper investigation, this dispute emerges as a concrete debate concerning a very fundamental question regarding our relationship with Hashem.
The Talmudic Background
The Mishnah (Pesachim 117b) states: “the fourth cup we recite Hallel and Birkat HaShir (the blessing of the song)”. We understand the term Hallel but the term Birkat HaShir is difficult to decipher. Indeed, the Gemara (Pesachim 118a) asks what Birkat HaShir means. The Gemara proceeds to outline a dispute between Rav Yehuda and Rabi Yochanan. Rav Yehuda argues that it refers to Yehalelucha.[1] Rabi Yochanan argues that it refers to Nishmat Kol Chai [2]
Understanding the Dispute
Rav Shmuel Goldin (Unlocking the Hagadah pages 194-196) explains that Rav Yehuda and Rabi Yochanan are debating a most fundamental question. The Yehalelucha conclusion of Hallel is a confident expression of our abilities to properly praise Hashem. Nishmat Kol Chai, though, expresses the opposing idea, that we are unable to adequately praise Hashem.
Rav Yehuda and Rabi Yohanan debate how we are to conclude the Seder, with Yehalelucha, a confident assertion of our closeness to Hashem and that we are able to adequately praise him, or Nishmat, a humbling recognition of the unbridgeable gap between us and Hashem to the extent that all of our praises of Him fall short.
Rishonim, Shulchan Aruch and Commentaries
The Rishonim debate as to which opinion is followed. Rambam (Hilchot Hametz UMatza 8:10) follows Rav Yehuda that Hallel is recited concluding with Yehalelucha. At the other end of the spectrum, Rabbeinu Chaim Kohein (cited in Tosafot Pesachim 118a s.v. Rabi Yohanan) rules in accordance with Rabi Yohanan that Nishmat is recited. Rashbam (ad. loc. s.v. V’Rabi Yohanan) and Tosafot (op. cit.) rule that Hallel is concluded with both Yehalelucha and Nishmat Kol Chai. Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 480:1) rules in accordance with this view.[3]
Rav Goldin continues to explain that we follow both opinions because we subscribe to a paradoxical view as to whether we are close or distant to Hashem. The Torah view is that both are true. Thus, it is most appropriate for us to close the Seder with the recital of both Yehalelucha and Nishmat since both are true.
Rav Goldin explains that this paradox is expressed in our twice and sometimes thrice daily invocation of Yishayahu’s (6:3) description of Hashem as “Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh,” “He is holy and apart”[4] from us on the one hand and, on the other hand, “Melo Chol HaAaretz Kevodo,” “His presence fills the world;” He is most accessible to us.
This paradox is also expressed in each and every Bracha. We begin each Bracha with daring familiarity with Hashem by addressing Him as Ata in the second person and then immediately shifting into the third person, Elokeinu Melech HaOlam, denoting that Hashem is distant from us.[5]
The Dispute between Sephardic and Ashkenazim about Yehalelucha
Ashkenazim and Sepharadim each recite both Yehalelucha and Nishmat Kol Chai. Sephardic Jews recite Yehalelucha at the end of Nishmat and non-Chassidic Ashkenazic practice is to recite it after Hallel HaMitzri. Chassidim embraced the Sephardic approach to this question.
We suggest that the question of the placement of Yehalelucha reflects a typical Sephardic/Ashkenazic divide. All agree that Hashem is both our father and king as both Ashkenazim and Sepharadim express in the Avinu Malkeinu prayer. However, it is debatable as to which of these two aspects of our relationship with Hashem we emphasize. Sepharadim and Chassidim stress the father side of Avinu Malkeinu whereas non-Chassidic Ashkenazim focus more on Hashem as our King.
Hashem is both close to us like a father and distant from us like a king. Which aspect is stressed? Sephardic Jews conclude with Yehalelucha since they wish to end the Seder by expressing their closeness with Hashem. Ashkenazic Jews end with Nishmat Kol Chai and not Yehalelucha since the emphasis should be on Hashem as king who retains a respectful distance from us.
Conclusion - Each Group Maintains the Mesorah
While we have mined a magnificent nugget from a seemingly minor dispute between the Sephardic and Ashkenazic liturgy regarding the precise order of the conclusion of the Seder, we should not overlook the fact that the Sephardic and Ashkenazic Hagadot are nearly identical. Differences are few and far between. The dispute regarding Yehalelucha, whether to recite a Bracha on the second and fourth cups [6] and whether to say the Mishnah’s text of Chayav Adam Lir’ot Et Atzmo KeElu Hu Yatza MiMitzrayim (Pesahim 116b) or the Rambam’s (Hilchot Hametz UMatza 7:6) version of Hayav Adam LeHarot Et Atzmo KeElu Hu Yatza MiMitzrayim are among the very minor and nuanced differences.
The implications of the nearly identical versions of the Sephardic and Ashkenazic Hagadah are profound. First, it bears witness to both Sephardic and Ashkenazic Jews punctiliously preserving the Mesorah (tradition). Despite a millennium of vast geographic separation between the two groups, when the communities reunited in the past 70 years we have found that we have remained in essence the same. The legacy of prior generations reminds us of the story in which Choni HaMa’ageil encounters an elderly gentleman planting a carob tree (Ta’anit 19) and asked why he plants a tree for which he will not enjoy its fruit.[7] The elderly gentleman responded that just as our grandfathers planted a carob tree for us to enjoy, so too we plant a carob tree for our grandchildren to enjoy. Similarly, just as our forbearers steadfastly hewed to the Mesorah, so must we. We must ensure that we bequeath to our descendants that which our ancestors worked so hard to bequeath to us.
Our Mesorah is what binds us as a nation. It preserved us as a nation throughout the millennia of vast dispersion and separation and will continue to do so for future generations. Our fidelity to the Mesorah helps ensure our place in the eternal legacy of Am Yisrael
[1] It should be obvious that Hallel is concluded with its usual conclusion Yehalelucha. Why would the Mishna need to inform us of this? Tosafot (ad. loc. s.v. Mai Birkat HaShir) explain that either it comes to teach that all agree that the Hallel recited at the Seder concludes with a Bracha (some communities did not conclude any recital of Hallel with a Bracha, as noted in Mishnah Sukkah 38a). Alternatively, Tosafot explain that it comes to teach that even Hallel recited at night concludes with Yehalelucha. One might have thought the dark night is an inappropriate time to make the confident assertion of Yehalelucha.
[2] Tosafot (ad. loc. s.v. Rabi Yohanan) explain that Nishmat is referred to as Birkat HaShir since it is recited on Shabbat at the conclusion of P’esukei D’Zimra. We add that referring to Nishmat as Birkat HaShir fits perfectly with the Sephardic custom to sing the entire poem of Nishmat (see Ben Ish Chai, Toledot year two number 3).
[3] Hallel HaGadol (Tehillim Perek 136) is recited between Hallel and Nishmat Kol Chai in accordance with Rabi Tarfon’s ruling cited in a Beraita presented on Pesachim 118a.
[4] Rashi to Vayikra 19:2 equates Kedusha with separation.
[5] One may ask how Hashem can be both close and distant from us. One may respond that Torah rejected binary thinking millennia before the western world caught up to this sophisticated way of thinking. Torah teaches that life is not always a choice between either this or that but not both. Sometimes, the Torah teaches, both perspectives are true even if the result is a paradox.
For example, the Rambam (in Perek 5 of Hilchot Teshuva), based on the Mishna in Avot (3:15), accepts both divine foreknowledge as true and human free will as true, despite the resultant paradox. Similarly, in the twentieth century physicists have discovered that both Newtonian mechanics and quantum mechanics are both equally true, despite the resultant paradox. In Euclidean geometry parallel lines do not meet. However, in non-Euclidean geometry parallel lines do meet. Both the Euclidean and non-Euclidean are paradoxically correct. An interesting example of the Torah’s rejection of binary thinking is the dual nature of the Jewish calendar. Whereas the Western world hews to a purely solar calendar and Moslems follow a purely lunar calendar, we follow a dual calendar that is both lunar and solar. Similarly, the Ritva (Yoma 47b) characterizes the time period between sunset and nightfall (Sheki’ah and Tzeit) as being both day and night simultaneously! Chazal similarly teach that both versions of the Luchot were communicated by Hashem simultaneously.
[6] Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 474 records a dispute between Rav Yosef Karo and Rama about this issue. Sephardic Jews follow Rav Karo that no Bracha is recited on the second and fourth Kosot whereas Ashkenazic Jews follow Rama who rules that a Bracha should be recited on these Kosot.
[7] It takes many years for the carob tree to mature and produce viable fruit.