Prayer in the Parashah תְּפִלָּה
In our parashah, Moshe describes Benei Yisrael winning wars against Sihon the king of Emori and Og the king of Bashan.
Have you heard these kings’ names in tefillah? We mention them in Shaharit on Shabbat and holidays, when we say Tehillim chapter 136. This chapter is also known as הַלֵּל הַגָּדוֹל (Hallel Ha-Gadol, the Big Hallel).
Hallel Ha-Gadol has a special structure. It starts by telling us to thank God:
הוֹד֣וּ לַיהוה כִּי־ט֑וֹב כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
Praise the LORD; for He is good, His steadfast love is eternal.
Then it continues to list 26 of God’s kindnesses and miracles, each followed by the words כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ (ki le’olam hasdo, Whose kindness is forever). These include:
- creating the world
- freeing Benei Yisrael from Egypt
- bringing them to Eretz Yisrael
- generally providing help when we need it
R. Yohanan (Bavli Pesahim 118a) explains that this chapter gets its special name because of the second-to-last line, which describes God providing food for all living things:
נֹתֵן לֶחֶם לְכׇל בָּשָׂר - כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ
Who gives food to all flesh – Whose kindness is forever
- Why is this description of God as a food provider so important? Are you able to connect this to the other descriptions, which focus more on God’s role in history? Why or why not?
- We also say Hallel Ha-Gadol at the Pesah seder. Why do you think we say it then?
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