[Avodah] Pesach Shailos

[Zev Sero]

On 3/4/20 11:41 am, Prof. L. Levine via Avodah wrote:
> 
> Hallel: Even those who usually say hallel in shul the first night of 
> Pesach should not do so this year. The whole point of that minhag is to 
> say hallel with the whole community. Rather one should proceed directly 
> after maariv to the seder.
> 

This is RHS's psak, based on RYBS's shita, but I don't think it's 
correct to say that "the whole point of that minhag is to say hallel 
with the whole community".  On the contrary, while that is a benefit, 
the *point* of the minhag seems to be in order to resolve the problem of 
the bracha.

There's a 3-way machlokes rishonim about saying a bracha on hallel at 
the seder.  Some hold one should say two brachos, some hold one bracha, 
and some hold no brachos.  Since safek brachos lehakel, we follow the 
third opinion; but if one of the first two is right then we're missing 
something important. Therefore the minhag arose to say it first in shul, 
so that we can say a bracha without any shailos.

The down side, however, is that we are not saying hallel the way Chazal 
instituted it, and then when we come to the seder and do it properly 
we've already been yotzei, so we never get to do the hallel shel mitzvah 
properly.  That is why not everyone has this minhag.

But for those that do have it, it would seem that this year is no 
different from any year, and even a yachid should say it with a bracha 
after davening, and then again without a bracha at the seder.

Unless one wants to argue that this is all very well, but what allows us 
to say the bracha on the hallel after maariv, which is done not as 
Chazal instituted it?  If we are not doing takanas Chazal properly, how 
do we have the right to say a bracha?  And the answer to *that* may be 
pirsumei nissa. Maybe that is RYBS's reasoning.  I don't know, but maybe.


-- 
Zev Sero            Wishing everyone a *healthy* and happy Pesach
zev at sero.name       Seek Jerusalem's peace; may all who love you prosper