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Question: If one forgot to recite Al Hanissim on Chanukah, does he have to repeat the Shemoneh Esrei or Birkat Hamazon?
Moshe Jakobowitz
Brooklyn, NY
Answer: In short, where one completely forgot to include Al Hanissim in his Shemoneh Esrei, he would not repeat. This ruling applies both to the Al Hanissim of Chanukah and Purim. However, in order to properly understand this matter it is proper that we review the origin of Al Hanissim and its placement in our various prayers.
The Talmud in Perek Bameh Madlikin (Shabbos 21b) is the source for our celebration of the Chanukah festival. It asks: “What is [the reason for] Chanukah? Our Rabbis taught: On the 25th day of the month of Kislev, the eight-day festival of Chanukah commences, and we do not eulogize, nor do we fast on these days. For when the Syrian-Greeks entered the Sanctuary they defiled all the oil therein. However, when the Hasmonean dynasty proved victorious [in routing them], they searched [the entire Sanctuary] and were only able to find one [undefiled] cruse of oil bearing the seal of the High Priest.
“Miraculously, even though the cruse contained only enough oil to burn for one day, they were able to light with it for eight days. The following year they established and celebrated the festival with [the recital of] Hallel and thanksgiving (Al Hanissim).
With regard to Hallel, we understand that we say it following the Shemoneh Esrei of Shacharit, as we do with all other Hallel recitations. But regarding Al Hanissim, where do we add this prayer of thanksgiving?
Rashi (ad loc. s.v. Ve’asa’um yamim tovim) explains that we say Al Hanissim in the 18th blessing of the Shemoneh Esrei, Modim, as part of the hoda’ah blessing, and in the second blessing of Birkat Hamazon, Al ha’aretz v’al hamazon. Rashi is obviously referring to R. Sheshet (infra 24a) who states, “Just as in regard to tefillah [the Shemoneh Esrei, Al Hanissim is inserted] in hoda’ah [the Benediction of Thanks, Modim] so [is it inserted] in the Grace after Meals in [the Benediction of] Thanks [i.e. Al ha’aretz v’al hamazon].”
Indeed, based on this Gemara, the Mechaber (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayyim 682, Hilchot Chanukah) rules that “for all eight days of Chanukah we say Al Hanissim in Birkat Hamazon in the second blessing, Birkat Ha’aretz, and in the Shemoneh Esrei in the 18th blessing, Modim, and if one [accidentally] did not say it, we do not require him to repeat.”
The Mechaber qualifies this statement when he continues, “However, if he remembers while he is still within the [text of the] blessing but has not pronounced the Holy Name, [which means that] even if he remembers as he began concluding the blessing itself – Baruch Ata… but did not as yet say “Hashem” – he repeats.”
Thus we see that in effect we do not repeat the beracha to include Al Hanissim in the same fashion as we do in the event of an omission of any of the other textual changes that are mandated in the Shemoneh Esrei. These changes, if they are omitted, invalidate the entire tefillah. Yet we do see that even regarding Al Hanissim we would repeat the prayer to include it, albeit in a specific instance and only within the text of that blessing.
The Mordechai (end of Perek Tefillat HaShachar, siman 98), when he refers to the discussion in Tractate Berachot (30b) regarding the omission of Ya’aleh Ve’yavo in the Shemoneh Esrei at Ma’ariv on Rosh Chodesh, states that one need not repeat. (We note that Tosafot (ad loc. s.v. Ve’hatanya ta’ah) clarify and explain that our justification for not repeating Ya’aleh Ve’yavo at Ma’ariv is not for the reason given in this Gemara, but rather because we do not sanctify the moon at night, as the following Gemara concludes.)
The Mordechai quotes the R”I (the Tosafist R. Isaac b. Samuel of Dampierre) also known as R”I the Elder, who notes the following: “Whenever it states that we do not require him to repeat, such as Al Hanissim on Chanukah and Purim, Ya’aleh Ve’yavo on Rosh Chodesh at Ma’ariv, and Anenu [on fast days] and the like, we need not say, in the event he already moved his feet (akar raglav) – i.e., he stepped back and forth the requisite three steps that signal that he concluded the Shemoneh Esrei – that he is not required to repeat; however, even if he did not move but had completed the beracha, but did not start the following beracha, he need not return to the beginning as he will be uttering a blessing [with Hashem’s name] in vain if he so repeats.”
Yet the R”I bears testimony that he saw the Tosafist Rabbeinu Tam repeat even after he had commenced the following beracha. Rabbeinu Tam explained that when our Sages said, “We do not require him to repeat,” they meant only in the instance where he has stepped back, but when he had not yet stepped back, he would be required to repeat.
Despite Rabbeinu Tam’s ruling in this matter we follow the R”I, for we find that the Mechaber so rules. Thus our steadfast practice is that we do not repeat if we forgot Al Hanissim completely and continued to the next beracha, but if one has not uttered the Holy Name in that same beracha, he repeats.
This rule would apply as well in Birkat Hamazon.
The Rema (ad loc.) adds that in the event that one concluded the beracha with the Holy Name in Birkat Hamazon, he can still make mention of the miracle of Chanukah [and Purim], albeit not with the full text of Al Hanissim but a shorter version – as found in most siddurim in the “HaRachaman” (near the conclusion of Birkat Hamazon) – where he would then say, “HaRachaman ya’aseh lanu nissim ve’nifla’ot…” – May the All-Merciful perform for us miracles and great wonders…
Indeed, in the merit of this discussion may we all have a truly happy Chanukah and may Hashem perform for us as well the great miracles He wrought for our fathers.