Uniqueness of Israel’s Praise

הלל מיוחד רק לבנ"י כמ"ש עם זו יצרתי כו' תהלתי יספרו.

Hallel is unique to the Children of Israel, as it is written: “This people I have formed for Myself… they shall recount My praise.”

The Sefat Emet teaches that true Hallel belongs specifically to Israel, whose very creation was for the purpose of expressing God’s praise.

ולפי שאמרו חז"ל במלכות יון מעלה גרה היא שמקלסת להקב"ה ורצו לדמות עצמם לבנ"י.

And since our Sages said regarding the kingdom of Greece that it is “ma‘aleh geirah,” meaning that it praises the Holy One, blessed be He, they wished to liken themselves to Israel.

The Greeks sought a spiritual legitimacy by claiming they, too, possessed the capacity for divine praise, attempting to parallel the unique role of Israel.

אך לרשע אמר אלקים מה לך לספר חקי.

But God says to the wicked: “What right have you to recount My laws?”

Despite their claim, they were refused entry into the covenantal realm of Hallel, which is reserved for those truly bound to God’s commandments.

לכן במפלתם תיקנו בהלל והודאה כי הלל מיוחד לעבדי ה' בלבד.

Therefore, upon their downfall, Hallel and thanksgiving were instituted, for Hallel is unique to the servants of God alone.

The victory over Greece revealed that only those genuinely devoted to God can offer Hallel in its true form.

הגם דכ' הללו את ה' כל גוים.

Although it is written: “Praise the Lord, all nations.”

This verse seems to include all peoples in Hallel, but its meaning requires clarification.

מסיים הפסוק כי גבר עלינו חסדו.

The verse concludes: “For His kindness has prevailed over us.”

The nations will praise God only when they recognize that Israel is the channel through which divine kindness flows into the world.

וזה יהי' לעתיד כשיבינו העובדי כוכבים ומזלות להכניע עצמם להבטל אל בנ"י אז יהי' גם להם חלק בהלל.

And this will be in the future, when the idolaters understand to humble themselves and subordinate themselves to Israel; then they too will have a share in Hallel.

Only once the nations acknowledge Israel’s spiritual primacy will they partake authentically in praising God.

אבל כאשר דימו להם שהם עיקר הי' להם מפלה.

But when they imagined themselves to be primary, they met with downfall.

Their arrogance led to their destruction, revealing the falseness of their claimed spiritual standing.

[וי"ל עוד במדי דרשו ג"כ מקלסת להקב"ה ולפי שנאמר גבי כורש ויעבר קול כו' וגם במכתב כו'.

[And it may further be said: in Media as well they interpreted themselves as praising the Holy One, blessed be He, since it is said concerning Cyrus, “A proclamation was passed,” etc., and also in the written document, etc.]

The Sefat Emet notes that Media also claimed spiritual expression, supported by the proclamations made under Cyrus’s rule.

לכן תיקנו בפורים מגילה בכתב והודאה בפה.

Therefore on Purim they instituted a Megillah in writing and thanksgiving orally.

Because Media’s challenge related to written and spoken declarations, Purim’s rituals mirror these modes: written Megillah and spoken praise.

וביונו הי' רק בדיבור תקנו בהלל והודאה רק בדיבור].

And in Greece, since the challenge was only through speech, they instituted Hallel and thanksgiving only through speech.

Chanukah’s response corresponds to Greece’s form of spiritual challenge: the realm of spoken expression.

Summary: The Sefat Emet teaches that Hallel is a unique spiritual capacity of Israel. Greece claimed this capacity but was rejected, and their downfall revealed the exclusivity of Israel’s praise. Ultimately, the nations will join in Hallel only when they acknowledge Israel’s role. Purim and Chanukah each respond to the specific form of spiritual imitation posed by their respective empires.