Editor’s note: We will continue our discussion on “A Missed Torah Reading” next week.
Question: If someone forgot to recite Al Hanissim in Shemoneh Esreh or Birkat Hamazon on Chanukah, does he have to go back and repeat them?
Moshe Jakobowitz
Brooklyn, NY
Answer: No. To properly understand why, though, it is necessary to review the origin of Al Hanissim. The Talmud (Shabbos 21b) is the source for our celebration of Chanukah. It asks:
“What is [the reason for celebrating] Chanukah? Our Rabbis taught: On the 25th day of the month of Kislev, the eight-day festival of Chanukah commences. We do not eulogize or fast on these days. For when the Syrian-Greeks entered the Sanctuary, they defiled all the oil therein, and when the Hasmoneans proved victorious, 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].”
Rashi (ad loc. s.v. “Ve’asa’um yamim tovim”) explains that we say Al Hanissim in the 18th blessing of Shemoneh Esreh – Modim – and in the second blessing of Birkat Hamazon – Al ha’aretz ve’al hamazon. R. Sheshet (infra 24a) states clearly, “Just as in regard to tefillah [Al Hanissim is inserted] in hoda’ah [the Benediction of Thanks, Modim] so too [is it inserted] in the Grace after Meals in [the Benediction of] Thanks [Al ha’aretz ve’al hamazon].”
Based on this passage in the Gemara, the Mechaber (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 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 Shemoneh Esreh in the 18th blessing, Modim; if a person [accidentally] did not say it, we do not require him to repeat.”
The Mechaber then qualifies this statement: “However, if he remembers while he is still within 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.”
The Mordechai (end of Perek Tefillat Hashachar, siman 98) quotes the Ri (the Tosafist R. Isaac b. Samuel of Dampierre) who notes the following: Whenever it states that we do not require a person to repeat Shemoneh Esreh – e.g., for Al Hanissim on Chanukah and Purim, Ya’aleh Ve’yavo on Rosh Chodesh at Ma’ariv and Anenu [on fast days] – it refers not only to someone who already stepped back (akar raglav), but even to someone completed the berachah.
The Ri states that he saw the Tosafist Rabbenu Tam go back even though he had already finished the berachah and commenced the next one. Rabbenu Tam maintained that “We do not require him to repeat” only refers to someone who stepped back at the end of Shemoneh Esreh. We, however, follow the ruling of the Ri as per the Mechaber.
As for Birkat Hamazon, the Rema (ad loc.) writes that if someone forgot to say Al Hanissim after concluding the berachah of Al ha’aretz ve’al hamazon, he can make up for it by saying a shorter version of Al Hanissim later in the “HaRachaman” section (near the conclusion of Birkat Hamazon) as found in most siddurim.
In the merit of this discussion, may we all have a happy Chanukah and may Hashem perform for us great miracles as He wrought for our fathers.