Seder Hallel: Sha’ar HaRachamim: Paragraph Eight Part One

“Give thanks to God for He is good; His kindness endures forever!” “From the straits did I call upon God; God answered me with expansiveness.” We can better understand these verses by looking to another, “Should you set out your cry? Not in their diversity (Job 36:19)!” Our sages (Sanhedrin 44b) derived from this verse that a person should pray before troubles occur. When a person prepares his cry when he is not yet suffering, not yet in trouble, he possesses all of his strength, and is therefore able to present a far more powerful prayer. However, even one who waits until he is suffering, “from the straits did I call upon God,” can still be assured that, “God answered me with expansiveness.” (Sha’ar HaRachamim/Maggid Tzedek)

Far too many people take from the Seder experience the lesson that they can cry out to God when ever they are in trouble and be answered. Although this is definitely true, the real lesson we must learn is to cry out to God with all of our strength, before we are in trouble. We therefore conclude the Hallel with this paragraph as a song and prayer that God will protect us in the future from any potential trouble. This is a paragraph of confidence. This is a paragraph of strength. This is a paragraph of empowerment. This is the only proper conclusion to the Hallel.