אִיבַּעְיָא לְהוּ: מַהוּ לְהַזְכִּיר שֶׁל חֲנוּכָּה בְּבִרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן? כֵּיוָן דְּמִדְּרַבָּנַן הוּא — לָא מַדְכְּרִינַן, אוֹ דִילְמָא מִשּׁוּם פַּרְסוֹמֵי נִיסָּא — מַדְכְּרִינַן?! אָמַר רָבָא אָמַר רַב סְחוֹרָה אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: אֵינוֹ מַזְכִּיר. וְאִם בָּא לְהַזְכִּיר — מַזְכִּיר בַּהוֹדָאָה. רַב הוּנָא בַּר יְהוּדָה אִיקְּלַע לְבֵי רָבָא. סְבַר לְאַדְכּוֹרֵי בְּ״בוֹנֵה יְרוּשָׁלַיִם״. אָמַר לְהוּ רַב שֵׁשֶׁת: כִּתְפִלָּה. מַה תְּפִלָּה בַּהוֹדָאָה — אַף בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן בַּהוֹדָאָה.
A dilemma was raised before the Sages: What is the ruling with regard to the obligation to mention Hanukkah in Grace after Meals? The dilemma is: Since it is merely an obligation by rabbinic law, do we not mention it? Or, perhaps due to publicity of the miracle, we mention it. Rava said that Rav Seḥora said that Rav Huna said: One does not mention it. And if, nevertheless, he comes to mention it, he mentions it in the blessing of thanksgiving. The Gemara relates that Rav Huna bar Yehuda happened by Rava’s house on Hanukkah. When, after eating, he came to recite Grace after Meals, he thought to mention Hanukkah in the blessing: Who builds Jerusalem. Rav Sheshet said to the yeshiva students: One mentions Hanukkah in Grace after Meals just as he does in the Amida prayer. Just as in the Amida prayer one mentions Hanukkah in the blessing of thanksgiving, so too, in Grace after Meals one mentions Hanukkah in the blessing of thanksgiving.
ואומרים בהודייה והודאת פלאות ותשועת כהנים אשר עשית בימי מתתיהו בן יוחנן כהן גדול וחשמונאי ובניו וכן עשה עמנו ה' אלהינו ואלהי אבותינו נסים ונפלאות ונודה לשמך לנצח בא"י הטוב ונסים מרדכי ואסתר מזכירין אותן בהודייה ושניהן נזכרין בברכת המזון:
In the benediction for Thanksgiving we include [on Ḥanukkah] ‘and thanks for the wonders and salvation of Thy priests which Thou hast wrought in the days of Mattathias, son of Joḥanan, High Priest, and the Hasmoneans his sons. So also, O Lord our God and God of our fathers, perform for us miracles and wonders, and we will give thanks unto Thy name for ever. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, Who art all-good’. The miracles [of the days] of Mordecai and Esther are also mentioned [on Purim] in the benediction for Thanksgiving. Both are likewise mentioned in the Grace after meals.
אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: שִׁיר שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, מֹשֶׁה וְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֲמָרוּהוּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁעָלוּ מִן הַיָּם. וְהַלֵּל זֶה מִי אֲמָרוֹ? נְבִיאִים שֶׁבֵּינֵיהֶן תִּקְּנוּ לָהֶן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיְּהוּ אוֹמְרִין אוֹתוֹ עַל כׇּל פֶּרֶק וּפֶרֶק, וְעַל כׇּל צָרָה וְצָרָה שֶׁלֹּא תָּבֹא עֲלֵיהֶן. וְלִכְשֶׁנִּגְאָלִין, אוֹמְרִים אוֹתוֹ עַל גְּאוּלָּתָן.
Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: The song in the Torah, i.e., the Song at the Sea (Exodus 15:1–19), Moses and the Jewish people recited it when they ascended from the sea. The Gemara asks: And who said this hallel mentioned in the mishna, Psalms 113–118? The Gemara answers: The Prophets among them established this hallel for the Jewish people, that they should recite it on every appropriate occasion; and for every trouble, may it not come upon them, they recite the supplications included in hallel. When they are redeemed, they recite it over their redemption, as hallel includes expressions of gratitude for the redemption.
מַאי חֲנוּכָּה? דְּתָנוּ רַבָּנַן: בְּכ״ה בְּכִסְלֵיו יוֹמֵי דַחֲנוּכָּה תְּמָנְיָא אִינּוּן דְּלָא לְמִסְפַּד בְּהוֹן וּדְלָא לְהִתְעַנּוֹת בְּהוֹן. שֶׁכְּשֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ יְווֹנִים לַהֵיכָל טִמְּאוּ כׇּל הַשְּׁמָנִים שֶׁבַּהֵיכָל. וּכְשֶׁגָּבְרָה מַלְכוּת בֵּית חַשְׁמוֹנַאי וְנִצְּחוּם, בָּדְקוּ וְלֹא מָצְאוּ אֶלָּא פַּךְ אֶחָד שֶׁל שֶׁמֶן שֶׁהָיָה מוּנָּח בְּחוֹתָמוֹ שֶׁל כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל, וְלֹא הָיָה בּוֹ אֶלָּא לְהַדְלִיק יוֹם אֶחָד. נַעֲשָׂה בּוֹ נֵס וְהִדְלִיקוּ מִמֶּנּוּ שְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים. לְשָׁנָה אַחֶרֶת קְבָעוּם וַעֲשָׂאוּם יָמִים טוֹבִים בְּהַלֵּל וְהוֹדָאָה.
The Gemara asks: What is Hanukkah, and why are lights kindled on Hanukkah? The Gemara answers: The Sages taught in Megillat Ta’anit: On the twenty-fifth of Kislev, the days of Hanukkah are eight. One may not eulogize on them and one may not fast on them. What is the reason? When the Greeks entered the Sanctuary they defiled all the oils that were in the Sanctuary by touching them. And when the Hasmonean monarchy overcame them and emerged victorious over them, they searched and found only one cruse of oil that was placed with the seal of the High Priest, undisturbed by the Greeks. And there was sufficient oil there to light the candelabrum for only one day. A miracle occurred and they lit the candelabrum from it eight days. The next year the Sages instituted those days and made them holidays with recitation of hallel and special thanksgiving in prayer and blessings.
דאמר רבי יוחנן משום רבי שמעון בן יהוצדק שמונה עשר ימים שהיחיד גומר בהן את ההלל שמונה ימי החג ושמונה ימי חנוכה ויום טוב הראשון של פסח ויום טוב (הראשון) של עצרת ובגולה עשרים ואחד תשעה ימי החג ושמונה ימי חנוכה ושני ימים טובים של פסח ושני ימים טובים של עצרת
As Rabbi Yoḥanan says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yehotzadak: There are eighteen days a year on which the individual completes the full hallel: The eight days of the festival of Sukkot, including the Eighth Day of Assembly; and the eight days of Hanukkah; and the first festival day of Passover; and the festival day of Assembly, i.e., Shavuot. And in the Diaspora, where a second day is added to each Festival due to uncertainty over the precise date, there are twenty-one days: The nine days of the festival of Sukkot; and the eight days of Hanukkah; and the first two festival days of Passover; and the two festival days of Assembly, i.e., Shavuot.
מָקוֹם שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ לִכְפֹּל, יִכְפֹּל. לִפְשֹׁט, יִפְשֹׁט. לְבָרֵךְ אַחֲרָיו, יְבָרֵךְ אַחֲרָיו. הַכֹּל כְּמִנְהַג הַמְּדִינָה...
In a place where they were accustomed to repeat certain verses, he, too, should repeat them. If the custom is to recite them plainly, without repetition, he should recite them plainly. In a place where the custom is to recite a blessing after hallel, he should recite a blessing. Everything is in accordance with the local custom.
