Rambam In-Depth: Why the Rambam Says Al Hanisim Differently for Purim and Chanukah!

📜 Welcome to Rambam In-Depth!

In this shiur we examine a fascinating and precise halachic detail hidden inside the Rambam’s Hilchos Tefilla (Sefer Ahava): why does the Rambam’s nusach of Al Hanisim differ between Purim and Chanukah in not one, but three significant ways?

🤔 The Three Questions: • For Purim, the Rambam omits “v’al hamilchamos” — yet includes it for Chanukah. Why? • For Chanukah, the Rambam adds “v’al hapedos v’al hapurkan” (redemption) — but not for Purim. Why? • The milchamos of Purim were arguably greater than those of Chanukah — so why no mention?

✨ What You’ll Learn: • The Rambam’s ruling that the only difference between galus and yimei hamashiach is shibud malkhus — and what that means for Purim • Why Purim was salvation (yeshua) but not redemption (geula) • The Gemara Megilla’s discussion: why we don’t say Hallel on Purim (“akati avdei Achashveirosh anan”) • Why the milchamos of Chanukah (rabim b’yad me’atim) qualify as a nes galuy, while Purim’s do not • The Rebbe’s beautiful explanation of why Taanis Esther is named only for Esther Hamalkah • Why Al Hanisim is specifically for nisim gluyim — and how that principle resolves everything

• 0:00 — Introduction: The Rambam’s nusach in Hilchos Tefilla • 0:30 — Question 1: V’al hamilchamos — present in Chanukah, absent in Purim • 1:00 — Question 2: Pedus and purkan — why redemption language belongs to Chanukah alone • 1:30 — Shibud malkhus and the Rambam’s view of galus vs. mashiach • 2:00 — The Gemara Megilla: Hallel on Purim and the question of full redemption • 2:45 — The greater milchamos of Purim — everyone had to fight • 3:30 — The Rebbe’s insight on Taanis Esther • 4:10 — Al Hanisim is for nisim gluyim: the answer to v’al hamilchamos • 4:30 — Summary and conclusion

📚 Sources Referenced: • Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Tefilla (end of Sefer Ahava) — nusach of Shabbos, Yom Tov, Purim, and Chanukah • Gemara Megilla — discussion of Hallel on Purim • Rambam’s ruling on shibud malkhus as the defining feature of galus • The Rebbe’s explanation of Taanis Esther (Yud-Gimmel Adar)