Shailoh of the Week by Rabbi Zvi Nussbaum
Rabbinic Coordinator, Kosher Hotline Administrator for the Orthodox Union
On Chanukah ‘Al Hanisim’ is inserted into the Shmone Esrei (Amidah) prayer after reciting modim. It is also added in Birkat Hamazon after reciting ‘nodeh lecha’. If one forgot to say “Al Hanisim” and has already finished the bracha of ‘modim’ or ‘al haaretz val hamazon’ they don’t go back. However, if one remembered before uttering Hashems name then one would go back. The poskim point out that even if forgotten, one should recite a special harachaman when reciting the harachamans at the end of Birkat Hamazon and at the end of Shmone Esrei.
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