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The Shulchan Arukh Orach Chayim 651:1 writes that during the hallel we shake at three verses:

  • הוֹד֣וּ לַֽיהוָ֣ה כִּי־ט֑וֹב כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ (Psalms 118:1)
  • אָנָּ֣א יְ֭הוָה הֽוֹשִׁ֘יעָ֥ה נָּ֑א (Psalms 118:25 – just the first half)
  • הוֹד֣וּ לַֽיהוָ֣ה כִּי־ט֑וֹב כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ Psalms 118:29

The Rema adds there that the chazan waves also during:

  • יֹֽאמַר־נָ֥א יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ (Psalms 118:2)

And this is how it is written for example in the Artscroll machzor (p. 294). However, according to the German practice (see Divrei Kehilot p. 321) and some more "Ashkenazi" Hungarians, the chazan waves during all four verses (i.e. Psalms 118:1–4). What is their source?

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  • Why does that custom need to be written down in a halachic text to be valid? Their source is probably "that's what our parents did, and their parents before them".
    – magicker72
    7 hours ago
  • @magicker The Taz gives a reason for the contrary custom, so I supposed that they should have a similarly good reason to do it in the other way. If not, others may consider it as an erroneous practice. 6 hours ago
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    That's good motivation that should be in your OP!
    – magicker72
    2 hours ago
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It happens to be that I personally have never observed the custom you are describing. Nevertheless, I was able to find a source.

The Beit Yosef (OC 651) cites that this practice was defended by Tosfot (this view is found in our versions of Tosfot to Sukkah 37b, d.h. behodu; link):

ועכשיו שנהגו שש"ץ אומר יאמר נא והצבור עונין הודו וכן ביאמרו נא בית אהרן וכן ביאמרו נא יראי ה' הצבור מנענעין על כל הודו והודו שיאמרו ע"כ ל' הרא"ש וכן הם דברי רבינו שכתב וכן מנענע בשעת קריאת ההלל בהודו בכל פעם שמחזירין אותו הקהל ונראה מדבריהם שש"צ לא ינענע בשעה שאומר יאמר נא ויאמרו נא והתוס' כתבו שי"מ שאף ש"צ מנענע אגב צבורא שעונין בכל פעם ופעם הודו ומנענעין מנענע נמי ש"צ ביאמר נא ויאמרו נא

Note that the Beit Yosef himself later rejects this view, but he does bring it. It also works out nicely that Ashkenazic communities follow their ancestors, the Ba'alei Hatosfot, in this matter.

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