Pesachim 103b

פסחים ק״ג ע״ב

Learn Pesachim 103b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Pesachim 103b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

When a ברכה on wine must be repeated after bentching, and how רבא performed הבדלה (a torch, and the number of distinctions).

Overview

This amud finishes a story about the תלמידי רב at a meal. They first said 'Give us a cup so we can bentch,' then changed their minds and wanted to keep drinking. רב ייבא סבא told them in the name of רב that the earlier ברכה on wine no longer counts, because they had taken their minds off drinking (היסח הדעת). Next, אמימר, מר זוטרא and רב אשי each make ברכות on wine differently at one meal, and רב אחא בר רבא asks whom to follow. אמימר says he kept changing his mind, and מר זוטרא says he follows the תלמידי רב. רב אשי says the הלכה is not like them and tries to prove it from רב's order of יקנ"ה. The גמרא rejects that proof: bentching shows a person has finished drinking, while קידוש does not. The amud then returns to the visit of רב יעקב בר אבא at רבא's house. There we learn that a torch is the best way to do הבדלה, and that the הבדלה blessing should list between three and seven distinctions. The guest's reply to that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (18)

1. StatementThe students change their minds about bentching
2. Statementרב's ruling that they may no longer drink
3. QuestionAsking for the reason
4. ResponseBecause they took their minds off drinking
5. StatementThree sages bless on wine in three different ways
6. Questionרב אחא asks whose practice to follow
7. Responseאמימר: I kept changing my mind
8. Responseמר זוטרא: I follow the students of רב
9. Responseרב אשי: the הלכה does not follow the students of רב
10. ProofProof from רב's rule of יקנ"ה
11. RejectionBentching ends the drinking, but קידוש does not
12. ChallengeWhy light a torch when a candle is already burning?
13. Resolutionרבא says the attendant did it on his own
14. RejectionThe attendant must have learned it from you
15. ResolutionA torch is the best way to do הבדלה
16. Statementרבא says four distinctions in הבדלה
17. ChallengeIsn't one distinction enough?
18. ResolutionSay at least three distinctions and no more than seven