Pesachim 114a

פסחים קי״ד ע״א

Learn Pesachim 114a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Pesachim 114a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Closing life-advice teachings (identifying a רבי, eating modestly), then the start of the סדר: the בית שמאי / בית הלל dispute over the order of the blessings on the first cup.

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a string of practical life-advice sayings. The גמרא gives a rule for a רבי יצחק quoted with no father's name: in הלכה he is רבי יצחק בן אחא, and in אגדה he is רבי יצחק בן פנחס. Then רבי יהודה בר אילעי advises eating simply and investing in one's home, and עולא adds a proverb from ארץ ישראל with the same message. A new משנה then begins the סדר: once the first cup is poured, בית שמאי say to bless the day (קידוש) first, while בית הלל say to bless the wine first. The גמרא brings a ברייתא giving two reasons for each side, ending with the ruling that the הלכה follows בית הלל. It explains why בית הלל added a second reason, and why the ruling had to be stated at all when a בת קול had already favored בית הלל. Finally, the next משנה describes the first dipping in חזרת and the foods placed before the leader: מצה, חזרת, חרוסת, two cooked dishes, and, when the בית המקדש stood, the קרבן פסח itself. On חרוסת, the תנא קמא and רבי אליעזר בן צדוק disagree about whether eating it is a מצוה.

Opening lines

The steps (16)

1. StatementWhich רבי יצחק is meant
2. StatementEat simply, invest in your home
3. Statementעולא's proverb from ארץ ישראל on luxury eating
4. StatementNew משנה: which blessing comes first on the first cup
5. StatementA ברייתא gives בית שמאי's two reasons for blessing the day first
6. Statementבית הלל's two reasons for blessing the wine first
7. ConclusionThe ברייתא rules like בית הלל
8. QuestionWhy did בית הלל need a second reason?
9. ResponseSo בית הלל would also have two reasons, like בית שמאי
10. ChallengeWhy state the ruling? A בת קול already decided like בית הלל
11. ResolutionFirst answer: this ברייתא was taught before the בת קול
12. ResolutionSecond answer: the ruling follows רבי יהושע, who ignores a בת קול
13. StatementThe first dipping of lettuce before the meal
14. StatementThe foods brought to the table, and the view that חרוסת is not a מצוה
15. Statementרבי אליעזר בן צדוק: חרוסת is a מצוה
16. StatementWhen the בית המקדש stood, the קרבן פסח itself was brought