Pesachim 115a

פסחים קט״ו ע״א

Learn Pesachim 115a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Pesachim 115a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

ברכות on lettuce as מרור, הלל's wrapping of מצה and מרור (the source of כורך), and washing hands for dipped foods

Overview

This amud opens with רב חסדא challenging רב הונא's order of ברכות when lettuce is eaten twice at the סדר. רב חסדא says both בורא פרי האדמה and על אכילת מרור are said at the first eating, and the הלכה follows him. רב אחא בריה דרבא avoided the dispute by using a different vegetable first. Next, a tradition in the name of a sage called הלל says not to wrap מצה and מרור together nowadays, because the rabbinic מרור would cancel the Torah-level מצה. The גמרא then shows that הלל הזקן did wrap them together, based on the פסוק. רבי יוחנן says הלל's colleagues disagreed, but רב אשי rereads their ברייתא: it only says wrapping is not required. Since no ruling was made, we eat מצה and מרור separately with ברכות, then together as a זכר למקדש. The amud ends with a new rule that food dipped in liquid requires נטילת ידים, and רב פפא begins applying it to the lettuce, a thought that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (15)

1. Challengeרב חסדא objects to blessing after eating
2. Statementרב חסדא's order: both blessings at the start
3. StatementHow different communities practiced
4. ConclusionThe halacha follows רב חסדא
5. Statementרב אחא avoids the dispute with other vegetables
6. StatementDo not wrap מצה and מרור together nowadays
7. ResolutionWhy 'מצוות do not cancel each other' does not help here
8. QuestionWho holds that מצוות do not cancel each other?
9. ResponseIt is הלל, who wrapped מצה and מרור together
10. Statementרבי יוחנן says הלל's colleagues disagree
11. Challengeרב אשי asks: what does "even" mean?
12. Resolutionרב אשי rereads the ברייתא: wrapping is not required
13. ConclusionPractical procedure: separately with ברכות, then together as a זכר למקדש
14. StatementFood dipped in liquid requires washing the hands
15. Statementרב פפא begins drawing a lesson about the lettuce