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Pesachim 119b

פסחים קי״ט ע״ב

Learn Pesachim 119b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

הלל customs and the ברכה before it, the אגדה of the cup at the future feast, and the משנה of אפיקומן with שמואל's rule about מצה

Overview

The גמרא finishes a teaching that says how הלל is said follows local מנהג. אביי limits this: only the ברכה after הלל depends on custom, because שמואל taught that every מצוה is blessed עובר לעשייתן, before doing it. Three פסוקים then show that עובר means 'ahead.' A ברייתא reports that רבי doubled verses in הלל. אביי explains that רבי אלעזר בן פרטא 'added' by doubling every verse from אודך onward. Next comes an אגדה: at the future feast for the צדיקים, the כוס של ברכה passes from אברהם to יצחק, יעקב, משה and יהושע. Each declines, until דוד accepts with 'כוס ישועות אשא.' A new משנה forbids ending the פסח meal with אפיקומן. רב, שמואל and רבי יוחנן define the word differently. שמואל also rules that nothing may follow the מצה, and the גמרא defends him from the משנה's wording. Finally, the גמרא begins a proposed proof for שמואל from a ברייתא about cakes, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

לִכְפּוֹל — יִכְפּוֹל,

[Where the custom is] to double, one doubles;

לִפְשׁוֹט — יִפְשׁוֹט,

[where the custom is] to say it simply, one says it simply;

לְבָרֵךְ אַחֲרָיו — יְבָרֵךְ,

[where the custom is] to bless after it, one blesses;

הַכֹּל כְּמִנְהַג הַמְּדִינָה.

everything is according to the custom of the region.

The steps (29)

  1. StatementHow הלל is said depends on local custom
  2. Statementאביי limits the custom to the blessing after הלל
  3. Proofשמואל's rule: bless before doing a מצוה
  4. QuestionHow do we know עובר means 'before'?
  5. ResponseProof from אחימעץ overtaking the Kushite
  6. Responseאביי's proof from יעקב passing before them
  7. ResponseA third proof: their king passes before them
  8. Statementרבי doubled verses, רבי אלעזר בן פרטא added
  9. QuestionWhat did he add?
  10. ResponseHe added doubling from אודך onward
  11. StatementThe future feast for the righteous
  12. StatementThe cup of blessing is given to אברהם
  13. Statementאברהם declines and passes the cup to יצחק
  14. Statementיצחק declines and passes the cup to יעקב
  15. Statementיעקב declines and passes the cup to משה
  16. Statementמשה declines and passes the cup to יהושע
  17. Statementיהושע declines because he had no son, with a verse as proof
  18. Conclusionדוד accepts and leads the blessing
  19. StatementNew משנה: no אפיקומן after the קרבן פסח
  20. QuestionWhat does אפיקומן mean?
  21. Responseרב: do not move from one group to another
  22. Responseשמואל: after-meal delicacies
  23. Responseרב חנינא בר שילא and רבי יוחנן: dates, roasted grain and nuts
  24. ProofA ברייתא supports רבי יוחנן
  25. Statementשמואל: no אפיקומן after מצה either
  26. ChallengeChallenge: the משנה mentions only the פסח
  27. ResolutionAnswer: 'needless to say' about מצה
  28. ProofA proposed proof for שמואל from a ברייתא about cakes
  29. ProofReading closely: matza at the end is good