Pesachim 4a

פסחים ד׳ ע״א

Learn Pesachim 4a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Pesachim 4a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Careful speech (רב and רבי חייא, הלכות of אבלות, דן and זבולון), then why בדיקת חמץ is at night and the rules for a house rented on the fourteenth

Overview

The amud opens with stories about careful speech. רב arrives in ארץ ישראל, and his uncle רבי חייא asks about his family. רב hints with questions that both his parents have died, and from רבי חייא's brief mourning the גמרא learns three הלכות of אבלות. Two short stories then show that a person's habitual speech can reveal his שבט, דן or זבולון. The גמרא returns to בדיקת חמץ and asks why we search at night when חמץ is only forbidden from the sixth hour. רב נחמן בר יצחק answers that people are home at night and a candle searches well, and אביי rules that a scholar should not start learning that night. The גמרא then asks who must check a house rented on the fourteenth, and a ברייתא answers that it depends on when the keys were handed over. Finally it asks whether a rented house is presumed checked, and רב נחמן בר יצחק begins answering from the rule that everyone is believed about removing חמץ. The reason for that trust is given on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (21)

1. StatementBackground: רב's unusual family tie to רבי חייא
2. Questionרבי חייא asks whether his brother is alive
3. Responseרב answers with questions instead of saying 'he died'
4. Statementרבי חייא mourns, then goes to the bathhouse
5. ConclusionThree laws of mourning learned from רבי חייא's actions
6. StatementA man's favorite phrase shows he is from שבט דן
7. StatementA man who praised the seashore turns out to be from זבולון
8. ChallengeWhy not search at the sixth hour?
9. ChallengeEven being eager only explains a morning search
10. ProofThe source for doing מצוות early: מילה and אברהם
11. ResolutionNight is when people are home and a candle works best
12. ConclusionA scholar should not start learning on the night of the search
13. QuestionWho must check a house rented on the fourteenth
14. ProofProof from the renter's obligation of מזוזה
15. Rejectionמזוזה is different because it depends on the resident
16. ResponseIt depends on when the keys were handed over
17. QuestionIs a rented house presumed already checked
18. ChallengeWhy not just ask the landlord
19. ResolutionThe landlord is not around to ask
20. ResponseEveryone is believed about removing חמץ
21. QuestionWhy are they believed