פסחים 108 — Soncino English Talmud

¹Between these cups, if he wishes to drink [more] he may drink; between the third and the fourth he must not drink. Now if you say that it [wine] satisfies, why may he drink? Surely he will merely gorge on the unleavened bread! Hence this proves that it sharpens the appetite. R. Shesheth used to fast the whole of the eve of passover. Shall we say that R. Shesheth holds [that] we learned, Close TO the great MINHAH, the reason being on account of the Passover [sacrifice], lest he prolong [the meal] and refrain from performing the Passover [-offering]; and he [also] holds as R. Oshaia, who said: ‘The son of Bathyra used to declare valid the Passover [-offering] which one slaughtered in its own name on the morning of the fourteenth’; and from the morning it is the time for the Passover, for the whole day is the time for the Passover, as he holds, [and the whole assembly . . . shall kill it] between the evenings [means any time] between yesterday evening and this evening? — I will tell you [that is] not [so]. R. Shesheth was different, for he was delicate, and if he ate anything in the morning his food would not benefit him in the evening. EVEN THE POOREST MAN IN ISRAEL MUST NOT EAT UNTIL HE RECLINES. It was stated: [For the eating of] the unleavened bread reclining is necessary; for the bitter herbs reclining is not necessary. [As for the drinking of] the wine, — It was stated in R. Nahman's name [that] reclining is necessary, and it was stated in R. Nahman's name that reclining is not necessary. Yet they do not disagree: one [ruling] refers to the first two cups, and the other ruling refers to the last two cups. Some explain it in one direction, others explain it in the other direction. [Thus:] some explain it in one direction: for the first two cups reclining is necessary, because it is at this point that freedom commences; for the last two cups reclining is necessary, [because] what has been has been. Others explain it in the contrary direction: on the contrary, the last two cups necessitate reclining, [because] it is precisely then that there is freedom; the first two cups do not necessitate reclining, [because] he is still reciting ‘we were slaves.’ Now that it was stated thus and it was stated thus, both [the first and the last ones] necessitate reclining. Lying on the back is not reclining; reclining on the right side is not reclining. Moreover he may put [his food] into the windpipe before the gullet, and thus endanger himself. A woman in her husbands [house] need not recline, but if she is a woman of importance she must recline. A son in his father's [house] must recline. The scholars asked: What about a disciple in his teacher's presence? — Come and hear, for Abaye said: When we were at the Master's [Rabbah b. Nahman's] house, we used to recline on each other's knees. When we came to R. Joseph's house he remarked to us, ‘You do not need it: the fear of your teacher is as the fear of Heaven.’ An objection is raised: A man must recline with all [people], and even a disciple in his master's presence? — That was taught of a craftsman's apprentice. The scholars asked: What about an attendant? — Come and hear, [or R. Joshua b. Levi said: A attendant, who ate as much as an olive of unleavened bread while reclining has discharged [his duty]. Thus, only while reclining, but not if he was not reclining. This proves that he must recline. This proves it. R. Joshua b. Levi also said: Women are subject to [the law of] these four cups^ᵃ^ᵇ^ᶜ^ᵈ^ᵉ^ᶠ^ᵍ^ʰ^ⁱ^ʲ^ᵏ^ˡ^ᵐ^ⁿ^ᵒ^ᵖ

^ᵃnote:The first and second, and the second and third.
^ᵇnote:The third cup is drunk in connection with grace after meals. Having died already, he has no need to drink for his appetite, and if he now drinks more he will appear to be adding to the statutory number (four) of cups. T.J. states that drink after the meal (apart from the two which are still to be drunk to make up the four) intoxicates and makes the person unfit to recite the hallel.
^ᶜnote:Lit., sit in a fast’.
^ᵈnote:i.e., as a Passover, and not as a different sacrifice.
^ᵉnote:Ex. XII, 6 (E.V. (at dusk).
^ᶠnote:I.e., the evenings commencing the fourteenth and the fifteenth. The night must be omitted, since offerings cannot be sacrifices at night. — Though of course sacrifices lead altogether ceased by the time of R. Shesheth, yet if on this view one had to fast when the temple stood, it would still be necessary, because the interdict had never formally been rescinded.
^ᵍnote:I.e., he would have no appetite in the evening.
^ʰnote:the former symbolizes freedom; the latter, bondage. Bitter herbs may not be eaten while reclining.
^ⁱnote:The last two cups come after the meal, by which time the whole narrative of Israel's liberation has been completed. Hence there is no need then to emphasize the theme of freedom.
^ʲnote:V. infra 116a.
^ᵏnote:var. lec.: all.
^ˡnote:Since he must eat with his right hand.
^ᵐnote:if he eats lying on his back may go down the wrong way.
^ⁿnote:Because she stands under his authority.
^ᵒnote:Isserles (O.H. 472, 4 Gloss) remarks that women nowadays are of high worth.
^ᵖnote:He does not sense his father's authority so strongly.

²because they too were included in that miracle. Rab Judah said in Samuel's name: These four cups must contain sufficient for the mixing of a generous cup. if he drank them raw [undiluted], he has discharged [his duty]. If he drank them [all] at once, he has discharged [his duty]. If he gave his sons and household to drink of them, he has discharged [his duty]. ‘If he drank them raw [undiluted]. he has discharged [his duty].’ Raba observed: He has discharged [his duty] of wine, but he has not discharged [his duty] of [symbolizing his] freedom. If he drank them [all] at once, Rab said: He has discharged [his duty of drinking] wine, [but] he has not discharged [his duty of] four cups. ‘If he gave his sons and household to drink of them, he has discharged [his duty]’: Said R. Nahman b. Isaac: Providing that he [himself] drank the greater part of [each] cup. An objection is raised: These four cups must contain the standard of a rebi'ith, whether neat or diluted, whether new [wine] or old; R. Judah said: It must possess the taste and the appearance of wine. Thus it is incidentally taught.’the standard of a rebi'ith,’ whereas you say, ‘a generous cup’? — I will answer you: Both are the same standard, [for] what does he mean by ‘sufficient for the mixing of a generous cup? For each one separately [of the four cups]. which is a rebi'ith for all of them together. ‘R. Judah said: It must possess the taste and appearance of wine. Said Raba, What is R. Judah's reason? Because it is written, Look not thou upon the wine when it is red. Our Rabbis taught: All are bound to [drink] the four cups, men, women, and children. Said R. Judah: Of what benefit then is wine to children? But we distribute to them^ᵠ^ʳ^ˢ^ᵗ^ᵘ^ᵛ^ʷ^ˣ^ʸ^ᶻ^ᵃᵃ

^ᵠnote:Of liberation; v. Sot. 11b, where it is stated that the Israelites were redeemed as a reward to the righteous women of that generation.
^ʳnote:Their wine was too strong to be drunk neat. ‘A generous cup’ is one of sufficient quantity for Grace, viz., a rebi'ith (quarter of a log), and Rab Judah said that each of these four cups must contain enough undiluted wine to make up to a rebi'ith of diluted wine. — The usual mixture was one Part wine to three parts water.
^ˢnote:Providing that he drank a rebi'ith on each, occasion (Rashbam).
^ᵗnote:Without following the order prescribed infra 114a and 116a-b.
^ᵘnote:Possibly separate cups were not set for each member of the household. as is done nowadays; v. supra 99b Tosaf. s.v. ,uxuf gcrtn uk u,jph tk
^ᵛnote:I.e., he has discharged his duty in a poor way, since drinking undiluted wine is hardly drinking at all — This does not refer to wine nowadays, which is not so strong and does not require dilution.
^ʷnote:Alfasi and Asheri omit: Rab said.
^ˣnote:V. infra 109: a man must rejoice on a Festival by drinking wine; this duty he has now discharged.
^ʸnote:But all count as one cup. and another three are necessary.
^ᶻnote:I.e. , a rebi'ith of the raw wine, which when diluted will make four rebi'ith of drinkable wine, a rebi'ith for each cup.
^ᵃᵃnote:Prov. XXIII, 31. Thus it does not merit the name wine unless it has its appearance too.