Pesachim

parched ears of corn and nuts on the eve of Passover, so that they should not fall asleep, and ask [the ‘questions’].1 It was related of R. Akiba that he used to distribute parched ears and nuts to children on the eve of Passover, so that they might not fall asleep but ask [the ‘questions’]. It was taught, R. Eliezer said: The mazzoth are eaten hastily2 on the night of Passover, on account of the children, so that they should not fall asleep.3 It was taught: it was related of R. Akiba4 [that] never did he say in the Beth Hamidrash, ‘It is time to rise [cease study]’, except on the eve of Passover and the eve of the Day of Atonement. On the eve of Passover, because of the children, so that they might not fall asleep. On the eve of the Day of Atonement,in order that they should give food to their children. Our Rabbis taught: A man is in duty bound to make his children and his household rejoice on a Festival, for it is said, And thou shalt rejoice it, thy feast, [thou and thy son, and thy daughter, etc.]5 Wherewith does he make them rejoice? With wine. R. Judah said: Men with what is suitable for them, and women with, what is suitable for them. ‘Men with what is suitable for them’: with wine. And women with what? R. Joseph recited: in Babylonia, with coloured garments; in Eretz Yisrael, with ironed lined garments. It was taught, R. Judah b. Bathyra said: When the temple was in existence there could be no rejoicing save with meat, as it is said, And thou shalt sacrifice peace-offerings, and shalt eat there; and thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God.6 But now that the Temple is no longer in existence, there is no rejoicing save with wine, as it is said, and wine that maketh glad the heart of man.7 R. Isaac said: The xestes8 for muries in Sepphoris was about equal to the Temple log, and thereby we gauge the rebi'ith of [wine for] Passover.9 R. Johanan said: The ancient tomanta which was in Tiberias exceeded this by a quarter, and thereby we gauge the rebi'ith of [wine for] Passover. R. Hisda said: The rebi'ith of the Torah10 is [the cubic content of a vessel] two fingerbreadths square by two and seven-tenths11 fingerbreadths in depth.12 As it was taught: Then he shall bathe all his flesh in water:13 [this intimates] that nothing must interpose between his flesh and the water; ‘in water’ [means] in the water of a mikweh; ‘all his flesh’ [implies sufficient] water for his whole body to be covered therein. And how much is that? mazzoth are taken away from the children before they have eaten their fill, as a heavy meal conduces to sleep. R. Han. reads both: so that they should not fall asleep but ask. we-Simmakta (pi'el) ‘and thou shalt cause to rejoice’ instead of we-Samakta ‘and thou shalt rejoice. Tosaf.’s reading, however, and Maharsha emends text accordingly, is: and thou shalt rejoice, thou and thy household (ib. XIV 26). This refers to the eating of the second tithe in Jerusalem, and its teaching is applied here to Festivals.