פסחים 117 — Soncino English Talmud

¹R. Hisda said in R. Johanan's name: Hallelujah, Kesjah and Jedidjah are single words. Rab said: Kesjah and merhabjah are single words. Rabbah said merhabjah alone [is a single word]. The scholars asked: What about merhab Jah in R. Hisda's view? The question stands. The scholars asked: What about Jedidjah in Rab's view? — Come and hear: Jedidjah is divisible into two, therefore Jedid is non-sacred while Jah [the Lord] is sacred. The scholars asked: What about Hallelujah in Rab's view? Come and hear, for Rab said: I saw [a copy of] the Psalms in my friend's college, wherein ‘Hallalu’ was written on one line and ‘jah’ on the following. Now he disagrees with R. Joshua b. Levi, for R. Joshua b. Levi said: What is the meaning of ‘Hallelujah? Praise him with many praises. Further, he [R. Joshua b. Levi] is self-contradictory. For R. Joshua b. Levi said: The Book of Psalms was uttered with ten synonyms of praise, viz.: nizzuah [victory], niggun [melody], maskil, mizmor [psalm], shir [song], ashre [happy], tehillah [praise], tefillah [prayer], hodayah [thanksgiving] [and] hallelujah. The greatest of all is ‘hallelujah,’ because it embraces the [Divine] Name and praise simultaneously. Rab Judah said in Samuel's name: The Song in the Torah was uttered by Moses and Israel when they ascended from the [Red] Sea. And who recited this Hallel? The prophets among them ordained that Israel should recite it at every important epoch and at every misfortune — may it not come upon them! and when they are redeemed they recite [in gratitude] for their redemption. It was taught, R. Meir used to say: All the praises which are stated in the Book of psalms, David uttered all of them, for it is said, The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended [kallu]: read not kallu but kol ellu [all these]. Who recited this Hallel? R. Jose said: My son Eleazar maintains [that] Moses and Israel said it when they ascended from the [Red] Sea, but his college disagree with him, averring that David said it. But is view is prefer able to theirs: Is it possible that Israel slaughtered their Passover-offerings or took their palm-branches without uttering song! Another argument: Micah's image stands at Beki and Israel recites the Hallel! Our Rabbis taught: As for all the songs and praises to which David gave utterance in the Book of Psalms, R. Joshua said: He spoke them in reference to himself; R. Joshua said: He spoke them with reference to the [Jewish] community; while the Sages maintain: Some of them refer to the community, while others refer to himself. [Thus:] those which are couched in the singular bear upon himself, while those which are couched in the plural allude to the community. Nizzuah and niggun [introduce psalms] relating to the future; maskil [indicates that it was spoken] through a meturgeman [interpreter]; [the superscription] To David, a psalm’ intimates that the Shechinah rested upon him and then he uttered [that] song; ‘a psalm of david’ intimates that he [first] uttered [that particular] psalm and then the Shechinah rested upon him. This teaches you that the Shechinah rests [upon man] neither in indolence nor in gloom nor in frivolity nor in levity, nor in vain pursuits, but only in rejoicing connected with a religious act, for it is said, ‘but now bring me a minstrel.’ And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that he hand of the lord came upon him. Rab Judah said in Rab's name: And it is likewise so in a matter of halachah. R. Nahman said: And it is likewise so for a good dream. But that is not so, for R. Giddal said in Rab's name: If a scholar sits before his teacher and his lips do not drip anxiety. they shall be burnt, for it is said, His lips are as lilies [shoshanim], dropping with flowing myrrh [mor ‘ober]: read not shoshanim but sheshonim [that study]; read not mor'ober but mar ‘ober [dropping anxiety]? — There is no difficulty: One applies to the teacher, the other to the disciple. Alternatively, both refer to the teacher, yet there is no difficulty: the one holds good before he commences; the other, after he commences. Even as Rabbah used to say something humorous to his scholars before he commenced [his discourse], in order to amuse them; after that he sat in awe and commenced the lecture. Our Rabbis taught: Who uttered this Hallel? R. Eleazar said: Moses ad Israel uttered it when they stood by the [Red] Sea. They exclaimed, ‘Not unto us, not unto us,’ and the Holy Spirit responded. ‘For mine own sake, for mine own sake, will I do it.’ R. Judah said: Joshua and Israel uttered it when the kings of Canaan attacked them. They exclaimed, ‘Not unto us [etc.]’ and the Holy Spirit responded etc. R. Eleazar the Modiite said: Deborah and Barak uttered it when Sisera attacked them. They exclaimed, ‘Not unto us [etc.].’ and the Holy Spirit responded. ‘For Mine own sake, for Mine own sake, will I do it.’ R. Eleazar b. ‘Azariah said: Hezekiah and his companions uttered it when Sennacherib attacked them. They exclaimed, ‘Not unto us [etc.]’ and the Holy Spirit responded etc. R. Akiba said: Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah uttered it when the wicked Nebuchadnezzar rose against them. They exclaimed, ‘Not unto us etc.,’ and the Holy Spirit responded etc. R. Jose the Galilean said: Mordecai and Esther uttered it when the wicked Haman rose against them. They supplicated, ‘Not unto us etc.’, and the Holy Spirit responded etc. But the Sages maintain: The prophets among them enacted that the Israelites should recite at every epoch and at every trouble — may it not come to them! — and when they are redeemed, they recite it [in thankfulness] for their delivery. R. Hisda Said: Hallelujah marks the end of a chapter; Rabbah b. R. Huna said: Hallelujah marks the beginning of a chapter. R. Hisda observed: I saw that in the copies of the Psalms used in the college of R. Hanin b. Rab, ‘Hallelujah’ was written in the middle of the chapter, which proves that he was in doubt. R. Hanin b. Raba said: A agree that in the case of, ‘My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord, and let all flesh bless His holy name for ever and ever.’ ‘Hallelujah which follows it is the beginning of the [next] psalm. In the wicked shall see, and be vexed; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away, the desire of the wicked shall perish: the ‘Hallelujah’ which follows it commences the [next] psalm. Again, in the passage. ‘that stated in the house of the lord in the night seasons, the following ‘Hallelujah commences the [next] psalm. Bible scholars add the following: He will drink of the brook by the way, therefore will he lift up the head: Hallelujah which follows it is the beginning of the next psalm. The fear of the lord is the be ginning of wisdom; a good understanding have a they that do thereafter; His praise endureth for ever. ‘Hallelujah which follows it is the beginning of the [next] psalm. Shall we say that this is dependent on Tannaim? [For we learned:] HOW FAR DOES HE RECITE IT? BETH SHAMMAI MAINTAIN: UNTIL AS A JOYOUS MOTHER OF CHILDREN, WHILE BETH HILLEL. SAY: UNTIl. THE FLINT INTO A FOUNTAIN OF WATERS.’ But another [Baraitha] taught: How far does he recite it? Beth Shammai maintain: Until ‘when Israel came forth out of Egypt.’ while Beth Hillel say: Until, ‘Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us.’41^ᵃ^ᵇ^ᶜ^ᵈ^ᵉ^ᶠ^ᵍ^ʰ^ⁱ^ʲ^ᵏ^ˡ^ᵐ^ⁿ^ᵒ^ᵖ^ᵠ^ʳ^ˢ^ᵗ^ᵘ^ᵛ^ʷ^ˣ^ʸ^ᶻ^ᵃᵃ^ᵃᵇ^ᵃᶜ^ᵃᵈ^ᵃᵉ^ᵃᶠ^ᵃᵍ^ᵃʰ^ᵃⁱ^ᵃʲ^ᵃᵏ^ᵃˡ^ᵃᵐ^ᵃⁿ^ᵃᵒ

^ᵃnote:In Ex. XVII, 16: The hand upon kesjah (E.V.: the throne of the Lord).
^ᵇnote:II Sam. XII, 25: and he called his name jedidjah (E.V. Jedidiah).
^ᶜnote:Though Jah means the ‘Lord,’ it combines to form a single word.
^ᵈnote:Ps CXVIII, 5: He answered me ba-merhabjah (E.V.: with great enlargement]; lit., ‘with the Lord's enlargement.
^ᵉnote:Rashal reads: Raba:
^ᶠnote:Is it one word or two?
^ᵍnote:This would affect e.g., the manner of its writing. If ‘Jedid’ is written incorrectly, it can be erased and rewritten. But Jah, being sacred (i.e., God's name), must not be erased and would have to be cut out entirely, together with its parchment.
^ʰnote:I.e., at the college of R. Hiyya.
^ⁱnote:Thus he evidently regards it as two words.
^ʲnote:Since he interprets the whole word thus, he evidently regards it as one.
^ᵏnote:V. e.g., superscriptions to Ps. XLII, XLIV, and XLV; perhaps lit., ‘a psalm giving instruction.’
^ˡnote:Thus he interprets ‘Jah’ separately.
^ᵐnote:‘Torah’ bears here its narrower connotation of Pentateuch. The ‘Song’ referred to is that contained in Ex. XV.
^ⁿnote:Ps. CXIII-CXVIII. [MS.M. (gloss) inserts: Moses and Israel recited it].
^ᵒnote:Ps. LXXII, 20.
^ᵖnote:The verse thus reads: All these are prayers etc.
^ᵠnote:Until the time of David — surely not.
^ʳnote:V. Judg. XVII.
^ˢnote:[Probably a variant of Bochin, v. judg. II, 1].
^ᵗnote:Rashbam: Hallel, which contains a sweeping condemnation of idolatry (v. Ps. CXV, 5-8), could not have been composed in the days of David while Micah's idolatrous image was still in existence; hence it must have been composed at the Red Sea.
^ᵘnote:V. supra.
^ᵛnote:Lit., ‘idle words’ or chatter.
^ʷnote:II Kings III, 15. Maharsha in Shab. 30a observes that the verse is quoted to show that the Shechinah does not rest on a man who is plunged in gloom, Elisha requiring the minstrel to dissipate the gloom occasioned by Jehoram's visit.
^ˣnote:Serious study should be preceded by light-hearted conversation.
^ʸnote:Going to sleep in good spirits promotes happy dreams.
^ᶻnote:Lit., ‘bitterness’. To show due reverence.
^ᵃᵃnote:Cant. V, 13.
^ᵃᵇnote:Lit., ‘and the scholars rejoiced’.
^ᵃᶜnote:Ps. CXV, 1.
^ᵃᵈnote:Isa. XLVIII, 11.
^ᵃᵉnote:Where a single ‘Hallelujah separates two psalms (e.g., Ps. CXXXIV and CXXXV), R. Hisda maintains that it ends the first, while Rabbah b. R. Huna places it at the beginning of the second.
^ᵃᶠnote:I.e., the two men were into one with ‘Hallelujah’ in the middle.
^ᵃᵍnote:Ps. CXLV, 21.
^ᵃʰnote:Ps. CXII, 10.
^ᵃⁱnote:Ibid. CXXXIV, 1.
^ᵃʲnote:This is somewhat difficult as ‘Hallelujah’ does not immediately follow. Possibly the phrase is quoted loosely to indicate which psalm is meant, viz., CXXXIV, ‘Hallelujah,’ the commencing the next. Tosaf. however quotes ‘Ye that stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God’. In our edd. this is Ps. CXXXV, 2, and does not end the psalm; but according to Tosaf. it does, while v. 3, which begins with ‘Hallelujah,’ (E.V. praise ye the lord) is the beginning of another psalm.
^ᵃᵏnote:Presumably scholars who specialized in the study of the Bible.
^ᵃˡnote:Ps. CX, 7.
^ᵃᵐnote:Ps. CXI, 10.
^ᵃⁿnote:Ibid. CXIV, 1.
^ᵃᵒnote:Ibid. CXV, 1. In each case whereas the Mishnah quotes the ending of the chapters according to our edd., the Baraitha quotes the beginning of the following chapters.

²Surely then they differ in this: he who says, until ‘as a joyous mother of children’, holds that [the following] ‘Hallelujah’ [praise ye lord] is the beginning of the [next] psalm; while he who says until, ‘,when Israel came forth out of Egypt’, holds that ‘Hallelujah is the end of the [previous] psalm! — R. Hisda reconciles it with his view. All agree that ‘Hallelujah is the end of the psalm. Hence the statement, until ‘when Israel came forth out of Egypt is well. While he who says, until ‘a joyous mother of children is meant inclusively. Then let him say, ‘up to "hallelujah”’? And should you answer, because we would not know which ‘Hallelujah,’ then let him say, ‘up to the "Hallelujah” of “as a joyous mother of children"’? This is a difficulty . Rabbah b. R. Huna reconciles it with his view. All agree that ‘Hallelujah is the beginning of the psalm. Hence the statement, until ‘as a joyous mother of children’ is well. While he who says, until ‘when Israel came forth’ does not mean it inclusively. Then let him say, ‘until the Halelujah? And should you answer, because we would not know which ‘Hallelujah is meant, then let him say, ‘until the Hallelujah of "when Israel came forth"’? This is a difficulty. AND HE CONCLUDES WITH [A FORMULA OF] REDEMPTION. Raba said: [The ending of the benediction following] the reciting of the shema’ and Hallel is ‘who redeemed Israel’; that of prayer is ‘the redeemer of Israel’. What is the reason? Because it is a petition. R. Zera said: [The formula] in kiddush is ‘who did sanctify us with His commandments and did command us’; that of prayer is ‘sanctify us with Thy Commandments.’ What is the reason? Because it is supplication. R. Aha b. Jacob said: And he must refer to the Egyptian exodus in the kiddush of the day. [For] here it is written, that thou mayest remember the day [when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt], while there it is written, Remember the sabbath day, to hallow it [by reciting kiddush]. Rabbah b. Shila said: [The formula] in Prayer is ‘who causest the horn of Salvation to spring forth,’ while that of the haftarah is ‘the shield of David.’ And I will make thee a great man, like unto the name of the great ones [that are in the earth the earth]. R, Joseph taught: that alludes to the fact that we say ‘the shield of David.’ R. Simeon b. Lakish said: And I will make thee a great nation: that means that we say’, ‘the God of Abraham’; and I will bless thee — that we say, ‘the God of Isaac’; and make thy name great, — that we say, ‘the God of Jacob.’ You might think that we conclude with [a reference to] all of them: therefore it is said, and be thou a blessing: with thee do we conclude, but we do not conclude with all of them. Raba said: I found the elders of Pumbeditha sitting and stating: On the Sabbath, both in Prayer and in kiddush [we conclude the benediction with] ‘who sanctifiest the Sabbath.’ On a festival, both in Prayer and in kiddush [we conclude with] ‘who sanctifiest Israel and the [festive] seasons.’ Said I to them, On the contrary, [the formula] of Prayer both on the Sabbath and on a festival is ‘who sanctifiest Israel.’ In the kiddush of the Sabbath [the formula is] ‘who sanctifiest the Sabbath’; On a festival, ‘who sanctifiest Israel and the seasons.’ Now I will state my reason and your reason. Your reason is: the Sabbath is permanently fixed, hence both in Prayer and in kiddush ‘who sanctifiest the Sabbath’ [is said]. On festivals, which are fixed by Israel, for they intercalate the months and fix [the beginnings of] the years, ‘who sanctifiest Israel and the seasons’ [is said]. My reason: Prayer, which is [carried on] in public, [requires] ‘who sanctifiest Israel’; as for kiddush, which is [recited] privately [at home], on the Sabbath [the formula is] ‘who sanctifiest the Sabbath,’ while on festivals it is ‘who sanctifiest Israel and the seasons That [argument] however is Incorrect: is not prayer [recited] privately [too], and is not kiddush recited pubiicly?-Raba however, holds: Follow the main [practice]. ‘Ulla b. Rab visited Raba. he recited [kiddush] in accordance with the elders of Pumbeditha, and he said nothing to him [in protest]. This proves that Raba retracted. R. Nathan the father of R. Hune the son of R. Nathan visited R. Papa. He recited it in accordance with the elders of Pumbeditha, whereupon R. Papa praised him. Rabina said: I visited Meremar at Sura, when the reader went down [to the reading desk] and recited it as the elders of Pumbeditha. Everybody made to silence him, but he said to them, ‘Leave him alone: the law is as the elders of Pumbeditha.’ Then they did not silence him. MISHNAH. THEY FILLED THE THIRD CUP FOR HIM. HE THEN RECITES GRACE AFTER MEALS. OVER THE FOURTH [CUP] HE CONCLUDES THE HALLEL, AND RECITES THE GRACE OF SONG. BETWEEN THESE CUPS HE MAY DRINK IF HE WISHES; BETWEEN THE THIRD AND THE FOURTH HE MAY NOT DRINK. GEMARA. R. Hanan said to Raba: This proves that Grace after meals requires a cup [of wine]. Said he to him: Our Rabbis instituted four cups as symbolizing freedom: let us perform a religious act with each. OVER THE FOURTH [CUP] HE CONCLUDES THE HALLEL, AND RECITES THE GRACE OF SONG.^ᵃᵖ^ᵃᵠ^ᵃʳ^ᵃˢ^ᵃᵗ^ᵃᵘ^ᵃᵛ^ᵃʷ^ᵃˣ^ᵃʸ^ᵃᶻ^ᵇᵃ^ᵇᵇ^ᵇᶜ^ᵇᵈ^ᵇᵉ^ᵇᶠ^ᵇᵍ^ᵇʰ^ᵇⁱ^ᵇʲ^ᵇᵏ^ᵇˡ^ᵇᵐ^ᵇⁿ^ᵇᵒ^ᵇᵖ^ᵇᵠ^ᵇʳ^ᵇˢ

^ᵃᵖnote:This of course is on the view of Beth Shammai. The differences in the view of Beth Hillel are then stated for the sake of parallelism (Rashbam).
^ᵃᵠnote:This is followed by one benediction in the morning and two in the evening, before the ‘Prayer,’ i.e. the Eighteen benedictions.
^ᵃʳnote:In the past tense.
^ᵃˢnote:The Amidah on weekdays. It consists of the Eighteen Benedictions, the fifth of which is a prayer for redemption.
^ᵃᵗnote:In the present tense.
^ᵃᵘnote:For the future. Hence the past tense would be inappropriate.
^ᵃᵛnote:Deut. XVI, 3.
^ᵃʷnote:Ex. XX, 8. ‘Remember’ in the second verse, I.e., the reciting of kiddush (and the Sabbath is an example of a holy days, including Festivals). must include the ‘remember," of the first verse, vi., the Egyptian exodus.
^ᵃˣnote:That is the ending of the fifteenth benediction.
^ᵃʸnote:V. Glos. It is followed by four benedictions. The reference here is to the third, whose subject-matter is the same as the fifteenth benediction mentioned in the preceding note.
^ᵃᶻnote:II Sam. VII, 9.
^ᵇᵃnote:it is a great honour to David that God is designated ‘the shield of David’ in the conclusion of a benediction.
^ᵇᵇnote:Ex. XII, 2.
^ᵇᶜnote:Rab Judah and R. ‘Ena, v. Sanh. 17b.
^ᵇᵈnote:The ‘Amidah on Sabbath and Festivals consists of seven benedictions.
^ᵇᵉnote:Because its sanctification depends entirely on God.
^ᵇᶠnote:The Jewish month consists of either 29 or 30 days, the length of each month being fixed by the Jewish authorities.
^ᵇᵍnote:Thereby fixing the dates of festivals too.
^ᵇʰnote:Thus Israel must be mentioned, because through Israel the festivals are sanctified.
^ᵇⁱnote:I.e., a reference to the whole community.
^ᵇʲnote:The emphasis being on the sacred nature of the day, ‘Israel’ must be mentioned in the latter case because the sanctification (If the seasons is dependant thereon (supra).
^ᵇᵏnote:Prayer is essentially intended for the community,not withstanding that private prayer too is possible. Again, kiddush is chiefly intended for the home (‘in the place of the meal’), though it is also recited in the synagogue on account of the wayfarers.
^ᵇˡnote:‘The son of R. Nathan’ should probably be deleted.
^ᵇᵐnote:Lit., ‘the deputy of the congregation.’ In the Talmud this is the name of the reader who leads the congregation in prayer; the modern title ‘hazzan’ dates from the post-Talmudic period.
^ᵇⁿnote:In Talmudic times this was on a lower level than the rest of the synagogue building, in accordance with Ps. CXXX, 1: out of the depths have I called Thee O Lord.
^ᵇᵒnote:Omitted in MS. M. var. lec. add: And the law is as the elders of Pumbeditha.
^ᵇᵖnote:The phrase is explained in the Gemara.
^ᵇᵠnote:Viz., first, second and third.
^ᵇʳnote:This is omitted in Rashbam.
^ᵇˢnote:Hence Grace is recited over the third. But on other occasions a cup may not be required for Grace after meals.