Pesachim

to repeat,1 he must repeat; to recite it once only,2 he must recite them once only; to pronounce a blessing after it [sc. the Hallel], he must pronounce a blessing upon it: it all depends on local custom. Abaye observed: This was taught only [about a blessing] after it, but a blessing before it is obligatory, for Rab Judah said in Samuel's name: A blessing must be recited for a religious duties before [‘ober] they are performed. How is it implied that ‘ober connotes priority? — Said R. Nahman b. Isaac: Because it is written, Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and overran [wa-ya'abor, i.e., ran before] the Cushite.3 Abaye said: [It follows] from this: And he himself passed over [‘abar] before them.4 Others quote the following: And their king is passed on [wa-ya'abor] before them, and the Lord at the head of them.5 It was taught: Rabbi repeated [certain] verses of it6 [sc. Hallel]; R. Eleazar b. Perata added passages7 to it. What did he add? Said Abaye: He added [passages] for repetition from ‘I will give thanks to thee’ and onwards. R. ‘Awira lectured, Sometimes stating it in R. Ammi's, Sometimes in R. Assi's name: What is meant by. And the child grew, and was weaned [wa-yiggamel]?8 The Holy One, blessed be He, will make a great banquet for the righteous on the day He manifests [yigmol] His love to the seed of Isaac.9 After they have eaten and drunk, the cup of Grace10 will be offered to our father Abraham, that he should recite Grace, but he will answer them, ‘I cannot say Grace, because Ishmael issued from me. Then Isaac will be asked, ‘Take it and say Grace.’ ‘I cannot say Grace,’ he will reply, ‘because Esau issued from me.’ Then Jacob will be asked: ‘Take it and say Grace.’ ‘I cannot say Grace,’ he will reply. ‘because I married two sisters during [both] their lifetimes, whereas the Torah was destined to forbid them to me. Then Moses will be asked, ‘Take it and say Grace.’ ‘I cannot say Grace, because I was not privileged to enter Eretz Yisrael either in life or in death.’ Then Joshua will be asked: ‘Take it and say Grace.’ ‘I cannot say Grace,’ he will reply, ‘because I was not privileged to have a son,’ for it is written, Joshua the son of Nun;11 Nun his son, Joshua his son.12 Then David will be asked: ‘Take it and say Grace.’ ‘I will say Grace, and it is fitting for me to say Grace,’ he will reply, as it is said, I will lift up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord.13 MISHNAH. ONE MAY NOT CONCLUDE AFTER THE PASCHAL MEAL [BY SAYING]. ‘NOW TO THE ENTERTAINMENT! [APIKOMAN].’14 GEMARA. What does APIKOMAN mean? Said Rab: That they must not remove from one company to another.15 Samuel said: E.g., mushrooms for myself and pigeons for Abba.16 R. Hanina b. Shila and R. Johanan said: E.g., dates, parched ears of corn, and nuts. It was taught as R. Johanan: You must not conclude after the Paschal meal with e.g., dates, parched ears, and nuts. Rab Judah said: One may not conclude after the [last] unleavened bread [is eaten]17 by saying, ‘Now to the entertainment!’ We learned: YOU MAY NOT CONCLUDE AFTER THE PASCHAL, MEAL [BY SAYING], ‘NOW TO THE ENTERTAINMENT!’ Thus it is forbidden only after the Paschal meal, but you may conclude [thus] after the unleavened bread? — He proceeds to a climax:18 After the unleavened bread it need not be stated, since its taste is not substantial;19 but [I might think] that there is no objection after the Paschal lamb, whose taste is substantial and cannot [easily] be wiped out. Hence he [the Tanna] informs us [otherwise]. Shall we say that this supports him: [As for] sponge cakes, honey-cakes and iskeritin,20 a man may fill his stomach with them, providing that he eats as much as an olive of unleavened bread at the end. [This implies], only at the end, text, either actually or by parallelism, and therefore these four verses are repeated when they are recited. that he was not blessed with a son. says that this must not be done after the Paschal meal. Thus his interpretation (and R. Johanan's which follows) is stricter than Rab's. For Rab only forbids further eating elsewhere, whereas Samuel forbids it in the same place. Now the taste of the latter is not substantial and enduring, and therefore it is superfluous to teach that nothing may be eaten after it. affliction (poverty)’ cannot be discharged with them.