NOTES Rav Naĥman said that the verse said: “It was a night of watching ָא ַמר ַרב ַנ ְח ָמן: ָא ַמר ְקָרא: ֵ״ליל Some com- to the Lord” (Exodus :), which indicates that Passover night : ֵליל ַה ְמ ׁש ּו ָּמר ּו ָבא – A night that remains guarded ׁ ִש ּמוִרים״ – ֵליל ַה ְמ ׁש ּו ָּמר ּו ָבא ִמן mentaries explain that this night remains guarded throughout is a night that remains guardedN from demons and harmful H ַה ַּמִזּ ִיקין. history, as it is set aside as the time of redemption for the Jewish people. Therefore, there is no concern for danger on spirits of all kinds. Th erefore, there is no cause for concern about this night (see Rashi tractate Rosh HaShana 12b). Alternatively, this form of danger on this particular night. the verse states with regard to this night: “The night shines Rava said a diff erent answer: Th e cup of blessing for Grace aft er ָר ָבא ָא ַמר: ּכוֹס ׁ ֶשל ְּבָר ָכה ִמ ְצ ָטֵרף like the day” (Psalms 139:12), i.e., demons have no power at -Meals on Passover night is used in the performance of an addi ְל ָטוֹבה, ְו ֵאינוֹ ִמ ְצ ָטֵרף ְלָר ָﬠה. ָר ִב ָינא .(that time (Iyyun Ya’akov Because safety is guaranteed on this night, the custom in -tional mitzva and is not simply an expression of freedom. Th ere ָא ַמר: ַאְר ָּב ָﬠה ָּכ ֵסי ַּת ִּק ּינו ַר ָּב ַנן ֶ ּדֶר ְך many communities was to leave one’s doors unlocked as an fore, it combines with the other cups for the good, i.e., to fulfi ll ֵח ּירות, ָּכל ַחד ְו ַחד expression of trust in God, as the Jews were redeemed due the mitzva to drink four cups, and it does not combine for the to their faith (ge’onim). In addition, the blessing abridging the N seven blessings is not recited on Shabbat after the evening bad. With regard to the danger of drinking pairs of cups, it is as prayers because we are not afraid to walk home alone (Me’iri). though one drinks only three cups. Ravina said: Th e Sages insti- Other customs are based on similar considerations. tuted four separate cups, each of which is consumed in a manner that demonstrates freedom. Th erefore, each and every one ּכוֹס – The cup of blessing…does not combine for the bad Some commentaries explain that : ׁ ֶשל ְּבָר ָכה… ֵאינוֹ ִמ ְצ ָטֵרף ְלָר ָﬠה the cup of blessing used for the Grace after Meals does not combine with the other three cups because the three cups prior to the meal are either not part of the meal or are integral HALAKHA cern about danger, and therefore the blessing is unnecessary ֵליל – to the meal. However, the fourth cup following the Grace after A night that remains guarded from harmful spirits When Passover falls on Shabbat, the (Itur, citing the Ran; Kol Bo). This is the common practice (Beit : ַה ְמ ׁש ּו ָּמר ּו ָבא ִמן ַה ַּמִזּ ִיקין -Meals is no longer part of the meal and is therefore sepa rate from them (Me’iri). Other authorities state that the Sages blessing abridging seven blessings is not recited at the end of Yosef ). Similarly, when reciting Shema before going to bed, it is would drink four cups beside the cup used for Grace after the service. This blessing was instituted so that people would customary to recite only the paragraph of Shema itself but not Meals, so there were actually five cups in total (ge’onim; see remain in the synagogue a little longer to allow everyone to the other sections, which were instituted to provide protection Rabbeinu Yehonatan). leave at the same time. However, on Passover there is no con- from harmful spirits (Shulĥan Arukh, Oraĥ Ĥayyim 481:2). Perek X Daf 110 Amud a NOTES is a distinct mitzva in its own right. In other words, each cup is ִמ ְצָוה ְּב ַא ֵּפי ַנ ְפ ׁ ָש ּה ּהוא. .As the Gemara will later treated separately and one is not considered to be drinking in pairs : ִנ ְמ ַל ְך ּהוא – He has changed his mind explain, the danger of pairs applies only when one performs Th e baraita taught that one should not att end to his sexual needs ״לֹא ַי ֲﬠ ֶׂשה ְצָר ָכיו ְּתֵרי.״ ַא ַּמאי? ִנ ְמ ַל ְך -multiple actions on a single occasion. However, if one com pletes an activity and repeats it again later, the two actions do ;in pairs. Th e Gemara asks: Why should one be concerned for this ּהוא! ָא ַמר ַא ַּבֵיי, ָה ִכי ָק ָא ַמר: לֹא not combine (Rashash). N -he has changed his mind? One does not plan in advance to en יֹ ַאכל ְּתֵרי ְו ִי ׁ ְש ֶּתה ְּתֵרי, ְולֹא ַי ֲﬠ ֶׂשה In talmudic times, gage in marital relations twice, and therefore the two acts should : ּזוגוֹת ּו ַּמִזּ ִיקים – Pairs and harmful spirits ְצָר ָכיו ֲא ִפ ּיל ּו ַּפ ַﬠם ַא ַחת, ִ ּד ְיל ָמא most people were influenced by popular superstitions and not combine to form a dangerous pair. Abaye said: Th is is what ֲח ֵל ׁיש ּו ִמ ְּיתַרע. incantations. Provided that there was no concern for idolatry or prohibited gentile practices, the Sages did not attempt to the tanna is saying, i.e., the baraita should be understood in the uproot these customs. This was certainly true of practices following manner: One should not eat in pairs nor drink in pairs, that were so ingrained that people found them comforting and if he does so he should not att end to his sexual needs right and would have been distressed had they been prohibited aft erward even once, lest he is weakened by the act and will be from continuing them. For this reason, the Gemara subse- harmed for having eaten or drunk in pairs. quently says about pairs that one who is concerned about Th e Sages taught in another baraita: If one drinks in pairsN his ָּת ּנו ַר ָּב ַנן: ׁש ֶוֹתה ִּכ ְפ ַל ִים – ָ ּדמוֹ them should be careful not to perform actions in pairs, and one who is not concerned need not be careful (Me’iri). blood is upon his head, i.e., he bears responsibility for his own ְּברֹ ׁאשוֹ. ָא ַמר ַרב ְי ּהו ָדה: ֵא ָימ ַתי? ְו ִלישֹן – And to sleep is comparable to setting out on the road demise. Rav Yehuda said: When is that the case? When one did ִּבְז ַמן ׁ ֶש ּלֹא ָר ָאה ְּפ ֵני ַה ּׁש ּוק, ֲא ָבל .Apparently, Rabbeinu Ĥananel had a textual not leave the house and view the marketplace between cups : ְּכ ָל ֵצאת ַלֶ ּדֶר ְך ָ ּד ֵמי ָר ָאה ְּפ ֵני ַה ּׁש ּוק – ָהְר ׁש ּות ְּבָידוֹ. ָא ַמר variant, which he understood to mean that if one sleeps or However, if he saw the marketplace aft er the fi rst cup, he has ַרב ַא ׁ ִשי: ָחֵז ָינא ֵל ּיה ְלַרב ֲח ַנ ְנָיא ַּבר uses the lavatory between cups, they do not combine to form a dangerous pair. permission to drink another cup without concern. Likewise, :Rav Ashi said: I saw Rav Ĥananya bar Beivai follow this policy ֵּב ָיבי ְ ּד ַא ָּכל ָּכ ָסא ֲהָוה ָנ ֵפיק ְו ָחֵזי ַא ֵּפי Upon drinking each cup, he would leave the house and view the ׁש ּו ָקא. marketplace. And we said that there is concern for the safety of one who drinks ְו ָלא ֲא ַמַרן ֶא ָּלא ָל ֵצאת ַלֶ ּדֶר ְך ֲא ָבל ,in pairs only when he intends to set out on the road aft er drinking ְּב ֵביתוֹ לֹא. ָא ַמר ַר ִּבי ֵז ָירא: ְו ִלישֹן – -but if he intends to remain in his home there is no need for con ְּכ ָל ֵצאת ַל ֶ ּדֶר ְך ָ ּד ֵמי. ָא ַמר ַרב ַּפ ָּפא: cern. Rabbi Zeira said: And one who plans to sleep is compa- N ְו ָל ֵצאת ְל ֵבית ַה ִּכ ֵּסא – ְּכ ָל ֵצאת rable to one who is sett ing out on the road. He should be con- cerned that he might be harmed. Th e Gemara asks: And if one ַל ֶ ּדֶר ְך ָ ּד ֵמי. ּו ְב ֵביתוֹ לֹא? ְו ָהא ָר ָבא intends to remain in his home, is there no cause for concern? But ָמ ֵני ְּכ ׁש ּוֵרי. Rava would count the beams of the house to keep track of the number of cups he had drunk so as to ensure that he would not consume an even number. פרק י׳ דף קי. Perek X . 110a 246 BACKGROUND And likewise Abaye, when he would drink one cup, his mother ְו ַא ַּבֵיי ִּכי ׁ ָש ֵתי ַחד ָּכ ָסא ַמ ְנ ֵקיט ֵל ּיה These miniature silver : ִּבְר ַּכת ּכֹ ֲה ִנים – would immediately place two cups in his two hands so that he Priestly benediction scrolls, one of which contains an abbreviated version of the ִא ֵּימ ּיה ְּתֵרי ָכ ֵסי ִּב ְתֵרי ְיֵד ּיה, ְוַרב ַנ ְח ָמן would not inadvertently drink only one more cup and thereby priestly benediction, were found in Ketef Hinnom, southwest ַּבר ִי ְצ ָחק ִּכי ֲהָוה ׁ ָש ֵתי ְּתֵרי ָכ ֵסי ַמ ְנ ֵקיט expose himself to the danger of drinking in pairs. And similarly, of the Old City of Jerusalem. The scrolls are dated to the ֵל ּיה ׁ ַש ָּמ ֵﬠ ּיה ַחד ָּכ ָסא.