Babylonian Talmud

Rodkinson 1918 — source 5, scan section 83

thus it is also taught in the colleges, and the reason of all this is, that there is a great difference between the entrance of a sanctified day and its close. At the entrance of such a day, the sooner we observe its sanctification the better, for we thereby demonstrate that we consider the duty a pleasure; but at its close, the further we can postpone its termination the better, for thereby we demonstrate that it is not a burden to us. (Hence if a meal is in progress at the time when the Sabbath is about to set in, we should attempt the repast and say the Kid- dush in order to usher in the Sabbath that much sooner; but if we only have one cup of wine at the close of Sabbath with which to say the Habdalah, we should first finish our repast and pronounce the other benedictions, and then recite the Habdalah over that cup in order to postpone the termination of the holy day that much longer.) " From the preceding Boraitha we may infer eight things: First: One who included the Habdalah in his evening prayer must nevertheless recite it again over a cup (this is inferred from the sentence " if a man enter his house at the close of the Sab- bath," which signifies, that he came from the house of wor- ship, where he had already recited the Habdalah). Second : The benediction after a meal must be made over a cup (of wine). Third: The cup used at the benediction must be of a prescribed capacity {i.e., a quarter of a lug; for were this not so, it could be divided and part used for the Habdalah and another part for the other benediction). Fourth: One who pronounces the benediction over the cup of wine must taste some (for other- wise the benediction could be made and the wine left over for the next benediction). Fifth : As soon as part of the wine is tasted after a benediction, the cup of wine is rendered unfit for any other benedictions. Sixth : Even if a full meal is eaten at the close of Sabbath and the sanctification of the day had passed, it is still a duty to recite the Habdalah. Seventh : Two degrees of sanctification may be bestowed upon one cup of wine. Lastly: The entire Boraitha is in accordance with the school of Shammai and with the interpretation of R. Jehudah {i.e., that * This explanation is taken from the commentary of Rashbam the grandson of Rashi. TRACT PESACHIM (PASSOVER). 221 the benedictions over light must be pronounced prior to that over spices, and not vice versa). R. Ashi said: " The inference that the cup of wine must be of a prescribed quantity, and the one that by tasting the wine the cup becomes unfit for other benedictions, are virtually one and the same thing, and the eight inferences are completed thus: Why does tasting of the cup of wine render it unfit ? Because the prescribed quantity is thereby lessened." R. Jacob bar Idi was so particular, that if the jug containing the wine was ever so slightly damaged he would not use the wine for Kiddush or Habdalah, and R. Idi bar Shesha was only particular about the condition of the goblet; Mar the son of R. Ashi was particular even about the condition of the barrel con- taining the wine, and if it was at all damaged he would not use the wine for the Kiddush or the Habdalah. The rabbis taught: " It is written [Exod. xx. 8] : ' Remem- ber the Sabbath day to keep it holy. ' The remembrance should be cfTected over wine. This, however, refers to the Sabbath day ; whence do we know that the night is also meant ? To that end it is written, ' to keep it holy,* which refers also to the night." " Whence do we know that the night is also meant," is the question ? Is not the night the principal time of the Sabbath, when the Kiddush must be said ? Then, again, how can the passage refer to the night, when it distinctly states the day ? The following is meant: " Remember the day" implies that it should be remembered over wine, when the Sabbath sets in. This therefore refers to the night, and that the day also is meant is clearly proven by the words, " the Sabbath day." What benediction is made during the day of Sabbath ? Said R. Jehudah : " Only the usual benediction over the wine, viz., ' who hath created the fruit of the vine.' " R. Ashi came to the city of Mehuzza, and the people said to him: " Let Master recite for us the great Kiddush," and not knowing what they meant by the great Kiddush, he thought : " Let us see! The first benediction to be made is the usual one over wine. " Accordingly, he pronounced the benediction, " who hath created the fruit of the vine," in a rather prolonged manner. He thereupon observed an old man bending over and sipping the wine (whence he concluded that the one benediction constituted the great Kiddush). He then applied to himself the passage [Ecclesiastes ii. 14]: " The wise man hath his eyes in his head." 222 THE BABYLONIAN TALMUD. We have previously learned that the children of R. Hyya said: " If a man did not say the Habdalah at the close of the Sabbath, he may say it at any time during the following week." Until what day of the week ? Said R. Zera: " Until the fourth day of the week (for after that the days belong to the next week). R. Brona said in the name of Rabh: " If a man had washed his hands for a meal, he should not make the Kiddush, because that will cause an interruption (and he will be obliged to wash his hands again)." Said R. Itz'hak bar Samuel bar Martha: " Rabh is not yet dead, and still we have already forgotten all his Halakhoth. I myself stood before Rabh several times and noticed that whenever he preferred bread he would make the Kiddush over bread, and whenever he preferred wine he would make the Kiddush over wine." Said R. Huna in the name of Rabh: " If a man had eaten anything prior to making the Kiddush, he need not make the Kiddush." R. Hana the son of Hinana asked R. Huna: " If a man had eaten prior to reciting the Habdalah, what is the law?" and he answered: "I say, that he must nevertheless recite the Habdalah, but R. Assi said, that he need not do so." R. Jeremiah bar Abba was at one time in the house of R. Assi, and through forgetfulness ate something before saying the Habdalah. Afterwards he was given a cup of wine and he then said the Habdalah. Said R. Assi's wife to her husband: " Mas- ter does not do this?" and he replied: " Let him be; he acts according to the teaching of his masters." R. Joseph in the name of Samuel said: " If a man had thoughtlessly eaten either before Kiddush or before Habdalah, he need not recite those prayers," but Rabba in the name of R. Na'hman quoted Samuel to the contrary, namely, that he may do so. Said Rabha : The Halakha prevails that one who had eaten before Kiddush or Habdalah may nevertheless recite those prayers; if one had not made the Kiddush on the eve of