How Do We Express Freedom on Pesach? Part 1 Based on an essay by Rav Shagar z"l

MISHNA: On the eve of Passover, adjacent to minḥa time, a person may not eat until dark, so that he will be able to eat matza that night with a hearty appetite.

Even the poorest of Jews should not eat the meal on Passover night until he reclines on his left side, as free and wealthy people recline when they eat.

And the distributors of charity should not give a poor person less than four cups of wine for the Festival meal of Passover night. And this halakha applies even if the poor person is one of the poorest members of society and receives his food from the charity plate.

And even a poor person should not eat until they lean-

1. Because one might think that the leaning of a poor person would not be considered leaning, for they don't have what to lean upon, and this is not the way of freedom [but this Mishna teaches that is not so].

2. And there are those who explain that this line refers to that which was written before "until it gets dark, and even a poor person." Meaning, even a poor person who did not eat for several days should not eat until it gets dark.

(8) What is the order of a meal? Guests come in and sit down on top of benches and on top of soft seats until all [guests] come in. [After] all [guests] came in, and they (i.e. the servants) have given them [water to wash] hands, every one of them washes one hand. [When] they (i.e. the servants) poured them a cup [of wine], each one [of the guests] makes a Beracha (blessing) [for the wine] himself. [When] they (i.e. the servants) brought them appetizers each one [of the guests] makes a Beracha [for the appetizers] himself. [After the guests] have gotten up [from their temporary seats, moved to the main eating hall] and reclined [on sofas], they [i.e. the servants] gave them [water to wash their] hands [again]. Even though he already washed one hand, [still] he [has to] wash both of his hands [again]. [After] they (i.e. the servants) poured them a cup [of wine again], even though he already made a Beracha on the first [cup of wine], he makes [another] Beracha on the second [cup of wine]. [After] they (i.e. the servants) brought in front of them [more] appetizers, even though he [already] made a Beracha on the first [set of appetizers], he makes a [new] Beracha on the second [set of appetizers], but [this time] one [person] makes a Beracha for all of them. [A person] who comes [late] after three appetizers [have been served] does not have permission to enter [the dining hall]. Rebbi Shimon Ben Gamliel says, “There was a great custom in Yerushalayim (Jerusalem). They (i.e. house owners) would hang a towel above the door. While the towel is hanging guests can come in. [After] the towel has been removed guests are not permitted to come in [anymore]. And there was another custom in Yerushalayim. They (i.e. house owners) would give over [the responsibility for] a meal to a butcher (i.e. a caterer). If something went wrong during the meal they would punish the butcher [monetarily]. Everything according to the honor of the owner (i.e. the host) and everything according to the honor of the guests.”

And drinking these four cups and eating matza requires leaning in the manner of freedom. And even a poor person who is not accustomed to lean the whole year should not eat until they lean.

And you should not give them less than four cups, and even a poor person who is supported by the communal plate. Meaning, we don't need to teach regarding the poor person who is supported by tzedaka, as since we give him money, certainly we should give him enough money for wine. However, the one who is supported by the communal plate and we don't give them money and there is no wine given out through the communal plate, one might think that we don't give them four cups, however, we learn from the Mishna that they must receive four cups.

(6) One who shouts at his fellow, he gives him a sela (twenty zuz). Rabbi Yehudah in the name of Rabbi Yose the Galilean says: "a maneh (one hundred zuz)". One who slaps his fellow, he gives him two hundred zuz; with the back of the hand, he gives him four hundred zuz. If he split his ear, plucked his hair, spit [at him] and his spit touched him, stripped his cloak from him, or uncovered the head of a woman in the street, he gives him four hundred zuz. (This is the principle:) it is all according to the person's honour. Rabbi Akiva says: "Even the poor of Israel, we see them as if they are free people who have lost their property, because they are children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." (And) there was an incident of someone uncovering the head of a woman in the street. She came before Rabbi Akiva, and he required him to give her four hundred zuz. He said to him, "Rabbi, give me time." So he gave him time. [The man] watched her stand at the entrance of her courtyard, broke a pitcher in front of her, and in it was issar [eight prutot] of oil. She uncovered her head and scooped [the oil], and rubbed her hands on her head. He placed witnesses against her and he came before Rabbi Akiva. He said to him, "Rabbi, to her I gave four hundred zuz?!" He replied, "You haven't said anything."