Four Cups of Wine... or Five?

(1) On the eve of Passover [from] close to [the time of] the afternoon offering, no one must eat until nightfall. Even the poorest person in Israel must not eat [on the night of Passover] unless he reclines. And they must give him no fewer than four cups of wine, even [if he receives relief] from the charity plate.

From where [do we know the requirement to drink] four cups? Rabbi Yochanan [said] in the name of Rav, "Rabbi Banniah said, 'Corresponding to the four [expressions of] salvations: "Therefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out, etc. And I will take you to Me for a people, etc."(Exodus 20:6-7). "And I will bring you out, and I will rescue you, and I will save you, And I will take you."'

(6) Say, therefore, to the Israelite people: I am יהוה. I will free you from the labors of the Egyptians and deliver you from their bondage. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and through extraordinary chastisements. (7) And I will take you to be My people, and I will be your God. And you shall know that I, יהוה, am your God who freed you from the labors of the Egyptians. (8) I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you for a possession, I יהוה.”

The Sages taught in a baraita: With regard to the fourth cup, one completes hallel over it and recites the great hallel; this is the statement of Rabbi Tarfon.

On the fifth cup [of wine] one recites the great Hallel. This is the opinion of Rb. Tarfon....

Our rabbis learned, "We say the Great Hallel over a fifth cup - these are the words of Rabbi Tarfon, and there are those that say, 'The Lord is my shepard, I shall not lack' (Psalms 23)." And Rashbam [follows] the textual variant, "We say the Great Hallel on the fourth cup," as 'who mentioned the name' of the fifth cup; and if it is coming to say [that the fifth cup is optional and, if wants, he should do a fifth cup, this is how it should have said it: "One who wants to do a fifth cup should say the Great Hallel upon it." But according to the textual variant of the books, it is implied that for Rabbi Tarfon and the 'those that say,' the fifth cup is obligatory, but the world has become accustomed to make it optional. And so did Rabbi Yosef Tov Eelem, may his memory be blessed, write - that if desires to drink, he should make a fifth cup. It is implied from his words that it is [otherwise] forbidden to drink after the four cups. And it is a wonder, as from where do we have this; as later it only says, "We may not eat an afikoman (a dessert or other foods eaten after the meal) after [we are finished eating] the Pesach sacrifice" - which means not to eat, but to drink is permitted.

(10) And afterwards, he recites the Grace after the Meals over a third cup and drinks it. And afterwards, he mixes (pours) a fourth cup and finishes the Hallel (a set order of praises from the Psalms) over it. And he recites the blessing of song and that is "May all of your creatures praise you, etc." And he recites the blessing, "Who creates the fruit of the vine," and does not taste anything afterwards the whole night, except for water. And he should mix (pour) a fifth cup and say upon it the Great Hallel (Psalms 136), from "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good" (Psalms 136:1) to "Upon the waters of Babylon" (Psalms 137:1). And this cup is not obligatory like the [other] four cups. And he can finish the Hallel anyplace that he desires, even though he is not in the place of the meal.

(1) After the four cups, he is not allowed to drink wine, but rather water. Gloss (Ramah): And the law of all drinks (besides water) is like [the law concerning] wine (Beit Yosef). And one who is delicate or greatly desires to drink may drink a fifth cup [of wine] and say the Great Hallel upon it (Mordekhai).