כוס חמישי

They poured for the leader of the seder the third cup of wine, and he recites the blessing over his food, Grace After Meals. Next, they pour him the fourth cup. He completes hallel over it, as he already recited the first part of hallel before the meal. And he also recites the blessing of the song at the end of hallel over the fourth cup. During the period between these cups, i.e., the first three cups established by the Sages, if one wishes to drink more he may drink; however, between the third cup and the fourth cup one should not drink.

The Gemara asks: What is the blessing of the song mentioned in the mishna? Rav Yehuda said: It is the blessing that begins with: They shall praise You, Lord, our God. And Rabbi Yoḥanan said that one also recites: The breath of all living, a prayer that follows the verses of praise [pesukei dezimra]. 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. And some say that one recites: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want” (Psalms 23:1), in appreciation of the food he ate at the meal.

Afterwards, he washes his hands and recites the grace after meals over a third cup [of wine] and drinks it.Afterwards, he pours out a fourth cup and completes the Hallel over it, reciting upon it the blessing of song—i.e., "May all Your works praise You, God..." - recites the blessing, borey pri hagefen, [and drinks the wine]. Afterwards, he does not taste anything, with the exception of water, throughout the entire night.It is permissible to mix a fifth cup and recite upon it "the great Hallel" - i.e., from "Give thanks to God, for He is good" until "By the rivers of Babylon." This cup is not an obligation like the other cups.One may complete the Hallel wherever one desires, even though it is not the place where one ate.

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).

Red wine takes precedence for the commandment, for a man to fulfill his obligation. If such wine be unobtainable, then spiced and cooked wine may be used instead. These four cups must contain at least a quarter (of a log) for men and women alike. Roasted ears and nuts are distributed to the children so that they (stay awake and) ask the Four Questions. The Sages declared: Women must scrupulously observe all matters pertaining to Passover, although they are not bound to perform a positive com­mand the observance of which depends on a certain time. For whosoever is subject to the law: “You shall not eat leaven.” is subject to the law “You shall eat Matzo.”The Sages explained beautifully that at the partaking of the Matzo and wine one should lean, but the bitter herbs do not require it; the latter must be thoroughly chewed. Leaning on the right side is inadmissible; there is even danger that food may enter the windpipe rather than the gullet. Lying on the back is not called leaning; a woman does not have to lean, but it is required of a prominent woman. A son may lean joyfully in the presence of his father; but for a disciple to lean in the presence of his master is a breach of respect. An artisan’s apprentice, however, must absolutely lean. A waiter who ate an olive-size piece of Matzo while leaning, has performed his duty. The Sages urged that the Matzo be eaten without delay on the first two nights of Pass­over, that the children should not fall asleep. It is obligatory to indulge on a festival in pleasurable things: in Temple days — in sacrificial meat; now in wine. People should make their wives happy and joyous, in Babylonia with colorful garments, in the Land of Israel, with bright-hued linen garments. Men should delight themselves with wine. On the eve of Passover, from the time of the first afternoon service until dark one may not eat anything. When the master comes in from the House of Prayer, the first cup is poured for him. First he pronounces the Benediction over the wine, then follows the Sanctification of the day, and the Benediction of gratitude for having reached this season, but no mention is as yet made of the miracles, as this is said in the Haggadah, and it is not proper to repeat it. He then drinks, washes his hands but does not say the regular Benediction. He takes parsley or coriander or radish and dips it in Haroseth (pap of fruit and spices and wine) and says the Benediction: “…Who creates the fruit of the earth.” When about to eat he divides one of the three Matzos, without saying a Benediction; one half he lays on the plate, the other on the table. He then takes from the plate the two dishes, which are roast meat and fish, or a roast and a cooked piece of meat; raises the plate and says: “This is the bread of affliction—” to the end. Then the second of the four cups is poured for him, and here the young son asks his father: “Why is this night different from all other nights?” He continues with the reading of the Haggadah until “Who redeemed Israel.” After drinking he washes his hands and utters the Benediction: “concerning the washing of the hands.” He then pronounces the Benediction Ha-Motzi over the whole Matzo which lies above the two; he does not, however, eat yet thereof, but takes the broken Matzo and says the Benediction “concerning the eating of Matzo,” and eats that together with the Matzo over which he pronounced the Ha-Motzi. Thereupon he says the Benediction over the lettuce: “…to eat bitter herbs,” and dips it lightly into the HAROSETH. He then combines the Matzo and bitter herbs and eats them together, as Hillel did, without a Benediction. He may now visit many houses and guide them in the same procedure. Thereafter the entire meal is served; at the conclusion an olive-size piece of Matzo (Afikomon) must be eaten. Then the hands are washed without a Benediction: this last washing is prescribed, out a Benediction is not re­quired. At the third cup one says Grace after meals. If he goes first to other houses (and says Grace for them) he should not drink the wine there. At the fourth cup he should recite the Egyptian Hallel (Psalms 113-119). From now on he may not partake of anything else this evening; he may, however, drink water. If he is sick or of feeble health and must drink wine, then he must strengthen himself to recite the Great Hallel (Psalm 136) over the fifth cup.

The Passover Seder has reached its termination, / its law, its ritual and regulation. / As we were privileged to hold the celebration, / so may we merit its consummation. / Pure God, from heaven, Thy habitation, / raise up Thy people, the unnumbered congregation. /Speedily lead the seed of Thy plantation / redeemed unto Zion with exultation.

The Gemara asks: From where does the great hallel begin and where does it end? Rabbi Yehuda says: From “Give thanks” (Psalms 136:1) until “The rivers of Babylon” (Psalms 137:1). And Rabbi Yoḥanan says: From “A song of ascents” (Psalms 134:1) until “The rivers of Babylon.” Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov said: From “For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself” (Psalms 135:4) until “The rivers of Babylon.”

The Gemara asks: And why is this section called the great hallel? Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Because this passage states that the Holy One, Blessed be He, sits in the heights of the universe and dispenses food to every creature. The whole world praises God for His kindness through the great hallel, which includes the verse: “Who gives food to all flesh” (Psalms 136:25).

Rather, if you suggest that this particular chapter is recited because it contains praise for God’s provision of sustenance to all of creation: “You open Your hand and satisfy every living thing with favor” (Psalms 145:16), then let him recite the great hallel (Psalms 136), in which numerous praises are written, including: “Who provides food to all flesh, Whose kindness endures forever” (Psalms 136:25).

The Gemara asks: What does the community do on a public fast day? Abaye said: From the morning until the middle of the day, the community gathers in the synagogue, and the leaders examine the affairs of the town to determine whether and how the people’s conduct needs to be improved. From the middle of the day until the evening, a quarter of the day is spent reading from the Torah and reading the haftara, and a quarter of the day is spent praying, as it is stated: “And they read in the book of the Torah of the Lord their God one quarter of the day, and a quarter of the day they confessed, and they prostrated themselves before the Lord their God” (Nehemiah 9:3).

The mishna relates: An incident occurred in which the court decreed a fast in Lod due to a lack of rain, and rain fell for them before midday. Rabbi Tarfon said to the people: Go out, and eat, and drink, and treat this day as a Festival. And they went out, and ate, and drank, and treated the day as a Festival, and in the afternoon they came to the synagogue and recited the great hallel, to thank God for answering their prayers.

The mishna teaches: An incident occurred in which the court decreed a fast in Lod, and when rain fell they ate and drank, and afterward they recited hallel. The Gemara asks: And let us recite hallel at the outset, without delay. Why did they first go home and eat? Abaye and Rava both said: Because one recites hallel

We may not eat an afikoman [a dessert or other foods eaten after the meal] after [we are finished eating] the Pesach sacrifice; for example nuts, dates and roasted wheat. A man is obligated to be involved with the laws of Pesach the whole night, even if it [is only a discussion] between him and his son, even if it is between him and himself, even if it is between him and his student. It happened that Rabban Gamliel and the Elders were [once] reclining in the house of Beitos ben Zunin in Lud, and they were involved with the laws of Pesach the whole night until the call of the rooster. [Their students] raised the covering of the window from in front of them, and they [then] convened and went to the house of study. What is the blessing on the Pesach sacrifice? Blessed [...] who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us on the eating of the Pesach sacrifice. What is the blessing on the [other] offerings? Blessed [...] who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us on the eating of the offering.