Introduction to Haggadah and the Seder – 1/5

(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.

(2) They pour the first cup [of wine] for [the leader of the seder]. The House of Shammai say: He recites a blessing for the day [first], and then recites a blessing over the wine But the House of Hillel say: He recites a blessing over the wine [first], and then recites a blessing for the day.

(3) [Then] they set [food] before him. He dips the lettuce before he reaches the course following the [unleavened] bread. [Then] they set before him unleavened bread, lettuce, and a mixture of apples, nuts, and wine, and two dishes, although the mixture of apples, nuts, and wine is not compulsory. Rabbi Eliezer bar Tzadok says: It is compulsory. And in the Temple they used to bring before him the body of the Passover-offering.

(4) They pour a second cup [of wine] for him. And here the son questions his father. And if the son has insufficient understanding [to question], his father teaches him [to ask]: Why is this night different from all [other] nights? On all [other] nights, we eat leavened and unleavened bread, [but] on this night, [we eat] only unleavened bread. On all [other] nights, we eat all kinds of vegetables, [but] on this night, [we eat only] bitter herbs. On all [other] nights, we eat meat roasted, stewed or boiled, [but] on this night, [we eat] only roasted [meat]. On all [other] nights, we dip [vegetables] once, [but] on this night, we dip [vegetables] twice. And according to the son's intelligence, his father instructs him. He begins [answering the questions] with [the account of Israel’s] shame and concludes with [Israel’s] glory, and expounds from “My father was a wandering Aramean” until he completes the whole passage.

(5) Rabban Gamliel used to say: Whoever does not mentioned these three things on Passover does not discharge his duty, and these are they: the Passover-offering, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs. [The] Passover-offering [is offered] because the Omnipresent One passed over the houses of our ancestors in Egypt. Unleavened bread [is eaten] because our ancestors were redeemed from Egypt. [The] bitter herb is [eaten] because the Egyptians embittered the lives of our ancestors in Egypt. In every generation a person must regard himself as though he personally had gone out of Egypt, as it is said: “And you shall tell your son in that day, saying: ‘It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came forth out of Egypt.’” Therefore it is our duty to thank, praise, laud, glorify, exalt, honor, bless, extol, and adore Him Who performed all these miracles for our ancestors and us; He brought us forth from bondage into freedom, from sorrow into joy, from mourning into festivity, from darkness into great light, and from servitude into redemption. Therefore let us say before Him, Hallelujah!

(6) Up until which point should he recite? The House of Shammai says: Up to 'as a happy mother of children'. The House of Hillel says: Up to 'flint stone into a water-spring', and conclude with the blessing of redemption. Rabbi Tarfon says: 'who redeemed us and our ancestors from Egypt', but without a concluding blessing. Rabbi Akiva says: 'O YHVH our God and God of our ancestors--may we come to reach other seasons and festivals in peace, joyful in the rebuilding of your city, and jubilant in your Temple service, where we will eat from the offerings and Passover sacrifices etc.' until 'Bless you YHVH, Redeemer of Israel.

(7) They mix a third cup; he blesses his meal. [The] fourth [cup] is concluded with Hallel, which he says with the [concluding] blessing. Between these cups, if he wishes to drink, he may drink. Between the third and the fourth [cups], he may not drink.

(8) They may not add an afikoman after the Pesach offering. If a few of them changed [locations], they may eat. If all of them [changed locations], they may not eat. Rabbi Yossi says: if they nod off, they may eat. If they fall asleep, they may not eat.

(9) [Contact with] the Pesach sacrifice after midnight renders one's hands impure. [Contact with] piggul [a sacrifice that becomes unfit, due to the intention of the officiating priest, while offering it, to consume it after its permitted time] or notar [a sacrifice that becomes unfit, due to being left unconsumed until after the time limit for its consumption] renders one's hands impure. [If] one recited a blessing over the Pesach sacrifice, he exempts [himself from the obligation to make a blessing] on [another] sacrifice [that he eats]. If he recited a blessing over [the eating of another] sacrifice, he has not exempted [himself from the obligation to make a blessing] on the Pesach sacrifice - so says Rabbi Yishmael. Rabbi Akiva says, "Neither this nor that [blessing] exempts the other."

(1) ...In the evening of Pesach, around Mincha, a man should not eat until dark; even the poorest in Israel should not eat until he reclines. They (the community) should give him no fewer than 4 cups of wine [that has in it at least 1/4 (?)... whether it is old or new. R' Yehuda says, it should at least have the smell and taste of wine.

(3) It is a commandment upon a person to make happy his children and the members of his household on the pilgrimage festivals. Through what [should he make them happy]? He makes them happy with wine! [As it is written (Psalm 104): "And wine will make happy the heart of man etc."]. Rabbi Yehudah said: [Women] as befits them and minors as befits them.

(6) Rabbi Eliezer says, "We snatch the matzot for the small children so that they don't fall asleep." Rabbi Yehuda said in his name, "Even if he only ate one entree, even if he only dipped one [piece of] lettuce, we snatch the matzot for the small children so that they don't fall asleep." Up until [which point in Hallel - Psalms of thanksgiving recited joyously and communally on many festivals] should one recite [before the meal]? Beit Shammai says, "Up to [the verse that ends with the phrase] 'A happy mother of children'" (Psalms 113:9). Beit Hillel says, "Up to [the verse that ends with the phrase] 'flint stone into a water-spring'" (Psalms 114:8). And one should conclude [this section of Hallel with [the blessing of] redemption. Beit Shammai, said to Beit Hillel, "And did they already go out [of Egypt at this time] that we [already] mention the going out of Egypt?" Beit Hillel said [back] to them, "Even if he waits for the call of the rooster, behold, they didn't go out until six hours into the day; how is it that he says 'the redemption' [when] they have not yet been redeemed?"

(8) 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.

(9)

(10) ... ...

(11) And they may not conclude the pesah meal with an afikoman, like nuts and dates and parched corn. A person must engage in the laws of Pesah all night, even if it is just him with his son, even if it is just him by himself, and even if it is just him and his student.

(12) Once, Rabban Gamliel and the elders were reclining in the house of Boethus ben Zonin in Lod, and they were occupied in studying the laws of Pesach all that night, until the cock crowed. They lifted the table, made themselves ready and went to the house of study [to pray].