Rabbinic JudaismJerusalem Talmud Pesachim 1.1HOLYMAP · SACRED TEXTS
The Jerusalem TalmudJerusalem Talmud Pesachim 1.1

The Jerusalem Talmud

Jerusalem Talmud Pesachim 1.1

1
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

MISHNAH: At nightfall of the Fourteenth one checks leavened matter by candle light. A place into which no leavened matter is introduced does not need checking. And where did they say two rows in the cellar? A place where one introduces leavened matter. The House of Shammai are saying two rows in the front of the entire cellar, but the House of Hillel are saying the outermost two rows which are the uppermost.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

HALAKHAH: “At nightfall of the fourteenth,” etc. It is written: You shall guard the mazzot, because on this same day I took out your multitudes fromthe Land of Egypt. On the first, on the fourteenth of the month, in the evening, you shall eat mazzot, etc. Where do we hold? If for eating mazzah, is it not already written, seven days you shall eat mazzot? Or if to say that one starts on the Fourteenth, is it not written, until the twenty-first of the month? But if it is not needed as a reference to the eating of mazzah, take it as a reference to the elimination of leavened matter.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Why by candlelight? Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac said, because a candle permits checking everywhere. Why in the night? Rebbi Yose said, because checking with a candle is exact only during night time. Rebbi Mana did not say so: And guard this day for your generations as an eternal law, see to it that day and night be guarded. Then should one not start on the Thirteenth that day and night be guarded? He also agrees with the statement of Rebbi Yose. Then should one start in the evening of the Thirteenth? If so, he could even check on the beginning of the month.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Jeremiah said that Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac asked: May one check by the light of torches? What is his problem? Because their light is unsteady. Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac is consistent since Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac said, because a candle permits checking everywhere. [ Even though it is not proof of the matter, it is an allusion to the matter: It shall be on that daythat I shall search Jerusalem by candles. But some want to say,] one can understand it from the following: A candle of the Eternal is a person’s soul, it searches all rooms of the body.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Yose said, the Mishnah implies that checking during daytime is called checking, as we have stated: “Rebbi Jehudah says, one checks at nightfall of the Fourteenth, and on the Fourteenth, and at the moment of elimination.” Not only Rebbi Jehudah but even the rabbis, as we have stated: “If he did not check at nightfall of the Fourteenth he shall check on the Fourteenth.”

6
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Is it obligatory to check by candlelight? Let us hear from the following “One checks neither by sunlight, nor by moonlight, nor by starlight, but by candlelight.” One understands “neither by moonlight, nor by starlight,” but “neither by sunlight”? Is there any sun in the night? This implies, even during daytime one has to check by candlelight; not only in a house without light, but even in a house which has light, even during daytime, it is necessary to check by candlelight.

7
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

May one check dark passages purposely by candlelight? The words of the rabbis imply that not as it radiates at night it radiates during the day, as Rav Huna said, when we were fleeing to these catacombs of the great assembly they were lighting candles for us. When they were faint, we knew that it was day; when they were bright we knew that it was night. This parallels what Rebbi Aḥawa bar Ze`ira said, when Noah entered the Ark he brought with him precious stones and pearls. When they were dull, he knew that it was daytime; when they were shiny he knew that it was nighttime.Why? There are animals eating at daytime and there are animals eating at nighttime. But is there not written, make a skylight to the ark? Following him who said that the stars were not operative in the year of the flood.

8
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Jeremiah asked: Do synagogues and houses of study need checking? What is his problem? Since one brings there for intercalations and on the days of the New Moon. It should be obvious for him, but what really is his problem? Since they are very well illuminated, may one check them purposely during daytime by candlelight?

9
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Yose asked: The courtyards in Jerusalem where one eats the bread of thanksgiving offerings and the wafers of a nazir, do they need checking? Are they not checked anyhow for leftovers? It should be parallel to what Rebbi Zachariah the son-in-law of Rebbi Levi stated: A menstruating woman washes her hair and combs. A priestly woman does not wash her hair and comb. A menstruating priestly woman washes her hair and combs, not to differentiate between one menstruating woman and another. So also here, not to differentiate between elimination and elimination. Rabbi Gamliel bar Inyany stated before Rebbi Mana: A menstruating woman who interrupts for seven days washes her hair and combs. A priestly woman who immerses herself every day does not wash her hair and comb. He told him, it is necessary for one who watches one day for a day.

10
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

“Holes in the house, the upper and the lower ones, and the veranda, and the ditch, and the upper floor, and the roof of the olive press, and the roof of the tower, the storage room of straw, and the cattle stable, and the storage room of wood, and the storage room of provisions, wine storage, and oil storage, and produce storage, do not need checking.” One understands the upper ones. The lower ones? Does this mean that they did not worry about things falling down? Rebbi Yose said, explain it if both were close to the wall, whether higher than ten or lower than ten [hand-breadths]. Did we not state “the ditch”? Does this not mean that they did not worry about things falling down? The toddler is afraid to go there. But should one not be afraid that leavened matter rolled there? Explain it by a ditch which has a rim. “And the roof of the olive press, and the roof of the tower.” That is, if they are three hand-breadths high; but if they are not three hand-breadths high they are like ground. And if they were not used for leavened matter, but if they were used for leavened matter even if it is very high it needs checking. Rebbi Mana said, this is correct. Would we say that this papyrus scaffold which is very high should not need checking?

11
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

It was stated: “Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel says, a couch which was separated in the house but wood and stones are stored under it, one checks at the outside but does not have to check on the inside.” Because wood and stones are stored under it, but if no wood and stones are stored under it, one has to check on the inside. Does this mean that they did (not) worry about things falling down? I am saying that (a child exerted himself and) [an unruly child] brought leavened matter there.

12
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

A wine cellar needs checking, an oil cellar does not need checking. What is the difference between wine and oil? Wine has no staying power, oil has staying power. Storage, whether of wine or oil, does not need checking. What is a cellar? Anything used with bread in the courtyard. There exists a cellar which is like storage and storage which is like a cellar. A cellar in which he is ashamed to eat is like storage; storage where he is not ashamed to eat is like a cellar. There is a courtyard which is like an alley and an alley which is like a courtyard. A courtyard which is used by the public is like an alley, and an alley which is not used by the public is like a courtyard. But should one not be afraid that animal drivers introduce leavened matter into it? Animal drivers usually do not introduce leavened matter into it but sweets since they help in checking the quality of the wine.

13
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

“If somebody leaves to travel by sea, before thirty days he does not have to check; within thirty [days] he has to check”. That is to say, if he intends to return. But if he does not intend to return, even before thirty days he has to check. If there is a doubt; but if it is certain then even from New Year’s Day. Rebbi Abba said, but even if he intends to return he has to check, maybe he will change his mind and not return.

14
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Everybody is trustworthy about elimination of leavened matter, even women, even slaves. Rebbi Jeremiah in the name of Rebbi Ze`ira: There is no “even” women. Women intrinsically are trustworthy; since they are slow they check everything very carefully. Samaritans any time when they prepare their mazzah with Jews are trustworthy about checking for leavened matter; if they do not prepare their mazzah with Jews they are not trustworthy about checking for leavened matter. Rebbi Yose said, this means in the houses, but they are suspect in courtyards since they explain that it should not be found in your houses, does not apply to your courtyards.

15
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

It was stated: Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel says, any commandment which the Samaritans keep they are much more exact with them than Jews. Rebbi Simeon said, that means earlier when they were concentrated in their villages. But today, when they have no commandments nor remainders of commandments they are suspect and degenerate.

16
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

One asks about practices of Passover at Passover, practices of Pentecost at Pentecost, practices of Tabernacles at Tabernacles. In the House of Assembly one asks thirty days in advance; Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel says, two weeks. The statement of Rebbi Joḥanan follows the rabbis, that of the colleagues Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel. Rebbi Joḥanan said, the reason of the rabbis, because Moses stands on the First Passover and explains to them the rules of Second Passover. That of the colleagues follows Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel, because Moses stands on the day of the New Moon and explains to them the rules of Passover71.

17
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

“Where did they say two rows in the cellar,” etc. Rav Huna in the name of Rav: He peels it like a Gamma. Bar Qappara stated, he peels it like two Gamma. If it was situated in the middle of the room. In the opinion of Rav Huna he strips it of one garment, in the opinion of Bar Qappara he strips it of two garments. If it was built in steps, he strips it by many Gamma. Rebbi Jacob bar Aḥa in the name of Ḥizqiah: Simeon bar Abba in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan. The outermost row which is the uppermost which sees both door and beam of the roof, [and] the one inside of it. It was stated: the one below it. They wanted to say that he who says, the one inside of it, so much more that one below it. He who says, the one below it, therefore not the one inside of it. If half a row was used, it is obvious that what was used has inside of it and below it. That which was not used has inside of it and below it. That is to say, if they are spaced. But if they are tightly packed he passes the light over them and it is enough. Does this mean that they did worry about things falling down? Rebbi Phineas from Yafo said, I am saying that the servant introduced leavened matter when he placed them.

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Jerusalem Talmud Pesachim 1.1English
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Jerusalem Talmud Pesachim 1.10%

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The Jerusalem Talmud, edition, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer (Berlin: De Gruyter, 1999–2015). CC BY. Text from Sefaria (sefaria.org); commentary notes omitted. · Source ↗

Hebrew/Aramaic text: The Jerusalem Talmud, edition by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer (Berlin: De Gruyter, 1999–2015), via Sefaria (sefaria.org). Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). Changes: footnotes and HTML formatting removed.

The Jerusalem Talmud, edition, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer (Berlin: De Gruyter, 1999–2015). CC BY. Text from Sefaria (sefaria.org); commentary notes omitted. · Source ↗

English translation: The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer (Berlin: De Gruyter, 1999–2015); commentary notes omitted, via Sefaria (sefaria.org). Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). Changes: footnotes and HTML formatting removed.

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