## Pesachim Daf 110a

###### Pesachim 110a:1
[Pesachim 110a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/110a:1)

מִצְוָה בְּאַפֵּי נַפְשַׁהּ הוּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**is a distinct mitzva** in its own right. In other words, each cup is treated separately and one is not considered to be drinking in pairs.


###### Pesachim 110a:2
[Pesachim 110a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/110a:2)

״לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה צְרָכָיו תְּרֵי״, אַמַּאי? נִמְלָךְ הוּא! אָמַר אַבָּיֵי, הָכִי קָאָמַר: לֹא יֹאכַל תְּרֵי וְיִשְׁתֶּה תְּרֵי, וְלֹא יַעֲשֶׂה צְרָכָיו אֲפִילּוּ פַּעַם אַחַת — דִּילְמָא חָלֵישׁ וּמִיתְּרַע.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The *baraita* taught that **one** should **not attend to his** sexual **needs in pairs.** The Gemara asks: **Why** should one be concerned for this; **he has changed his mind?** One does not plan in advance to engage in marital relations twice, and therefore the two acts should not combine to form a dangerous pair. **Abaye said: This is** what the *tanna* **is saying,** i.e., the *baraita* should be understood in the following manner: **One** should **not eat in pairs nor drink in pairs, and** if he does so **he** should **not attend to his** sexual **needs** right afterward **even once, lest he is weakened** by the act **and will be harmed** for having eaten or drunk in pairs.


###### Pesachim 110a:3
[Pesachim 110a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/110a:3)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: שׁוֹתֶה כִּפְלַיִם — דָּמוֹ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ. אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה: אֵימָתַי — בִּזְמַן שֶׁלֹּא רָאָה פְּנֵי הַשּׁוּק, אֲבָל רָאָה פְּנֵי הַשּׁוּק — הָרְשׁוּת בְּיָדוֹ. אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: חֲזֵינָא לֵיהּ לְרַב חֲנַנְיָא בַּר בִּיבִי, דְּאַכֹּל כָּסָא הֲוָה נָפֵיק וְחָזֵי אַפֵּי שׁוּקָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The Sages taught** in another *baraita*: If one **drinks in pairs his blood is upon his head,** i.e., he bears responsibility for his own demise. **Rav Yehuda said: When** is that the case? **When one did not** leave the house and **view the marketplace** between cups. **However, if he saw the marketplace** after the first cup, **he has permission** to drink another cup without concern. Likewise, **Rav Ashi said: I saw Rav Ḥananya bar Beivai** follow this policy: **Upon** drinking **each cup, he would leave** the house **and view the marketplace.**


###### Pesachim 110a:4
[Pesachim 110a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/110a:4)

וְלָא אֲמַרַן אֶלָּא לָצֵאת לַדֶּרֶךְ, אֲבָל בְּבֵיתוֹ — לָא. אָמַר רַבִּי זֵירָא: וּלְיָשֵׁן — כְּלָצֵאת לַדֶּרֶךְ דָּמֵי. אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: וְלָצֵאת לְבֵית הַכִּסֵּא — כְּלָצֵאת לַדֶּרֶךְ דָּמֵי. וּבְבֵיתוֹ לָא? וְהָא רָבָא מָנֵי כְּשׁוּרֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And we said** that there is concern for the safety of one who drinks in pairs **only** when he intends **to set out on the road** after drinking, **but** if he intends to remain **in his home** there is **no** need for concern. **Rabbi Zeira said: And** one who plans **to sleep is comparable to** one who is **setting out on the road.** He should be concerned that he might be harmed. **Rav Pappa said: And going to the bathroom is comparable to setting out on the road.** The Gemara asks: **And** if one intends to remain **in his home,** is there **no** cause for concern? **But Rava would count the beams** of the house to keep track of the number of cups he had drunk so as to ensure that he would not consume an even number.


###### Pesachim 110a:5
[Pesachim 110a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/110a:5)

וְאַבָּיֵי, כִּי שָׁתֵי חַד כָּסָא, מְנַקֵּיט לֵיהּ אִימֵּיהּ תְּרֵי כָסֵי בִּתְרֵי יְדֵיהּ. וְרַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק, כִּי הֲוָה שָׁתֵי תְּרֵי כָסֵי, מְנַקֵּיט לֵיהּ שַׁמָּעֵיהּ חַד כָּסָא, חַד כָּסָא — מְנַקֵּיט לֵיהּ תְּרֵי כָסֵי בִּתְרֵי יְדֵיהּ! אָדָם חָשׁוּב שָׁאנֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And** likewise **Abaye, when he would drink one cup, his mother would** immediately **place two cups in his two hands** so that he would not inadvertently drink only one more cup and thereby expose himself to the danger of drinking in pairs. **And** similarly, **when Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak would drink two cups, his attendant would** immediately **place one** more **cup in his hand,** and if he would drink **one cup,** the attendant would **place two cups in his two hands.** These reports indicate that one should be concerned for his safety after drinking an even number of cups, even when he remains at home. The Gemara answers: **An important person is different.** The demons focus their attention on him, and he must therefore be more careful than the average person.


###### Pesachim 110a:6
[Pesachim 110a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/110a:6)

אָמַר עוּלָּא: עֲשָׂרָה כּוֹסוֹת אֵין בָּהֶם מִשּׁוּם זוּגוֹת. עוּלָּא לְטַעְמֵיהּ, דְּאָמַר עוּלָּא, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ בְּמַתְנִיתָא תָּנָא: עֲשָׂרָה כּוֹסוֹת תִּיקְּנוּ חֲכָמִים בְּבֵית הָאֵבֶל, וְאִי סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ עֲשָׂרָה כּוֹסוֹת יֵשׁ בָּהֶן מִשּׁוּם זוּגוֹת, הֵיכִי קָיְימִי רַבָּנַן וְתַקִּנוּ מִילְּתָא דְּאָתֵי לִידֵי סַכָּנָה?! אֲבָל תְּמָנְיָא יֵשׁ בָּהֶן מִשּׁוּם זוּגוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Ulla said: Ten cups contain no element of** the danger associated with **pairs. Ulla** rules here **in accordance with his reasoning** stated elsewhere, **as Ulla said, and some say it was taught in a *baraita*: The Sages instituted** that one must drink **ten cups** of wine **in the house of a mourner** during the meal of comfort. **And if it could enter your mind** that **ten cups do contain the element of** danger associated with **pairs, how could the Sages arise and institute something that** might **bring a person to** a state of **danger? However, eight cups do contain the element of** danger associated with **pairs.**


###### Pesachim 110a:7
[Pesachim 110a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/110a:7)

רַב חִסְדָּא וְרַבָּה בַּר רַב הוּנָא דְּאָמְרִי תַּרְוַיְיהוּ: ״שָׁלוֹם״, לְטוֹבָה — מִצְטָרֵף, לְרָעָה — לֹא מִצְטָרֵף. אֲבָל שִׁיתָּא יֵשׁ בָּהֶן מִשּׁוּם זוּגוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Ḥisda and Rabba bar Rav Huna both say** that eight is also safe from the dangers of pairs, as the number seven, represented by the word ***shalom*, combines** with the previous cups **for the good** but **does not combine for the bad.** The final verse of the priestly benediction reads: “The Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you peace [*shalom*]” (Numbers 6:26). The word *shalom*, the seventh Hebrew word in this verse, has a purely positive connotation. Rav Ḥisda and Rabba bar Rav Huna therefore maintain that the seventh cup combines with the previous six only for good purposes. After the seventh cup, i.e., from the eighth cup and on, the cups constitute pairs for the good but not for the bad. **However, six cups do contain the element of** danger associated with **pairs.**


###### Pesachim 110a:8
[Pesachim 110a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/110a:8)

רַבָּה וְרַב יוֹסֵף דְּאָמְרִי תַּרְוַיְיהוּ: ״וִיחֻנֶּךָּ״, לְטוֹבָה — מִצְטָרֵף. לְרָעָה — לֹא מִצְטָרֵף. אֲבָל אַרְבָּעָה יֵשׁ בָּהֶן מִשּׁוּם זוּגוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabba and Rav Yosef both say** that even drinking six cups is not dangerous. The reason is that the fifth cup, represented by the word ***viḥuneka*** in the second verse of the priestly benediction: “The Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you [*viḥuneka*]” (Numbers 6:25), **combines** with the previous cups **for the good** but **does not combine for the bad. However, four cups do contain the element of** danger associated with **pairs.**


###### Pesachim 110a:9
[Pesachim 110a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/110a:9)

אַבָּיֵי וְרָבָא דְּאָמְרִי תַּרְוַיְיהוּ: ״וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ״, לְטוֹבָה — מִצְטָרֵף, לְרָעָה — לֹא מִצְטָרֵף.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Abaye and Rava both say** that even the number four is not dangerous, as ***veyishmerekha*,** the third word in the first verse of the priestly benediction, reads: “The Lord bless you and keep you [*veyishmerekha*]” (Numbers 6:24). **It combines for the good** but **does not combine for the bad.**


###### Pesachim 110a:10
[Pesachim 110a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/110a:10)

וְאַזְדָּא רָבָא לְטַעְמֵיהּ, דְּרָבָא אַפְּקִינְהוּ לְרַבָּנַן בְּאַרְבָּעָה כּוֹסוֹת, אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִיתַּזַּק רָבָא בַּר לֵיוַאי, לָא חַשׁ לַהּ לְמִילְּתָא, דְּאָמַר: הָהוּא מִשּׁוּם דְּאוֹתְבַן בְּפִירְקָא הֲוָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rava follows his** standard line of **reasoning** in this regard, **as Rava** allowed **the Sages to leave** after having drunk **four cups** and was not concerned for their safety. **Although Rava bar Livai was injured** on one such occasion, Rava **was not concerned** that **the matter** had been caused by his consumption of an even number of cups, **as he said: That** injury occurred **because** Rava bar Livai **challenged me during the** public **lecture.** It is improper for a student to raise difficulties against his rabbi during a public lecture, lest the rabbi be embarrassed by his inability to answer.


###### Pesachim 110a:11
[Pesachim 110a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/110a:11)

אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף, אָמַר לִי יוֹסֵף שֵׁידָא: אַשְׁמְדַאי מַלְכָּא דְשֵׁידֵי — מְמוּנֶּה הוּא אַכּוּלְּהוּ זוּגֵי, וּמַלְכָּא לָא אִיקְּרִי מַזִּיק. אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי לַהּ לְהַאי גִּיסָא: אַדְּרַבָּה, מַלְכָּא [רַתְחָנָא הוּא], מַאי דְּבָעֵי עָבֵיד, שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ פּוֹרֵץ גָּדֵר לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ דֶּרֶךְ וְאֵין מוֹחִין בְּיָדוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Yosef said: Yosef the Demon said to me: Ashmedai, the king of the demons, is appointed over all** who perform actions in **pairs, and a king is not called a harmful spirit.** A king would not cause harm. Consequently, there is no reason to fear the harm of demons for having performed an action in pairs. **Some say** this statement **in this manner: On the contrary, he is an angry king** who **does what he wants,** as the *halakha* is **that a king** may **breach the fence** of an individual **in order to form a path for himself, and none** may **protest his** action. Similarly, the king of demons has full license to harm people who perform actions in pairs.


###### Pesachim 110a:12
[Pesachim 110a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/110a:12)

אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא, אָמַר לִי יוֹסֵף שֵׁידָא: בִּתְרֵי קָטְלִינַן, בְּאַרְבְּעָה לָא קָטְלִינַן, בְּאַרְבְּעָה מַזְּקִינַן. בִּתְרֵי, בֵּין בְּשׁוֹגֵג בֵּין בְּמֵזִיד. בְּאַרְבְּעָה, בְּמֵזִיד — אִין, בְּשׁוֹגֵג — לָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Pappa said: Yosef the Demon said to me:** If one drinks **two** cups, **we** demons **kill** him; if he drinks **four, we do not kill** him. But this person who drank **four, we harm** him. There is another difference between two and four: **With** regard to one who drinks **two, whether** he did so **unwittingly or intentionally,** we harm him. **With** regard to one who drinks **four,** if he does so **intentionally, yes,** he is harmed; if he does so **unwittingly, no,** he will not be harmed.


###### Pesachim 110a:13
[Pesachim 110a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/110a:13)

וְאִי אִישְׁתְּלִי וְאִיקְּרִי וּנְפַק, מַאי תַּקַּנְתֵּיהּ? לִינְקוֹט זַקְפָּא דִידֵיהּ דְּיַמִּינֵיהּ בִּידָא דִשְׂמָאלֵיהּ וְזַקְפָּא דִשְׂמָאלֵיהּ בִּידָא דְיַמִּינֵיהּ, וְנֵימָא הָכִי: ״אַתּוּן וַאֲנָא — הָא תְּלָתָא״. וְאִי שְׁמִיעַ לֵיהּ דְּאָמַר: ״אַתּוּן וַאֲנָא — הָא אַרְבְּעָה״, נֵימָא לֵיהּ: ״אַתּוּן וַאֲנָא — הָא חַמְשָׁה״. וְאִי שְׁמִיעַ לֵיהּ דְּאָמַר: ״אַתּוּן וַאֲנָא — הָא שִׁיתָּא״, נֵימָא לֵיהּ: ״אַתּוּן וַאֲנָא — הָא שִׁבְעָה״. הֲוָה עוֹבָדָא עַד מְאָה וְחַד, וּפְקַע שֵׁידָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And if one forgets and it happens that he goes outside** after having drunk an even number of cups, **what is his solution?** The Gemara answers: He should **take his right thumb in his left hand, and his left thumb in his right hand, and say as follows: You,** my thumbs, **and I are three,** which is not a pair. **And if he hears** a voice **that says: You and I are four,** which makes a pair, he should **say to it: You and I are five. And if he hears it say: You and I are six,** he should **say to it: You and I are seven.** The Gemara relates that **there was an incident** in which someone kept counting after the demon **until** he reached **a hundred and one, and the demon burst** in anger.


###### Pesachim 110a:14
[Pesachim 110a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/110a:14)

אָמַר אַמֵּימָר: אֲמַרָה לִי רֵישָׁתִינְהִי דְּנָשִׁים כַּשְׁפָנִיּוֹת: הַאי מַאן דְּפָגַע בְּהוּ בְּנָשִׁים כַּשְׁפָנִיּוֹת, נֵימָא הָכִי: ״חָרֵי חַמִּימֵי בְּדִיקּוּלָא בַּזְיָיא לְפוּמַּיְיכוּ נְשֵׁי דְּחָרָשַׁיָּיא, קָרַח קָרְחַיְיכִי, פָּרַח פָּרְחַיְיכִי,

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Ameimar said: The chief of witches said to me: One who encounters witches** should **say this** incantation: **Hot feces in torn date baskets in your mouth, witches; may your hairs fall out** because you use them for witchcraft; **your crumbs,** which you use for witchcraft, **should scatter** in the wind;