## Pesachim Daf 120a

###### Pesachim 120a:1
[Pesachim 120a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/120a:1)

בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה לָא. לָא מִיבַּעְיָא קָאָמַר. לָא מִיבַּעְיָא בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה — דְּקָאָכֵיל לְתֵיאָבוֹן, אֲבָל בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה דִּילְמָא אָתֵי לְמֵיכַל אֲכִילָה גַּסָּה — אֵימָא לָא, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
However, if one eats *matza* **before** these other foods, **no,** one may not start eating other foods after *matza*. The mishna apparently supports Rav Yehuda’s opinion. The Gemara rejects this proof: The *Tosefta* is stated in the style of: Needless to say. Needless to say, one fulfills his obligation if he eats *matza* **before** other foods, **as he eats it with an appetite. However,** if one eats *matza* **after** eating other foods, **perhaps he will come to eat it** in the manner of **excessive eating,** as he is compelled to eat when he is not hungry. Consequently, **you** might **say** that one does **not** fulfill his obligation if he eats *matza* after all those other foods. Therefore, the *Tosefta* **teaches us** that one may eat *matza* even after consuming those foods.


###### Pesachim 120a:2
[Pesachim 120a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/120a:2)

מָר זוּטְרָא מַתְנֵי הָכִי: אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: מַפְטִירִין אַחַר הַמַּצָּה אֲפִיקוֹמָן. נֵימָא מְסַיַּיע לֵיהּ, אֵין מַפְטִירִין אַחַר הַפֶּסַח אֲפִיקוֹמָן: אַחַר הַפֶּסַח דְּלָא, אֲבָל אַחַר מַצָּה — מַפְטִירִין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**This is** how **Mar Zutra taught** this discussion: **Rav Yosef said** that **Rav Yehuda said** that **Shmuel said: One** may **conclude after the *matza* with an *afikoman*.** The Gemara suggests: **Let us say** that the mishna **supports his** opinion: **One does not conclude after the Paschal lamb with an *afikoman*.** The Gemara infers: It is **after the Paschal lamb that** one may **not** conclude with an *afikoman*; **however, after *matza* one** may **conclude** with an *afikoman*.


###### Pesachim 120a:3
[Pesachim 120a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/120a:3)

לָא מִיבַּעְיָא קָאָמַר. לָא מִיבַּעְיָא אַחַר מַצָּה — דְּלָא נְפִישׁ טַעְמֵיהּ, אֲבָל לְאַחַר פֶּסַח — אֵימָא לָא, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara rejects this contention: The mishna is stated in the style of: Needless to say. Needless to say, one may not conclude with an *afikoman* **after** eating ***matza*, as the taste** of *matza* **is slight; however, after the Paschal lamb,** one might **say** that this prohibition does **not** apply. Therefore, the mishna **teaches us** that it is prohibited to conclude with an *afikoman* after the Paschal lamb as well.


###### Pesachim 120a:4
[Pesachim 120a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/120a:4)

מֵיתִיבִי: הַסּוּפְגָּנִין וְהַדּוּבְשָׁנִין וְהָאִיסְקְרִיטִין אָדָם מְמַלֵּא כְּרֵיסוֹ מֵהֶן וּבִלְבַד שֶׁיֹּאכַל (אֲכִילַת) כְּזַיִת מַצָּה בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה. בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה אִין, בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה לָא!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara **raises an objection:** With regard to unleavened **sponge cakes, cakes fried in oil and honey, and honey cakes, a person** may **fill his stomach with them** on Passover night, **provided that he eats an olive-bulk** of ***matza* after** consuming them. The Gemara infers from here that if he eats *matza* **after** those cakes, **yes,** this is permitted; however, if one eats *matza* **before** these other foods, **no,** this is not an acceptable practice.


###### Pesachim 120a:5
[Pesachim 120a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/120a:5)

לָא מִיבַּעְיָא קָאָמַר. לָא מִיבַּעְיָא בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה — דְּקָאָכֵיל לְתֵיאָבוֹן, אֲבָל בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה דְּאָתֵי לְמֵיכְלַהּ אֲכִילָה גַּסָּה — אֵימָא לָא, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: As explained above, the *Tosefta* is stated in the style of: Needless to say. Needless to say, one fulfills his obligation if he eats *matza* **before** other foods, **as he eats it with an appetite. However,** if he eats *matza* **after** eating other foods, **when he** might **come to eat it** in the manner of **an excessive eating, you** might **say** that one does **not** fulfill his obligation if he eats *matza* after all those other foods. Therefore, the *Tosefta* **teaches us** that one may eat *matza* even after consuming those foods.


###### Pesachim 120a:6
[Pesachim 120a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/120a:6)

אָמַר רָבָא: מַצָּה בִּזְמַן הַזֶּה דְּאוֹרָיְיתָא, וּמָרוֹר דְּרַבָּנַן. וּמַאי שְׁנָא מָרוֹר, דִּכְתִיב: ״עַל מַצּוֹת וּמְרוֹרִים״, בִּזְמַן דְּאִיכָּא פֶּסַח — יֵשׁ מָרוֹר, וּבִזְמַן דְּלֵיכָּא פֶּסַח — לֵיכָּא מָרוֹר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rava said:** The mitzva of ***matza* nowadays,** even after the destruction of the Temple, applies by **Torah** law; **but** the mitzva to eat **bitter herbs** applies **by rabbinic** law. The Gemara asks: **And** in **what** way **is** the mitzva of **bitter herbs different from** *matza*? **As it is written,** with regard to the Paschal lamb: “They shall eat it **with *matzot* and bitter herbs”** (Numbers 9:11), from which it is derived: **When there is** an obligation to eat **the Paschal lamb, there is** likewise a mitzva to eat **bitter herbs; and when there is no** obligation to eat **the Paschal lamb, there is** also **no** mitzva to eat **bitter herbs.**


###### Pesachim 120a:7
[Pesachim 120a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/120a:7)

מַצָּה נָמֵי, הָא כְּתִיב: ״עַל מַצּוֹת וּמְרוֹרִים״! מַצָּה מִיהְדָּר הָדַר בֵּיהּ קְרָא: ״בָּעֶרֶב תֹּאכְלוּ מַצּוֹת״. וְרַב אַחָא בַּר יַעֲקֹב אָמַר: אֶחָד זֶה וְאֶחָד זֶה דְּרַבָּנַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: But if so, the same reasoning should apply to ***matza* as well,** as **it is written: “With *matzot* and bitter herbs.”** The mitzva of *matza* should also depend on the obligation of the Paschal lamb. The Gemara rejects this contention: **The verse repeats** the obligation to eat ***matza*,** as it states: “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month **in the evening, you shall eat *matzot*”** (Exodus 12:18). This verse establishes a separate obligation to eat *matza*, unrelated to the Paschal lamb. **And Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov said:** Nowadays, **both this,** the mitzva to eat *matza*, **and that,** the mitzva to eat bitter herbs, apply **by rabbinic** law, as the Torah obligation to eat these foods is in effect only when the Paschal lamb is sacrificed.


###### Pesachim 120a:8
[Pesachim 120a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/120a:8)

אֶלָּא הָכְתִיב: ״בָּעֶרֶב תֹּאכְלוּ מַצּוֹת״! הָהִיא מִיבְּעֵי לֵיהּ לְטָמֵא וְשֶׁהָיָה בְּדֶרֶךְ רְחוֹקָה, דְּסָלְקָא דַּעְתָּךְ אָמֵינָא כֵּיוָן דְּפֶסַח לָא אָכְלִי — מַצָּה וּמָרוֹר נָמֵי לָא נֵיכוֹל, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara challenges: **But isn’t it written: “In the evening, you shall eat *matzot*”?** The Gemara answers: Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov **needs that** verse for the following *halakha*: When the Temple was standing, one who was **ritually impure or** one **who was on a distant road** was nonetheless obligated to eat *matza*. **As it could enter your mind to say** that **since** these two categories of people **do not eat** the Paschal lamb on **the** first *Pesaḥ*, **they also do not eat *matza* and bitter herbs.** According to Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov, this verse **teaches us** that even one who was ritually impure and one who was on a distant road are obligated to eat *matza* and bitter herbs, as these mitzvot do not depend on one’s eligibility to sacrifice the Paschal lamb on the first *Pesaḥ*.


###### Pesachim 120a:9
[Pesachim 120a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/120a:9)

וְרָבָא אָמַר לָךְ: טָמֵא וְשֶׁהָיָה בְּדֶרֶךְ רְחוֹקָה לָא צְרִיךְ קָרָא, דְּלָא גָּרְעִי מֵעָרֵל וּבֶן נֵכָר. דְּתַנְיָא: ״כׇּל עָרֵל לֹא יֹאכַל בּוֹ״ — ״בּוֹ״ אֵינוֹ אוֹכֵל, אֲבָל אוֹכֵל בְּמַצָּה וּמָרוֹר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And Rava,** who maintains that it is a mitzva from the Torah to eat *matza* nowadays, how could he respond to that interpretation of the verse? Rava could have **said to you:** I do **not require** a special **verse** to teach that **a ritually impure person and a person who was on a distant road** are obligated to eat *matza*. These people are obligated because they **are no worse than an uncircumcised** man **or an alien,** i.e., one who does not observe the *mitzvot*, who are obligated to eat *matza* despite the fact that they do not sacrifice the Paschal lamb. **As it was taught** in a *baraita*: **“But no uncircumcised man shall eat from it”** (Exodus 12:48). **“From it”** indicates that he may **not eat from** the Paschal lamb; **however, he does eat *matza* and bitter herbs.** The same is true for anyone else who is prevented from eating the Paschal lamb.


###### Pesachim 120a:10
[Pesachim 120a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/120a:10)

וְאִידַּךְ? כְּתִיב בְּהַאי וּכְתִיב בְּהַאי, וּצְרִיכִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And the other,** Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov, how does he respond to this argument? The Gemara answers: According to Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov, the *halakha* that one must eat *matza* and bitter herbs despite being unable to partake of the Paschal lamb **was written with regard to this** person, an uncircumcised man, **and it was written** also **with regard to that** one, a ritually impure person, **and** both verses **are necessary.** We cannot learn the *halakha* of a ritually impure person from that of an uncircumcised man, or vice versa, as is explained in several places.


###### Pesachim 120a:11
[Pesachim 120a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/120a:11)

תַּנְיָא כְּווֹתֵיהּ דְּרָבָא: ״שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תֹּאכַל מַצּוֹת וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי עֲצֶרֶת לַה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ״. מָה שְׁבִיעִי רְשׁוּת, אַף שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים רְשׁוּת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara comments: It **was taught** in a *baraita* **in accordance with** the opinion of **Rava: “Six days you shall eat *matzot*, and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the Lord your God”** (Deuteronomy 16:8). **Just as** eating *matza* on the **seventh** day is merely **optional,** i.e., there is no obligation to eat *matza* on the last day of Passover, but only to avoid eating leavened bread, as the verse states: “Six days you shall eat *matzot*,” **so too,** eating *matza* during the first **six days** is **optional.**


###### Pesachim 120a:12
[Pesachim 120a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/120a:12)

מַאי טַעְמָא? הָוֵי דָּבָר שֶׁהָיָה בַּכְּלָל, וְיָצָא מִן הַכְּלָל לְלַמֵּד, לֹא לְלַמֵּד עַל עַצְמוֹ יָצָא, אֶלָּא לְלַמֵּד עַל הַכְּלָל כּוּלּוֹ יָצָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**What is the reason** that it is optional to eat *matza* on the first six days of Passover as well as the seventh? The seventh day of Passover **is something that was included in a generalization but was explicitly singled out to teach.** According to the rules of exegesis, **it was intended to teach not just about itself but about the entire generalization.** In other words, the seventh day of Passover was initially included in the verse: “You shall eat *matzot* for seven days” (Exodus 12:15), but was excluded from this generalization by the verse: “Six days you shall eat *matzot*.” In accordance with the above principle, the *halakha* of the seventh day applies to all the other days of Passover as well. That means there is no obligation to eat *matza* for all seven days of the Festival, but only on the first day.


###### Pesachim 120a:13
[Pesachim 120a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/120a:13)

יָכוֹל אַף לַיְלָה הָרִאשׁוֹן רְשׁוּת, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״עַל מַצּוֹת וּמְרוֹרִים יֹאכְלוּהוּ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The *baraita* continues: I **might** have thought that **even** the mitzva to eat *matza* on **the first night** of Passover is included by the above principle, and it too is merely **optional;** therefore, **the verse states: “They shall eat it with *matzot* and bitter herbs”** (Numbers 9:11).


###### Pesachim 120a:14
[Pesachim 120a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/120a:14)

אֵין לִי אֶלָּא בִּזְמַן שֶׁבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּים, בִּזְמַן שֶׁאֵין בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּים מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״בָּעֶרֶב תֹּאכְלוּ מַצּוֹת״, הַכָּתוּב קְבָעוֹ חוֹבָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**I have** derived **nothing other** than that one is obligated to eat *matza* **when the Temple is standing. From where** is it derived that one is obligated to eat *matza* on the first night of Passover even **when the Temple is not standing? The verse states: “In the evening you shall eat *matzot*.” The verse** here **establishes** the mitzva of *matza* as **obligatory,** in accordance with the opinion of Rava.


###### Pesachim 120a:15
[Pesachim 120a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/120a:15)

**מַתְנִי׳** יָשְׁנוּ מִקְצָתָן — יֹאכֵלוּ. כּוּלָּן — לֹא יֹאכֵלוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** **If some of** the participants at the seder **fell asleep,** thereby interrupting their meal, **they** may **eat** from the Paschal lamb when they awake. If the **entire** company fell asleep, **they** may **not eat** any more. If they all fall asleep, this is considered a complete interruption, and if they were to resume their meal it would be akin to eating the offering in two different places.