Siman - Pesachim Daf 39
- Why chazeres is called chasa
The next Mishnah states, אלו ירקות שאדם יוצא בהן ידי חובתו בפסח – These are the vegetables with which a person may fulfill his chiyuv to eat maror on Pesach, and then lists five vegetables, beginning with chazeres, and ending with maror.
Rava said that chazeres is chasa (lettuce) and explains the reason that it is called chasa, דחס רחמנא עילוון – For the Merciful One took pity (chas) upon us and saved us from the Mitzriyim.
Rebbe Shmuel bar Nachmani said in the name of Rebbe Yochanan, למה נמשלו מצריים כמרור – Why are the Mitzriim compared to maror? מה מרור זה שתחילתו רך וסופו קשה אף מצריים תחילתן רכה וסופן קשה – Just as maror at its beginning is soft but at its end is hard, which Rashi explains to mean that it becomes hard when the stalks harden as wood, so too the Mitzriim; their beginning was soft but in their end they were harsh. Rashi explains that in the beginning they paid bnei Yisroel
- Qualifications for maror learned from matzah
The Gemara clarifies a number of qualifications for maror. Rav Rechumi asked Abaye what the source is that maror is a kind of vegetable? Perhaps it refers to the gall (merirsa) of the kufya fish, which is very bitter? The Gemara answers that it must be similar to matzah, מה מצה גידולי קרקע אף מרור גידולי קרקע – Just as matzah is baked from a substance that grows from the ground, so too maror refers to a substance that grows from the ground, and not fish organs. The Gemara continues to clarify that it cannot refer to the hirduf, which is a bitter tree, because like matzah it must be מין זרעים, a type of herbage and not something from a tree. It cannot refer to harzifu, which is a type of plant that is poisonous to animals, because like matzah it must be something that may be bought with maaser sheini money, meaning only an edible substance. Rabbah bar Rav Chanin asked Abaye how we know that maror includes so many different types of vegetables and the Gemara answers, מררים כתיב – Merorim is written, which is plural. We know that more than just two vegetables are permitted, for just as matzah may be baked from many species of grain, so too maror includes many species of vegetables.
- Things that cannot become chametz
It was taught in a Baraisa, אלו דברים שאין באין לידי חימוץ – These are the things that cannot become chametz even if they later on came in contact with water, האפוי והמבושל וחלוט שחלטו ברותחין – that which is baked, that which is cooked, and flour that has been scalded in scalding water. The Gemara asks how something which is cooked does not become chametz, אדמבשל ליה מחמע - as it is in the process of cooking, before it boils, it ferments? Rav Pappa answered that the case is where it is baked and was then cooked.
It was taught in another Baraisa that flour in which dripping water fell, even if the water dripped into it all day long, the flour does not ferment. Rav Pappa said that this is provided that the water fell drop after drop with no interval in between them.
