Siman - Pesachim Daf 115
- Eating Matzah and Maror Together
The Gemara says: לא ניכרוך איניש מצה ומרור בהדי הדדי וניכול – A man should not wrap matzah and maror together and eat, משום דסבירא לן מצה בזמן הזה דאורייתא ומרור דרבנן – because we hold that matzah is [a mitzvah] d’Oraysa [even] nowadays and maror is [a mitzvah] deRabbannan nowadays, in the absence of the Korban Pesach, ואתי מרור דרבנן ומבטיל ליה למצה דאורייתא – so, [if they are eaten together,] the maror deRabbannan will come and nullify the matzah d’Oraysa. Rashbam explains that the taste of the matzah will be nullified.
The Gemara explains that even the מאן דאמר who generally holds מצות אין מבטלות זו את זו – mitzvos do not nullify each other agrees that a mitzvah deRabbannan does nullify a mitzvah d’Oraysa. Rashbam explains that the argument to say that two mitzvah foods generally do not nullify each other is that they are similar to each other in that they are both eaten in fulfillment of similar mitzvos. This is not the case where one food is eaten for a mitzvah d’Oraysa and the other for a mitzvah deRabbannan. The Gemara identifies the מאן דאמר who holds מצות אין מבטלות זו את זו as Hillel, who would eat Korban Pesach, Matzah, and Maror together. The Gemara concludes that, because the Rabbannan argued with Hillel and it was not stated whom the halachah follows, matzah and maror should be eaten separately, with berachos, and then together, without berachos, זכר למקדש כהלל – as a commemoration of the Beis Hamikdash, according to Hillel.
- If One Swallowed Matzah or Maror Without Chewing
Rava says: בלע מצה יצא בלע מרור לא יצא – If one swallowed matzah he fulfilled the mitzvah, but if one swallowed maror he did not fulfill the mitzvah. [Rashbam explains that the Gemara refers to swallowing matzah and maror whole, without chewing them. Eating this way is acceptable for the mitzvah of matzah, which must simply be eaten, but not the mitzvah of maror, whose bitter taste must be sensed to commemorate וימררו את חייהם – And they embittered their lives.] כרכן בסיב ובלען אף ידי מצה נמי לא יצא – If he wrapped them in bast (material that grows around a palm tree) and swallowed them [whole] he did not even fulfill the mitzvah of matzah. [Rashbam explains that neither the matzah nor the maror are considered to have been in the person’s mouth and his swallowing them is no more an act of eating than throwing a stone into a bag is.]
- Removing the Table
The Gemara asks what the reason is for a custom to remove the table that was in front of the person who would (lead the seder and) say the Hagaddah, and it answers, citing the yeshivah of Rebbe Yannai: כדי שיכירו תינוקות וישאלו – So that the children will notice and ask about this unusual behavior. [Rashbam notes that, nowadays, when everyone sits together at one large table and it would be impractical to remove it, we simply move away the seder plate containing the matzah, maror, and two cooked items.]
The Gemara tells of the time Abaye saw the table being removed from in front of Rabbah and said:עדיין לא קא אכלינן אתו קא מעקרי תכא מיקמן – We did not eat yet and they are coming and removing the table from before us! Rabbah told him: פטרתן מלומר מה נשתנה – You exempted us from saying Mah Nishtanah.” Rashbam explains that the requirement that someone ask about the different things done at the seder was fulfilled through Abaye’s question.
