Siman - Pesachim Daf 121
- הפגול והנותר מטמאין את הידים
The Mishnah on Daf 120b stated: הפגול והנותר מטמאין את הידים – Piggul (a korban that became passul because the Kohen intended to eat it or burn its emurim after the appropriate time) and Nosar (meat of a korban that was left over and not consumed within its appropriate time) are metamei the hands.
The Gemara states that either Rav Huna or Rav Chisda, said that the Rabbannan created this rule because of חשדי כהונה – the suspected Kohanim, and the other said that it was due to עצלי כהונה – the lazy Kohanim. The Gemara, as explained by Rashi, says that the two Amoraim did not disagree; one taught that Piggul is metamei the hands to prevent unscrupulous Kohanim from intentionally making a korban piggul so as to cause a loss to its owner. The Rabbanon therefore decreed tumah on the hands, to be matriach the Kohen to immerse them, which would serve as a deterrent. The other one taught that nosar is metamei the hands to prevent lazy Kohanim or Yisraelim from failing to eat the korban on time.
- זריקה בכלל שפיכה
The Mishnah records a machlokes Tanna’im about someone who was eating meat of the Korban Pesach and meat of a chagigah each of which requires its own berachah. [Rashbam, quoting Tosefta, says that before eating the Korban Pesach one says, “Baruch Atah… asher kideshanu… le’echol haPesach,” and before eating the chagigah he says, “…le’echol hazevach.”] Rebbe Yishmael says:בירך ברכת הפסח פטר את של זבח בירך את של זבח לא פטר את של פסח – If one said the berachah for the Korban Pesach he exempted [himself from saying the blessing] for the [other] korban, but if one said the berachah for the [other] korban, he did not exempt [himself from saying the blessing] for the Korban Pesach. Rebbe Akiva says that neither blessing exempts a person from his obligation to say the other one.
The Rashbam explains that the Torah requires that the blood of a Korban Pesach be poured on the wall of the mizbei’ach and that the blood of the chagigah be thrown on two corners of the mizbei’ach from a distance. The Gemara explains that both Tanna’im agree that לא שפיכה בכלל זריקה – pouring is not included in throwing, and the machlokes revolves around the issue of whether זריקה בכלל שפיכה – throwing is included in pouring. According to Rebbe Yishmael, throwing is included in pouring, so the berachah for the pesach exempts the berachah for the chagigah. Rebbe Akiva holds that throwing is not included in the pouring, requiring a separate berachah for the pesach and chagigah.
- Who recites the Shehechiyanu at a Pidyon Haben?
The Gemara brings an incident that Rebbe Simlai attended a pidyon haben where the people said it is obvious to them that the father makes the berachah of על פדיון הבן since he is the one doing the mitzvah of redeeming his son. They were in doubt though as to who recites the shehechiyanu, the father or the Kohen. Does the Kohen recite it, דקמטי הנאה לידיה – as the physical benefit of this mitzvah, meaning the redemption money, reaches his hands, or does the father recite it דקא עביד מצוה – because he is performing the mitzvah? Rebbe Simlai did not have the answer and asked in the beis midrash, and was told, אבי הבן מברך שתים – The father of the son recites both berachos. The Gemara concludes, והלכתא אבי הבן מברך שתים – And the halachah is that the father of the son recites two berachos.
