I'll get a book. We are starting a new siman (section), Tav-Ayin-Dalet. Yesterday morning, we did the end of Tav-Ayin-Gimel, from Kaf-Gimel to the end. We need to move a little quicker now to get through these simanim before Pesach (Passover).
Tav-Ayin-Dalet is about a very, very important subject: a machloket (dispute) between the Sepharadim and the Ashkenazim. Do we make a berachah (blessing) on the second cup? Everyone agrees that you make Borei Peri HaGefen (Who creates the fruit of the vine) on the first cup, because it's kiddush. Everyone agrees that you make a berachah on the third cup, because it's after Birkat Hamazon (Grace after Meals). Once you've said Birkat Hamazon, you have to make a new berachah on cup number three. So, there's no machloket about cups one and three. The machloket is about cups two and four.
What's the question, anyway? We already made HaGefen (the vine) on cup number one. So why should I have to make HaGefen on cup number two? Cup number two comes about an hour later, as we read the Haggadah (Passover narrative) and say the berachah of Ga'al Yisrael (Who redeemed Israel). I don't even understand what the machloket is about here.
If I'm in the synagogue and I drink a cup of coffee at six o'clock in the morning, and then I pray Shacharit (morning prayer), which takes 45 minutes, an hour, I have my coffee every day after Shacharit as well. I don't make another shehakol (by whose word all exists). On the night of Shavuot (Festival of Weeks), when we stay up, we have coffee all night. We drink, read 10, 20 chapters of Tehillim (Psalms), and have another cup of coffee.
So how do we understand the logic of those who say you have to make a berachah on the second kos (cup)? The third kos doesn't bother me. You made Birkat Hamazon, so of course you need a berachah on the third kos. The fourth kos also: I don't know why we have to make a berachah. I said, the third kos—Gefen. Then I read a few chapters of Tehillim, Hallel (praise), Nishmat (the prayer Nishmat)—that takes what, 15 or 20 minutes to read that part? Half an hour, let's say—and then I have another kos.
So today's subject is to try to understand the machloket: whether to make a berachah on every kos, as the Ashkenazim do, or to make a berachah only on kos number one and kos number three, as the Sepharadim do, like we do.
Okay, start Tav-Ayin-Dalet in the Aruch. Beit Yosef writes: “Shoteh kos sheni ve'eino mevarech alav, lo berachah rishonah velo berachah acharonah.” I understand that. You drink the second kos, and you don't make a berachah. You don't make a Gefen, and you don't make a final berachah. “She'ein mevarachim Borei Peri HaGefen ela al kos shel kiddush ve'al kos shel Birkat Hamazon.” They make the berachah only on the first kos and the third kos.
“Ve'ein mevarachim al HaGefen ki im al kos revi'i.” You make Al HaGefen only once. I understand that too. I don't have to make Al HaGefen after the first and second cups, because I'm making Birkat Hamazon; Birkat Hamazon covers that. I make it after the third and fourth cups, after the fourth cup.
“Desivira leh”—what's the logic of the Beit Yosef? “Dehaggadah vehalila lo havei hefsek.” I understand that. The Haggadah isn't considered a hefsek (interruption). I don't care if someone is marbeh lesaper bitzi'at Mitzrayim (Egypt) harei zeh meshubach (The more one recounts the Exodus, the more praiseworthy) and takes two and a half hours for the Haggadah shel Pesach; it's not considered a hefsek. “Ulefichach berachah shel kiddush poterret biberachah et hakos hasheni.” The first kos covers the second kos. “Uverachah she'al kos shelishi shehu kos shel Birkat Hamazon poterret et berachah shel kos revi'i.” Okay.
Why don't we make a final berachah after the second kos? Why don't you say Al HaGefen on the second kos? You're drinking the second cup before you've made hamotzi. What's the rule? You do this every Friday night: You make kiddush before hamotzi; you don't make a final berachah before hamotzi. Right, you rely on Birkat Hamazon, so nothing changes.
“Hineh mipnei shehu yayin shekodem hamazon, shepoter et hayayin shebetoch hamazon, uvirkat hamazon poterato miberachah acharonah, kemo bechol hashanah.” That's a regular rule. The wine you drink before the se'udah (meal) does two things: It exempts the wine you drink during the se'udah. We make kiddush on Friday night, right? If I have a cup of wine during dinner, I don't have to make another Gefen; kiddush covered it. And Birkat Hamazon covers it as well. As he wrote in section Kuf-Ayin-Dalet. Go over there and look in Kuf-Ayin-Dalet. It clearly says that the wine you have before the se'udah covers the wine betoch hase'udah (during the meal), and you make a berachah... So there's no question about why I don't have to make a final berachah on the second cup.
So the custom of the Sepharadim is very, very understandable. Once again, Birkat HaGefen on the first cup. That's the first cup of wine I'm drinking all night. What do you want me to do? The first berachah covers the second cup too. I understand. What about a final berachah on the second cup? Why don't I have to make one? Because there's Birkat Hamazon. Then, after Birkat Hamazon, of course you have to make Gefen on the third cup; you've already said Birkat Hamazon. And the third cup will cover the fourth cup. Why don't they have to make a final berachah on the third cup? Because I'm still having a fourth cup. You make the final berachah on the fourth cup. No tricks here.
“Aval”—okay, who's reading here? Sal. “Aval Rabbeinu ha-Rema. Aval katav vehaminhag bein Ashkenazim levarech berachah rishonah al kol kos acharei kos.” Oh, that's the Ashkenazim. Is that right, Rabbi Jurman? That's right. You make a berachah on every kos? Yeah. Wow! Big. “Aval berachah acharonah ein mevarachim rak achar ha'acharon levad, vechen da'at rov hage'onim, ad kan leshono.” So the Rema says they make a Gefen on every kos.
Again, I'm not worried about cup number one, and I'm not worried about cup number three. I'm worried about why they'd make a berachah on cup number two. What happened that requires a berachah on cup number two? What did you do? You made Gefen. Now what did you do? Did you walk out of your house? If you walked out of your house, then according to everybody you have to make another Gefen. We're not talking about a Shinui makom (change of location) here. If you left your house, that's a different story. But who leaves the house in the middle of the seder (ritual meal)?
“Usvira leh dehaggadah vehallel havei hefsek.” Oh, that's the reason: The Haggadah and the Hallel are a hefsek. It's exactly an interruption. What kind of interruption? What kind? It's kacha kacha—it's an interruption for some reason. Okay, so now I have a new rule: There's an interruption. The wine is on the table. Everything's on the table. But why? Because I took a 20-minute break? So I took a 20-minute break, and now there's a new rule? Do I have to look at my watch to see how long a break I took between... Not to mention Shabbat, when we sit for two hours. On Shabbat, meaning? Between drinking and, you know, drinking. Between drinking. Okay, it's a hefsek.
“Ve'af al gav...” Oh, maybe there's a “ve'af al gav.” “Ve'im ken, lamah lo yevarech berachah acharonah al harishon ve'al hashelishi, keivan she'ein lahem shayachut zeh bazeh?” So he says, “Okay, how much do you believe this, that it's a hefsek? If it's a hefsek, you should make a final berachah after the first cup. If it's a hefsek, and cups one and two aren't related to each other, then they should make a final berachah right after the first cup. Be consistent.”
“Ela al korchach tzarich lomar dela havei hefsek.” Ah, so it's not a hefsek. I thought it was a hefsek, but it's not. If it were a hefsek, he would make a final berachah. “Ve'im ken, lamah tzarich berachah rishonah basheni uvarvi'i?” Oh, so it's a different reason. It's not a hefsek. “Ela, vetirretzu, dekheivan de'arba kosot (four cups) ellu tikenu chachamim lishtotan derech cherut (in a manner of freedom), vechol echad ve'echad hu mitzvah (commandment) bifnei atzmah, lefichach ein hem mitztarefim zeh im zeh lehipater bivrachah achat, ela tzarich levarech al kol echad bifnei atzmo.”
Yeah, another reason we don't understand. Each kos is its own mitzvah. See, each kos is its own mitzvah, so it gets its own berachah. It's a Birkat Hamitzvah (blessing over a commandment)—no, it's got to be... Yeah, so then make Al Shetiyat Arba Kosot (over drinking the four cups). What does that have to do with anything? If each one is its own mitzvah, I have no problem with that. The first cup is a separate mitzvah, and the second cup is a separate mitzvah. So if each one gets its own Gefen— that's what I don't understand.
“Ve'ein zeh maspik, veyesh lehosif od lomar dehava kemi shehitnah al kol kos vekhos shelo yiftor ela atzmo.” Then he brings the Taz and says, “You know what it is? You know what the pshat (explanation) is? It's built in as if, when he makes the first Borei Peri HaGefen, his kavanah (intention) is that this Gefen shouldn't exempt the second cup.” Who has this kavanah, by the way? It's built in. Why build in an intention you don't need to build in?
He's saying, “I know why I have to make a berachah on the second cup. When the person made kiddush, it's as if he said, ‘This Birkat HaGefen on the kiddush is only for kiddush. I'm not drinking any more wine, and I don't want this to exempt the second cup.’” The Rabbi doesn't like this either. “Vezeh... Deminayin... Deminayin lanu tnai (condition) zeh?” Where would you get this tnai from?
The Aruch Hashulchan isn't particularly happy with any of these reasons. It could be because of a hefsek, or you could tell me it's because each is a separate mitzvah, or you could tell me it's like a tnai. Each of these reasons has its own problems. If you say it's because of a hefsek, why don't you make a final berachah? Make Gefen, Al HaGefen. If you say it's because it's a separate mitzvah, so what? Does that give you a reason to make a berachah for each one? “Ah,” you'll say, “it's a tnai.” Where did you get that tnai from? These are the questions of the Aruch Hashulchan.
Okay, take out the papers Saul made for us. Let's look at the Rishonim (early authorities), at the mekorot (sources). At the top, you have the Rif, Rabbeinu Yitzchak Alfasi, in Masechet Pesachim (tractate Pesachim). Do you see Ravina? Top line? Let's go slowly, everyone. Let's analyze these Rishonim properly. Everybody, concentrate this morning. We're reading Rishonim now. Everybody should see this.
“Ravina amar, kol echad ve'echad mitzvah (commandment) bifnei atzmo hu.” Okay, that's the Gemara (Talmud). No problem. Ravina says each one of the arba kosot (four cups) is a separate mitzvah. We don't argue with that. Now the Rif starts talking: “Ve'amrei rabbavata, ho'il vekhol echad ve'echad bifnei atzmo hu, mevarchinan Borei Peri HaGefen a'kol kasa vekhasa.” Ah, the Rif is already identifying this opinion. It's not just the usual Ashkenazim. Rabbeinu Yitzchak Alfasi says, “Because each one of these is its own mitzvah, each kos gets its own berachah.”
Now the Rif brings a re'ayah (proof): “Umesaye'a lehai sevara”—he's going to bring a re'ayah for this sevara (reasoning) from what we learned in Chullin (tractate Chullin): “Shachat me'ah chayot (wild animal) bemakom echad.” What did the person do? He performed shechitah (ritual slaughter) on 100 animals in one place. “Kisuy echad lekulan.” He can do one kisuy hadam (covering of the blood) for all 100 animals. “Me'ah ofot (bird) bemakom echad”—he did 100 birds, 100 chickens, in one place. “Kisuy echad lekulan.” One covering for all of them.
Rabbi Yehudah says, “Shachat chayah yechaseh, ve'achar kach yishchot ha'of.” Rabbi Yehudah says, “No, do each one separately. You performed shechitah on the chayah; cover it. You performed shechitah on the of; cover it.” Each one separately. “Ve'amrinan alah, amar Rabbi Yochanan: modeh Rabbi Yehudah le'inyan berachah, she'eino mevarech ela berachah achat.” So, Yehudah, if you're telling me to do 100 coverings of the blood, how many berachot should I make? Rabbi Yehudah says you should make only one berachah on the kisuy hadam. Maybe for the species—maybe the wild animals? One berachah. Don't make it more confusing than it already is. “Modeh Rabbi Yehudah le'inyan berachah, she'eino mevarech ela berachah achat.”
So basically, the person performed shechitah, and now there's blood on the floor. What does he do with the blood? Kisuy hadam. He performs shechitah, then kisuy hadam: “Berachah, kisui hadam.” Now he performs another shechitah, and the berachah he made for the kisuy hadam covers all the coverings he'll do. He makes one berachah for all of them. “Shochet umchaseh, mevarech.” One berachah for all of them, no problem.
Ah, so the Gemara says, “Al mitzvat kisuy hadam.” Ah, he says that doesn't settle it. He says, “Perform shechitah, there's blood on the floor; say the berachah for kisuy hadam. Now perform another shechitah. You've already made the berachah for kisuy hadam; cover the blood again.” You don't have to wait and cover them all at once; cover each one. So the Gemara says: “Amar leh Ravina le-Rav Acha berei de-Rava,” and some say, “Rav Acha berei de-Rava le-Rav Ashi: Mai shena mi-deRav Beruna veRav Chananel?” These are two righteous rabbis, students of Rav, who were sitting at a meal with Rav Yeiva Saba. They were sitting at a meal, and they said to him, “Hav venavrich” (Come, let us recite Grace). That was it; they had finished the meal and said zimun (invitation to recite Grace). What did they say? “Hav venavrich.” What does that mean? They were done. Then they said, “Hav venishte” (Come, let us drink). They came along and said, “Okay, let's drink something else.” Rav Yeiva Saba said to them, “Hachi amar Rav, keivan de-amritu hav venavrich, ittzar lechu lemishte chamra.” Once you've said “Hav venavrich,” you're forbidden to drink wine. And they stopped.
That's what it says. What's the Gemara's question? Once you say “Hav venavrich,” it's a hefsek, and if you want to drink more, you need a new berachah. This raises a question about how one berachah can cover everything. Once you perform shechitah and finish the kisuy hadam, then perform a new shechitah, it would seem that you need a new berachah on kisuy hadam, just as you need a new berachah when you say “Hav venavrich” and then have another cup. It would seem that this is a new kisuy hadam. I performed shechitah, the blood was on the floor, I made the berachah, and that's it; the mitzvah is over. Now I do a new shechitah. Why shouldn't that be like “Hav venavrich”? Just as “Hav venavrich” means you need a new berachah, so too, it would seem, when you perform a new shechitah you should need a new berachah. What's the machloket, then?
The Gemara is going to say that the cases aren't comparable. What does the first opinion say? The Gemara says it's not comparable. I finished the shechitah; I finished the kisuy hadam. So the Gemara asks, “Ve-hadru, hachi hashta?” Is it comparable? What are you comparing “Hav venavrich” to the case of shechitah? What do you mean, it's not comparable? They just said “Hav venavrich.” The wine is in front of me; everything is in front of me. What did I do? Nothing. “Hav venavrich” is less than performing shechitah and covering the blood.
The Gemara says, “Hatam mishtya uveruchei bahadi hadadei lo efshar.” You can't say Birkat Hamazon and drink at the same time. It's impossible. So once you say “Hav venavrich,” that's it. Once you say “Navrich,” you can't—because can you say a berachah and drink at the same time? Of course not. So “Hav venavrich” is already a break. “Hacha, efshar deshaeit bechada yada umchaseh bechada yada.” But here you can continue. I can perform shechitah with one hand and cover the blood with the other, so I'm never finished. I can still continue the process.
When I say “Hav venavrich,” what am I saying? Let's say Birkat Hamazon. Can I say Birkat Hamazon and drink? No. Those are two things that exclude each other. Here, I performed shechitah on the first one, and there's blood on the floor. Good. While I'm covering that blood, I can perform shechitah on the next one, so there's a continuation. It doesn't close it out. Just because I did kisuy hadam, is that a break? It's not. The action can continue. They don't exclude each other. Kisuy hadam doesn't prevent me from performing the next shechitah.
That's the Gemara, by the way. It's an easy Gemara, nothing too major. The Rif draws a halachah (Jewish law) from this Gemara. He says, “Sheminan mehacha. Chullin daf peh-vav. Sheminan mehacha: dehichi dele'inyan Birkat Hamazon, kevan delo efshar lemishte uveruche bahadei hadadei, havei hafsakah, vechad masik lah le-Virkat Hamazon, tzarich lachazor ulevarech Borei Peri HaGefen.” Just as you cannot say Birkat Hamazon and Borei Peri HaGefen at the same time, once you've said Birkat Hamazon—even if you only said “Hav lan venavrich”—you have to make a new berachah on Gefen.
“Hacha nami, kevan delo efshar leh lemikre umishte bahadei hadadei, tzarich lachazor ulevarech batar degamar Haggadah uvatar degamar halila Borei Peri HaGefen.” Since you can't read the Haggadah and drink at the same time, you have to make a new Borei Peri HaGefen after finishing the Haggadah and after finishing Hallel. Wow. Can someone read the Haggadah and drink at the same time? No.
No, it's normal not to talk during... No, but you can't drink while talking—talking, talking. I could stop talking and drink, or I don't have to talk during a meal. But here you're reading the Haggadah. During the reading of the Haggadah, you're not supposed to drink wine. I cannot drink wine during the Hallel. So the Gemara said, can you drink wine during Birkat Hamazon? No. Therefore it's a hefsek.
To make it easier to understand, as Tosafot explains: When I say “Baruch Atah Hashem Ga'al Yisrael,” during that berachah, can I drink wine? There's a point when you're not allowed to drink wine anymore: when you say the berachah of Ga'al Yisrael, right before the second cup. Can I drink a cup of wine in the middle of Ga'al Yisrael? That's a better example. If I'm having a conversation during the se'udah, I can always drink, no problem. But when I'm saying the berachah of Ga'al Yisrael, it's forbidden to drink. I'm in the middle of a berachah; can I drink during the berachah? So just as you say that during Birkat Hamazon I cannot make a berachah—and that's why I have to make a new berachah—the same applies when you say Ga'al Yisrael.
The Rif says, “Usevara ma'alya hu. Vehachi miba'e lemeybad.” First, the Rif says he likes this sevara, and he says this is what you're supposed to do. We're not talking about the Ashkenazim anymore; this is the shitah of the Rif. Rabbeinu Yitzchak Alfasi holds that you have to make a berachah on every cup. What's the reason you have to make the berachah, the Gefen, after you've already said “Hav lan venavrich”? The Gemara's lashon (wording) is that you cannot drink wine while saying Birkat Hamazon. Isn't that the Gemara's lashon? “Hashta, hatam, mishtya uveruche bahadei hadadei lo efshar.” You cannot drink and say a berachah. He says the same thing: You cannot drink and say the Haggadah at the same time. So the Haggadah is considered a hefsek, and therefore I have to make a new berachah on the Gefen.
That's the Gemara's wording. It's quoting the Gemara in Chullin. All of this is the Gemara in Chullin. After quoting it, he says: What do you learn from this Gemara? In the case of kisuy hadam, I can perform shechitah and kisuy hadam simultaneously, so it's not considered a hefsek. “Mah she'ein ken,” but saying Birkat Hamazon and drinking wine at the same time is impossible. Ah, very good. Similarly, I cannot read the Haggadah and drink wine at the same time either, so therefore... Oh, you see what? You have to make a new berachah. It's a cute sevara. I like the sevara. “Vehachi nami tzerich leme'vad.” And have a good day.
Okay, now what do you want to do? Go to the bottom. The bottom is the Rosh. Start four lines down, at “Ravina amar” on the right side. “Ravina amar kol chad vechad mitzvah be'apei nafsheh hu ve'amri rabbavata.” Who is he quoting? The Rif. Who said the words “amri rabbavata”? The Rif. I'm reading quickly now: “Ho'il vechol chad vechad mitzvah be'apei nafsheh hu tzerichim levarech Borei Peri HaGefen lechol kasa vekasa.” Since each one is its own mitzvah, you have to make the berachah of Borei Peri HaGefen for each cup.
“Umesayei leh lehahai sevara meha detnan Chullin shachat me'ah chayah va'of bemakom echad kisuy echad lechulam Rabbi Yehudah omer shachat chayah yechasenah ve'achar kach yishchot of ve'amrinan alah modeh Rabbi Yehudah le'inyan berachah she'eino mevarech ela achat.” Then he quotes the question: “Amar leh Ravina le-Rav Acha berei de-Rava,” or, as some say, “Rav Acha berei de-Rava le-Rav Ashi: Mai shena miRav Berona veRav Chananel dahavu yatvei bise'udata vekam aleiyehu Rav Yeiva Sava ve'amru leh hav lan venavrich vehadar amru leh hav lan venishte amar lehu Rav Yeiva Sava hachi amar Rav keivan de'amritu hav lan venavrich ittzar lechu lemishte.” Once they said “Hav lan venavrich,” they were forbidden to drink. Then they asked, “Hachi hashta? Hatam mishtya uveruchei bahadi hadadei lo efshar hacha efshar deshaeit bechada yada umchaseh bechada yada.”
“Shemeinan hashta,” the Rif says, “dehichei deba'inyan Birkat Hamazon keivan delo efshar lemishte ulevruchei bahadi hadadei havya hefsek. Uchad mafsik bevirkat hamazon tzerich lachazor ulevarech Borei Peri HaGefen.” Since you can't drink and say a berachah at the same time, it's considered a hefsek. When you interrupt with Birkat Hamazon, you have to make a new Borei Peri HaGefen. “Hacha nami keivan delo efshar lemishte ulemikrei bahadi hadadei”—you can't read the Haggadah and drink at the same time—“tzerich lachazor ulevarech batar degamrah lahaggadah uvatar degamar halila Borei Peri HaGefen usevara me'alya hu dehachi miba'ei leh leme'vad.” That's an exact quote from the Rif.
Are we clear on what the Rif says, before you question him? Are we clear on what the Rif says? Yes. The Rif says what he says. You like it or you don't like it; that's what he says. Yes or no, everyone? Yeah. Okay, what's your question on the Rif?
The question is: Didn't we always think that when Rav Yeiva Saba says that, it's because you've already said Birkat Hamazon? Maybe I could argue that he's not in the middle of talking; he's already, in his mind, closed out the se'udah, so he's written off the rest of... Oh! But David is offering a different sevara, a very logical one. He's saying it's not that you can't drink during Birkat Hamazon specifically. What does it mean that you can't drink during Birkat Hamazon? It's specifically Birkat Hamazon, because when you've said Birkat Hamazon, what's on your mind? “I'm done.” It's hesech hada'at (distraction of the mind). It's more than that you can't make the berachah at the same time. During Birkat Hamazon, it's not just any hefsek; it's a Birkat Hamazon-type of hefsek. That's the worst type of hefsek, because that's the hefsek of... What do you say Birkat Hamazon for? Hello? What? “I'm done.” Oh, you're done? So now it's a hefsek that is also hesech hada'at.
There are two kinds of hefsek, as Jonathan said. In the middle of the meal, I talk. I talk words of Torah. Well, while I'm talking words of Torah, I can't drink! When you're talking, you can't drink. Oh, okay, but my mind is still on drinking. So not every hefsek means I have to make a new berachah. David says Birkat Hamazon is a different kind of hefsek. It's a hefsek with hesech hada'at. It's really an action of closing this out; that's what he's saying. It's an action that says, “I'm done.” So don't compare the Haggadah shel Pesach to Birkat Hamazon! So, “Baruch shekivanta.”
What's the comparison, then, to kisuy hadam? It seems that he's saying I can perform shechitah with one hand and cover the blood with the other. Basically, I haven't closed it out. Although there's a hefsek in between, you see from the fact that I can continue the actions simultaneously that it's not a hefsek. I can continue. My mind is still on it. I can do them together, so even if I didn't do them together, that tells you I'm not done, because I could do one with the other hand. It shows I'm not done; I can continue. Once you say “Hav lan venavrich,” there's a doubt. Especially if you said Birkat Hamazon, all the more so. How do you say Birkat Hamazon? Through shechitah? You mean, you see from the fact that you can continue while there's a... But Birkat Hamazon is Birkat Hamazon.
Look at the wording: “Velo nehira li.” How does he close? I have to close that. “Velo nehira li.” Why doesn't he like it? “Mah shehevi re'ayah.” First, because the Rif says that since each one is its own mitzvah, you have to make Borei Peri HaGefen on every cup. He says, “Shehamitzvah einah mezakeket berachah al kamah, kol kamah deleit kan hesech hada'at.” By the way, who cares if it's a separate mitzvah? As long as there isn't hesech hada'at, why should I have to make a berachah on...?
“Kide'amrinan, Rav Ashi devarich achasa kama vetu lo barich.” The Gemara tells a story about Rav Ashi. They brought him a cup during the meal. He made a berachah on the cup, and then he didn't make a berachah even on the cup of Birkat Hamazon. That's not the halachah; it's just a story about what happened. They brought Rav Ashi a cup in the middle of the meal. He said Borei Peri HaGefen, said Birkat Hamazon, and didn't make the berachah of HaGefen after Birkat Hamazon either.
The Rosh says, “Rav Ashi devarich achasa kama vetu lo barich, af al gav deBirkat Hamazon te'unah kos.” Even though Birkat Hamazon requires a cup, “lo ba'ei leberuchei, keivan deleika hesech hada'at.” He held that Birkat Hamazon isn't considered a hefsek. Even though each one is clearly a separate mitzvah, as long as there's no hesech hada'at, he didn't make another berachah on each cup. “Ve'af al gav deleit hilcheta keRav Ashi”—even though we don't follow Rav Ashi—“heinun meta'ama acharina, mishum deBirkat Hamazon haveya hefsek ve'ika hesech hada'at.” That means we hold that Birkat Hamazon is not only a hefsek; it's a hefsek with hesech hada'at. Rav Ashi held, for whatever reason, that it isn't considered hesech hada'at, but we hold that it is.
“Aval lefom sevara dideih deBirkat Hamazon lo havei hefsek, leika man defalig aleih.” That means Rav Ashi held that Birkat Hamazon isn't considered a hefsek; nobody would argue with that. Even though it took you six minutes to say Birkat Hamazon, we also agree it isn't a hefsek. And therefore, just as Birkat Hamazon shouldn't be considered a hefsek, everyone agrees the Haggadah isn't either. So why do we hold that you have to make a berachah after Birkat Hamazon? Because of hesech hada'at. But the element of hefsek—what could be a hefsek? Everyone agrees, by the way, that the six-minute Birkat Hamazon itself shouldn't bother you. So why do I have to make another berachah? No, it's because of hesech hada'at, as David said. Birkat Hamazon is a different kind of hefsek.
Everyone, if someone in the middle of the se'udah says, “I want to read two halachot (laws) at the table,” we take out the book and read two halachot. I'm still eating! Is that a hefsek? It's not a hefsek; I'm still eating. But when you say Birkat Hamazon, ah, that's a hefsek? No, it's an even bigger hefsek. It's a hefsek with hesech hada'at.
He says in the next paragraph: “Af al gav shehi te'unah kos lemitzvah, einah mezakeket berachah lesevarato, deleika hafsakah vehesech hada'at.” Correct. And we hold what? We don't hold like Rav Ashi. We would make a berachah on the cup after Birkat Hamazon, of course, because we hold it's a hefsek with hesech hada'at. The same law applies to the Haggadah shel Pesach: It isn't anything; it's not a hefsek, it's not hesech hada'at, it's nothing. So why should you make a berachah on the second cup?
“Vechen tefillin (phylacteries), shtei mitzvot hen.” Tefillin: There are two mitzvot, shel yad (arm tefillin) and shel rosh (head tefillin). We hold they're two separate mitzvot. “Ve'einam me'akevot zo et zo”—one doesn't prevent the other. If you only have shel yad, you put on shel yad; if you only have shel rosh, you put on shel rosh. “Umevarech berachah achat al shteihem.” And we make a berachah, one berachah, for each one. Even though they're two separate mitzvot? Rif, what was your proof? Since each cup is a separate mitzvah, you have to make a berachah on each one. That's not so. Tefillin, tefillin each one is a separate mitzvah, and still we make one berachah for both.
“Ve'afilu leman devarich shtayim.” Even according to the Ashkenazim, who say they make two berachot for the tefillin, the first berachah also covers the head tefillin. If he had put on only the head tefillin, he would have made two berachot. Right? Because they hold you make two berachot on the tefillin? Not that you need one berachah per mitzvah. They hold you make two berachot even if you put on only the head tefillin.
The point is, this sevara that you tell me—that you make a berachah for every cup because it's its own mitzvah—first of all, don't tell me that based on Birkat Hamazon. Birkat Hamazon is hesech hada'at. And don't tell me based on any of this. “Umah shehevi re'ayah mehav lan venavrich”—the Rif brought a proof from “Hav lan venavrich.” What's the proof the Rosh is bringing up again? “Dehavei hefsek mishum demishtabach bei delo hefsel, lav re'ayah, deshani Birkat Hamazon, dehavei hesech hada'at vesiluk al mah she'achal veshatah.” So the rabbanan dehavei, you're lucky today tonight. The Rishonim, the Rosh. What do you mean, you get a proof from Birkat Hamazon in Masechet Chullin? Birkat Hamazon is hesech hada'at. Once you've done that, you have to make a berachah if you want to eat and drink. And kisuy hadam is the completion and conclusion of the slaughter. You could argue that when a person performed shechitah, he finished it. We have to say he can still continue it. That's why he's going to continue.
Now open the Shulchan Aruch, everyone. What siman do I want you to open? I'll tell you. Open the Shulchan Aruch; you'll see the halachah clearly. It's Kuf-Ayin-Chet, se'if (paragraph) vav. Kuf-Ayin-Chet, vav. You need a six-pack. Kuf-Ayin-Chet, se'if vav. Here it is, halachah vav. See Kuf-Ayin-Chet, vav. Open it up. Give yourself a chance to open it. We have technology today; we can take pictures and send them around to whoever doesn't have it. Okay, Margo, read.
“Mi shenizkar betoch hase'udah shelo hitpallel...” So what happened? In the middle of eating, he remembered that he hadn't prayed Arvit (evening prayer). Right. “Ve'amad vehitpallel.” So he stopped eating, got up, and prayed Arvit in the same house; he didn't leave the house. He was at the table. “Ve'afilu im ein shehut ligmor se'udato ulehitpallel.” He hadn't finished his se'udah; there was no time to finish. Everyone, we have to pray right away or we'll miss the minyan (prayer quorum). So they got up in the middle of eating and prayed. “Shechayav lehafsik, ve'i efshar lo le'echol ad sheyitpallel.” He has to stop, and he can't eat until he prays. He really has to get up and pray.
Even so, “afilu hachi lo havei hefsek.” It's not a hefsek! Not a hefsek! According to the Rif, could you pray and eat at the same time? You can't pray and eat at the same time, so it's a hefsek. Therefore, when you go back to eating, you should make new berachot. Maran says clearly, “Lo havei hefsek.” Why? Because praying isn't hesech hada'at. It's a clear halachah.
Look at the Rosh. He could have brought this. It's a Gemara meforeshet (explicit Gemara). The Rosh brings it against the Rif. He says, “Aval im amad lehitpallel be'emtza se'udah.” See where we are in the Rosh, boys? “Afilu higi'a zeman haminchah.” Minchah (afternoon prayer) is a better case, because it has a set time. You have to stop to pray Minchah. “Ve'ein shehut lo ligmor se'udato ulehitpallel, shechayav lehafsik”—he really has to stop the meal to pray—“ve'i efshar lo le'echol ad sheyitpallel, afilu hachi lo havei hefsek, ked'amrinan gabei akru ragleihem leilech leveit hakeneset, demairi bechol inyan, afilu ein shehut bayom, dechayav lehafsik, afilu hachi lo havei hefsek. Hachi parishna.”
Beautiful proof! Here we're studying a case where you have to stop. You can't not pray Minchah. So you're forced to stop. That's the rule, but your mind is still on eating. He says, “Kol sheken bein kos rishon lechos sheni she'im yirtzeh lishtot deshoteh, lo havei hesech hada'at.” All the more so between the first and second cups: If he wants to drink, he can drink; it's not hesech hada'at. Guess what? You're allowed to drink between the first and second cups. All the more so! In the case of Minchah, I have to stop eating. Here, if I want to drink during the Haggadah, technically I can. The Rabbis say it's better not to, so you don't get drunk. Did I close out drinking just because I'm reading the Haggadah? Of course not.
“Vechen bein shelishi lirevi'i.” What about between the third and fourth cups? You're not allowed to drink between the third and fourth cups. “Af al gav de'asur lishtot, keivan shehakos lefanav veda'ato lishtot, lo havei lei hefsek behesech hada'at.” But that fourth cup is in front of me! I know I'm drinking the fourth cup. Why should that ever be hesech hada'at? I don't care how long you sing Nishmat.
It comes out that we have a major machloket between Rabbeinu Yitzchak Alfasi and Rabbeinu Asher. We understood Rabbeinu Asher, but now we're struggling to understand the Rif. Ashkenazim, what are you telling me? He tells me it's a hefsek. What does hefsek mean? I made it sweeter for you: You can't drink during Aleinu Leshabe'ach (prayer Aleinu). So what? You can't drink during the Amidah (standing prayer) either. Exactly! You can't drink while I'm talking. I can't drink and talk at the same time. Not every hefsek is considered hesech hada'at. There's a hefsek, and there's hesech hada'at; there's a big difference between the two. A hefsek means I temporarily stop drinking. But hesech hada'at means I'm done.
That is to say, it's only Birkat Hamazon, my friend. It's only Birkat Hamazon. There's a special kind of hefsek called Birkat Hamazon, which is different. Then we can understand it logically. Now go to section gimmel in the Aruch Hashulchan. He's going to try to make sense of this. He's going to have a big question. Simple: Not according to us—according to the Ashkenazim, is there at least a machloket here? What happened to safek berachot lehakeil (when in doubt, be lenient about blessings)? What about the Ashkenazim on the second cup? Does the rule of safek berachot lehakeil suddenly not apply? No, they rule like the Rif.
Look at what he says here: “Ule'aniyut da'ati.” David, are you going to read? David, my nephew, read. “Ule'aniyut da'ati, gimmel. Nir'eh, dehineh baMaharil katuv detzarich levarech al kol kos vekhos.” Okay, that's what it says, even though the Rosh ruled not to make a berachah. We saw the Rosh. Tosafot ruled that he should make a berachah, like the Rif. “Ve'asur lehanot belo berachah, vesafek issur (prohibition) lechumra.” Look what he says. The Maharil says, “Listen, are you allowed to benefit from this world without a berachah? No. Therefore, you have to make a berachah. How can I let someone benefit from this world without a berachah? It's a doubtful prohibition to benefit. In effect, it's doubtful stealing.” Isn't that what the Maharil says? I have no choice; I have to make him make a berachah.
Why couldn't he have this kavanah on the I don't I'd say maybe don't drink. By the way, the four cups are derabbanan (rabbinic). Maybe making an unnecessary berachah could be de'oraita (from the Torah); I don't know. Don't drink the second cup. I don't know. “Vezeh eino muvan klal. Veha adaraba, safek berachot lehakeil.” What happened to safek berachot lehakeil? “Velachen velachen nir'eh li dehachi perusho. Dehachi perusho, dehineh zehu vadai sheyesh safek im haHaggadah havei hefsek im lo.” Clearly, it's a question whether the Haggadah is considered a hefsek; it's a machloket among the Rishonim.
“Velachen velachen pasaknu base'if hakodem le'inyan karpas (Seder vegetable), shelo yochal kezayit (olive-sized amount), ve'im achal lo yevarech berachah acharonah, safek berachot lehakeil.” The same machloket we just learned applies to someone who ate a kezayit of karpas. What did we say if you eat a kezayit of karpas? There's a machloket. Some say you have to say Borei Nefashot (Who creates many souls); some say you don't. What's the question there? If you say that the karpas is connected to the maror (bitter herbs), then it's fine. If you say that karpas isn't connected to the maror—why wouldn't it be connected to the maror? Because the Haggadah is in between. So what did we say in that case? Even if you ate a kezayit, safek berachot lehakeil: Don't say Borei Nefashot.
So we do say safek berachot lehakeil. But what do you want to do here? “Ve'im ken, shitah shelo yevarech berachah acharonah.” Ah, so why is he drinking if there's a doubt? Maybe. So why, in this case, are you letting him drink the second cup? We should say, don't drink any more cups. According to the Ashkenazim, you drank the first cup and said HaGefen; now, the second cup—what do you mean? The Rabbis said to drink four cups. Is there an option to tell someone, “Don't drink the second cup because of safek berachot”?
He says, “Lo yishteh velo yevarech.” Maybe we should tell him, “Don't drink, and don't make a berachah.” Otherwise, what doubt is there? He'll be benefiting without a berachah. Why can't you say that? “Mai it lach lemeimar? Shehu muchrach lishtot mipnei mitzvat chachamim shetiknu dalet kosot.” He has to drink because of the mitzvah the Rabbis established, the four cups. It's a benefit, but he has no option; you can't eliminate the whole mitzvah. He can't get rid of the mitzvah. If it's voluntary eating, I'll tell someone not to eat, so he doesn't put himself in doubt. But when it's a mitzvah, I can't tell him, “You know what? There's a doubt about the blessings; better not put yourself in this predicament. Don't drink the second cup.” That's not an option. I have to do the mitzvot.
He says, “Ve'im ken, eich nomar le'adam tishteh issur misafeik? Vaharei yachol lomar lo, nicha li lehikanes besafeik issur lehanot belo berachah.” In other words, how could you tell someone, “You know what? Drink the second cup”? The person says, “I don't want to get involved in this. You're asking me to drink a second cup and putting me in a situation where I might be benefiting from this world without a berachah. I don't want to do that.”
“Ela masbir, de'amrinan leih sheteh uvaruch.” It must be that the Rabbis told him from the beginning, “Sheteh uvaruch” (Drink and recite the blessing). That was part of the original takanat chachamim (rabbinic enactment) as well. So they wouldn't worry about safek berachot. “Umimeila, delefi takanat hachachamim behechreach she'ein hakavanah liftor et hakos hasheini miberachah rishonah.” The Rabbis couldn't have exempted you from making a berachah on the second cup, because if you have to say that when they told you to drink it, they were telling you, “Sheteh uvaruch.” Okay, that takes care of it for the Ashkenazim.
The Aruch Hashulchan is bothered by a question now. How could we tell someone to drink the second cup? He's putting himself in doubt. Okay, so don't drink. But what does “don't drink” mean? You have to drink; the Rabbis said to drink. Okay, drink and make a berachah? No, drink and don't make a berachah. What do you mean, drink and don't make a berachah? Maybe I was supposed to make a berachah, and then I'm benefiting from this world without a berachah. So whatever I do, I'm stuck. It must be that when the Rabbis told you to drink, they told you, “Sheteh uvaruch.” It's built into it. That doesn't explain the mechanics—why is it like that? It just explains that you have no choice: You have to drink the second cup because it's a mitzvah, and you can't say, “I don't want to drink the second cup because maybe I'm supposed to make a berachah and maybe I'm not.” No, when they said “sheteh,” it means “sheteh uvaruch.” But why “sheteh uvaruch”? He doesn't tell you. Why doesn't he also suggest having someone else make the berachah and the other person answer? You can't say amen on a doubtful berachah either.
Look at Maran. Open Tav-Ayin-Dalet. So are we really not so sure about this Ashkenazim custom? The Mishnah Berurah is going to say something. Look, Tav-Ayin-Dalet. Read the first section in Maran. When you're ready, read: “Shoteh kos...” Wait, wait—Tav-Ayin-Dalet. “Shoteh kos sheni ve'eino mevarech alav.” Bingo. Who's that? The Rosh. Look at the alef; see the alef there? “Ot be'alef agulah, Tur beshem aviv haRosh.” Bingo, nice. “Lo berachah rishonah, velo berachah acharonah, she'ein mevarchin Borei Peri HaGefen ki im al kos shel kiddush ve'al kos shel Birkat Hamazon. Ve'ein mevarchim al HaGefen ki im achar kos revi'i.” Gorgeous. Like our custom: Gefen on cups one and three, and Al HaGefen at the end.
The note says, “Vehaminhag ba'Ashkenazim levarech berachah rishonah al kol kos vekhos.” Who's that? That's the Rif. “Aval berachah acharonah ein mevarchin rak achar ha'acharon bilvad, vechen da'at rov hage'onim.” Go to the Mishnah Berurah. Aren't they soter (contradict) themselves, Ashkenazim? By making the berachah, shouldn't they obligate themselves to make a final berachah too? The Mishnah Berurah... That's what the Aruch Hashulchan asks. He's going to address that question. Oh, okay. And the Mishnah Berurah asks the same question.
Look at Maran. Let's look at the Mishnah Berurah. “Lo berachah rishonah”—according to the Sepharadim. Why no first berachah? “Ve'af al gav de'arba kosot shetikenu Rabbanan kol echad mitzvah bifnei atzmah”—even though the Rabbis established the four cups as separate mitzvot—“mikol makom keivan deleika hesech hada'at.” There's no hesech hada'at there. You're drinking; when you made the berachah on the first cup, you knew you'd drink another cup.
“Ki im achar kos revi'i.” And we make the final berachah only after the fourth cup. “Ve'af al gav debirkat hamazon gemar bise'udah vehavei kehefsek gamur le'inyan berachah rishonah shel kos gimmel, mikol makom le'inyan berachah acharonah lo mafsid miyadi she'ein hesech hada'at.” There you go. Birkat Hamazon obligates me to make a first berachah on the third cup. But I can make the final berachah after the fourth cup, because Birkat Hamazon doesn't affect the final berachah. No problem; all that makes sense.
Next, the Mishnah Berurah: “De'af al kol kos vekhos, oh, demisheyatchil baHaggadah asur lishtot.” That's the sevara of the Rosh, of the Rif! Once you start the Haggadah, you can't drink. “Ulehachi havei hefsek delitzteroch berachah bekos sheni.” That's why it's a hefsek and you need a berachah on the second cup.
“Ve'afilu ne'eivid dezeh eino mafsik”—even if you want to say this isn't a hefsek with regard to the berachah, like the case in section Kuf-Ayin-Chet, paragraph vav, the section about prayer, where we clearly learned that praying isn't a hefsek—“mikol makom keivan dechol chada vechada miha mitzvah bifnei atzmah yesh levarech al kol kos vekhos berachah bifnei atzmah.” Still, since each cup is its own mitzvah, you have to make a separate berachah for each cup. So it's all a mitzta'ref (combines) of two reasons. They say you can't drink at that time, and each cup is its own mitzvah. That's how they explain it. You put those two reasons together, but we don't understand either one by itself. You put zero and zero together; it's still zero to me. A separate mitzvah? Are tefillin separate mitzvot? You still make one berachah. Leave that. A separate mitzvah—so what? A hefsek—where is the rule that you need a berachah on wine as a Birkat Hamitzvah? Is Borei Peri HaGefen a Birkat Hamitzvah now? Maybe for kiddush. But tefillin—if someone does make an interruption with the tefillin, he makes that berachah. But does everyone agree? No. Even according to us, if you make an interruption, you would make the second berachah, right? Right. But hefsek maybe means hesech hada'at, not talking. No, talking. I mean, talking is not tzorech (need of) tefillin, fine. Not tzorech tefillin, it's not tzorech haseder.
I'm just trying to make sense of it. The bot- bottom line he's telling you is either that each mitzvah is its own, or that there's some kind of hefsek. Even though Arvit isn't a hefsek, it's a separate mitzvah. “Aval berachah acharonah de'ein hesech hada'at kovei'a berachah le'achareha.” Exactly. Hesech hada'at doesn't bring you to the chiyuv (obligation) of berachah acharonah. Hesech hada'at relates to the first berachah. If I made the first berachah and then there's hesech hada'at, I'll make the first berachah again. But I don't have to make a final berachah; I can make one final berachah at the end. Hesech hada'at doesn't obligate me to make a final berachah. It just obligates me to make a new first berachah. Fine.
But according to the separate-mitzvah reason, each cup is a package, with its first and final berachah. Yeah, maybe he brought both reasons. That's what he said when he used it like this. The Aruch Hashulchan didn't understand. He said that if each cup is a separate mitzvah, you should make a final berachah too. That was the Aruch Hashulchan's question. You're right; that was his question! Now the question makes sense. He didn't have this explanation, because it doesn't really make much sense, and it shouldn't mean you make a final berachah. He's saying, “What do you mean, each one is a separate mitzvah? If each one is a separate mitzvah, then close it out! You closed it out; you closed it out!”
So this custom of the Ashkenazim isn't so pashut (simple). We have to struggle to understand it. Oh oh, this is on Harav, this is the Rif, by the way. It doesn't sound like somebody made it up. Where is the teshuvah (responsum) there? We're taking the Rif, we're taking the Rosh. No, Rabbi? Yeah, well, it's in Tosafot too. Okay, Tosafot in Pesachim clearly says that since I can't drink at the time of Ga'al Yisrael... That's true; you can't drink when you say Ga'al Yisrael. You're right, you can't drink during Ga'al Yisrael, but that's not like not drinking during Birkat Hamazon.
What the Rif has—the wording of the Gemara, I'm looking at it—the wording of the Gemara doesn't suggest hesech hada'at. The wording suggests that since I can't drink and say a berachah at the same time... Why would the Gemara use that wording? Why would it say, “Since I can't drink and...” Just say simply, because of hesech hada'at. It is a bit of a... What? That wording of the Gemara is strange. I can't—I cannot... So that's why the Rif got excited: “You can't drink and say a berachah at the same time; you can't drink and say the Haggadah at the same time!” And the Rosh says, “But guess what? You can't drink and pray Minchah at the same time either!” So the Rosh has very, very strong ta'anot (arguments).
We're not going to change the custom of the Ashkenazim. What am I going to do now? They make berachot; that's what they do. But our custom is much more sound, well documented, and well grounded. Fewer questions. Right, a hundred percent—fewer questions! I'm drinking the wine; I know I'm drinking a second cup. My mind is already on the second cup, and I'm allowed to keep drinking if I want to. I could even drink before the second cup, so I'm not stopping at all; there's no hesech hada'at in my mind. And I've got the Haggadah, though—the mitzvah to say the berachah over al hashulchan. Ah, it's a separate mitzvah, but that's the other side. It's a separate mitzvah; that's what he's building on. Yeah, building on that. The Rif started with that.
The Rif says—everyone, go back to the Rif for a second. The top line: “Ravina amar: kol chada vechada mitzvah bifnei atzmah, ve'amri lah bekuleihu, i nami: kol chada vechada mitzvah bifnei atzmah, u-tzricha lemeivrach agavah.” Then he brings another proof, because of the hefsek and all that. This isn't in the Gemara, right? No, no, those are Rabbis he's quoting. And Ravina is... And the Rosh's first claim is, “So what if it's a separate mitzvah?” By the way, Birkat Hamazon is also a separate mitzvah, and there was a Gemara where one Rabbi held you could the one berachah covers berachah achat covers it. We don't follow that, for a different reason: because of Birkat Hamazon. But the fact that it's a separate mitzvah didn't obligate a separate berachah.
Baruch Hashem le'olam amen ve'amen.