Yerushalmi Pesachim 1:1 ירושלמי פסחים א׳:א׳

MISHNAH: At nightfall of the Fourteenth one checks leavened matter by candle light. A place into which no leavened matter is introduced does not need checking. And where¹The Babli and Maimonides read ולמה “why” instead of ובמה “where”. did they say two rows in the cellar²The storage place for wine or oil amphoras. While this is not a place where one usually stores leavened matter it is possible that the person who is asked to bring a barrel of wine or oil for household use is eating some bread and deposits it temporarily near the entrance door. Therefore it needs checking except for a wholesaler’s cellar.? A place where one introduces leavened matter. The House of Shammai are saying two rows in the front of the entire cellar³The amphoras are arranged in a rectangular pattern. The House of Shammai requires checking of two rows in all directions accessible from the door. Since usually one starts arranging the amphoras starting at two walls meeting at an angle, the outer rows at the other two sides of the rectangular arrangement have to be checked., but the House of Hillel are saying the outermost two rows which are the uppermost⁴Only the rows facing the door have to be checked. If the amphoras also are stacked on top of one another, the two top rows facing the door have to be checked..

HALAKHAH: “At nightfall of the fourteenth,” etc. It is written⁵Ex. 12:17–18.: You shall guard the mazzot, because on this same day I took out your multitudes fromthe Land of Egypt. On the first, on the fourteenth of the month, in the evening, you shall eat mazzot, etc. Where do we hold⁶What means on the first? Does it mean on the first month, or on the first day of the holidays?? If for eating mazzah, is it not already written, seven days you shall eat mazzot⁷Ex. 12:15.? Or if to say that one starts on the Fourteenth, is it not written, until the twenty-first of the month⁵Ex. 12:17–18.? But if it is not needed as a reference to the eating of mazzah, take it as a reference to the elimination of leavened matter⁸As usual, the argument partially refers to parts of the verse which are not quoted in the text. It says in 12:15, seven days you shall eat mazzot, only on the first day you shall eliminate sour dough from your houses. No calendar date has been given. One could read v. 17 to state that mazzot have to be eaten and leavened matter eliminated on the 14^th. This is impossible since the same verse states that the seventh day is the 21^st. Therefore the obligation to eat mazzot starts in the evening preceding the 15^th. Since it is accepted doctrine that the calendar day starts at nightfall of the preceding night, the reference to the 14^th cannot possibly refer to eating, but must give the date of the elimination of leavened matter for which the search in the preceding night is a preparation..

Why by candlelight? Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac said, because a candle permits checking everywhere⁹In holes and crevices which are dark in daytime (Babli 8a). The “candle” mentioned here is a small clay vessel filled with oil.. Why in the night? Rebbi Yose said, because checking with a candle is exact only during night time¹⁰As stated later, candle light is not effective during daytime.. Rebbi Mana did not say so: And guard this day for your generations as an eternal law⁵Ex. 12:17–18., see to it that day and night be guarded¹¹The entire day should be dedicated to the elimination of leavened matter.. Then should one not start on the Thirteenth that day and night be guarded? He also agrees with the statement of Rebbi Yose¹²One cannot say that R. Mana disagrees with R. Yose; he adds to his statement.. Then should one start in the evening of the Thirteenth? If so, he could even check on the beginning of the month¹³Since checking two weeks in advance would be useless, so is checking a full day in advance. Since checking should be done at nighttime, the only remaining date is the evening of the 14^th of Nisan (preceding the day)..

Rebbi Jeremiah said that Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac asked: May one check by the light of torches? What is his problem? Because their light is unsteady¹⁴Since the light is unsteady, it does not serve in searching nooks and crannies.. Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac is consistent since Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac said, because a candle permits checking everywhere¹⁵The scribe wrote בודק כל שהוא כל שהוא “checking extremely well everywhere.” The second כל שהוא was deleted by the corrector; probably incorrectly.. [¹⁶Tosephta Pisha 1:1; corrector’s addition. Even though it is not proof of the matter, it is an allusion to the matter: It shall be on that day¹⁷Misquote from memory.that I shall search Jerusalem by candles¹⁸Zeph. 1:12, Babli 7b–8a.. But some want to say,] one can understand it from the following: A candle of the Eternal is a person’s soul, it searches all rooms of the body¹⁹Prov. 20:27, Babli 7b–8a..

Rebbi Yose said, the Mishnah implies that checking during daytime is called checking, as we have stated²⁰Mishnah 3.: “Rebbi Jehudah says, one checks at nightfall of the Fourteenth, and on the Fourteenth, and at the moment of elimination.” Not only Rebbi Jehudah but even the rabbis, as we have stated: “If he did not check at nightfall of the Fourteenth he shall check on the Fourteenth.”

Is it obligatory to check by candlelight²¹When checking during daytime, even following the rabbis.? Let us hear from the following²²Tosephta 1:1, Babli 7b. “One checks neither by sunlight, nor by moonlight, nor by starlight, but by candlelight.” One understands “neither by moonlight, nor by starlight,” but “neither by sunlight”? Is there any sun in the night? This implies, even during daytime one has to check by candlelight; not only in a house without light, but even in a house which has light, even during daytime, it is necessary to check by candlelight.

May one²³This translation of צריך follows S. Liebermann. check dark passages²⁴Roofed public spaces. purposely²⁵As the parallel expression in the next paragraph shows, a word “during daytime” is missing here. by candlelight? The words of the rabbis imply that not as it radiates at night it radiates during the day, ²⁶Gen. r. 31:12, a much better text. As given here, the story is Babylonian and there is no reason why they should be fleeing, and why the earth under the place (under the open sky) where the twice-yearly assembly of scholars was held should have been tunnelled. In Gen. rabba the name is Rebbi Huna, the place is Tiberias, and they were hiding from soldiers. as Rav Huna said, when we were fleeing to these catacombs of the great assembly they were lighting candles for us. When they were faint, we knew that it was day; when they were bright we knew that it was night. This parallels what Rebbi Aḥawa bar Ze`ira²⁷The son of R. Zeˋira. In Gen. r. “R. Phineas in the name of R. Zeˋira”. In the Babli Sanhedrin 108b is a similar statement of R. Joḥanan. said, when Noah entered the Ark he brought with him precious stones and pearls. When they were dull, he knew that it was daytime; when they were shiny he knew that it was nighttime.Why? There are animals eating at daytime and there are animals eating at nighttime. But is there not written, make a skylight to the ark²⁸Gen. 6:16.? Following him who said that the stars were not operative in the year of the flood²⁹Gen. r. 25:2, interpretation of Gen.8:22..

Rebbi Jeremiah asked: Do synagogues and houses of study need checking? What is his problem? Since one brings³⁰In general it is forbidden to bring food into a synagogue or study hall proper, but for a meal accompanying the public declaration of the new month or the additional month one brought food there, bread and vegetables (Babli Sanhedrin 70b) or grapes and bread (Yerushalmi Berakhot6:4, Note 149). there for intercalations³¹In a responsum of R. Nissim of Kairawan (Teshuvot Hegaonim Lyck, #105) and the Frankfurt ms. of Or zarua II §453, עיבריות. Even the word spelled with א is interpreted as if written with ע, “intercalations”; J. N. Epstein, Tarbiz 5 (1933–34) p. 263. In the printed editions of the Yerushalmi, following a correction on the margin of the ms., “on Sabbaths” (cf. R. Nissim loc. cit., p. 34). and on the days of the New Moon. It should be obvious for him³²That one has to check, even if the place was not usually used for public meals., but what really is his problem? Since they are very well illuminated, may one check them purposely during daytime by candlelight³³And not in the evening of the 14^th, when people are occupied in their own houses. Since no answer is given, theˋ answer is negative.?

Rebbi Yose asked: The courtyards in Jerusalem where one eats the bread of thanksgiving offerings³⁴Which have an obligatory component of leavened bread, Lev. 7:13. and the wafers of a nazir³⁵Part of the offering of the nazir at the fulfillment of his vow, Num. 6:15. These are unleavened., do they need checking? Are they not checked anyhow for leftovers³⁶Since any leftovers from any well-being offering, including the thanksgiving offering, must be burned (Lev.7:17), every day of the year these localities are treated the way every other dwelling is treated on Passover Eve.? It should be parallel to what Rebbi Zachariah the son-in-law of Rebbi Levi stated: A menstruating woman washes her hair and combs³⁷She becomes pure by immersing all her body in water. Therefore it is imperative that not two hairs cling together; before immersion she has to make sure that this does not happen.. A priestly woman does not wash her hair and comb³⁸The wife, unmarried daughter, or slave of a Cohen who participate with the Cohen in eating heave and other sancta. As long as the rules of purity could be kept, these women, together with the Cohen, have to immerse themselves every day close to sundown (cf. Mishnah Berakhot 1:1, Note 3). Therefore washing the hair is not necessary. Quoted Tosaphot Niddah 66b.. A menstruating priestly woman washes her hair and combs, not to differentiate between one menstruating woman and another. So also here, not to differentiate between elimination and elimination. Rabbi Gamliel bar Inyany stated before Rebbi Mana: A menstruating woman who interrupts for seven days washes her hair and combs. A priestly woman who immerses herself every day does not wash her hair and comb³⁹From the comparison of the menstruating and the priestly women one cannot infer anything since the menstruating priestly woman is excluded from the common meal of sancta for the period of her impurity. The statement which exempts her from washing her hair applies only to pure priestly women.. He told him, it is necessary for one who watches one day for a day⁴⁰As long as the rules of purity could be observed, a woman in the household of a Cohen was obligated to reduce the period of her impurity to a minimum. The method by which any other woman could avoid showing her blood to a rabbinic authority to ascertain the status of her impurity (cf. Niddah 4:1 Note 3) is not available to the priestly woman. It is rabbinic doctrine that after one menstruation, the next is possible only after 11 days.(Mishnah Niddah 4:7). If she loses blood on one of these days, she does not follow the rules of niddah but those of zavah. For the first two occurrences in one period she is impure only for 24 hours. The statement about the impure priestly woman is needed to decree that even an interruption of one day without immersion triggers the obligation of washing the hair..

⁴¹Tosephta 1:3, Babli 8a.“Holes in the house, the upper and the lower ones, and the veranda⁴²Any additional structure having a sloping roof., and the ditch⁴³חדות is the same as דות in the Tosephta., and the upper floor⁴⁴Used only for storage but not as dwelling., and the roof of the olive press⁴⁵It seems that the reading of the Tosephta, גג הבית “the roof of the house” is the correct one (as it is quoted as reading of the Yerushalmi by R. Isaac Ibn Ghiat). A flat roof is exposed to the wind and to foraging birds; one may assume that no leavened matter stays there for long., and the roof of the tower⁴⁶This has a sloping roof on which nothing stays., the storage room of straw, and the cattle stable, and the storage room of wood, and the storage room of provisions, wine storage, and oil storage, and produce storage, do not need checking.” One understands the upper ones⁴⁷If “upper” means “higher than the reach of a person”, one need not expect that leavened matter was deposited there. But very low lying holes are at the reach of children.. The lower ones? Does this mean that they did not worry about things falling down? Rebbi Yose said, explain it if both were close to the wall⁴⁸Holes at the outside of the wall., whether higher than ten or lower than ten [hand-breadths]⁴⁹The text is confirmed by a quote in Tur Orah Hayyim §433; it does not make any sense since 10 hand-breadths is a height very accessible to all uses. The statement is rejected by all authorities who quote it.. Did we not state “the ditch”? Does this not mean that they did not worry about things falling down? The toddler is afraid to go there. But should one not be afraid that leavened matter rolled there? Explain it by a ditch which has a rim. “And the roof of the olive press, and the roof of the tower.” That is, if they are three hand-breadths high; but if they are not three hand-breadths high they are like ground. And if they were not used for leavened matter, but if they were used for leavened matter even if it is very high it needs checking. Rebbi Mana said, this is correct. Would we say that this papyrus scaffold which is very high should not need checking⁵⁰Tosephta Šabbat 14(15):3 mentions an instrument used to remove bread from the papyrus scaffold where it is stored. Cf. Kilaim 6:3 Note 38.?

It was stated: ⁴¹Tosephta 1:3, Babli 8a.“Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel says, a couch which was separated⁵²The couch was separated from the floor, i. e., it was on high legs which left room for storage under the bed. in the house but wood and stones are stored under it, one checks at the outside but does not have to check on the inside.” Because wood and stones are stored under it, but if no wood and stones are stored under it, one has to check on the inside. Does this mean that they did (not)⁵³The word was written by the scribe but correctly deleted by the corrector. worry about things falling down? I am saying that (a child exerted himself and) [an unruly child]^53*Versions of (scribe) and [corrector.] brought leavened matter there⁵⁴Just as the first part of the Tosephta, quoted in the preceding paragraph, does not prove that the earlier generations were not afraid of bread accidentally falling down without being picked up, so this part does not prove the opposite conclusion..

A wine cellar needs checking, an oil cellar does not need checking⁵⁵Babli 8a.. What is the difference between wine and oil? Wine has no staying power, oil has staying power⁵⁶Wine is drawn from the amphora at least once a day; fresh oil is needed only from time to time.. Storage⁵⁷Wholesale storage for commercial purposes., whether of wine or oil, does not need checking. What is a cellar? Anything used with bread in the courtyard⁵⁸Any place where bread is introduced during the year needs checking. Some Medieval authors, e.g. Meïri (ed. J. Klein, Jerusalem 1964, p. 39, Notes 468–469) read here an additional sentence: “Storage is what is not used with bread in the courtyard.”. There exists a cellar which is like storage and storage which is like a cellar. A cellar in which he is ashamed to eat is like storage; storage where he is not ashamed to eat is like a cellar. ⁵⁹This does not belong here; because of the similarity in language it is copied from Ketubot 7:7, Notes 71–72. There is a courtyard which is like an alley and an alley which is like a courtyard. A courtyard which is used by the public is like an alley, and an alley which is not used by the public is like a courtyard. But should one not be afraid that animal drivers introduce leavened matter into it⁶⁰This refers back to storage areas. While the producer of the wine will not introduce bread into his storage area, what can be said about the teamster who will transport the wine for sale at other places?? Animal drivers usually do not introduce leavened matter into it but sweets since they help in checking the quality of the wine⁶¹If the teamster is transporting for his own account, he will want to check the quality of the wine he is buying; for that he eats taste enhancing candy, not taste dulling bread..

“If somebody leaves to travel by sea, before thirty days he does not have to check; within thirty [days] he has to check”⁶²Tosephta 1:4 (in the formulation of the Babli 6a).. ⁶³The Babli 6a rules in everything the exact opposite of the Yerushalmi, which holds that everybody is obligated at all times to see to it that his property contains no leavened matter on Passover, wherever it be situated and wherever he spends the holiday. That is to say, if he intends to return. But if he does not intend to return, even before thirty days he has to check. If there is a doubt; but if it is certain then even from New Year’s Day. Rebbi Abba said, but even if he intends to return he has to check, maybe he will change his mind and not return.

Everybody is trustworthy about elimination of leavened matter, even women, even slaves. Rebbi Jeremiah in the name of Rebbi Ze`ira: There is no “even” women. Women intrinsically are trustworthy; since they are slow they check everything very carefully. Samaritans any time when they prepare their mazzah with Jews⁶⁴If the Samaritan calendar has Passover on the same day as the rabbinic one. are trustworthy about checking for leavened matter; if they do not prepare their mazzah with Jews they are not trustworthy about checking for leavened matter. Rebbi Yose said, this means in the houses, but they are suspect in courtyards since they explain that it should not be found in your houses,⁶⁵Ex. 12:19. does not apply to your courtyards.

It was stated: ⁶⁶Tosephta 2:3, Babli Gittin 10a, Qiddushin 76a, Ḥulin 4a. Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel says, any commandment which the Samaritans keep they are much more exact with them than Jews. Rebbi Simeon⁶⁷This author cannot be R. Simeon ben Yoḥai, but he might be R. Simeon ben Eleazar (Avodah zarah 5:4, p. 447). said, that means earlier when they were concentrated in their villages. But today, when they have no commandments nor remainders of commandments they are suspect and degenerate.

One asks about practices of Passover at Passover, practices of Pentecost at Pentecost, practices of Tabernacles at Tabernacles⁶⁸Babli Megillah 4a. Sifry Num. 66.. In the House of Assembly one asks thirty days in advance; Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel says, two weeks⁶⁹Babli Pesaḥim 6a.. The statement of Rebbi Joḥanan follows the rabbis, that of the colleagues Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel. Rebbi Joḥanan said, the reason of the rabbis, because Moses stands on the First Passover and explains to them the rules of Second Passover⁷⁰The rules of the Second Passover to be celebrated on the 14^th of Iyar by people impure on the 14^th of Nisan were promulgated on the 13^th of Nisan, Num.9:9–14.. That of the colleagues follows Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel, because Moses stands on the day of the New Moon and explains to them the rules of Passover⁷¹Num. 9:1–4..

“Where¹The Babli and Maimonides read ולמה “why” instead of ובמה “where”. did they say two rows in the cellar²The storage place for wine or oil amphoras. While this is not a place where one usually stores leavened matter it is possible that the person who is asked to bring a barrel of wine or oil for household use is eating some bread and deposits it temporarily near the entrance door. Therefore it needs checking except for a wholesaler’s cellar.,” etc. Rav Huna in the name of Rav: He peels it like a Gamma. Bar Qappara stated, he peels it like two Gamma⁷³He checks the outer rows in the cellar in two directions orthogonal to one another, in the shape of Ã. Babli 8b in the name of R. Joḥanan.. If it was situated in the middle of the room. In the opinion of Rav Huna he strips it of one garment, in the opinion of Bar Qappara he strips it of two garments⁷⁴He has to check the lower row and one vertical row and the upper row and, depending on the interpretation given later, either another vertical row or a horizontal row inwards.. If it⁷⁵The storage room. Each step defines a new front row. was built in steps, he strips it by many Gamma. Rebbi Jacob bar Aḥa in the name of Ḥizqiah: Simeon bar Abba in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan. The outermost row which is the uppermost which sees both door and beam of the roof, [and] the one inside of it⁷⁶If the amphoras are stored at least two layers high, one has to check the two rows close to the entrance of the top layer.. It was stated: the one below it. They wanted to say that he who says, the one inside of it, so much more that one below it. He who says, the one below it, therefore not the one inside of it⁷⁷Only the front rows in all layers have to be checked.. If half a row was used, it is obvious that what was used has inside of it and below it. That which was not used has inside of it and below it⁷⁸Even if during the year wine was taken only from one side of one row, once part of a row must be checked, the entire row must be checked.. That is to say, if they are spaced⁷⁹According to Tosephta Ahilut 10:5, amphoras are spaced if on two opposite sides there is one hand-breadth of free space.. But if they are tightly packed he passes the light over them⁸⁰Corrector’s text. The scribe’s הנייר ולווי “the paper and appurtenances” is unintelligible. and it is enough. Does this mean that they did worry about things falling down? Rebbi Phineas from Yafo^80*Nothing more is known about him. said, I am saying that the servant introduced leavened matter when he placed them.