Page 312 - Tzurba M'Rabanan Volume1

310 · Hilchot Leil Haseder I Tzurba M’Rabanan

Further Iyun

The Fifth Cup in Halacha and Hashkafa

Rav Otniel Fendel (Participant, the Manhigut Toranit Program)

We are all familiar with the minhag to fill both the opinion of Rabbi Tarfon and
a fifth cup, commonly known as the cup other Tannaim who hold that there is a
of Eliyahu. What is the source for this fifth cup; they only argue as to what is re-
minhag? Does it have any halachic sig- cited over it.
nificance, and how does it relate to the Although the beraita as we have quoted
mitzva of drinking four cups of wine at it is not the version that appears in the
the Seder? printed version of the text, it is the version quoted
The Mishna in Masechet Pesachim concludes by the overwhelming majority of Rishonim (Rif,
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the order of the drinking of the four cups as Rambam, Ran, Ba’al Hamaor, Rosh). How can
follows: we reconcile this beraita that states that there is a

רמוג יעיבר ונוזמ לע ךרבמ ישילש סוכ ול וגזמ fifth cup with the Mishna mentioned above that
תוסוכה ןיב רישה תכרב וילע רמואו ללה תא וילע only mentions four? Is this a machloket tannaim?
יעיברל ישילש ןיב התשי תותשל הצור םא וללה If so, surely the Gemara should have pointed this
.התשי אל out, as it often does: “Mani matnitin, d’lo k’Rab-
bi Tarfon,” who is the author of the Mishna? It is
“They pour for him the third cup, and he re- surely not Rabbi Tarfon.” 3
cites over it Grace after Meals. [They pour] the
fourth cup, he concludes Hallel over it and says Rashbam’s Understanding of the
Birkat Hashir. Between the [first two] cups, if Mishna and Beraita
one wishes to drink he may drink, but between The Yerushalmi explains that the reason one
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the third and the fourth he may not drink.” may not drink between the third and fourth cup
The Mishna makes no mention of a fifth cup. is that one might become drunk, “for drinking
However, the ensuing Gemara quotes a beraita during the meal (i.e., the preceding cups) doesn’t
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as follows: cause drunkenness, but after the meal does cause
drunkenness.”
“The Rabbis taught: The fifth cup – one con-
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cludes Hallel Hagadol (the great Hallel) over it; The Rashbam, commenting on the Mishna,
this is the opinion of Rabbi Tarfon. And others brings the Yerushalmi and explains that the con-
say, “G-d is my shepherd.” The beraita brings cern for drunkenness is that one won’t be able to
complete the Hallel. From the Mishna it is clear

1. Mishna, Pesachim 10:7
2. Pesachim 118a
3. This question is raised by the Milchamot Hashem, Rosh, and Ran, among others.
4. Yerushalmi, Pesachim 10:6
5. Rashbam, Masechet Pesachim 118a s.v. bein gimmel l’dalet lo yishteh

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