Page 322 - Tzurba M'Rabanan Volume1

320 · Hilchot Leil Haseder II Tzurba M’Rabanan

The Rambam rules in accordance with the above passage in the Gemara:

r Rambam, Hilchot Chametz Umatza 7:12 בי:ז הצמו ץמח ׳לה | ם”במר 3 .
Eating the maror is not an independent Torah obligation. Rather, ינפב הרותה ןמ הוצמ הניא רורמ תליכא
it is dependent upon the consumption of the korban pesach. For ,חספה תליכאב איה היולת אלא המצע
there is one positive commandment to eat the meat of the korban לע חספה רשב לוכאל תחא השע תוצמש
pesach together with matzah and maror, and by rabbinic law, [one רורמה לוכאל םירפוס ירבדמו ,םירורמו הצמ
is obligated] to eat maror by itself on this night, even if there is no .חספ ןברק םש ןיא וליפא הז לילב ודבל
korban pesach.

Although it is only a rabbinic mitzva, the beracha “who sanctified us with his commandments and
commanded us regarding the eating of maror [al achilat maror]” is still recited.

Which Species are Defined as Maror

The Mishna in Masechet Pesachim (2:6) lists different species of vegetables that qualify as maror. The Gemara
clarifies that among all the species listed in the Mishna, the ideal one to use in fulfilling the mitzva is the
chazeret.

h Masechet Pesachim 39a .טל םיחספ תכסמ 4 .
And Rabbi Oshaya said: The optimal fulfillment of the mitzva רמאו .תרזחב הוצמ :איעשוא יבר רמאו
is with chazeret, and Rava said: What is chazeret? It is lettuce סחד – אסח יאמ .אסח – תרזח יאמ :אבר
[chassa]. .ןווליע אנמחר
The Gemara explains: What is the meaning of lettuce [chassa]?
It refers to the fact that God has mercy [chas] on us.

According to the Gemara, the term chazeret refers to lettuce, which the poskim confirm is in fact the romaine
lettuce with which we are familiar today. The Shulchan Aruch rules in accordance with the Gemara that the
ideal manner of fulfilling the mitzva of maror is by eating lettuce.

a Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 473:5 ה:געת ח״וא | ע״וש 5 .
These are the vegetables with which one can fulfill one’s …ותבוח ידי םהב םיאצויש תוקרי ולא
obligation… and the primary mitzva is with chazeret [i.e., lettuce]. .תרזחב הוצמה רקיעו

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