Page 335 - Tzurba M'Rabanan Volume1

ןנברמ אברוצ ׳ב רדסה ליל תוכלה · 333

According to the Gemara, both Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah and Rabbi Akiva agree that the korban pesach
must be eaten during the time of chipazon, haste, since it says they must eat in haste. The former though
argues that it must be eaten during the time when the Egyptians were in haste, i.e., at night when they
hastened them away, while the latter claims the haste was that of the Jews, who did not actually leave until
the morning. Therefore, the korban pesach may be eaten until dawn.
The Rishonim dispute in accordance with which opinion to rule. Tosafot (Megilla 21 s.v lituyei) and the
Mordechai (Berachot ibid.), among others, rule in accordance with Rabbi Elazar Ben Azaryah that the korban
pesach must be eaten by midnight. By contrast, the Rambam (Hilchot Korban Pesach 8:15) rules in accordance
with the opinion of Rabbi Akiva. The Shulchan Aruch rules in the following manner:

a Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 477:1 א:זעת ח״וא | ע״וש . 37
…One should be careful to eat it before chatzot… …תוצח םדוק ולכאל ריהז אהי…

The language of “one should be careful” seems to indicate that strictly speaking, it is permitted to eat the
afikoman after chatzot (in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Akiva), but ideally one should eat it before
chatzot (to be stringent for the opinion of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya). The Gra also writes that one should finish
eating the afikoman before chatzot, as does the Mishna Berura. However the Mishna Berura indicates that if
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one did not do so, one should eat it afterwards. This ruling is given even more explicitly by the Yalkut Yosef:

p Yalkut Yosef, Moadim, ,םידעומ | ףסוי טוקלי . 38
Hilchot Pesach – Tzafun ןופצ – חספ ׳לה
One should be careful to eat the afikoman before chatzot, but ,תוצח םדוק ןמוקיפאה לוכאל רהזי
bedieved, one fulfills one’s obligation even after chatzot. .תוצח רחאל םג הבוח ידי אצוי דבעידבו

Which Drinks are Prohibited Following the Afikoman

It is clear that the prohibition to eat following the afikoman mentioned above includes all solid foods. With
regard to liquids, the Shulchan Aruch and Rema indicate that all drinks are prohibited except for water (and
the final two cups of wine).

a Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 481:1 א:אפת ח״וא | ע״וש . 39
After the four cups, one is not permitted to drink wine; only water. ןיי תותשל יאשר וניא תוסוכ עברא רחא
Rema: And all [other] drinks have the status of wine. .םימ אלא
.ןייכ ןניד ןיקשמה לכו :הגה

8. The Responsa Avnei Nezer (O.C. 381) suggests a novel solution for one who realizes that he will not finish his meal and eat the afikoman before
midnight: Just before midnight he should eat a kezayit of matza and stipulate the following condition – if the halacha is in accordance with the
opinion of Rabbi Elazar Ben Azarya, then this kezayit will be his afikoman, and if the halacha follows Rabbi Akiva, then it is considered to be
a regular act of eating matza. After this, he should not eat anything until after midnight. After midnight, he may continue eating his meal in any
event; for if the halacha is like Rabbi Elazar Ben Azarya, the prohibition to eat is only in effect until midnight (when in his view the mitzva of
eating the afikoman has already terminated) if the halacha is in accordance with Rabbi Akiva, then it is permitted to continue eating and complete
the afikoman until alot hashachar. We should note that this novelty is based on a number of assumptions, many of which are debatable, but an
elaboration of the issue is beyond the scope of this shiur.

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