Siman - Pesachim Daf 103

  • Kiddush and Havdalah When Yom Tov Is on Motza’ei Shabbos

The Gemara discusses the order of the four berachos in Kiddush and Havdalah when Motza’ei Shabbos coincides with a Yom Tov (on which Shehechyanu is not said); קידוש, הבדלה, יין – wine (borei p’ri hagafen), and נר – lamp (borei me’orei ha’aish).

Rav says the order is, יקנ"ה – The Rashbam explains that Rav holds קדושת היום עדיפא מהבדלה – that being mekadesh a new holy day is inherently more significant than escorting a departing one with Havdalah. Alternatively, the one who first recites Havdalah makes it appear as if he is in a rush to rid himself of Shabbos.

Shmuel says ינה"ק – The Rashbam explains that Shmuel holds that Havdalah should precede Kiddush. He mentions the mashal the Gemara brings later on, למלך שיוצא ואפרכוס נכנס – to a departing king and an arriving duke. First one escorts the king, which in our case is Shabbos through Havdalah and then greets the duke, which is Yom Tov, through Kiddush. The Gemara cites several more opinions about the order in which these berachos should be said. Abaye and Rava [as explained by Rashbam] agree with Rav’s opinion but disagree about where to insert זמן – time (shehechyanu) when it is also to be said:

Abaye says: יקנז"ה  and Rava says: יקנה"ז.

  • Borei P’ri Hagafen over a Second Cup of Wine

Ameimar, Mar Zutra, and Rav Ashi were once eating a meal together. Ameimar said he berachah of 

borei p’ri hagafen each time he drank another cup of wine, Mar Zutra said the berachah once over the first cup he drank and a second time over the cup he said bircas hamazon over, and Rav Ashi only said the berachah over the first cup he drank. Ameimar explained that each time he drank a cup he decided it would be his last but then changed his mind. Mar Zutra explained that he held like the talmidim of Rav who maintained that merely declaring one’s intention to say bircas hamazon makes it forbidden to drink [before saying a new berachah rishonah]. Rav Ashi explained that he disagreed with the talmidim of Rav. [Rashbam rules like Mar Zutra and the others who held like that.]

  • The “Separations” in the Berachah of Havdalah

When Rava began reciting Havdalah he said, המבדיל בין קודש לחול בין אור לחשך בין ישראל לעמים בין יום השביעי לששת ימי המשעה. When Rav Yaakov bar Abba heard him, he asked why he said all of that when Rav Yehudah said in the name of Rav, that Rebbe Yehudah Hanasi would only say, המבדיל בין קודש לחול?

Rava explained that he holds like R’ Eliezer, in the name of Rebbe Oshaya, who said that the lowest number of “separations” that one may mention in havdalah is three, and the highest number is seven. When Rav Yaakov bar Abba countered that Rava said neither three nor seven, Rava answered that the fourth separation (בין יום השביעי לששת ימי המעשה) does not count toward this total because it is מעין החתימה – similar to the [berachah’s] conclusion.