Siman - Pesachim Daf 117
- The Authorship of Hallel
It was taught in a Baraisa, הלל זה מי אמרו – The Hallel which we recite on Yomim Tovim, who had originally said it? Rebbe Yose says; my son Elazar says that משה וישראל אמרוהו בשעה שעלו מן הים – Moshe and Yisroel recited it when they ascended from the Yam Suf, but his colleagues disagree with him saying that Dovid HaMelech recited Hallel in response to personal experiences, and Elazar’s words are more logical than theirs, אפשר ישראל שחטו את פסחיהן ונטלו לולביהן ולא אמרו שירה – Is it possible that during all the years from the Exodus until Dovid Hamelech’s time, the Jewish people shechted their pesachs and took their lulavim and did not recite Hallel? And another point that supports his position is that פסלו של מיכה עומד בבכי וישראל אומרים את ההלל – is it logical that Michah’s idol is standing in Bechi and the Jewish people instituted reciting the Hallel? Rashi explains that Bechi is the place where the idol stood during Dovid Hamelech’s reign.
Later on in the amud, the Gemara brings several additional opinions about this subject.
- מתוך דבר שמחה של מצוה
A Baraisa explains the distinction between two slightly different phrases that commonly introduce chapters of Tehillim: לדוד מזמור מלמד ששרתה עליו שכינה ואחר כך אמר שירה – “LeDovid mizmor” (meaning, for Dovid, a song) teaches that the Shechinah rested on [Dovid Hamelech] and then he sang the song, מזמור לדוד מלמד שאמר שירה ואחר כך שרתה עליו שכינה – “Mizmor leDovid” (meaning, a song for Dovid) teaches that [Dovid Hamelech] said the song and then the Shechinah rested on him. From here and from another passuk the Gemara brings, we learn that the Shechinah only rests on a person מתוך דבר שמחה של מצוה – amidst the joy associated with a mitzvah.
Rav Yehudah said in the name of Rav, וכן לדבר הלכה – And so it is for words of halachah; that is, in the teaching of Torah, joy is an important tool. The Gemara later illustrates this with Rabbah, who used to open his shiurim with a מילתא דבדיחותא – a humorous thing, and the talmidim would laugh. But afterwards, he would sit in an atmosphere of trepidation ופתח בשמעתא – and begin his teachings. Rav Nachman said, וכן לחלום טוב – And so it is for a good dream; meaning, if one wishes to have pleasant dreams, he should go to sleep in a happy state of mind.
- אבות
After teaching that we make a berachah with Dovid Hamelech’s name in the berachos of the Haftorah, by saying Magen Dovid, the Gemara cites the source for the berachah of the avos. Rebbe Shimon ben Lakish said, the Torah states, Hashem to Avvram, ואעשך לגוי גדול – I will make you a great nation; זהו שאומרים אלקי אברהם – this is the passuk that teaches we say the G-d of Avraham in the first berachah of the Shemonah Esrei. ואברכך – And I will bless you is the source for saying אלקי יצחק – the G-d of Yitzchok. ואגדלה שמך – and I will make your name great, this is the source for saying אלקי יעקב – the G-d of Yaakov. יכול יהו חותמין בכולן – It could be thought that we conclude the berachah with a mention of all of them, תלמוד לומר "והיה ברכה" – The Torah therefore teaches, “and you, referring to Avraham, shall be a blessing," which implies, בך חותמין ואין חותמין בכולן – We conclude the berachah with you, and we do not conclude it with all three of them.
