A free account is required to play audio and download files.
No community start suggestion yet.
Why does the Gemara (גמרא) require specific positions for haseidah at the Seder, and how do these requirements differ for various activities? The Rambam (רמב"ם)'s restructuring reveals a two-tiered system: derech cheirut for sippur yetziat mitzrayim (requiring left-side reclining even for lefties) and zecher l'geulah for comfortable eating. This framework resolves apparent contradictions about when proper positioning versus mere relaxation takes priority.
This shiur provides an in-depth analysis of Pesachim 108a, focusing on the Gemara (גמרא)'s teaching regarding haseidah (reclining) during the Pesach (פסח) Seder. The central text discusses 'praktin lo shmei haseidah' and 'haseidis yemin lo shmei haseidah' - that reclining on one's stomach or right side does not constitute proper reclining, with an additional concern 'shema yagdem kono leveshet' - lest food get caught in the throat. The shiur examines a significant dispute between Rashi (רש"י) and Rashbam regarding the medical understanding of the danger mentioned in the Gemara. According to Rashi, the concern about food getting caught in the throat applies specifically to solid food (maichal), not liquids (mishta). Rashbam, however, argues that this danger applies to both food and drink, leading to different interpretations of which activities require which type of reclining.
Looking for the full summary?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
Pesachim 108a
Looking for the full transcript?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
Dedicate a Shiur in Gemara
L'ilui nishmas a loved one. In honor of a simcha or yahrzeit. As a zechus for a refuah sheleimah. Your dedication helps carry Rabbi Zweig's Torah to learners around the world.
When an animal damages crops, the Torah prescribes a unique payment formula based on multiplying the damaged area by sixty. Does this formula redefine the actual loss, or does it merely create a payment mechanism that still acknowledges the full damage sustained? The Gemara explores whether someone who ate in doubt should pay the higher-quality amount, examining how the principle of motzi me-chaveiro alav haraya applies when payments fall within the range of actual loss.
What makes testimony valid when different witnesses testify to different parts of the same event? The Gemara debates whether the principle of "davar v'lo chatzi davar" (complete testimony, not partial) disqualifies witnesses who testify separately to theft and slaughter. Rashi's approach reveals that the issue is not merely combining elements, but whether each witness's statement is independently meaningful.
Why is a ganav who sells a stolen animal on Shabbos exempt from the fourfold/fivefold payment? The shiur analyzes whether this exemption stems from kam lei b'derabbah or from the absence of a valid mechira. The Rashba's principle that matana resembles mechira when it is "nishtarish b'chet" is explored, along with the Rambam's position on hekdesh and the distinction between giving to bedek habayis versus mizbe'ach.
When a ganav shechts a stolen animal l'avodah zarah, why isn't he patur from payment since it's already isur hana'ah? The shiur explores the fundamental machloket Rashi-Tosafot on whether the isur derives from the act of shechita or from the din shechita itself. The Gemara's application of davar garem be'mamon ke'mamon domi extends the analysis to when borrowed animals become niskal.
