Pesachim 100b (ק:) — the Talmud in English

And we raise an objection:

Is that so?

But Rav Taḥlifa bar Avdimi said in the name of Shmuel: Just as one interrupts

for kiddush,

so too one interrupts for havdala!

For if they were dining at a Shabbat meal close to the conclusion of Shabbat and night fell, they must interrupt and recite havdala.

And the Gemara explains:

What is the meaning of “one interrupts”?

Is it not

that it means

removing the table,

so that they must interrupt completely and recite Birkat HaMazon?

And this is difficult for Rav Yehuda, who said in the name of Shmuel that spreading a cloth is sufficient.

And we answer:

No!

Rather, “one interrupts” means

to

spread

a cloth

and recite kiddush, and likewise to recite havdala, and afterward he continues his meal.

Rabba bar Rav Huna happened to come to the house of the Exilarch. They brought a table before him,

after he had returned from the synagogue on Friday night.

He spread a cloth

over the bread

and recited kiddush.

For ideally, one should not bring the bread at all, but only after kiddush, as will be explained below. The reason is so that it will be apparent to everyone that the meal is being held in honor of Shabbat. And if they brought the bread beforehand, they must cover it, and it is as though it were not present.

It was taught likewise:

Although Rabbi Yosei disagreed with Rabbi Yehuda, maintaining that if one began his meal before Shabbat, he need not interrupt when Shabbat begins, nevertheless he agrees

that

ideally

one does not bring in the table unless he has recited kiddush.

And this is so even if they intend to eat only after kiddush.

And if he brought it, he spreads a cloth and recites kiddush.

One tanna taught:

Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yosei are in agreement: although they disagreed both with regard to beginning a meal on the eve of Shabbat from the time of minḥa onward and with regard to interrupting when the day became sanctified, they agree

that one does not begin

to eat close to minḥa time.

And another beraita taught: They agree that one begins.

And we consider the matter:

Granted, the beraita that taught

“They agree that one does not begin”—

you can find this with regard to the eve of Passover,

as we said above, that Rabbi Yosei agrees that on the eve of Passover it is prohibited to begin eating close to minḥa time.

Rather, the beraita that taught

“They agree that one begins

must be challenged:

When

does it refer to?

If we say that it refers to the eve of Shabbat,

they explicitly disagree!

For Rabbi Yehuda prohibits beginning close to minḥa time even on the eve of Shabbat.

This is not difficult:

Here, it is before the ninth hour,

when they all agree that one may begin eating.

Here, it is after the ninth hour,

when Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yosei disagreed as to whether it is permitted to begin a meal on the eve of Shabbat and on the eve of a Festival.

And now the Gemara explains the custom of reciting kiddush in the synagogue.

Those people who recited kiddush in the synagogue,

who were accustomed to having the prayer leader recite kiddush in the synagogue on Friday night and on the night of a Festival:

Rav said: With regard to the obligation of

the blessing over

wine, they did not fulfill it;

and if they wish to drink wine afterward in their homes, they must recite the blessing Borei Peri HaGefen again, because they do not fulfill their obligation with the blessing over the wine in the synagogue, since they relocated from their place, and this constitutes a diversion of attention.

However,

they did fulfill their obligation with regard to kiddush

even though they do not eat in the synagogue, since kiddush need not be recited in the place of a meal.