Pesachim 105b (קה:) — the Talmud in English

He says over it

on Shabbat night

the Kiddush of the day,

and he should not leave it until tomorrow to drink it in honor of the day in the middle of the meal.

Because the Kiddush of the day takes precedence over honoring the day.

And if it is so,

that one may recite Kiddush throughout the entire day—

let him leave it,

let him leave the cup

until tomorrow, and let him perform two mitzvot with it!

He will recite Kiddush over it and thereby also fulfill the mitzva of honoring the day [to some extent, even though he does not drink it during the meal]?

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said to him:

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak:

A mitzva is especially beloved when performed at its proper time!

For we find that on Shabbat the limbs of the communal offerings of Shabbat are placed upon the altar, even though as a matter of strict law they could also be offered after Shabbat.

Here too, it is preferable that he recite Kiddush at night, which is its primary time, rather than wait until tomorrow, despite the fact that he would then also fulfill the mitzva of honoring the day.

Ravina raises an objection:

Do we say that a mitzva is especially beloved when performed at its proper time

with regard to a blessing?

But it was taught in a beraita: One who enters his home on the conclusion of Shabbat

and makes havdala over a cup

recites the blessing over wine

first, the blessing Who creates the fruit of the vine, because the blessing over wine is more frequent than the other blessings.

And

afterward he recites a blessing

over the lamp and over the spices [

in accordance with the opinion of Beit Shammai. And Beit Hillel holds that the spices come before the lamp, as is our practice].

And afterward he recites havdala over the cup.

Since it is an extended blessing, whereas the others are short blessings, he recites it last.

And if he has only one cup

and no wine will remain for the cup of Birkat HaMazon after his meal at the conclusion of Shabbat—

he sets it aside

for the cup

until after the meal, and he combines them

he joins them

all

all the blessings

after it,

as he recites all of them over that same cup after Birkat HaMazon.

And

it is evident that

we do not say that a mitzva is especially beloved when performed at its proper time!

For it is not preferable to make havdala immediately at the conclusion of Shabbat, before the meal, even though that is the time of havdala.

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said to him:

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak:

I—

I am not a wise man!

I did not state this on my own authority, that a mitzva is especially beloved when performed at its proper time.

Nor am I a seer!

I am not one who foretells the future;

nor am I an individual sage

I did not state this in the name of a single individual.

Rather, I learned it,

this is what I heard in the academy,

and I arrange it

I constantly arrange teachings [halakhot] before my teachers,

and this is also the ruling taught in the study hall, in accordance with my view.

To resolve your objection from havdala, one may say:

There is a distinction for us between the entering of the day,

the Kiddush at the onset of Shabbat,

and

between

the departure of the day,

havdala, which is performed at the conclusion of Shabbat.

For with regard to

the entering of the day—

the earlier we perform it, the better.

And we show our love for it

by hastening to perform Kiddush specifically on Shabbat night rather than on the following day, because a mitzva is especially beloved when performed at its proper time, and the zealous hasten to perform a mitzva.

But with regard to

the departure of the day—

we postpone it!

When there is some justification, such as when he has only one cup, we postpone havdala until after the meal,

so that it should not be a burden upon us!

so that Shabbat should not appear to us as a burden from which we are hastening to be released.

Infer from this beraita eight

eight halakhot:

a.

Infer from this: One who makes havdala in the prayer,

who says Atah Ḥonantanu,

must make havdala

also

over a cup.

For the beraita teaches: One who enters his home at the conclusion of Shabbat recites the blessing over wine, even though ordinarily people make havdala in the prayer.

b.

And infer from this: A blessing,

the blessing of Birkat HaMazon,

requires a cup.

For it teaches that he sets aside the cup until after the meal in order to recite the blessing over it.

c.

And infer from this: A cup of blessing—

requires a measure,

that it contain at least a revi'it.

For otherwise, he could divide the cup he has into two, and make havdala at the proper time, while still retaining wine for another cup over which he could subsequently recite Birkat HaMazon.

d.

And infer from this: One who recites a blessing

over the cup

must taste

from it!

For otherwise, he could first make havdala and leave the cup full for Birkat HaMazon.

e.

And infer from this: His tasting it—

renders it defective!

For if he tastes from the cup, it is disqualified as a cup of blessing.

For otherwise, he could make havdala and taste a cheekful from it, while a revi'it would still remain for Birkat HaMazon [and this is the case under discussion here: he has more than a revi'it in the one cup. “He has only one cup” means that it contains less than two revi'iyot. Tosafot, s.v. “Infer from this: His tasting it”].

f.

And infer from this: One who has tasted—

may make havdala!

One who ate before havdala may still make havdala that evening; he need not wait until the following day and make havdala before eating [as there is one who holds this opinion, below, 106b]. For here he eats his meal first and makes havdala afterward.