Pesachim 99b (צט:) — the Talmud in English

Mishna:

On the eve of Pesach,

close

to the time of Minha

minor, that is, half an hour before its time [the time of Minha Ktana is at nine and a half hours of the day, according to proportional hours], that is, from the beginning of the tenth hour —

a person may not eat,

until nightfall,

so that he will eat the mitzva matza in the evening with an appetite. For there is an enhancement of the mitzva in eating the matza with an appetite.

And

even the poorest person in Israel,

may not eat

on the night of Pesach

until he reclines

on a bed beside the table in the manner of free people, in remembrance of freedom.

And the charity collectors may not provide him with less than

the charity collectors who support the poor,

than

to give him

four cups of wine.

which the Sages instituted to drink on the night of the Seder [corresponding to the four expressions of redemption stated concerning the redemption from Egypt,

“I shall take you out,” “I shall rescue you,” “I shall redeem you,” and “I shall take you”].

And even

he is the poorest of the poor, who is supported

from the charity soup kitchen

of charity, which is a bowl in which food is collected for the poor [and a poor person who has even only enough food for two meals does not take from the soup kitchen]; nevertheless, they may not provide him with less than four cups.

Gemara:

We raise a difficulty concerning this:

Why particularly

did the tanna of the Mishna state specifically

“the eves of Pesach”?

But

even

on

the eves of Shabbat and Festivals as well

it is forbidden to eat close to Minha?

As it was taught in a beraita: A person may not eat on the eves of Shabbat and Festivals from Minha onward, so that he will enter Shabbat with an appetite,

so that he desires to eat and kiddush and the Shabbat meal will be precious to him,

the words of Rabbi Yehuda.

Rabbi Yosei says: He may eat and continue until nightfall.

The Tzelach asked: why was it difficult for him from Rabbi Yehuda? Does Rabbi Yose not disagree with him, and according to Rabbi Yose there is no difficulty? He should have said: let us say that our Mishna is not in accordance with Rabbi Yehuda. See there his answer. And in Rosh HaCarmel he answered that our Mishna must be in accordance with Rabbi Yehuda, for according to Rabbi Yose it is permitted to eat until it grows dark, and the Gemara does not hold at this stage that there is a distinction between the eve of Shabbat and a festival and the eve of Passover.

And we answer:

Rav Huna said:

The Mishna, which states “the eves of Pesach” specifically,

is necessary only according to Rabbi Yosei, who says: “He may eat and continue until nightfall.”

And the Mishna teaches us that

this applies only on the eves of Shabbat and Festivals. But on the eve of Pesach, because of the obligation of matza

so that it will not be eaten at night when one is already satiated,

Rabbi Yosei agrees

that one may not eat close to Minha.

Rav Pappa said: You may even say

that the Mishna is

in accordance with Rabbi Yehuda

; nevertheless, there is no difficulty.

For

there, on the eves of Shabbat and Festivals, it is forbidden from Minha onward

that is, specifically from nine and a half hours onward. But

close to Minha,

half an hour beforehand, that is, from the end of the ninth hour,

it is permitted.

But on the eve of Pesach —

even close to Minha is likewise forbidden!

And we challenge Rav Pappa:

On the eve of Shabbat, close to Minha,

is it

permitted?

But it was taught in a beraita: A person may not eat on the eve of Shabbat and Festivals from nine hours onward, so that he will enter Shabbat with an appetite, the words of Rabbi Yehuda.

Rabbi Yosei says: He may eat and continue until nightfall.

Thus, according to Rabbi Yehuda, it is likewise forbidden even on the eves of Shabbat and Festivals close to Minha. This is a difficulty for Rav Pappa.

Mar Zutra said: Who can tell us that

this beraita

is properly formulated,

that its wording is correct?