Pesachim 118 - March 19, 6 Nisan

Today's Daf is sponsored by Ellen Golub in memory of her brother, Richard Dennis Golub, Pesach Nahum ben Aryey Leib v'Leah, "on his 62nd yahrzeit. Yehi zichrono l'vracha." And by Rachel Leiser Levy "l’zecher nishmat Moshe b Betzalel v'Shprintza Pessel, my beloved father. Born in Berlin in 1931, Pesach, the holiday of liberation, was his favorite holiday and I know he’d be amazed at the work of Hadran and the learning being done by this wonderful community, especially in preparation for Pesach."

What is birkhat hashir that we say after Hallel? Rabbi Tarfon mentions that we say Hallel HaGadol. What is that? Some say we thank God with a different chapter of Psalms for the food of the meal. The gemara compares the difficulty of finding food to childbirth, redemption and the splitting of the sea. The gemara brings several explanations for words in Hallel that were recited by specific people at a particular moment such as, when Chania, Mishael and Azaria were thrown in a fiery furnace by Nevuchadnezar. Or possibly when Abraham was thrown in a fiery furnace by Nimrod. Each explanation explains why the words "God is true to his word" are said. What promise did God make that was fulfilled? Another explanation is brought that it was said by the fish in the sea as explained by a story in the gemara connecting the splitting of the sea and the Egyptians drowning with the drowning of Sisra's men in the book of Judges. The Romans are compared to the Egyptians and are seen in a much more negative light.