Pesachim 36 - December 27, 12 Tevet

Study Guide Pesachim 36

Today’s daf is sponsored by Jenifer Nech in honor of her Talmud teacher, Samara Schwartz. "Samara started my learning journey by teaching the ‘way of the Talmud’. I am now proud to be a part of the Hadran community."

Can one fulfill one’s obligation to eat matza through eating matza in Jerusalem made from maaser sheni? Rabbi Yosi HaGelili learns from the fact that matza is called “lechem oni” – that sounds like “oni” meaning “onen” that one cannot fulfill one’s obligation with something that one cannot eat when one has the status of an onen (when one’s close relative dies until the burial) and maaser sheni cannot be eaten by an onen. Rabbi Akiva derives from “matzot” “matzot” that one can fulfill one’s obligation with maaser sheni. According to him, “Lechem oni”  refers to poor man’s bread and comes to exclude matza ashira, one made with oil, honey or wine. In addition it is read as “oni” also referring to bread that one recites things on during the seder. Can one knead dough for matza with oil, honey or wine? And if not, what if one already did? What does Rabbi Akiva hold regarding this? His opinion seems to contradict what he says elsewhere. How is this resolved? One cannot knead matza dough in warm water as it hastens the leavening process. If so, why are menachot, meal offerings, kneaded with warm water, if they also are not allowed to leaven? Can one fulfill one’s obligation to eat matza using bikurim, the first fruits? Rabbi Yosi HaGelili and Rabbi Akiva both forbid it, each derive it from different verses. The gemara questions Rabbi Akiva’s proof and then shows that even Rabbi Akiva changed his mind and ultimately agreed with Rabbi Yosi HaGelili’s proof. Why did Rabbi Yosi HaGelili not use the same verse that he used to derive the halacha for maaser sheni from lechem oni? Because he held like Rabbi Shimon that an onen can eat bikurim. From where do Rabbi Shimon and the rabbis derive their opinions whether or not an onen can eat bikurim?