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REVIEW QUESTIONS ON GEMARA AND RASHI

prepared by Rabbi Eliezer Chrysler
Kollel Iyun Hadaf, Jerusalem

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Pesachim 39

1)

(a) Maror incorporates five different species: Chazeres, Ulshin, Timcha, Charchevina and Maror. Chazeres is (romain) lettuce, and Ulshin, andives. What is ...
  1. ... Timcha?
  2. ... Charchevina?
(b) Does it make any difference whether the Maror that one uses is ...
  1. ... moist or dried?
  2. ... raw, pickled or cooked?
(c) What is the difference between 'Mevushal' and 'Shaluk'?

(d) Can one eat half a k'Zayis of *one* species of Maror and half a k'Zayis of *another*?

2)
(a) Is one Yotze with the stalks of the Moror?

(b) Is one Yotze with ...

  1. ... Demai?
  2. ... Ma'aser Rishon?
  3. ... Ma'aser Sheni and Hekdesh?
(c) Ma'aser Yerek is only mi'de'Rabbanan.
Why is one then not Yotze the Mitzvah of Moror with Tevel?

(d) Is one Yotze with *garden*-endives?

3)
(a) Various Tana'im add different species to the list of what one may use for Maror. Rebbi Yehudah adds 'Kol she'Yesh Bo S'raf', and Rebbi Yochanan ben Berokah, 'Kol she'Panav Machsifin'; according to Acherim, all bitter Yarak contains both of these specifications.
What do they mean?

(b) What did Ravina point out to Rav Acha Brei de'Rava, when he found him looking for Maror (the *last* of the five species mentioned in the Mishnah)?

(c) Why is Chazeres called Chasa?

(d) And why are the Egyptians compared to Maror?

4)
(a) From where do we know that Maror is a vegetable, and not ...
  1. ... the gall of a fish?
  2. ... the bark of bitter Hirduf-tree (which Moshe threw into the water to make it turn sweet?
  3. ... a plant that is poisonous to animals called 'Harzifu'?
(b) From where do we know that Maror incorporates a choice of *five* species, and not just *two* (which we would know from the plural form of "Merorim")?
5)
(a) What do we initially take Rav to mean when he permits sowing all the five species of Maror in one row?

(b) What does the Gemara ask on Rav from the Mishnah in Kil'ayim 'Chazeres va'Chazeres Galin, Ulshin ve'Ulshei Sadeh' ... Einam Kil'ayim Zeh ba'Zeh'?

(c) Why can we not answer that the Mishnah really means to permit each of the species mentioned there with any of the others?

(d) The Gemara replies that what Rav really means is that one may sow them in one row, provided one follows the specifications set out in the Mishnah in Kil'ayim and in Shabbos.
Why do we not know that from those very Mishnahs (according to the Gemara's initial contention)?

Answers to questions

39b---------------------------------------39b

6)

(a) The Gemara's initial contention that seeds might well be permitted in the row, but vegetables (which include all the species of Maror), are not, is proved wrong from the Mishnah in Kil'ayim.
What does the Mishnah in Kil'ayim say?

(b) What is wrong with the suggestion that Rav needs to inform us that the five kinds of Maror are vegetables, and not seeds?

(c) So why *does* he need to tell us that all five kinds of Maror may be sown in one row? What is his Chidush, and what has that to do with Rebbi Yossi b'Rebbi Chanina's Din regarding a hardened cabbage-stalk?

7)
(a) Rav Chisda establishes the Reisha of our Mishnah, which permits only the *stalks* of Maror whether they are moist or dried, but not its leaves.
But can we not infer from the Seifa of the Mishnah, which mentions the stalks, that the Reisha is talking about the leaves?

(b) What is the Kashya on Rav Chisda from Rebbi Meir in the Beraisa, who says 'Yotz'in *Bahen u've'Kelach she'Lahen* Bein Lachin, Bein Yeveishin'?

(c) How does the Gemara resolve the Kashya?

(d) What do the Rabbanan hold?

8) Rebbi Meir and the Rabbanan agrees that one is Yotze with withered Maror.
Why is Maror that has withered any better than Maror that has dried?

9)

(a) Rebbi Akiva (on 36a) permitted *Matzah* of Ma'aser Sheni in Yerushalayim, so he will certainly permit *Maror*. Rebbi Yossi Hagelili forbade Matzah, but perhaps he will permit Maror.
What gives *Maror* of Ma'aser Sheni the edge over Matzah?

(b) Why can we not be referring to nowadays, when Maror is only mi'de'Rabbanan, whereas Matzah is mi'd'Oraysa?

(c) What is the Gemara's conclusion?

10)
(a) If soaking the bran of Chametz is forbidden, why is Chalitah permitted?
What is Chalitah?

(b) May one rub bran onto one's wet body?

(c) What about chewing wheat to place on a wound?

11)
(a) 'Tanu Rabbanan: Elu Devarim she'Ein Ba'in li'Yedei Chametz: 'he'Afuy, ve'ha'Mevushal, ve'Chalut she'Chalto be'Roschin'.
Why can *'he'Afuy ve'ha'Mevushal* ' not be understood literally?

(b) Then what *does* it mean?

(c) Under what condition will water dripping on to flour not render it Chametz?

12)
(a) Which kind of Vatika (a type of flour-dish) is permitted, and which kind is forbidden?

(b) What is 'Kimcha de'Avishuna'?

(c) Why may it not be added to a dish to thicken it, seeing as it has already been baked?

Answers to questions
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