Reminder ~ there will not be a VAAD tonight.

However, there will be a halacha shiur!

Rabbi Mordechai Millunchick will be giving the halacha shiur at 8:30 pm on

POST-MORTEM CONCEPTION.

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Pesachim 6a

Rashi (ד"ה אפילו מראש השנה) writes דכי הדר ביה בימי הפסח עבר עליה וההיא שעתא לאו ברשותיה היא דליבטליה שהרי איסור הנאה הוא ואינו שלו וכשראהו עובר עליה- When one returns during the days of Pesach one has transgressed and at that time he is no longer able to do bittul because it is not considered his as it is forbidden to derive benefit from and when he see it he has transgressed.
A basic reading of this Rashi seems to imply that the two prohibitions of bal yiraeh and bal yimatzeh are transgressed at different times. Bal yiraeh is transgressed when there is chametz in one’s possession. Rashi here suggests that bal yimatzeh is not transgressed until one sees the chametz. (Even according to this understanding the prohibition would only be to see chametz that one has in his possession, there is no general prohibition to set ones sights on a good piece of chametz.)
This understanding is in contrast to the opinion of the Rosh (siman 9) who writes that the prohibition is not to have chametz in a place that it could be seen, not that there is a prohibition to actually see the chametz.

Pesachim 6b

Our gemora is clear that bittul is enough to avoid the prohibitions of bal yiraeh and bal yimatzeh, even though one has not actively destroyed the chametz. What is the mechanism by which bittul works?
Tosfos (4b ד"ה מדאורייתא) explain that bittul is a form of hefker, making it ownerless. Since the chametz has no owner it may even remain in ones home.
The Ran writes that if bittul were to employ the mechanics of hefker, the wording of the bittul should include some mention of hefker. (Our text in fact does mention hefker, but the Ran’s text clearly did not.) More importantly Rabbi Yossi writes that an item make ownerless through hefker does not leave one’s possession until someone else takes it. If so the bittul should not work. The gemora writes that chametz is one of two items that the Torah obligates one as if he owns it, even though he no longer has official ownership. Because chametz is prohibited to derive benefit from it is no longer in his reshus, domain, the prohibition of bal yiraeh however ‘returns’ the chametz back to his possession. The Ran explains that bittul is not the typical hefker, rather it works to stop the chametz from ‘returning’ to his possession.
Rashi (4b ד"ה בביטול בעלמא) writes that bittul is a way to fulfill the command of “tashbisu” meaning that one must either physically destroy the chametz or mentally ‘destroy’ the food so that it is no long considering as food. According to Rashi bittul does not employ the mechanics of hefker in any way.

שואלים ודורשים בהלכות הפסח קודם הפסח שלשים יום – We ask regarding and darshan about the halchos of Pesach thirty days before Pesach.

The gemora in Megilah (32a) writes a similar but different statement. “Moshe established for Yisroel that should ask about and teach the matters of the day on that day, the halachos of Pesach on Peasch, the halachos of Atzeres (Shavuos) on Atzeres and the halchos of Chag (Sukkos) on the Chag.” The implication of this gemora is that the only obligation to regarding teaching the halchos is on the Yom Tov itself.

The Ran resolves the difficulty stating that in fact there is only a broad based halacha to learn the laws of each Yom Tov on the Yom Tov themselves. The concept of thirty days is one which relates to Rabbonim and teachers that they must be prepared to answer a question that relates to Peasch thirty days in advance.

The Bais Yosef (429) suggests in a different way that of course each person must learn the laws of each Yom Tov in advance. We must all clean for Peach, build Sukkahs and purchase a lulav and esrog, and in order to do so we need to be sufficiently proficient in the halchos. That which Moshe established to learn about Yom Tov in its time, the Bais Yosef explains, refers to learning about the ideas and lessons of each holiday.

Interesting point:

 דילמא בארבעה בירחא או בחמשה בירחא – Perhaps (Moshe) spoke to them on the fourth or the fifth of the month.

The gemora suggests that Moshe told Klal Yisroel about the specialness of Rosh Chodesh Nissan and the mitzvah of sanctifying the new month (החודש הזה לכם) on the fourth or fifth of the month. The sefer Shalom Yehudah (quoted in Drash V’Iyun page 26) uses our gemora as a support to the novel opinion of the Ramban (Kiddush Hachodesh 3:15). The Ramban writes that the new month can be sanctified retroactively if witnesses come at that time. Thus it is understandable that Moshe can relay the commandment of Kiddush Hachodesh even once the month has already begun.

               Rabbi Moshe Shternbuch (Pshat v’Iyun) writes that it is possible that Moshe sanctified the new month himself, even before he relayed the  mitzvah, there is therefore not proof. 

This week's and last week's shiur.

Pesachim 6 - May 04, 2014 (37:37 min)

Pesachim 5 - April 27, 2014 (31:47)

Now is a great time to join a Daf shiur!
Weekly shiurim Sunday -Rabbi Zev Cohen-7:15-8:00 Shabbos-Dr. Yakov Weil after the 7:15 Shacharis
 Daily Shiurim (M-F) - Rabbi Yechiel Pisem 7:45-8:00am | Rabbi Mordechai Millunchick 7:40-8:30

Welcome to the new Daf Hashavuah weekly email. This email will iy"h serve as medium for further insights and discussion of the weekly daf. This email will consist of a few short insights and questions on the daf. Archives of these emails will be stored at www.adasyeshurun.com/weeklydaf. Subscription can be sent to torah@adasyeshurun.com.

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Pesachim 4a

הילכך היא צורבא מרבנן לא לפתח בעידניה – Abbei says that because as a result of the mitzvah to search one’s home for chametz early in the night, one should not begin study of Torah at that time.

While this halacha applies to everyone (as expressed in the Shulchan Aruch), the exact words of Abbei refer to a צורבא מרבנן, a student of the sages. Some note this, as they allow one to attend a class or Torah lecture outside of one's home before the bedika. 

Rabbi Eliezer Meir Horowitz (in his glosses found the in back of the gemora) writes that we do not find a prohibition to learn before the fulfillment of a mitzvah that can be done afterwards. Here however the sages established the ideal time for searching for chametz at the time that people are at their homes in order that we don’t miss the best time for searching. They therefore made such a decree. 

המשכיר בית לחבירו על מי לבדוק – If one rents a room to another who has the obligation to search for chametz?

In response to this question, Rishonim and Achronim discuss who, the renter or the lesser, has the onus of the prohibition of בל יראה בל ימצא, that the search for the chametz will rectify. Some (see Rabbenu Dovid, Chidushi HaRan among others) write that on the Torah level, neither would transgress the prohibition. The renter is not beholden by the prohibition because the chometz is not his and the lesser also not obligated because the chametz is no longer in his domain. There is nevertheless an obligation to search for chametz. The only question is who is obligated. Others (Maharshal’s understanding of Rashi’s opinion) write that it is the lesser who is obligated as the chametz is his. The Magen Avraham (437) writes that the renter is obligated.

Pesachim 4b

דמדאורייתא בביטול בעלמא סגי ליה – On the Torah level it is enough to negate the chametz

Rishonim discuss the source that bittul, negation of the chametz, is enough to avoid the prohibition of owning chametz. Rashi writes that since the Torah uses the word תשביתו, destroy, and does not use the word תבערו, burn, it is apparent that one can fulfill the ‘destruction’ of chametz with mental negation of chametz. Tosfos however disagree and opine that תשביתו also refers to physical destruction of chametz. They explain that bittul works using the mechanics of hefker.  

Daf News:

The Chevra Shas wishes condolences to Dr. Yakov Weil on the loss of his father. 

This week's and last week's shiur.

Pesachim 4 - April 20, 2014 (Chol Hamoed Pesach)

Pesachim 3 - April 13, 2014 

Now is a great time to join a Daf shiur!
Weekly shiurim Sunday -Rabbi Zev Cohen-7:15-8:00 Shabbos-Dr. Yakov Weil after the 7:15 Shacharis
 Daily Shiurim (M-F) - Rabbi Yechiel Pisem 7:45-8:00am | Rabbi Mordechai Millunchick 7:40-8:30

Welcome to the new Daf Hashavuah weekly email. This email will iy"h serve as medium for further insights and discussion of the weekly daf. This email will consist of a few short insights and questions on the daf. Archives of these emails will be stored at www.adasyeshurun.com/weeklydaf. Subscription can be sent to torah@adasyeshurun.com.

Welcome to the new Daf Hashavuah weekly email. This new email will iy"h serve as medium for further insights and discussion of the weekly daf. This email will consist of a few short insights and questions on the daf. Archives of these emails will be stored at www.adasyeshurun.com/weeklydaf. If you would like to continue to receive this email weekly please respond to this email noting that you wish to be added to the daf Hashavuah mailing list.

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NEWS: Mazal Tov to all members of the Chevra Shas on the completion of Masseches Eruvin and Sukkah. Photos of the siyum can be found here. You can also listen in to the words of Chizuk from Rabbi Yakov Sussman, Rosh Yeshiva HTC by clicking here. 

Pesachim 2a
בודקין את החמץ - Rashi says the reason for doing bedikas chametz is order not to transgress baal yirah and baal yimatzeh, owning and possessing chometz. Tosfos question this as one can simply be mevatel the chometz, negate the chometz in ones mind. Tosfos explain that true, on a Torah level, it is enough to be mevatel the chometz, yet Chazal were concerned that if one would not search out and destroy one’s chometz one may come to eat the chometz.

בודקין את החמץ – Tosfos questions why we are much more stringent regarding chametz than by other forbidden items. Regarding chametz we are obligated to destroy it, yet we don’t have such a stringency by other items, even those that are assur b’hanah, forbidden to derive benefit from, such as bassar b’chalav, kilayaim, orlah and the like. Tosfos explains that those items are always forbidden, while chametz is generally permitted, it is only on Pesach that it is forbidden. People don’t have the same natural aversion to chametz and therefore it must be destroyed in advance of Pesach. In addition, chametz has the added stringency that one transgresses a prohibition even by having chametz, his possession, something that doesn’t apply to other forbidden items.

מיתיבי.. מיתיבי.. מיתיבי.. מיתיבי... שמע מינה/... מיתיבי  - The gemora brings many possible proofs regarding if the word אור can be considered as a noun meaning night or day. This is highly unusual. The Rashba explains that these proofs were not all offered at the same time, rather it is a conglomeration of statements from various yeshivas gathered by Ravina and Rav Ashi. This explains why the gemora can say shema minah and yet continue to offer additional discussion.

Pesachim 2b
עולם הבא דומה ליום.. עולם הזה דומה ללילה – The gemora explains Dovid Hamelech’s words that this world is compared to the night. The sefer Mesilas Yesharim (chapter 3) explains that the darkness of the night can cause a person to make two types of mistakes. Darkness can hide things that during the daylight are clearly visible. This is dangerous as a person may walk into an obstacle or fall into a unseen pit. Even more dangerous, however, is the danger caused by the darkness changing how one sees objects. In the darkness one may see a pillar and think it is a person and visa-versa. This world, and the darkness caused by our yetzer hara, has the ability to cloud our judgment and things that we think are good and beneficial are in truth the opposite. With the light of Torah we are able to illuminate the darkness and see things clearly.  

To listen to this week's shiur please click here. Rabbi Cohen's introduction can be hear here.

Now is a great time to join a Daf shiur!
Weekly shiurim Sunday -Rabbi Zev Cohen-7:15-8:00 Shabbos-Dr. Yakov Weil after the 7:15 Shacharis
Daily Shiurim (M-F) - Rabbi Yechiel Pisem 7:45-8:00am | Rabbi Mordechai Millunchick 7:40-8:30