יין איתמר משמיה דרב נחמן צריך הסיבה ואיתמר משמיה דרב נחמן אין צריך הסיבה
ולא פליגי הא בתרתי כסי קמאי הא בתרתי כסי בתראי
אמרי לה להאי גיסא ואמרי לה להאי גיסא
אמרי לה להאי גיסא תרי כסי קמאי בעו הסיבה דהשתא הוא דקא מתחלא לה חירות תרי כסי בתראי לא בעו הסיבה מאי דהוה הוה
ואמרי לה להאי גיסא אדרבה תרי כסי בתראי בעו הסיבה ההיא שעתא דקא הויא חירות תרי כסי קמאי לא בעו הסיבה דאכתי עבדים היינו
קאמר השתא דאיתמר הכי ואיתמר הכי אידי ואידי בעו הסיבה
The Talmud points out the following contradiction:
With regard to wine, it was stated in the name of Rav Naḥman that wine requires reclining.
It was ALSO stated in the name of Rav Nahman that wine does NOT require leaning. How could he have so blatantly contradicted himself???
The Talmud answers - It is not in fact a contradiction. In one statement, he was referring to the first two cups of wine. And in the other statement, he was referring to the second two cups of wine!
But which statement of his referred to which pair?
Some explained it this way: The first two cups of the meal require leaning. For once we begin the seder by celebrating our freedom, you do not have to keep on demonstrating this over and over. You've already done it!
And some explained it another way: The opposite is true! It is the second two cups which require leaning! For that is the moment, at the end of the seder, where we have actually achieved freedom. Whereas for the first two, we are not yet free, but still slaves, so it would not yet make sense to celebrate and demonstrate our freedom by leaning!
And now that one has said it this way and one has said it that way, we now say that both the first AND the second pairs (i.e., all four!) require leaning, in order to satisfy both requirements.
Questions for Discussion:
- What is the confusion regarding Rav Nahman's statement?
- How is it resolved?
- Imagine that you are a judge, and each of these positions are litigants making their case.
- Which of the two arguments would you find the most compelling?
- How would YOU decide?
- Are you satisfied with the Talmud's conclusion?
- The reason we lean is to indicate that we are eating in comfort; i.e., we have been liberated! But Maya Angelou declared to the world that "None of us can be free until ALL of us are free!" If she is right, then are we free? Who is still yearning for their liberation? Is there a way to incorporate acknowledgment of this in your Passover seder?