Mishnah
Mishnah

Mesorat%20hashas for Pesachim 1:1

אוֹר לְאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר, בּוֹדְקִין אֶת הֶחָמֵץ לְאוֹר הַנֵּר. כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין מַכְנִיסִין בּוֹ חָמֵץ אֵין צָרִיךְ בְּדִיקָה. וְלָמָה אָמְרוּ שְׁתֵּי שׁוּרוֹת בַּמַּרְתֵּף, מָקוֹם שֶׁמַּכְנִיסִין בּוֹ חָמֵץ. בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים, שְׁתֵּי שׁוּרוֹת עַל פְּנֵי כָל הַמַּרְתֵּף. וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים, שְׁתֵּי שׁוּרוֹת הַחִיצוֹנוֹת שֶׁהֵן הָעֶלְיוֹנוֹת:

At "light" on the fourteenth (of Nissan) [i.e., the night followed by the fourteenth. The tanna calls it "light," euphemistically, as a blind man is called "sagi nehor" ("full of light")], chametz is searched for [Some explain, so that he not be in transgression of the interdict against chametz being seen and being found in his house on Pesach. And even though nullification (bitul) itself is sufficient, we fear that he might find a choice morsel (of chametz), regret his nullification, think to eat it, and be in transgression of the interdict against chametz being seen and found. Therefore, chametz is searched for, to remove it from the world. Others say that the reason for searching is a decree, lest he find chametz in his house and eat it, not being accustomed to separation from chametz the other days of the year.] by the light of a candle. [The gemara derives this from its being written here (Exodus 12:19): "Leaven shall not be found," and elsewhere (Genesis 44:12): "and the cup was found." Just as the finding there was through searching, viz. (Ibid.): "And he searched … and it was found," the finding here is through searching, and "searching" is (optimally) with a candle, viz. (Proverbs 20:27): "The candle of G d is a man's soul; it searches all his hidden recesses." And they ordained that the searching take place at night because that is when everyone is found at home. And the light of a candle is better for searching with by night than by day, for "Of what avail is a candle by day?" However, if one did not search on the night preceding the fourteenth and he does so in the morning, he must also do so by the light of a candle.] Any place where chametz is not brought does not require searching. And why did they say [below] that two rows [of jugs] in a wine cellar [arranged one on top of the other require searching, if any place where chametz is not brought does not require searching? They answered: We are speaking of] a place where chametz is brought, [such as a wine cellar which supplies wine for one's table. Sometimes the steward is about to pour wine with his loaf in his hand, when he discovers that he is out of wine and he goes down to the cellar to bring more.] Beth Shammai say: Two rows on the face of the entire cellar. [It was the way of those who stored wine to arrange their jugs row after row until they covered the entire floor of the cellar, after which they would go back and place jug upon jug in the same pattern until the ceiling. The "two rows" of Beth Shammai are the outer row from the ground until the ceiling, and then the upper row, the length and width of the wine cellar, so that the "two rows" are like a Greek gamma, one perpendicular; the other, horizontal.] Beth Hillel say: The two outer upper rows, [the uppermost row near the ceiling, facing the entrance, and the row beneath that. And those within, he does not search at all. And of the outer ones, he searches the two top rows alone.]

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