Komentarz do Pesachim 10:2

מברך על היום – At the beginning, the Sanctification of the Day and afterwards comes the wine, and since he Sanctified [the day] at its beginning [with the kindling of candles], so he should do before the blessing [on the wine].

Introduction This mishnah contains a debate between Bet Shammai and Bet Hillel over the order of the blessings recited over the first cup of wine. Today we call these two blessings together “Kiddush”, which comes from the word “sanctify.”

מברך על היין – first [on the wine], and the same law applies to making Kiddush on bread, for the wine or the bread engender the Sanctification of the Day, and if he has no wine or bread, he should not recite Kiddush.

They mixed him the first cup: Bet Shammai says: first he blesses over the day and then over the wine. Bet Hillel says: first he blesses over the wine and then over the day. As we shall see throughout this chapter, important events at the seder are marked by the “mixing” of a cup of wine. In the ancient world wine was drunk diluted with water so as to prevent a person from becoming intoxicated. To drink undiluted wine was considered coarse behavior. Bet Shammai and Bet Hillel debate the order of the blessings. Bet Shammai says that we first recite the blessing over the day. This blessing is “Who sanctifies Israel and the festivals.” Afterwards we recite the blessing over the wine, “Who creates the fruit of the vine.” The reasoning for this is that according to Bet Shammai the day causes the wine to be drunk. Bet Hillel says that the wine is blessed first. There are two reasons for this. First of all, the presence of the wine allows us to recite the blessing over the day. Secondly, the blessing over the wine is a commonly recited blessing whereas the blessing over the day is rare. The rule is that common things are recited before uncommon things. The order which we follow today is, as is almost always the case, according to Bet Hillel.