Shulchan Aruch: Chapter 478 - [The Mitzvah] Not to Eat After Eating the Afikoman

SECTION 478 Not to Eat After Eating the Afikoman (1-6)

סימן תעח שֶׁלֹּא לֶאֱכֹל אַחַר אֲכִילַת אֲפִיקוֹמָן וּבוֹ ו' סְעִיפִים:

1 After eating the afikoman, it is forbidden to eat any food at all1 other than [matzah shmurah,2i.e.,] matzah that was guarded [from becoming chametz] from the time [the grain] was harvested or from the time [the flour] was kneaded. [In this way,] the taste of the matzah shmurah of the afikoman will not leave one’s mouth¹ because of the taste of that food, as explained in sec. 477[:2-3].3

It is, however, permitted to drink all non-intoxicating beverages, because the flavor of [these] beverages does not remove the taste of food from one’s mouth. (It is, however, forbidden to drink intoxicating beverages, for the reason explained in sec. 481[:1].)4

There are authorities who differ with this [ruling] and maintain that the flavor of all beverages other than water and the like nullify the taste of the matzah shmurah of the afikoman from one’s mouth, as will be explained in sec. 481[:1]. Weight should be given to their words unless there is a matter of great necessity.5

א אַחַר אֲכִילַת אֲפִיקוֹמָן אָסוּר לֶאֱכֹל שׁוּם מַאֲכָל בָּעוֹלָם,א^,1 חוּץ מִמַּצָּה שְׁמוּרָהב מִשְּׁעַת קְצִירָה אוֹ מִשְּׁעַת לִישָׁה,ג^,2 כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲבֹר מִפִּיו1 טַעַם מַצָּהד שְׁמוּרָהה שֶׁל הָאֲפִיקוֹמָןו עַל יְדֵי טַעַם אוֹתוֹ מַאֲכָל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִימָן תע"ז.ז^,3

אֲבָל מֻתָּר לִשְׁתּוֹת כָּל הַמַּשְׁקִיןח שֶׁאֵינָן מְשַׁכְּרִין (אֲבָל מַשְׁקִין הַמְשַׁכְּרִין אָסוּר לִשְׁתּוֹת, מִטַּעַם שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִימָן תפ"אט^,4), לְפִי שֶׁטַּעַם הַשְּׁתִיָּה אֵינוֹ מַעֲבִיר אֶת טַעַם הָאֲכִילָה מִפִּיו.

וְיֵשׁ חוֹלְקִין עַל זֶה וְאוֹמְרִיםי שֶׁטַּעַם כָּל הַמַּשְׁקִין מְבַטֵּל מִפִּיו אֶת טַעַם מַצָּה שְׁמוּרָה שֶׁל אֲפִיקוֹמָן, חוּץ מִמַּיִם וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִימָן תפ"א.יא וְיֵשׁ לָחֹשׁ לְדִבְרֵיהֶם, אִם לֹא לְצֹרֶךְ גָּדוֹל:יב^,5

2 [A person] should not eat the afikoman in two places.6 Even in one room, [a person] should not eat [the afikoman] at two tables, some of it at one table and some of it at another table. [The rationale is that] the afikoman commemorates the Pesach sacrifice,7 and it is forbidden to partake of the Pesach sacrifice in two places,8 as it is written:9 “It shall be eaten in one house.”

ב לֹא יֹאכַל הָאֲפִיקוֹמָן בִּשְׁנֵי מְקוֹמוֹת.יג^,6 וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּחֶדֶר אֶחָד לֹא יֹאכְלֶנּוּ בְּב' שֻׁלְחָנוֹת,יד מִקְצָתוֹ בְּשֻׁלְחָן זֶה וּמִקְצָתוֹ בְּשֻׁלְחָן זֶה, לְפִי שֶׁהָאֲפִיקוֹמָן הוּא זֵכֶר לַפֶּסַח,טו^,7 וְאָסוּר לֶאֱכֹל מִן הַפֶּסַח בִּשְׁנֵי מְקוֹמוֹת,8 שֶׁנֶּאֱמַרטז^,9 "בְּבַיִת אֶחָד יֵאָכֵל":

3 [A person] who fell asleep in the middle of eating the afikoman and then awoke from his sleep is forbidden to eat more of the afikoman.10 [This restriction applies] even if [that person] had not yet eaten an olive-sized portion [of the afikoman].11 [The rationale is that] sleep is considered an interruption between [the two times the person] ate. When [the person] eats after sleeping, it is as if he is eating in a place other than the first place [he ate], and it is forbidden to eat the afikoman in two places.12

ג מִי שֶׁיָּשַׁן בְּאֶמְצַע אֲכִילַת הָאֲפִיקוֹמָן וְנֵעֹר מִשְּׁנָתוֹ – אָסוּר לוֹ לַחֲזֹר וְלֶאֱכֹל עוֹד מִן הָאֲפִיקוֹמָןיז^,10 אֲפִלּוּ לֹא אָכַל עֲדַיִן כְּזַיִת,יח^,11 לְפִי שֶׁהַשֵּׁנָה חֲשׁוּבָה הֶפְסֵק בֵּין אֲכִילָה לַאֲכִילָה, וּכְשֶׁאוֹכֵל אַחַר הַשֵּׁנָה – הֲרֵי הוּא כְּאוֹכֵל בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר שֶׁלֹּא בַּמָּקוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן,יט וְאָסוּר לֶאֱכֹל הָאֲפִיקוֹמָן בִּשְׁנֵי מְקוֹמוֹת:כ^,12

4 When does the above apply? When one is dining alone. When, however, members of a group are dining [together] and some [members of the group] fell asleep13 in the middle of eating the afikoman, they are permitted to eat again after they awoke.14 [This rule applies even] if they already ate an olive-sized portion. Their sleep is not considered an interruption, since some [members] of their group remained [awake15 and] did not sleep. However, if all the members of a group fell asleep and then awoke, they cannot resume eating [the afikoman].

ד בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים? כְּשֶׁמֵּסֵב בִּלְבַד, אֲבָל בְּנֵי הַחֲבוּרָה הַמְּסֻבִּין וְיָשְׁנוּ מִקְצָתָן13 בְּאֶמְצַע אֲכִילַת הָאֲפִיקוֹמָן וְנֵעֹרוּ – יְכוֹלִין לַחֲזֹר וְלֶאֱכֹל עוֹדכא^,14 אֲפִלּוּ אָכְלוּ כְּבָר כְּזַיִת, שֶׁאֵין שֵׁנָתָם חֲשׁוּבָה הֶפְסֵק, כֵּיוָן שֶׁמִּקְצָת חֲבוּרָתָם נִשְׁאֲרוּ בְּלֹא שֵׁנָה.כב^,15 אֲבָל אִם יָשְׁנוּ כָּל בְּנֵי הַחֲבוּרָה וְנֵעֹרוּ – אֵינָן חוֹזְרִין לֶאֱכֹל עוֹד:כג

5 All the above applies when they fell into a sound sleep. If, however, the group merely dozed off and then awoke, and similarly, if one person eating [alone] dozed off and then woke up, it is permitted for them [or him] to resume eating.16

What is meant by dozing off? A person who is asleep, but not asleep; awake, but not awake. For example, if one calls to him, he will answer, but he will not know how to respond regarding a matter that requires thought before answering, but when he is reminded, he remembers.¹⁶ To illustrate [the situation: A person] is asked, “In which place did you leave this-or-this article?” and he does not know how to think [the matter over] and remember where he put it while he is dozing off; nevertheless, when [the person] is reminded by being asked, “Did you leave it in such-and-such a place?” he will remember and answer, yes or no, or the like.

ה וְכָל זֶה כְּשֶׁנִּרְדְּמוּ בְּשֵׁנָה, אֲבָל אִם נִתְנַמְנְמוּ בִּלְבַד וְנֵעוֹרוּ,כד וְכֵן יָחִיד שֶׁמֵּסֵב וְנִתְנַמְנֵם וְנֵעוֹר – יְכוֹלִין לַחֲזֹר וְלֶאֱכֹל.כה^,16

וְאֵיזֶהוּ מִתְנַמְנֵם? יָשֵׁן וְאֵינוֹ יָשֵׁן, נֵעוֹר וְאֵינוֹ נֵעוֹר, כְּגוֹן שֶׁאִם קוֹרִין אוֹתוֹ וְהוּא עוֹנֶה,כו וְאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לְהָשִׁיב דָּבָר שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְהַרְהֵר קֹדֶם שֶׁיָּשִׁיב,כז וּכְשֶׁמַּזְכִּירִין אוֹתוֹ הוּא נִזְכָּר,16 כְּגוֹן שֶׁשּׁוֹאֲלִין אוֹתוֹ: בְּאֵיזֶה מָקוֹם הִנַּחְתָּ חֵפֶץ פְּלוֹנִי? וְאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לְהַרְהֵר וְלִזְכֹּר בְּעוֹדוֹ מִתְנַמְנֵם בְּאֵיזֶה מָקוֹם הִנִּיחוֹ, וּכְשֶׁמַּזְכִּירִין אוֹתוֹ וְאוֹמְרִים לוֹ: הִנַּחְתָּ בְּמָקוֹם פְּלוֹנִי – הוּא נִזְכָּר, וְאוֹמֵר: הֵן אוֹ לָאו,כח וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה:

6 All the above applies when [the person] fell asleep after he began eating the afikoman. However, if he fell asleep beforehand17 and then awoke, he may return [to his meal], eat as much as he desires, and eat the afikoman afterwards.

Similarly, he may eat his [Seder] meal in one house and go and eat the afikoman in another house.18

ו וְכָל זֶה כְּשֶׁיָּשַׁן לְאַחַר שֶׁהִתְחִיל לֶאֱכֹל הָאֲפִיקוֹמָן, אֲבָל אִם יָשַׁן קֹדֶם לָכֵן17 וְנֵעוֹר – יָכוֹל לַחֲזֹר וְלֶאֱכֹל כַּמָּה שֶׁיִּרְצֶה וְלֶאֱכֹל הָאֲפִיקוֹמָן אַחַר כָּךְ.כט

וְכֵן יָכוֹל לֶאֱכֹל סְעוּדָתוֹ בַּבַּיִת וְלֵילֵךְ לֶאֱכֹל הָאֲפִיקוֹמָן בְּבַיִת אַחֵר:ל^,18

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Shulchan Aruch: Chapter 477 - The Laws [Governing] Eating the Afikoman

Shulchan Aruch: Chapter 479 - The Recitation of the Grace after Meals over the Third Cup [of Wine]

Footnotes

Pesachim 119b.

As the Alter Rebbe states in this subsection, it is permitted to eat additional matzah after eating the minimum amount necessary for the afikoman. However, one must take care to abide by the restrictions mentioned in subsections 2-5, below and in sec. 479:8.

See also sec. 482:1-3, where the Alter Rebbe emphasizes the concept that the taste of matzah shmurah should remain in the person’s mouth. For this reason, the Alter Rebbe rules that if a person only has one olive-sized portion of matzah, he should eat it as the afikoman rather than at the beginning of the meal (see sec. 482:1-3).

As the Alter Rebbe explains in that source, the rationale for this ruling is that a person should spend Pesach night studying the laws of Pesach and relating the story of the Exodus and its miracles. If one were to drink intoxicating beverages, it is likely that he would be unable to do so.

See sec. 481:1, where the Alter Rebbe mentions this opinion. In his Haggadah, the Alter Rebbe includes the instruction that one should not drink after completing the Seder. In his notes, the Rebbe infers from the Alter Rebbe’s choice of words that even water should not be drunk after eating the afikoman and completing the Seder. Furthermore, the Rebbe maintains that this stringency should be observed after the second Seder as well.

See sec. 479:8, where the Alter Rebbe mentions this law.

The Alter Rebbe’s intent is that a person should not begin eating the afikoman in one house and finish eating it in another house. Similarly, a person should not begin eating the afikoman in one room and finish eating it in another room of the same house. However, one may eat the Seder meal in one house and the afikoman in another house.

See sec. 477:3 and footnotes. In that source, the Alter Rebbe refers to the opinion that the afikoman serves as a remembrance for the matzah that was eaten with thePesach sacrifice and not the actual sacrifice. However, this ruling is still relevant even according to that opinion, because all the laws applying to the Pesach sacrifice apply to that matzah as well.

Pesachim 86a.

Shmos 12:46.

10.

Pesachim 120b relates that Abbaye was sharing the Seder with Rabbah and noticed that Rabbah dozed off while eating the afikoman. When Rabbah awoke and resumed eating the afikoman, Abbaye mentioned this law to him. Rabbah responded that sleep prevents a person from eating from the afikoman, but dozing off does not. See subsection 5, below.

11.

See sec. 477:3, where the Alter Rebbe explains that until a person eats an olive-sized portion of matzah, he has not fulfilled his obligation to eat the afikoman.

12.

See subsection 2 above, where this prohibition is stated.

13.

This ruling applies even if those who fell asleep slept soundly, and did not merely doze off.

14.

Pesachim 120a.

15.

From the Alter Rebbe’s statement that some members of the group fell asleep while others remained awake, it appears that this ruling applies even if only one member of the group remained awake.

16.

Pesachim 120b.

17.

I.e., the person fell asleep in the middle of the recitation of the Haggadah or the meal.

18.

See sec. 479:8 and sec. 484:6, where the Alter Rebbe issues similar rulings.

In 5729 [1969], the first group of bachurim sent as shluchim to Australia returned to Crown Heights shortly before Pesach. On the first night of Pesach, these bachurim came to the Rebbe’s Seder after conducting the Seder in their own homes. The Rebbe asked them whether they had eaten the afikoman at home, and they responded that they had. The bachurim realized that the Rebbe had desired to give them from his afikoman, but refrained from doing so because they had already eaten the afikoman at their respective Sedarim.

On the second night, the bachurim again went to the Rebbe’s Seder after conducting the Seder in their own homes. However, this time they did not eat the afikoman where they conducted the Seder, and the Rebbe gave them a piece from his afikoman together with a piece of another matzah (see Otzar Minhagei Chabad, Vol. 2, p. 117).

Sources

א.

שמואל קיט, ב. טור ושו"ע ס"א.

ב.

משמעות הרא"ש פ"י סי' לה. וראה נטעי גבריאל פסח ח"ג ע' תלה.

ג.

כדלעיל סי' תעז ס"י.

ד.

גמרא שם ורשב"ם ד"ה אין מפטירין.

ה.

רא"ש שם. וראה גם לקמן סי' תפב סעי' א-ג.

ו.

לבוש ס"א.

ז.

ס"ב וס"ג.

ח.

הרב רבנו יונה. הובא ברא"ש פ"י סי' לג, ובטור סי' תפא.

ט.

סעיף א.

י.

רי"ף (כז, א). רא"ש שם, ממשמעות רב יוסף טוב עלם. טור בשם הגאונים. רמ"א סי' תפא ס"א. מ"א כאן סק"א. וראה לקוטי טעמים ומנהגים להגש"פ ד"ה ויזהר. שלחן המלך ח"ב ע' קט הערה 1.

יא.

ס"א. ובסידור: ויזהר שלא ישתה אחר האפיקומן. וראה לקוטי טעמים ומנהגים להגש"פ ד"ה שלא ישתה, דמסתימת דבריו משמע שמכל שתיה יזהר ואפילו ממים. וראה שם ד"ה ויזהר (הא').

יב.

וכ"ה לקמן שם.

יג.

רשב"ם קכ, א ד"ה ישנו. רא"ש פ"י סי' לד (וראה קרבן נתנאל שם אות ח). טור. רמ"א ס"א.

יד.

מ"א סק"ב.

טו.

כדלעיל סי' תעז ס"ג.

טז.

שמות יב, מו. רבי יהודה בברייתא פו, א.

יז.

עובדא דרבה קכ, ב. כפירוש רשב"ם שם ד"ה הוה. רמב"ם פ"ח הי"ד. שו"ע ורמ"א ס"ב.

יח.

משמעות רמ"א שם ואחרונים. וראה גם לקמן סי' תעט ס"ח.

יט.

רשב"ם קכ, א ד"ה ישנו. טור. לבוש ס"ב. מ"א סק"ג.

כ.

כדלעיל ס"ב.

כא.

משנה קכ, סוע"א. רמב"ם שם. שו"ע שם.

כב.

לבוש ס"ב בדעת ויש אומרים.

כג.

משנה שם. רמב"ם שם. שו"ע שם.

כד.

רמב"ם ושו"ע שם, כרבי יוסי במשנה שם דאסיפא קאי.

כה.

עובדא דרבה שם.

כו.

גמרא שם. מ"א סק"ד.

כז.

רש"י בתענית דף יב, ב ד"ה אהדורי.

כח.

רשב"ם פסחים שם ד"ה לאהדורי.

כט.

רבנו ירוחם נ"ה ח"ד (מג, ד). רמ"א ס"ב.

ל.

ט"ז סי' תעט סק"ג. מ"א כאן ושם סק"ב.

By Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi

Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi (18 Elul 1745-24 Tevet 1812), known as "the Alter Rebbe," was one of the main disciples of the Maggid of Mezritch, and the founder of the Chabad Chassidism. He is the author of Shulchan Aruch HaRav and Tanya as well as many other major works in both Jewish law and the mystical teachings.

Translated by Eliyahu Touger and Sholom B Wineberg.

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