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Mishnayos Brachos Perek 1 Mishnah 5

ברכות פרק א׳ משנה ה׳

5
It is a mitzva by Torah law to mention the exodus from Egypt at night, but some held that this mitzva was, like phylacteries or ritual fringes, fulfilled only during the day and not at night. For this reason it was decided: The exodus from Egypt is mentioned at night, adjacent to the recitation of Shema. Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya said: I am approximately seventy years old, and although I have long held this opinion, I was never privileged to prevail (Me’iri) and prove that there is a biblical obligation to fulfill the accepted custom (Ra’avad) and have the exodus from Egypt mentioned at night, until Ben Zoma interpreted it homiletically and proved it obligatory. Ben Zoma derived it as it is stated: “That you may remember the day you went out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life” (Deuteronomy 16:3). The days of your life, refers to daytime alone; however, the addition of the word all, as it is stated: All the days of your life, comes to add nights as well. And the Rabbis, who posit that there is no biblical obligation to mention the exodus from Egypt at night, explain the word, all, differently and say: The days of your life, refers to the days in this world, all is added to include the days of the Messiah.

מַזְכִּירִין יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם בַּלֵּילוֹת. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה, הֲרֵי אֲנִי כְּבֶן שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה, וְלֹא זָכִיתִי שֶׁתֵּאָמֵר יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם בַּלֵּילוֹת, עַד שֶׁדְּרָשָׁהּ בֶּן זוֹמָא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים טז) לְמַעַן תִּזְכֹּר אֶת יוֹם צֵאתְךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ. יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ, הַיָּמִים. כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ, הַלֵּילוֹת. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ, הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה. כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ, לְהָבִיא לִימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ:

ה׳

מזכירין יציאת מצרים בלילות – The section of Tzizit (Ritual Fringes – the third paragraph of the Shema: Numbers 15:37-41) is said during the Recitation of the Shema at night, and even though the night time is not the time [for the wearing of] Tzizit, as it says, “look at it (and recall all the commandments of the LORD and observe them…)” to the exclusion of nighttime clothing, we recite it (Numbers 15:37-41) at night because of [the mention of] the Exodus of Egypt which is in it.

כבן שבעים שנה – as I appeared old and not actually old, but because [the locks of] his hair had turned white on the day when he was appointed to be the Nasi/head of [the Sanhedrin] in order that he would look “old” and appropriate for the “presidency.” And on that self-same day, Ben Zoma expounded upon this Biblical verse.

ולא זכיתי – I did win over by Sages and similar to this in the Talmud [is the episode] found in the chapter “B’not Kuttim” (chapter four of Tractate Niddah 38b), in that Rabbi Eleazar defeated the Rabbis, that is to say, he won out against them.

מזכירין יציאת מצרים בלילות. פרשת ציצית אומרים אותה בק״ש של ערבית ואע״פ שאין לילה זמן ציצית דכתיב וראיתם אותו, פרט לכסות לילה אומרים אותה בלילה מפני יציאת מצרים שבה:

כבן שבעים שנה. הייתי נראה זקן. ולא זקן ממש אלא שהלבינו שערותיו יום שמינו אותו נשיא כדי שיראה זקן וראוי לנשיאות, ואותו היום דרש בן זומא מקרא זה:

ולא זכיתי. לא נצחתי לחכמים. ודומה לו בש״ס בפרק בנות כותים (נדה לח.) בהא זכנהו ר׳ אלעזר לרבנן כלומר נצחם: