Blood and Fire: Siyum Bechorot 5784

מַתְנִי׳ בֵּירַךְ בִּרְכַּת הַפֶּסַח — פָּטַר אֶת שֶׁל זֶבַח. בֵּירַךְ אֶת שֶׁל זֶבַח — לֹא פָּטַר אֶת שֶׁל פֶּסַח, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר: לֹא זוֹ פּוֹטֶרֶת זוֹ וְלֹא זוֹ פּוֹטֶרֶת זוֹ.

Pesachim 121a:4

MISHNA: If one recited the blessing over the Paschal lamb, which is: Who sanctified us with His mitzvot and commanded us to eat the Paschal lamb, he has also exempted himself from reciting a blessing over the Festival offering. The blessing for the Festival peace-offering of the fourteenth of Nisan is: Who sanctified us with His mitzvot and commanded us to eat the offering. However, if he recited the blessing over the Festival offering, he has not exempted himself from reciting a blessing over the Paschal lamb. This is the statement of Rabbi Yishmael. Rabbi Akiva says: This blessing does not exempt one from reciting a blessing over this one, and that blessing does not exempt that one, as there is a separate blessing for each offering.

What is the rabbinic question or concern here?

פסחים קכ״א א:ה׳

גְּמָ׳ כְּשֶׁתִּמְצָא לוֹמַר, לְדִבְרֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: זְרִיקָה בִּכְלַל שְׁפִיכָה. וְלֹא שְׁפִיכָה בִּכְלַל זְרִיקָה.

Pesachim 121a:5

GEMARA: The Gemara explains the opinions of the tanna’im in the mishna. When you analyze the matter you will find that according to the opinion of Rabbi Yishmael, sprinkling of the blood on the altar is included in the more general category of pouring. In other words, the blessing over the Paschal lamb, whose blood is poured, includes the Festival peace-offering, whose blood is sprinkled, as sprinkling is included within the general category of pouring. But conversely, pouring is not included in sprinkling. Consequently, when one recites the blessing over the Festival peace-offering, he has not exempted himself from reciting a blessing over the Paschal lamb.

פסחים קכ״א א:ו׳

לְדִבְרֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא: לֹא שְׁפִיכָה בִּכְלַל זְרִיקָה, וְלֹא זְרִיקָה בִּכְלַל שְׁפִיכָה.

Pesachim 121a:6

By contrast, according to the opinion of Rabbi Akiva, these are two separate mitzvot: Pouring is not included in sprinkling, and sprinkling is not included in pouring. Therefore, Rabbi Akiva maintains that each offering requires its own blessing.

How do Rabbi Yishmael and Rabbi Akiva attempt to answer the Mishnah's question/concern?
Which response do you find more compelling? Why?

פסחים קכ״א ב:א׳

רַבִּי שִׂמְלַאי אִיקְּלַע לְפִדְיוֹן הַבֵּן, בְּעוֹ מִינֵּיהּ: פְּשִׁיטָא עַל פִּדְיוֹן הַבֵּן ״אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל פִּדְיוֹן הַבֵּן״ — אֲבִי הַבֵּן מְבָרֵךְ. ״בָּרוּךְ ... שֶׁהֶחֱיָינוּ וְקִיְּימָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה״, כֹּהֵן מְבָרֵךְ, אוֹ אֲבִי הַבֵּן מְבָרֵךְ?

Pesachim 121b:1

The Gemara discusses another case concerning the order of the blessings: Rabbi Simlai attended a redemption of the firstborn son. The celebrants raised a dilemma before him with regard to the blessings. First they noted that it is obvious that the blessing over the redemption of a firstborn son, which is: Who sanctified us with His mitzvot and commanded us over the redemption of the firstborn son, is certainly recited by the father of the son, as he is the one obligated to redeem his son. However, with regard to the second blessing: Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has given us life [sheheḥeyanu], sustained us, and brought us to this time, does the priest recite this blessing, or does the father of the son recite it?

What is the rabbinic question here?
How is it similar or different to the one above?

פסחים קכ״א ב:ב׳

כֹּהֵן מְבָרַךְ — דְּקָמָטֵי הֲנָאָה לִידֵיהּ, אוֹ אֲבִי הַבֵּן מְבָרֵךְ — דְּקָא עָבֵיד מִצְוָה? לָא הֲוָה בִּידֵיהּ, אֲתָא שְׁאֵיל בֵּיהּ מִדְרְשָׁא. אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: אֲבִי הַבֵּן מְבָרֵךְ שְׁתַּיִם. וְהִלְכְתָא: אֲבִי הַבֵּן מְבָרֵךְ שְׁתַּיִם.

Pesachim 121b:2

The Gemara explains the two sides of the dilemma. It can be suggested that the priest recites the blessing, as he benefits from the five sela he receives when the boy is redeemed. The blessing of sheheḥiyanu is generally recited by the one who receives the benefit. Or, perhaps the father of the son recites sheheḥeyanu, as he is the one who performs the mitzva. Rabbi Simlai did not have an answer readily available, and he went to ask this question in the study hall. The scholars said to him that the father of the son recites the two blessings: Over the redemption of the son and sheheḥeyanu. The Gemara concludes: And the halakha is that the father of the son recites two blessings.

Why do you think that Masechet Pesachim, the tractate about Passover, ends with this teaching?
What might we take and learn from it for our seder tonight?

פסחים קכ״א ב:ג׳

הֲדַרַן עֲלָךְ עַרְבֵי פְסָחִים וּסְלִיקָא לַהּ מַסֶּכֶת פְּסָחִים

Pesachim 121b:3

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