From where [do we know the requirement to drink] four cups? Rabbi Yochanan [said] in the name of Rav, "Rabbi Banniah said, 'Corresponding to the four [expressions of] salvations: "Therefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out, etc. And I will take you to Me for a people, etc."(Exodus 20:6-7). "And I will bring you out, and I will rescue you, and I will save you, And I will take you."' Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, 'Corresponding to the four cups of Pharaoh: "And the cup of Pharaoh was in my hand and I squeezed them into the cup of Pharaoh and I placed the cup onto the palm of Pharaoh... and you will place the cup of Pharaoh, etc." (Genesis 40:11-13).'
Question:
What is the the relevance of the four mentions of "Pharaoh's cup" to the seder night? It would seem like the last thing to commemorate on the night we celebrate our freedom?!
אָמַר רַבִּי בִּיזְנָא בַּר זַבְדָּא אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אָמַר רַבִּי פַּנְדָּא אָמַר רַב נַחוּם אָמַר רַבִּי בִּירִים מִשּׁוּם זָקֵן אֶחָד, וּמַנּוּ — רַבִּי בְּנָאָה: עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה פּוֹתְרֵי חֲלוֹמוֹת הָיוּ בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם, פַּעַם אַחַת חָלַמְתִּי חֲלוֹם וְהָלַכְתִּי אֵצֶל כּוּלָּם, וּמַה שֶּׁפָּתַר לִי זֶה לֹא פָּתַר לִי זֶה, וְכוּלָּם נִתְקַיְּימוּ בִּי. לְקַיֵּים מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כׇּל הַחֲלוֹמוֹת הוֹלְכִים אַחַר הַפֶּה״.
אַטּוּ ״כׇּל הַחֲלוֹמוֹת הוֹלְכִים אַחַר הַפֶּה״ קְרָא הוּא? אִין — וְכִדְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר. דְּאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: מִנַּיִן שֶׁכָּל הַחֲלוֹמוֹת הוֹלְכִין אַחַר הַפֶּה? — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר פָּתַר לָנוּ כֵּן הָיָה״.
אָמַר רָבָא: וְהוּא דִּמְפַשַּׁר לֵיהּ מֵעֵין חֶלְמֵיהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״אִישׁ כַּחֲלֹמוֹ פָּתָר״.
The Gemara asks: Is that to say that all dreams follow the mouth is a verse cited as corroboration? The Gemara responds: Yes, and in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Elazar, as Rabbi Elazar said: From where is it derived that all dreams follow the mouth of the interpreter? As it is stated in the story of the dreams of Pharaoh’s two ministers. The butler said to Pharaoh: “And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was” (Genesis 41:13).
Rava said, one must attach a caveat to this: This is only in a case where it is interpreted for him in a manner akin to the dream, where the interpretation is relevant to the dream, as it is stated in the story of Joseph’s interpretation of the dreams of Pharaoh’s two ministers: “Each man according to his dream he did interpret” (Genesis 41:12).
אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן: אֵין מַרְאִין לוֹ לְאָדָם אֶלָּא מֵהִרְהוּרֵי לִבּוֹ.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said that Rabbi Yonatan said: A person is shown in his dream only the thoughts of his heart when he was awake...
וְכ֥וֹס פַּרְעֹ֖ה בְּיָדִ֑י וָאֶקַּ֣ח אֶת־הָֽעֲנָבִ֗ים וָֽאֶשְׂחַ֤ט אֹתָם֙ אֶל־כּ֣וֹס פַּרְעֹ֔ה וָאֶתֵּ֥ן אֶת־הַכּ֖וֹס עַל־כַּ֥ף פַּרְעֹֽה׃
Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”
בְּע֣וֹד ׀ שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֗ים יִשָּׂ֤א פַרְעֹה֙ אֶת־רֹאשֶׁ֔ךָ וַהֲשִֽׁיבְךָ֖ עַל־כַּנֶּ֑ךָ וְנָתַתָּ֤ כוֹס־פַּרְעֹה֙ בְּיָד֔וֹ כַּמִּשְׁפָּט֙ הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיִ֖יתָ מַשְׁקֵֽהוּ׃
In three days Pharaoh will pardon you and restore you to your post; you will place Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, as was your custom formerly when you were his cupbearer.
וּבַסַּ֣ל הָֽעֶלְי֔וֹן מִכֹּ֛ל מַאֲכַ֥ל פַּרְעֹ֖ה מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה אֹפֶ֑ה וְהָע֗וֹף אֹכֵ֥ל אֹתָ֛ם מִן־הַסַּ֖ל מֵעַ֥ל רֹאשִֽׁי׃
In the uppermost basket were all kinds of food for Pharaoh that a baker prepares; and the birds were eating it out of the basket above my head.”
חטאו. זֶה נִמְצָא זְבוּב בְּפַיְילִי פּוֹטֵירִין שֶׁלּוֹ, וְזֶה נִמְצָא צְרוֹר בִּגְלוּסְקִין שֶׁלּוֹ:
חטאו HAD SINNED — in the case of the one, a fly was found in the goblet of aromatic wine, in the case of the other, a pebble was found in the loaves he baked (Genesis Rabbah 88:2).
זְבוּב בְּפַיְילִי = אונס
צְרוֹר בִּגְלוּסְקִין = פשיעה
You expelled nations and planted it.
וַיְסַפֵּר שַׂר הַמַּשְׁקִים (בראשית מ, ט), וְהִנֵּה גֶּפֶן לְפָנָי, אֵלּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים פ, ט): גֶּפֶן מִמִּצְרַיִם תַּסִּיעַ. (בראשית מ, י): וּבַגֶּפֶן שְׁלשָׁה שָׂרִיגִם, משֶׁה אַהֲרֹן וּמִרְיָם. (בראשית מ, י): הִוא כְפֹרַחַת, הִפְרִיחָה גְּאֻלָּתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל. (בראשית מ, י):
