For the source text click/tap here: Pesachim 111
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As noted on yesterday’s daf, our Gemara is in the midst of a lengthy discussion about magic and destructive forces – ideas that were popular during the Talmudic age that were not actively discouraged by the Sages if they were “harmless” in the sense that they did not involve idol worship or forbidden activities.One intriguing mintage of opening the door during the seder and the association of Eliyahu with the seder is as follows:
One possible explanation of why Eliyahu Hanavi is associated with the seder could be the following: Rabbi Yuzpeh Shamash writes that on Pesach night we say Eliyahu and Moshiach will come because mazikin run away from a place where they recite Eliyahu’s name.
He says that because of this some make a picture of Eliyahu and Moshiach for the children so that the children seeing it will say “Eliyahu,” causing the mazikin to disappear…which brings us to the difference between Kishuf and Shedim (discussed yesterday)