[Avodah] Who First Said it? 2

[Chanoch (Ken) Bloom]

On Wed, 2010-03-03 at 20:26 +0000, rabbirichwolpoe at gmail.com wrote:
> RZS:
> > Rashi and Rashbam on the mishneh (Psachim 116a) both say that the son
> asks "mah nishtana".
> 
> Rashi says:
> "Mah nistanah ACHSHAV SHEMOZGIM KOSSHEINI"
> 
> Rashbam is similar

But see Rabbeinu Chananel who says

אפי׳ שני תלמידי חכמים הבקיאין בהלכות הפסח שואלין זה את זה מה נשתנה הלילה
                                                          הזה מכל הלילות

"Even two talmidei chachamim who are experts in the laws of pesach, ask
each other 'why is this night different from all other nights?'"

The gemara has a similar statement but we know that it's not a single
quotation because there are two dots before מה נשתנה, indicating a
quotation from the Mishna. Rabbeinu Chananel doesn't have a period
before מה נשתנה indicating that he's making one coherent phrase --
according to him they davka read each other the text of the four
questions.

--Ken