[Avodah] The Cup for the Visitor: What lies behind the Kos Shel Eliyahu?

[Daas Books]

> On Tue, Mar 19, 2013 at 04:07:23PM -0700, Harry Maryles wrote:
> : The source for the Kos Shel Eliyahu is the Machlokes about whether
> : thare are 4 or 5 Leshonos of Geula... the 5th Lashon being the word
> : V'Heveiso. That would call for a fifth cup of wine...

You might be interested in the GR"A's comment here: Our Haggada that
lists these 4 lashonos is based on an "error" in the midrash. He says
that what we call the 3rd lashon counts for 2, because it includes both
"strong hand" and "outstretched arm". He brings a proof from the midrash
in the Yerushalmi which says that the 4 cups are learned from the 4 times
Sefer Tehillim mentions "kos" (cup) in the context of salvation. But says
the GR"A, in Sefer Tehilim there are only 3 such pesukim (16:5, 23:5,
116:13)! But the latter of which is in the plural ("yeshuos/salvations")
and therefore counts for 2.

Chag kasher v'sameach,
Alexander Seinfeld