(Mishnah): The following vegetables may be used as the bitter herbs - Chazeres, Ulshin, Tamcha, Charchavina, and Maror (see below).

He fulfills his obligation even if they are withered, but not if they are pickled, heavily boiled or cooked.

All of these species can combine to form the required amount of a k'zayis.

One can use their stalks, vegetables of Demai, of Maaser Rishon that had its Terumah separated and of Maaser Sheni or Hekdesh that were redeemed.

(Gemara): Chazeres is Romaine lettuce; Ulshin is Troksimon; Tamcha is Gangidin; Charchavina - R' Yosi B''Y quoting Rebbi said it is Yasi Chali; Maror is a bitter vegetable that has a dark surface and oozes a white sap when it is cut and squeezed.

Question: Is there a species of Maror that is sweet?

Answer: That species is not called Maror; it is called Sweet Maror.

(R' Chiya quoting R' Hoshia): The ideal species to use is Chazeres - just as Chazeres begins by tasting sweet and ends tasting bitter, so the Egyptians treated our forefathers in Egypt- first (Bereishis 47, 6), "...give the best of the land for your father and your brothers to dwell''; and later on (Shemos 1, 14), "And they embittered their lives with hard labor with mortar and bricks''.

(The Mishnah stated): "Even if they are withered'' - A Beraisa states "but not withered''.

Resolution (Rav Chisda): The one that permits withered is referring to the stalk; the one who prohibited is referring to the leaves.

(R' Chiya quoting R' Yochanan): One makes the blessing "Borei Pri HaEitz'' on a pickled olive.

(R' Binyamin bar Yefes quoting R' Yochanan): One makes the blessing "Shehakol Nihyeh Bidvaro'' on a heavily boiled vegetable.

Support (R' Shmuel bar Rav Yitschak- Mishnah): But not if they are pickled, heavily boiled or cooked - if they are still present (in their original state), one should be able to fulfill his obligation with them! (Our Mishnah therefore proves that since they are no longer in their original state, their blessing consequently changes to "Shehakol'').

Question #1 (R' Zeira): Who is more knowledgeable in the statements of R' Yochanan - R' Chiya bar Ba or R' Binyamin? Surely it is R' Chiya bar Ba! (So why is the dissenting opinion of R' Binyamin being mentioned here?)

Question #2: From the fact that we saw the Rabanan making the blessing "Borei Pri Ha'adamah'' on Turmusin (lupines) - but are Turmusin not heavily boiled?

Answer: The explanation of the Mishnah is that the Torah required a bitter taste but once a vegetable (such as Turmusin) has been heavily boiled, it loses its bitter taste, so it is no longer suitable as maror. However, the blessing still remains the same after heavy boiling.

(R' Yosi bar R' Bun): They (R' Chiya and R' Binyamin) do not disagree - An olive, since it is usually eaten raw, even if pickled it is still considered to be the same and the blessing remains unchanged. However, a vegetable only becomes edible after heavy boiling, so its blessing is "Shehakol''.