1. Dead Sea Scrolls, Community Rule, 2.11-2.22 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
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2. Anon., Didache, 9.4, 10.5 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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3. Mishnah, Berachot, 7.3-7.5 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 7.3. How do they invite [one another to recite the Birkat Hamazon]?If there are three, he [the one saying Birkat Hamazon] says, “Let us bless [Him of whose food we have eaten].” If there are three and him he says, “Bless [Him of whose food we have eaten]” If there are ten, he says, “Let us bless our God [of whose food we have eaten].” If there are ten and he says, “Bless.” It is the same whether there are ten or ten myriads (ten ten thousands). If there are a hundred he says, “Let us bless the Lord our God [of whose food we have eaten]. If there are a hundred and him he says, “Bless.” If there are a thousand he says “Let us bless the Lord our God, the God of Israel [of whose food we have eaten].” If there are a thousand and him he says “Bless.” If there are ten thousand he says, “Let us bless the Lord our God, the God of Israel, the God of hosts, who dwells among the cherubim, for the food which we have eaten.” If there are ten thousand and him he says, “Bless.” Corresponding to his blessing the others answer after him, “Blessed be the Lord our God the God of Israel, the God of hosts, who dwells among the cherubim, for the food which we have eaten.” Rabbi Yose the Galilean says: According to the number of the congregation, they bless, as it says, “In assemblies bless God, the Lord, O you who are from the fountain of Israel.” Rabbi Akiba said: What do we find in the synagogue? Whether there are many or few the he says, “Bless the Lord your God.” Rabbi Ishmael says: “Bless the Lord your God who is blessed.”" 7.4. Three persons who have eaten together may not separate [to recite Birkat Hamazon]. Similarly four and similarly five. Six may separate, up until ten. And ten may not separate until there are twenty." 7.5. Two eating companies that were eating in the same room: When some of them can see some of the other they combine [for a zimun], but if not each group makes a zimun for itself. They do not bless over the wine until they put water into it, the words of Rabbi Eliezer. The sages say they bless." |
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4. Mishnah, Megillah, 4.3 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 4.3. They do not recite the Shema responsively, And they do not pass before the ark; And the [the priests] do not lift up their hands; And they do not read the Torah [publicly]; And they do not conclude with a haftarah from the prophets; And they do not make stops [at funeral] processions; And they do not say the blessing for mourners, or the comfort of mourners, or the blessing of bridegrooms; And they do not mention God’s name in the invitation [to say Birkat Hamazon]; Except in the presence of ten. [For redeeming sanctified] land nine and a priest [are sufficient], and similarly with human beings." |
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5. Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 16a. מעין העולם הבא,(איוב א, טז) עוד זה מדבר וזה בא ויאמר אש אלהים וגו עוד זה מדבר וזה בא ויאמר כשדים שמו שלשה ראשים ויפשטו על הגמלים ויקחום וגו' עוד זה מדבר וזה בא ויאמר בניך ובנותיך אוכלים ושותים יין בבית אחיהם הבכור והנה רוח גדולה באה מעבר המדבר ויגע בארבע פנות הבית ויפול על הנערים וגו' ויקם איוב ויקרע את מעילו ויגז את ראשו וגו' ויאמר ערום יצאתי מבטן אמי וערום אשוב שמה ה' נתן וה' לקח יהי שם ה' מבורך בכל זאת לא חטא איוב ולא נתן תפלה לאלהים,ויהי היום ויבואו בני האלהים להתיצב וגו' ויאמר ה' אל השטן אי מזה תבא ויען השטן את ה' ויאמר משוט בארץ [וגו'] אמר לפניו רבש"ע שטתי בכל העולם ולא מצאתי כעבדך אברהם שאמרת לו (בראשית יג, יז) קום התהלך בארץ לארכה ולרחבה כי לך אתננה ובשעה שבקש לקבור שרה לא מצא מקום לקוברה ולא הרהר אחר מדותיך,ויאמר ה' אל השטן השמת לבך אל עבדי איוב כי אין כמוהו בארץ וגו' ועודנו מחזיק בתומתו ותסיתני בו לבלעו חנם,אמר רבי יוחנן אלמלא מקרא כתוב אי אפשר לאומרו כאדם שמסיתין אותו וניסת,במתניתא תנא יורד ומתעה ועולה ומרגיז נוטל רשות ונוטל נשמה,(איוב ב, ד) ויען השטן את ה' ויאמר עור בעד עור וכל אשר לאיש יתן בעד נפשו אולם שלח נא ידך וגע אל עצמו ואל בשרו אם לא (על) פניך יברכך ויאמר ה' אל השטן הנו בידך אך את נפשו שמור ויצא השטן מאת פני ה' ויך את איוב וגו' אמר רבי יצחק קשה צערו של שטן יותר משל איוב משל לעבד שאמר לו רבו שבור חבית ושמור את יינה,אמר ר"ל הוא שטן הוא יצר הרע הוא מלאך המות הוא שטן דכתיב (איוב ב, ז) ויצא השטן מאת פני ה' הוא יצר הרע כתיב התם (בראשית ו, ה) רק רע כל היום וכתיב הכא (רק את נפשו שמור) [(איוב א, יב) רק אליו אל תשלח ידך] הוא מלאך המות דכתיב (איוב ב, ו) (רק) [אך] את נפשו שמור אלמא בדידיה קיימא,א"ר לוי שטן ופנינה לשם שמים נתכוונו שטן כיון דחזיא להקדוש ברוך הוא דנטיה דעתיה בתר איוב אמר חס ושלום מינשי ליה לרחמנותיה דאברהם פנינה דכתיב (שמואל א א, ו) וכעסתה צרתה גם כעס בעבור הרעימה דרשה רב אחא בר יעקב בפפוניא אתא שטן נשקיה לכרעיה,(איוב ב, י) בכל זאת לא חטא איוב בשפתיו אמר רבא בשפתיו לא חטא בלבו חטא מאי קאמר (איוב ט, כד) ארץ נתנה ביד רשע פני שופטיה יכסה אם לא איפו מי הוא אמר רבא בקש איוב להפוך קערה על פיה אמר ליה אביי לא דבר איוב אלא כנגד השטן,כתנאי ארץ נתנה ביד רשע רבי אליעזר אומר בקש איוב להפוך קערה על פיה אמר לו רבי יהושע לא דבר איוב אלא כלפי שטן,(איוב י, ז) על דעתך כי לא ארשע ואין מידך מציל אמר רבא בקש איוב לפטור את כל העולם כולו מן הדין אמר לפניו רבונו של עולם בראת שור פרסותיו סדוקות בראת חמור פרסותיו קלוטות בראת גן עדן בראת גיהנם בראת צדיקים בראת רשעים מי מעכב על ידך,ומאי אהדרו ליה חבריה [דאיוב] (איוב טו, ד) אף אתה תפר יראה ותגרע שיחה לפני אל ברא הקדוש ברוך הוא יצר הרע ברא לו תורה תבלין,דרש רבא מאי דכתיב (איוב כט, יג) ברכת אובד עלי תבא ולב אלמנה ארנין ברכת אובד עלי תבא מלמד שהיה גוזל שדה מיתומים ומשביחה ומחזירה להן ולב אלמנה ארנין דכל היכא דהוה (איכא) אלמנה דלא הוו נסבי לה הוה אזיל שדי שמיה עילווה והוו אתו נסבי לה,(איוב ו, ב) לו שקול ישקל כעשי והותי במאזנים ישאו יחד אמר רב עפרא לפומיה דאיוב חברותא כלפי שמיא (איוב ט, לג) לו יש בינינו מוכיח ישת ידו על שנינו אמר רב עפרא לפומיה דאיוב כלום יש עבד שמוכיח את רבו (איוב לא, א) ברית כרתי לעיני ומה אתבונן על בתולה אמר רבא עפרא לפומיה דאיוב איהו באחרניתא אברהם אפילו בדידיה לא איסתכל דכתיב (בראשית יב, יא) הנה נא ידעתי כי אשה יפת מראה את מכלל דמעיקרא לא הוה ידע לה,(איוב ז, ט) כלה ענן וילך כן יורד שאול לא יעלה אמר רבא מכאן שכפר איוב בתחיית המתים (איוב ט, יז) אשר בשערה ישופני והרבה פצעי חנם אמר רבה איוב בסערה חרף ובסערה השיבוהו,בסערה חרף דכתיב אשר בשערה ישופני אמר לפניו רבונו של עולם שמא רוח סערה עברה לפניך ונתחלף לך בין איוב לאויב בסערה השיבוהו דכתיב (איוב לח, א) ויען ה' את איוב מן הסערה ויאמר [וגו'] אזר נא כגבר חלציך אשאלך והודיעני,אמר לו הרבה נימין בראתי באדם וכל נימא ונימא בראתי לה גומא בפני עצמה שלא יהו שתים יונקות מגומא אחת שאלמלי שתים יונקות מגומא אחת מחשיכות מאור עיניו של אדם בין גומא לגומא לא נתחלף לי בין איוב לאויב נתחלף לי,(איוב לח, כה) מי פלג לשטף תעלה [וגו'] הרבה טיפין בראתי בעבים וכל טיפה וטיפה בראתי לה דפוס בפני עצמה כדי שלא יהו שתי טיפין יוצאות מדפוס אחד שאלמלי שתי טיפין יוצאות מדפוס אחד מטשטשות את הארץ ואינה מוציאה פירות בין טיפה לטיפה לא נתחלף לי בין איוב לאויב נתחלף לי מאי משמע דהאי תעלה לישנא דדפוס היא אמר רבה בר שילא דכתיב (מלכים א יח, לב) ויעש תעלה כבית סאתים זרע,(איוב לח, כה) ודרך לחזיז קולות הרבה קולות בראתי בעבים וכל קול וקול בראתי לו שביל בפני עצמו כדי שלא יהו שתי קולות יוצאות משביל אחד שאלמלי שתי קולות יוצאות משביל אחד מחריבין את כל העולם בין קול לקול לא נתחלף לי בין איוב לאויב נתחלף לי,(איוב לט, א) הידעת עת לדת יעלי סלע חולל אילות תשמור יעלה זו אכזרית על בניה בשעה שכורעת | 16a. bof the World-to-Come,when plowing and harvesting will take place at the same time. Here too, the oxen plowed and the donkeys grazed on the crops that grew from that effort.,The Gemara continues to interpret verses from the book of Job. b“While he was yet speaking, there came also another and said: The fire of Godhas fallen from heaven, and has burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them… bWhile he was yet speaking, there came also another and said: The Chaldeans formed three bands, and fell among the camels, and have carried them away,and have slain the servants with the edge of the sword… bWhile he was yet speaking, there came also another and said: Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house; and, behold, there came a great wind from across the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men,and they are dead… bThen Job arose, and rent his coat, and shaved his head,and fell down on the ground and prostrated himself. bAnd he said: I came naked out of my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there; the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job sinned not, nor did he lay reproach on God”(Job 1:16–22)., b“Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselvesbefore the Lord, and the Satan came also among them to present himself before God. bAnd the Lord said to the Satan: From where do you come? And the Satan answered the Lord, and said: From going to and fro in the earthand from walking up and down in it” (Job 2:1–2). The Satan bsaid beforeGod: bMaster of the Universe, I have gone to and fro across the entire world and have not found anyone as faithful as your servant Abraham, to whom you said: “Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it to you”(Genesis 13:17). bAnd when he wanted to bury Sarah, he could not find a place to bury her, andyet bhe did not criticize Your ways,or accuse You of having failed to keep Your promise.,About this it says: b“And the Lord said to the Satan: Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on earth,a perfect and an upright man, one that fears God and turns away from evil? bAnd still he holds fast to his integrity, although you moved Me against him, to destroy him without cause”(Job 2:3)., bRabbi Yoḥa says: Were it notexplicitly bwritten in the verse, it would be impossible to say this,as it would be insulting to God’s honor. The verse states: “You moved Me against him,” blike a person whom others persuade andallows himself to be bpersuaded,as if God had not wanted to do anything, but allowed Himself to be persuaded to bring harm to Job., bIt was taught in a ibaraita /iwith regard to the methods of the Satan: He bdescendsto this world band misleadsa person into sinning. He then bascendsto Heaven, levels accusations against that very sinner, band inflamesGod’s bangeragainst him. He then breceives permissionto act band takes away thesinner’s bsoulas punishment.,The Gemara returns to discuss the text of the book of Job: b“And the Satan answered the Lord, and said: Skin for skin, for all that a man has he will give for his life. But put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse You to Your face. And the Lord said to the Satan: Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life. So the Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Jobwith vile sores from the sole of his foot to his crown” (Job 2:4–7). bRabbi Yitzḥak says: Satan’s suffering was more difficult than that of Job.This can be explained by means of ba parable involving a servant whose master said to him: Break the barrel but save its wine.Here too, God told the Satan that he could do whatever he liked short of taking Job’s life, and that limitation caused Satan to suffer., bReish Lakish says: Satan, the evil inclination, and the Angel of Death are one,that is, they are three aspects of the same essence. bHe is the Satanwho seduces people and then accuses them, bas it is written: “So the Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord,and smote Job with vile sores” (Job 2:7). bHe isalso bthe evil inclination,as bit is written there:“The impulse of the thoughts of his heart bwas only evil continuously”(Genesis 6:5); band it is written here: “Only upon himself do not put forth your hand”(Job 1:12). The verbal analogy between the various uses of the word “only” teaches that the evil inclination is to be identified with the Satan. bHe isalso bthe Angel of Death, as it is written: “Only spare his life”(Job 2:6); bapparentlyJob’s life bdepends upon him,the Satan, and accordingly the Satan must also be the Angel of Death., bRabbi Levi says:Both bSatan,who brought accusations against Job, band Peninnah,who tormented Hannah, mother of Samuel the prophet, acted with bintentthat was bfor the sake of Heaven.As for bSatan, when he saw that the Holy One, Blessed be He, inclined tofavor bJoband praised him, bhe said: Heaven forbid that He should forget the love of Abraham.With regard to bPeninnah, as it is written: “And her rival wife also provoked her sore, to make her fret”(I Samuel 1:6), i.e., Peninnah upset Hannah in order to motivate her to pray. bRav Aḥa bar Ya’akov taughtthis bin Paphunya,and bSatan came and kissed his feetin gratitude for speaking positively about him.,The Gemara considers the character of Job. The verse states: b“In all this Job did not sin with his lips”(Job 2:10). bRava says:A close reading of the verse indicates that bhe did not sin with his lips,but bhe sinned in his heart. What did he saythat suggests that he had wicked thoughts? b“The earth is given into the hand of the wicked, he covers the faces of its judges; if not he, then who is it?”(Job 9:24). bRava says: Job sought to turn the bowl upside down,that is to say, he alluded here to a heretical thought, as he said that the earth is given into the hand of the wicked, indicating that he had God in mind. bAbaye said to him: Job was referringhere bonly to the Satan,he being the wicked one into whose hands the land was given.,The Gemara comments: This is bparallel toa dispute between itanna’im /i,as it was taught in a ibaraita /i: b“The earth is given into the hand of the wicked.” Rabbi Eliezer says: Job sought to turn the bowl upside down; Rabbi Yehoshua said to him: Job was referringhere bonly to the Satan. /b,The Gemara continues to discuss Job’s statements: b“Although You know that I am not wicked, and there is none that can deliver out of Your hand”(Job 10:7). bRava says: Job sought to exempt the whole world from judgment,claiming that all of a person’s actions are directed by God, and therefore one cannot be held culpable for his misdeeds. Job bsaid beforeGod: bMaster of the Universe, You created the ox with split hooves,making it kosher, and bYou created the donkey with closed hooves,making it forbidden; bYou created the Garden of Eden,and bYou created Gehenna;and similarly, bYou created righteous peopleand bYou created wicked people; who can restrain You?Seeing that You created people as either righteous or wicked, You cannot later complain about their actions., bAnd how did Job’s friends answer him? “You do away with fear, and impair devotion before God”(Job 15:4) with such statements. True, bthe Holy One, Blessed be He, created the evil inclination,but bHealso bcreated the Torahas ban antidoteto counter its effects and prevent it from gaining control of a person., bRava interpreteda verse bhomiletically: Whatis the meaning of that bwhich is written,Job saying about himself: b“The blessing of him that was lost came upon me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy”(Job 29:13). b“The blessing of him that was lost came upon me” teaches thatJob bused to steal a field from orphans,cultivate it, bimprove it, andthen breturn it to them;consequently, they would bless him for the field they had lost. b“I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy”teaches that banywhere that there was a widow whom no one would marry, he would goand bcast his name upon her,i.e., he would start a rumor that she was related to him, bandthen bsomebody wouldcome forward and bmarry her. /b,Job further said: b“O that my vexation were thoroughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances”(Job 6:2). bRav says: Dustshould be put bin the mouth of Job,meaning, he should not have spoken in such a manner, as if he were weighing his deeds against those of God; may one act as if he is in ba friendship with Heaven?And similarly, Job said: b“There is no arbiter between us, who may lay his hand upon us both”(Job 9:33). bRav says: Dustshould be put bin the mouth of Jobfor saying this; bis there a servant who rebukes his master?Job also said: b“I have made a covet with my eyes; why then should I look upon a virgin?”(Job 31:1). bRava says: Dustshould be put bin the mouthof bJobfor saying this; bhedid not look bat otherwomen, but bAbraham did not even look at his ownwife, bas it is written: “Now I know that you are a beautiful woman”(Genesis 12:11). One may learn bby inference that initially he did not knowhow beautiful she was because he had not gazed at her.,Job further said: b“As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to the grave shall come up no more”(Job 7:9). bRava says: From hereit may be inferred bthat Job denied the resurrection of the dead,as he said that one who goes down to the grave will not come up and live again, just as a cloud that dissipates will not return. He also stated: b“He crushes me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds without cause”(Job 9:17). bRabba says: Job blasphemed withmention of ba tempest and he was answered withmention of ba tempest. /b,Rabba explains: bHe blasphemed withmention of ba tempest [ ibise’ara /i], as it is written: “He crushes me with a tempest.”Job bsaid beforeGod: bMaster of the Universe, perhaps a tempest passed before You and You confused iIyov /i,Job, bwith ioyev /i,enemy. bHe was answered withmention of ba tempest, as it is written: “Then the Lord answered Job out of the tempest, and said:Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? bGird up now your loins like a man, for I will demand of you and let me know your answer”(Job 38:1–3).,What is the meaning of “out of the tempest”? God bsaid to him: I have created many hairs [ inimin /i] on a person, and for each hair I created its own folliclethrough which the hair is sustained, bso that twohairs bshould not draw from one follicle. As were twohairs bto draw from one follicle, they would impair a man’s vision.Now, if bI do not confuse one follicle with another, would I confuse iIyovwith ioyev /i?The Hebrew word for tempest, ise’ara /i, is phonetically identical to the Hebrew word for hair.,God further said to Job: b“Who has divided a channel [ ite’ala /i] for the torrentof rain, or a path for the lightning of thunder”? (Job 38:25). bI have created many dropsof water bin the clouds, and for each drop I created its own channel, so that two drops should not emerge from the same channel. As were two drops to emerge from the same channel they would destroy the earth and it would not yield produce.Now, if bI do not confuse one drop with another, would I confuse iIyovwith ioyev /i?Incidentally, the Gemara asks: bFrom where mayit bbe inferred that thisterm ite’ala /imeans ba channel? Rabba bar Sheila said: As it is writtenwith regard to Elijah the prophet: b“And he fashioned a channel [ ite’ala /i]about the altar, basgreat as would contain btwo ise’aof seed”(I Kings 18:32).,The second half of the aforementioned verse in Job states: b“Or a path for the lightning of thunder,”which is interpreted as follows: God said: bI have created many thunderclaps in the clouds, and for each and every thunderclap I created its own path, so that two thunderclaps should not issue forth from the same path. As were two thunderclaps to issue from the same path, they would destroy the world.Now, bif I do not confuse one thunderclap with another, would I confuse iIyovwith ioyev /i? /b,It is further stated there: b“Do you know when the wild goats of the rock give birth? Can you mark when the hinds do calve?”(Job 39:1). bThis goat is cruel to her youngand shows them no pity; bwhen she squats /b |
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6. Babylonian Talmud, Berachot, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 50a. אף ברכו ומ"מ נברך עדיף דאמר רב אדא בר אהבה אמרי בי רב תנינא ו' נחלקין עד י',אי אמרת בשלמא נברך עדיף מש"ה נחלקין אלא א"א ברכו עדיף אמאי נחלקין אלא לאו ש"מ נברך עדיף ש"מ,תניא נמי הכי בין שאמר ברכו בין שאמר נברך אין תופסין אותו על כך והנקדנין תופסין אותו על כך ומברכותיו של אדם ניכר אם ת"ח הוא אם לאו כיצד רבי אומר ובטובו הרי זה ת"ח ומטובו ה"ז בור,א"ל אביי לרב דימי והכתיב (ש"ב ז, כט) ומברכתך יברך (את) בית עבדך לעולם בשאלה שאני בשאלה נמי הכתיב (תהלים פא, יא) הרחב פיך ואמלאהו ההוא בד"ת כתיב,תניא רבי אומר בטובו חיינו הרי זה ת"ח חיים הרי זה בור נהרבלאי מתני איפכא ולית הלכתא כנהרבלאי,אמר רבי יוחנן נברך שאכלנו משלו הרי זה ת"ח למי שאכלנו משלו הרי זה בור,אמר ליה רב אחא בריה דרבא לרב אשי והא אמרינן למי שעשה לאבותינו ולנו את כל הנסים האלו א"ל התם מוכחא מילתא מאן עביד ניסי קודשא ב"ה,א"ר יוחנן ברוך שאכלנו משלו הרי זה ת"ח על המזון שאכלנו הרי זה בור,א"ר הונא בריה דרב יהושע לא אמרן אלא בג' דליכא שם שמים אבל בעשרה דאיכא שם שמים מוכחא מילתא כדתנן כענין שהוא מברך כך עונין אחריו ברוך ה' אלהי ישראל אלהי הצבאות יושב הכרובים על המזון שאכלנו:,אחד עשרה ואחד עשרה רבוא: הא גופא קשיא אמרת אחד עשרה ואחד עשרה רבוא אלמא כי הדדי נינהו והדר קתני במאה אומר באלף אומר ברבוא אומר,אמר רב יוסף לא קשיא הא ר' יוסי הגלילי הא ר"ע דתנן ר' יוסי הגלילי אומר לפי רוב הקהל הם מברכין שנאמר (תהלים סח, כז) במקהלות ברכו אלהים: אר"ע מה מצינו בבית הכנסת וכו':,ור"ע האי קרא דרבי יוסי הגלילי מאי עביד ליה מיבעי ליה לכדתניא היה ר' מאיר אומר מנין שאפי' עוברין שבמעי אמן אמרו שירה על הים שנאמר במקהלות ברכו אלהים ה' ממקור ישראל ואידך ממקור נפקא,אמר רבא הלכה כר"ע רבינא ורב חמא בר בוזי אקלעו לבי ריש גלותא קם רב חמא וקא מהדר אבי מאה א"ל רבינא לא צריכת הכי אמר רבא הלכה כר"ע,אמר רבא כי אכלינן רפתא בי ריש גלותא מברכינן ג' ג' וליברכו י' י' שמע ריש גלותא ואיקפד וניפקו בברכתא דריש גלותא איידי דאוושו כ"ע לא שמעי,אמר רבה תוספאה הני ג' דכרכי רפתא בהדי הדדי וקדים חד מינייהו ובריך לדעתיה אינון נפקין בזמון דידיה איהו לא נפיק בזמון דידהו לפי שאין זמון למפרע:,ר' ישמעאל אומר: רפרם בר פפא איקלע לבי כנישתא דאבי גיבר קם קרא בספרא ואמר ברכו את ה' ואשתיק ולא אמר המבורך אוושו כ"ע ברכו את ה' המבורך אמר רבא פתיא אוכמא בהדי פלוגתא למה לך ועוד הא נהוג עלמא כרבי ישמעאל:, big strongמתני׳ /strong /big ג' שאכלו כאחת אינן רשאין ליחלק וכן ד' וכן חמשה ו' נחלקין עד עשרה ועשרה אין נחלקין עד כ',שתי חבורות שהיו אוכלות בבית אחד בזמן שמקצתן רואין אלו את אלו הרי אלו מצטרפין לזמון ואם לאו אלו מזמנין לעצמן ואלו מזמנין לעצמן,אין מברכין על היין עד שיתן לתוכו מים דברי ר' אליעזר וחכ"א מברכין:, big strongגמ׳ /strong /big מאי קמ"ל תנינא חדא זימנא ג' שאכלו כאחת חייבין לזמן,הא קמ"ל כי הא דאמר רבי אבא אמר שמואל ג' שישבו לאכול כאחת ועדיין לא אכלו אינן רשאין ליחלק,ל"א אמר רבי אבא אמר שמואל הכי קתני ג' שישבו לאכול כאחת אע"פ שכל אחד ואחד אוכל מככרו אינן רשאין ליחלק אי נמי כי הא דרב הונא דאמר רב הונא ג' שבאו מג' חבורות אינן רשאין ליחלק,אמר רב חסדא והוא שבאו מג' חבורות של ג' בני אדם,אמר רבא | 50a. He may bevensay: bBless; nevertheless: Let us bless, is preferable as Rav Adda bar Ahava saidthat bthey said in the school of Rav: We learned:A group of bsix to tenpeople may bdivideinto two groups, each forming its own izimmun /i. However, a group of ten, which invokes God’s name in the izimmun /i, may not divide into two groups as that would negate the opportunity to invoke God’s name.,The Gemara proceeds: bGranted, if you say: Let us bless is preferable, that is whysix people who ate together may bdivideinto two groups. bHowever, if you say: Bless is preferable, whyare they permitted to bdivideinto two groups? Neither group would be able to say: Bless. bRather, mustn’t one conclude from this: Let us bless is preferableas the one reciting the izimmundoes not exclude himself from the group? The Gemara sums up the discussion: Indeed, bconclude from thisthat that is the case., bThat was also taughtin the iTosefta /i: bBothif bhe said: Bless, andif bhe said: Let us bless, we do not reprimand him fordoing bso; and the punctilious reprimand him fordoing bso. Andthe Gemara says: As a rule, bfromthe style of bone’s blessings it is obvious whether or not he is a Torah scholar. How so?For example, bRabbiYehuda HaNasi bsays:In a izimmun /i, one who recites: Blessed be the One from Whose food we have eaten band by Whose goodnesswe live, bhe is a Torah scholar.However, one who recites: Blessed be the One from Whose food we have eaten band from Whose goodnesswe live, bhe is an ignoramus,as that expression insinuates that only some of God’s goodness was bestowed upon him, which is tantamount to a denial of God’s loving-kindness., bAbaye said to Rav Dimi: Isn’t it writtenthat King David articulated his prayer in that manner: “Be pleased, therefore, to bless Your servant’s house, that it abide before You forever; for You, Lord God, have spoken. bAnd from Your blessing may Your servant’s house be blessed forever”(II Samuel 7:29). David said: From Your blessing. The Gemara answers: bIna case of brequest it is different,as it is inappropriate to demand the full bounty of God’s blessing. The Gemara questions this: bIna case of brequest, too, is it not writtenthat a request for the full bounty of God’s blessing is granted: b“Open your mouth wide, that I will fill it”(Psalms 81:11)? What one receives corresponds to what he requests. The Gemara answered: bThatverse bis written with regard to matters of Torah,where it is wholly appropriate to make excessive requests.,On the topic of the izimmunformula, bit was taughtin a ibaraita /i: bRabbiYehuda HaNasi bsays:One who recites in a izimmun /i: bAnd by His goodness we live, he is a Torah scholar.However, one who recites: And by His goodness bthey live, he is a fool,as he excluded himself from the collective. The Sages bof Neharbela taught the opposite.In their opinion, they live is preferable because it is a more inclusive formula, whereas, we live is more limited and personal. Nonetheless, the Gemara concludes: bThe ihalakhais not in accordance withthe opinion of the Sages bof Neharbela. /b,On a similar note, bRabbi Yoḥa said:One who recites in a izimmun /i: bLet us bless the One Whose food we have eaten, he is a Torah scholar.However, one who recites: Let us bless bto Him from Whose food we have eaten, he is an ignoramus,as it appears that the blessing is directed to the host of the meal., bRabbi Aḥa the son of Ravaquestioned this and bsaid to Rav Ashi: Don’t we sayduring the Passover seder: bTo He Who performed all of these miracles for our ancestors and for us,using the expression: To He Who? Rav Ashi bsaid to him: There,in the case of miracles performed for our ancestors and for us, bit is self-evidentthat the blessing refers to God. bWho performs miracles? The Holy One, blessed be He.In the case of food, however, it is not self-evident, as the host of the meal also provided the food that was eaten., bRabbi Yoḥa saidwith regard to the formula of the izimmunthat one who recites in a izimmun /i: bBlessed be the One from Whose food we have eaten, he is a Torah scholar.However, one who recites: bFor the food we have eaten, he is an ignoramus,as it appears that he is blessing the host of the meal. If he was blessing God, why would he restrict the blessing to food ( iTosafot /i)?, bRav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua said: We only saidthis ihalakha bwith regard toa izimmunof bthree, where there is nomention of bGod’s name. Ina izimmunof bten, however, where there ismention of bGod’s name, it is self-evidentto whom the blessing refers, bas we learnedin our mishna: bJust as he recites the blessing, so toodo those present brecite in response: Blessed be the Lord our God, the God of Israel, the God of Hosts, Who sits upon the cherubs, for the food that we have eaten. /b,We learned in our mishna with regard to the formula of izimmun /i: This formula is recited bbothin a group of bten and ina group of bone hundred thousand.The Gemara raises an objection: bThemishna bitself is difficult.On one hand, byou said:This formula is recited bbothin a group of bten and ina group of bone hundred thousand; consequently,the two cases bare the same.On the other hand, bit is then taught: Ina group of bone hundredpeople, the one reciting the izimmun bsays; ina group of bone thousandpeople, the one reciting the izimmun bsays; ina group of bten thousandpeople, the one reciting the izimmun bsays.Evidently, the formula depends on the number of people., bRav Yosef said:This is bnot difficult,as these two statements are the opinions of different Sages. bThis isthe opinion of bRabbi Yosei HaGelili, and that isthe opinion of bRabbi Akiva. As we learnedin our mishna: bRabbi Yosei HaGelili says: According to the size of the crowd, they recite the blessing, as it is stated: “Bless you God in full assemblies,even the Lord, you who are from the fountain of Israel” (Psalms 68:27). We also learned in our mishna that bRabbi Akiva saidthat there are no distinctions based on the size of the crowd: bWhat do we find in the synagogue?Both when there are many and when there are few, as long as there is a quorum of ten, the prayer leader says: Bless the Lord. In the case of Grace after Meals as well, the formula remains the same regardless of the number of people participating in the izimmun /i.,The Gemara asks: bAnd Rabbi Akiva, what does he do with that versecited by bRabbi Yosei HaGelili?The Gemara answers: bHe needs it toderive bthat which was taughtin a ibaraita /i: bRabbi Meir says: From whereis it derived bthat even fetuses in their mother’s womb recitedthe bsong at theRed bSea? As it is statedin the chapter of Psalms that describes the exodus from Egypt: b“In assemblies, bless God, the Lord, from the source of Israel,”and fetuses are included in these assemblies. The Gemara asks: bAndfrom where does bthe otherSage, Rabbi Yosei HaGelili, derive the matter of the singing of the fetuses? The Gemara answers: bHe derivesit bfrom /b“fromthe sourceof Israel,” which he interprets as an allusion to the womb., bRava said: The ihalakhais in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Akiva.The Gemara recounts that bRavina and Rav Ḥama bar Buzi happenedto come btoa banquet at bthe house of the Exilarch.At the end of the meal, bRav Ḥama rose and was seekingto gather a group of bone hundredparticipants in the meal so that the izimmunfor one hundred could be recited. bRavina said to him: You need notdo so, as bRava declared the following: The ihalakhais in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Akivaand the formula remains the same regardless of the number of people participating in the izimmun /i, as long as there are at least ten.,The Gemara discusses Rava’s conduct at meals at the house of the Exilarch. bRava said: When we would eat bread at the house of the Exilarch, we would recite theGrace after Meals bblessing in groups of three.The Gemara asks: bLet them recite the blessing in groups of ten.The Gemara answers: Then bthe Exilarch would hear and become angryupon seeing a large group of Sages reciting Grace after Meals before he completed his meal. The Gemara asks: bWhy could they not satisfy their obligation with the Exilarch’s blessing?The Gemara answers: bSince everyone is making noise, they do not hearand would not fulfill their obligation., bRabba Tosefa’a said: These threepeople, bwho break bread together and one of them went ahead and recitedGrace after Meals bon his ownwithout a izimmun /i, bthey,the other two diners, bfulfilltheir obligation bwith hisparticipation in their izimmun /i; he,however, bdoes not fulfillhis obligation bwithhis participation in btheir izimmunbecause there is no retroactive izimmun /i,and once he recited his blessing, participating in the izimmunaccomplishes nothing for him.,The mishna states that Rabbi Akiva holds that in the synagogue, one recites: Bless the Lord, while bRabbi Yishmael saidthat he recites: bBless the Lord the blessed One. Rafram bar Pappa happenedto come bto the synagogue of Abei Givar when he rose to read from theTorah bscroll and recited: Bless the Lord, and was silent, and did not recite: The blessed One.Because Rafram bar Pappa followed the principle that the ihalakhais in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Akiva, and those present were not accustomed to that ruling, beveryonein the synagogue bcried out: Bless the Lord the blessed One. Rava saidto Rafram bar Pappa: bYou black pot,a fond nickname for a Torah scholar who invests great effort in Torah study and worship of God, bwhy are youinvolving yourself bin thistannaitic bdispute?Although Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yishmael disagree, Rabbi Yishmael’s formula, in which Rabbi Akiva’s formula is included, is acceptable to both. bFurthermore, standard practice is in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Yishmael. /b, strongMISHNA: /strong bThreepeople bwho ate as one are not permitted to divideand recite Grace after Meals individually; rather, they recite the izimmuntogether. bAnd the sameis true of bfourwho ate together, band the sameis true of bfive.However, a group of bsix, up tobut not including btenpeople who ate as one, bmay divideinto two groups, each reciting its own izimmun /i. bAnda group of bten may not divideinto two groups buntil there are twentypeople present. The general principle is that a group may not divide unless the smaller groups will be able to recite the same izimmunformula that the whole group would have recited.,The mishna states a ihalakhawith regard to two groups joining together: bTwo groups that were eating in one house, when somemembers of each group bcan see each other, they may combine toform a izimmun /i. And if not, these recite a izimmunfor themselves and those recite a izimmunfor themselves. /b,The mishna also speaks of the blessing over wine: bOne does not recite a blessing over wine until he adds water to it,that is bthe statement of Rabbi Eliezer.Undiluted wine is too strong to drink and a blessing is inappropriate. bAnd the Rabbis say:Since it is possible to drink undiluted wine, one brecites a blessing over it. /b, strongGEMARA: /strong At the beginning of the mishna, we learned that three people who ate together may not disperse. The Gemara asks: bWhat does thismishna bteach us? Wealready blearned this once: Threepeople bwho ate as one are required to form a izimmun /i. /b,The Gemara answers: bThis teaches us that ihalakha bwhich Rabbi Abba saidthat bShmuel said: Threeindividuals bwho sat to eat as one, and they have not yet begun to eat,nevertheless, bthey are not permitted to divideand recite Grace after Meals individually.,The Gemara cites banother version: Rabbi Abba saidthat bShmuel saidthat bthis is whatthe mishna bteaches: Threeindividuals bwho sat to eat as one, even thoughthey do not share a meal, but beach and every oneof them beats from his own loaf, theyare considered a single group in terms of izimmun /i, and bare not permitted to divide. Alternatively,perhaps the mishna comes to teach bthat ihalakha bof Rav Huna, as Rav Huna said: Threeindividuals bwho came from threedifferent bgroupsand sat together to continue their meals also form a izimmunand bare not permitted to divide. /b, bRav Ḥisda said: And thatis only the ihalakhain a case where the three individuals bcame from three groups of three peopleeach, so that each original group was independently obligated to recite the izimmun /i, and that obligation never lapsed., bRavaqualified this, and bsaid: /b |
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