Berachos 36b

ברכות ל״ו ע״ב

Berakhot 36b

Learn Berachos 36b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Berachos 36b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

When caper buds count as fruit for ערלה and ברכות, and the ברכות on peppers, ginger, and grain-and-honey dishes

Overview

This amud finishes the discussion of the caper bush and ערלה outside ארץ ישראל. First the גמרא explains that we may follow רבי עקיבא's lenient view there, but never בית שמאי against בית הלל, because that view is 'not a משנה.' Then it asks why the caper buds (קפריסין) are not forbidden anyway as a שומר לפרי, a covering that protects the fruit. רבא offers three tests for what counts as a שומר. The first two are knocked down by אביי, by a teaching of רב נחמן, and by רב שימי's proof from a משנה about שביעית. רבא's final test is that something is a שומר only if the fruit dies without it, and a real incident with a pomegranate and a caper confirms it. So the halacha follows מר בר רב אשי, who ate the buds, and their ברכה is בורא פרי האדמה. The גמרא then discusses peppers and ginger, concluding that fresh ones count as food while dry ones do not. Finally it rules that a grain dish mixed with honey gets בורא מיני מזונות, based on רב and שמואל, and begins explaining why both versions of their rule are needed, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (28)

1. ChallengeFinishing the quoted משנה on doubtful ערלה outside the Land
2. Resolutionבית שמאי against בית הלל does not count at all
3. ChallengeThe קפריסין should be ערלה because they protect the fruit
4. Resolutionרבא: a covering only counts as protection if it stays on after picking
5. Challengeאביי shows that טומאה rules do not decide ערלה
6. Resolutionרבא's new rule: present when the fruit is ripe
7. ChallengeDate coverings count as protectors even at an early stage
8. Resolutionרב נחמן follows רבי יוסי, and the רבנן disagree
9. ChallengeDo the רבנן really argue about other trees?
10. Statementרב אסי defines the גרוע stage of grapes
11. QuestionCan a grape really be a white bean?
12. ResponseIt means the size of a white bean
13. ChallengeEven the רבנן count other trees' fruit from the start
14. Resolutionרבא's new test: does the fruit die without it?
15. ProofA real incident proves the test
16. ConclusionThe halacha follows מר בר רב אשי on capers
17. ConclusionCaper buds get the blessing of fruit of the ground
18. StatementWhat blessing is said on peppers
19. Proofרבא is consistent with his יום כיפור ruling
20. Challengeרבי מאיר includes peppers in ערלה
21. ResolutionFresh peppers versus dry peppers
22. ChallengeThe רבנן challenge the ruling that chewing ginger on יום כיפור is exempt
23. ResolutionFresh ginger is food, dry ginger is not
24. StatementA dispute about the blessing on a grain-and-honey dish
25. StatementDefining exactly where רב יהודה and רב כהנא disagree
26. Proofרב יוסף supports רב כהנא from a rule of רב and שמואל
27. StatementQuoting רב and שמואל's rule in its two versions
28. ResolutionWhy both versions are needed: the first half of the explanation