Berachos 40a

ברכות מ׳ ע״א

Berakhot 40a

Learn Berachos 40a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Berachos 40a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

הפסק after המוציא, health advice for meals, רבי יהודה's ברכה on greens, and which mistaken ברכות still count

Overview

The גמרא first discusses which words spoken between המוציא and eating the bread count as an interruption. רב, רבי יוחנן, and רב ששת each draw that line in a different place. Next comes a series of teachings from רבא בר שמואל in the name of רבי חייא: wait for salt before breaking bread (unless the bread is fine), plus advice about urinating and about finishing meals with salt and water. The גמרא then lists more health advice about water, lentils, mustard, small fish, and black cumin. For black cumin, it resolves a contradiction: its smell is harmful, but its taste is healing. It returns to the משנה, rules that the הלכה is not like רבי יהודה's special ברכה for greens, and explains his reasoning from 'ברוך ה׳ יום יום'. After a short aggadic teaching that a 'full vessel' of Torah holds more, a new משנה teaches which mistaken ברכות still count after the fact. The גמרא links this to רבי יהודה's views: that a tree is part of the ground, and that wheat is called a 'tree'. It begins to define when בורא פרי העץ is said, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (43)

1. Statementרב: Which words interrupt between the ברכה and eating
2. Statementרבי יוחנן: Salt is fine, but feeding oxen interrupts
3. Statementרב ששת: Even feeding oxen does not interrupt
4. ProofSource: One must feed his animals before eating
5. StatementWait for salt before breaking bread
6. Challengeרבא בר שמואל broke bread without waiting
7. ResolutionFine bread does not need to wait for salt
8. StatementUrine fully leaves only when sitting
9. Statementרב כהנא: Standing is fine over loose soil or a slope
10. StatementEat salt after food and drink water after drinks
11. ProofA ברייתא says the same thing
12. ProofAnother ברייתא: the dangers of skipping salt and water
13. StatementA ברייתא: Drinking Plenty of Water With Food Protects the Intestines
14. QuestionHow Much Water Is Needed?
15. Responseרב חסדא: One Jug of Water Per Loaf
16. StatementLentils Once a Month Protect the Household From Diphtheria
17. QuestionWhy Not Eat Lentils Every Day?
18. ResponseDaily Lentils Cause Bad Breath
19. StatementMustard Once a Month Protects the Household From Illness
20. QuestionWhy Not Eat Mustard Every Day?
21. ResponseDaily Mustard Weakens the Heart
22. StatementSmall Fish Protect the Intestines and Strengthen the Whole Body
23. StatementBlack cumin protects against heart pain
24. ChallengeBlack cumin is called a deadly drug
25. ResolutionSmell harms, taste helps
26. Proofרבי ירמיה's mother and the cumin bread
27. StatementThe הלכה does not follow רבי יהודה on greens
28. QuestionWhat is רבי יהודה's reason?
29. ResponseThe פסוק: 'Blessed is ה׳ day by day'
30. ChallengeDo we only bless ה׳ by day?
31. ResolutionGive each thing its fitting ברכה
32. StatementWith ה׳, the full vessel holds more
33. ProofThe proof: 'If you listen, you will listen'
34. StatementAnother reading: review the old to gain the new
35. StatementNew משנה: when a wrong ברכה still counts
36. QuestionWhich תנא holds that a tree is basically part of the ground?
37. ResponseIt is רבי יהודה, based on his view about ביכורים
38. ChallengeWhy say that the tree blessing fails on ground produce? That is obvious
39. ResolutionThe ruling is needed because רבי יהודה calls wheat a tree
40. ProofA ברייתא about the tree אדם הראשון ate from: רבי מאיר says a vine
41. Statementרבי נחמיה says it was a fig tree
42. Statementרבי יהודה says it was wheat
43. ResolutionTree blessing only where the branch stays and gives fruit again