Gemara Clarity

Berachos 42a

ברכות מ״ב ע״א

Berakhot 42a

Learn Berachos 42a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Berachos 42a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

When a ברכה covers other foods: dessert-bread and קביעות סעודה, when a meal ends, and the new משנה on one ברכה exempting another

Overview

This amud opens by finishing an answer from the previous page: יין gets its own ברכה even during a meal, because it is important enough to bring a ברכה for itself. The גמרא then tells two stories about פת הבאה בכסנין, sweet dessert-bread. Together they teach that this bread counts as real bread, needing המוציא and ברכת המזון, only when a person makes a meal of it (קביעות סעודה). Next, a series of stories asks when a meal is over, so that eating more would need a new ברכה. The options are finishing (גמר), removing the table (סלק), relying on the host's table, and the habit of applying oil after eating. The גמרא rejects all of these and rules like רב: ברכת המזון must come right after the after-meal hand washing. אביי adds an aggadic teaching that blessing comes right away to a home that hosts תלמידי חכמים. Finally a new משנה teaches which ברכות cover other foods, such as wine before the meal covering wine after it and bread covering appetizers, and when one person can say the ברכה for a whole group.

Opening lines

דְּגוֹרֵם בְּרָכָה לְעַצְמוֹ.

for it causes a blessing for itself.

רַב הוּנָא אֲכַל תְּלֵיסַר רִיפְתֵי

Rav Huna ate thirteen loaves

בְּנֵי תְּלָתָא תְּלָתָא בְּקַבָּא

of the size of three per kav

וְלָא בָּרֵיךְ.

and he did not recite the blessing.

The steps (25)

  1. ResolutionWine is special because it brings its own blessing
  2. Statementרב הונא eats thirteen sweet loaves without ברכת המזון
  3. Rejectionרב נחמן: that is real hunger
  4. ConclusionThe rule: if people make a meal of it, bless
  5. StatementAt a wedding preparation, people say המוציא on dessert-bread
  6. Questionרב יהודה asks what blessing he heard
  7. ResponseThey answer yes, citing רבי מונא and שמואל
  8. Rejectionרב יהודה corrects the quote: the הלכה is NOT like רבי מונא
  9. ChallengeChallenge from רב יהודה's own ruling on wafers
  10. ResolutionDifferent there: a meal was made of them
  11. Statementרב פפא eats after the meal is finished
  12. ChallengeThe hosts question רב פפא
  13. ResolutionThe rule says removed, not finished
  14. Statementרבא eats after the table was removed
  15. Challengeרבי זירא questions רבא
  16. ResolutionGuests depend on the host's table
  17. StatementSomeone used to oil is not finished until he uses it
  18. ConclusionThe הלכה: the ברכה comes right after washing
  19. Statementאביי: blessing comes right after תלמידי חכמים
  20. ProofA second proof from יוסף in the Egyptian's house
  21. StatementWine before the meal covers wine after the meal
  22. StatementAppetizers before the meal cover appetizers after the meal
  23. StatementBread covers appetizers, but appetizers do not cover bread
  24. Statementבית שמאי: not even a cooked dish
  25. StatementSitting: each person blesses himself. Reclining: one blesses for all