Berachos 44b

ברכות מ״ד ע״ב

Berakhot 44b

Learn Berachos 44b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Which foods need a ברכה אחרונה, followed by teachings on eggs and on the health effects of foods

Overview

The גמרא brings three views on which foods need a ברכה אחרונה: רב יצחק בר אבדימי excludes vegetables, רבי יצחק excludes only water, and רב פפא excludes nothing. A משנה says some things need a ברכה before but not after, and for רב פפא this refers to מצוות, or, for everyone, to fragrances. Since eggs were mentioned, the גמרא praises how nourishing eggs are, depending on how they are cooked. It explains that רבי עקיבא's nourishing boiled vegetable is a cabbage stalk. Then a ברייתא lists the health effects of foods, and the גמרא goes through it line by line: spleen and leeks, raw vegetables, small animals, the neck, cabbage and beets, and turnip. Along the way come רבי יצחק's two rules about vegetables before four hours, illustrated by a story with מר זוטרא, and a warning about small salted fish. Finally the גמרא returns to the משנה about drinking water לצמאו. רב אידי בר אבין's answer continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (47)

1. StatementEggs and meat: שהכל before, בורא נפשות after, but no blessing after vegetables
2. Statementרבי יצחק: even vegetables need a blessing after, but not water
3. Statementרב פפא: even water needs a blessing after
4. StatementHow two sages acted, with a memory aid
5. Statementרב אשי tries to satisfy all opinions
6. ChallengeA source says some foods need no blessing after, which is a problem for רב פפא
7. ResolutionThe rule refers to מצוות
8. ChallengeBut in ארץ ישראל they bless after removing תפילין
9. ResolutionThe rule refers to fragrances
10. StatementAn egg is better than an equal amount of other food
11. Statementרבין: a soft-cooked egg beats six measures of flour
12. Statementרב דימי: the value depends on how the egg is cooked
13. StatementBack to the משנה: רבי עקיבא on boiled vegetables
14. ChallengeCan a boiled vegetable really be a main food?
15. Resolutionרב אשי: it means a cabbage stalk
16. StatementA ברייתא on foods that help and harm the body
17. QuestionHow can one eat spleen without harm?
18. ResponseChew the spleen and spit it out
19. QuestionHow can one eat leeks without harm?
20. ResponseBoil the leeks and swallow them
21. StatementRaw vegetables cause paleness only after bloodletting
22. StatementDo not talk with someone who ate vegetables early in the day
23. QuestionWhy is it forbidden to talk with him?
24. ResponseBecause of the smell
25. StatementEating raw vegetables early in the day is forbidden
26. StatementThree sages are served raw vegetables early in the day
27. ChallengeHis colleagues challenge his reason for not eating
28. Resolutionמר זוטרא follows the other rule of רבי יצחק
29. StatementSmall animals stunt growth, even a goat worth a זוז
30. StatementThe rule applies only before the animal reaches a quarter of its size
31. StatementAny whole creature restores the soul, even tiny reed fish
32. StatementThe part close to the soul is the neck
33. Statementרבא asks his servant for meat from the neck
34. StatementCabbage for food, beets for healing
35. ChallengeA ברייתא lists cabbage as a real cure
36. ResolutionRead it as 'cabbage is even for food'
37. StatementWoe to the house where turnip passes through
38. ChallengeBut רבא told his servant to always buy turnip
39. ResolutionTurnip is harmful only without meat or without wine
40. Statementרב, שמואל, and רבי יוחנן on what makes turnip harmful
41. Questionרבא asks רב פפא how he breaks the turnip's harm
42. Responseרב פפא: we break it with lots of wood
43. StatementA small salted fish can kill on certain days
44. StatementThe danger applies only if the fish was not roasted well
45. StatementEven poorly roasted fish is safe if followed by beer
46. QuestionWhat does 'for his thirst' come to exclude?
47. Responseרב אידי בר אבין begins: it excludes a certain person