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Berachos 46b

ברכות מ״ו ע״ב

Berakhot 46b

Learn Berachos 46b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Berachos 46b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

הטוב והמטיב as a separate rabbinic blessing, and the etiquette of meals: seating, washing hands, and who leads ברכת המזון.

Overview

The גמרא finishes a ברייתא showing that הטוב והמטיב opens with 'ברוך', so it is a separate blessing. רב נחמן בר יצחק adds that it cannot be דאורייתא, because in a בית האבל it is replaced, as רבי עקיבא holds in a ברייתא. The גמרא corrects the wording of the תנא קמא so that he says both דיין אמת and הטוב והמטיב. The story of מר זוטרא at רב אשי's house shows a blessing that joins both themes. The גמרא then rules that someone who stopped his meal for a זימון continues his ברכת המזון from where he stopped. Next, the ריש גלותא and רב ששת debate Persian meal etiquette: seating order and the order of washing before and after the meal. רב ששת brings a ברייתא with its own order, which ends by saying the person where מים אחרונים return to the top leads ברכת המזון. This supports רב's rule, which a story at רבי's table illustrates. A new ברייתא about not showing deference on roads and bridges begins and continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וְיֵשׁ מֵהֶן שֶׁחוֹתֵם בָּהֶן בְּ״בָרוּךְ״

And there are some of them that one closes with 'Blessed'

וְאֵין פּוֹתֵחַ בְּ״בָרוּךְ״.

but does not open with 'Blessed.'

וְ״הַטּוֹב וְהַמֵּטִיב״ פּוֹתֵחַ בְּ״בָרוּךְ״

And 'Who is good and does good' opens with 'Blessed'

וְאֵין חוֹתֵם בְּ״בָרוּךְ״.

but does not close with 'Blessed.'

The steps (28)

  1. StatementSome blessings close with 'Blessed' but do not open with it
  2. ProofSince it opens with 'Blessed', the Good and Beneficent blessing stands alone
  3. Proofרב נחמן בר יצחק: It is removed in a house of mourning, so it cannot be Torah law
  4. ProofThe ברייתא: what is said in a house of mourning
  5. ChallengeWould the first view really leave out 'the true Judge'?
  6. ResolutionCorrection: they say Good and Beneficent as well
  7. Proofמר זוטרא's combined blessing at רב אשי's house
  8. QuestionWhere does he resume his blessing?
  9. ResponseTwo views: restart from the beginning, or continue from where he stopped
  10. ConclusionThe ruling: continue from where he stopped
  11. StatementThe ריש גלותא describes Persian seating order at meals
  12. Challengeרב ששת's objection: how can they talk to each other?
  13. ResolutionThe Persians communicate with gestures
  14. QuestionWho washes first before the meal?
  15. ResponseThe most important person washes first
  16. ChallengeMust the most important person wait with clean hands?
  17. ResolutionHis table is brought right away
  18. QuestionWhere does the washing after the meal begin?
  19. ResponseAfter the meal, they start with the least important
  20. ChallengeMust the most important person sit with dirty hands?
  21. ResolutionHe keeps eating until the water reaches him
  22. Statementרב ששת's ברייתא on the order of reclining
  23. StatementThe ברייתא's order for washing before and after the meal
  24. ConclusionWhoever the final washing returns to leads the blessing
  25. ProofThe ברייתא supports רב's rule about who leads the blessing
  26. Statementרבי tells רב to get up and wash, and רב trembles
  27. Conclusionרבי חייא explains: he is telling you to prepare to lead ברכת המזון
  28. StatementNo showing of deference on roads or bridges