Berakhot 43A

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Text Excerpt

אהדר קרעיה לאחוריה, וקרע קריעה אחרינא. אמר: נח נפשיה דרב, וברכת מזונא לא גמרינן. עד דאתא ההוא סבא, רמא להו מתניתין אברייתא, ושני להו: כיון דאמרי ״ניזיל וניכול לחמא בדוך פלן״⁠ — כהסבו דמי.

and reversed his cloak, so that his tear which he had rent in mourning of Rav was behind him, and in mourning, he rent another tear in his garment. He said: Rav is dead, and we have not yet learned the halakhot of the Grace after Meals. Until, this elder came and raised a contradiction from the Mishnah to the baraita, as cited above, and he resolved it for them: Since they said: Let us go and eat in such-and-such a place, it is considered as if they reclined.

הסבו, אחד מברך. אמר רב: לא שנו אלא פת דבעי הסבה, אבל יין לא בעי הסבה. ורבי יוחנן אמר: אפילו יין נמי בעי הסבה.

We learned in the Mishnah: If they were reclined, one recites a blessing on behalf of them all. Rav said: This halakha was only taught with regard to bread that it requires reclining to enable one to recite a blessing on behalf of them all. However, wine does not require reclining. And R' Yoḥanan said: Even wine requires reclining as well.

איכא דאמרי, אמר רב: לא שנו אלא פת ⁠— דמהניא ליה הסבה. אבל יין ⁠— לא מהניא ליה הסבה. ורבי יוחנן אמר: אפילו יין נמי מהניא ליה הסבה.

Some say that Rav said: The Mishnah only taught that reclining is effective and enables one to recite a blessing on behalf of them all, with regard to a group eating bread. However, with regard to a group drinking wine, reclining is ineffective and each individual must recite a blessing for himself. And R' Yoḥanan said: Even with regard to wine, reclining is effective.

מיתיבי: כיצד סדר הסבה? אורחין נכנסין ויושבין על גבי ספסלין ועל גבי קתדראות עד שיכנסו כולם. הביאו להם מים ⁠— כל אחד ואחד נוטל ידו אחת. בא להם יין ⁠— כל אחד ואחד מברך לעצמו. עלו והסבו ובא להם מים, אף על פי שכל אחד ואחד נטל ידו אחת, חוזר ונוטל שתי ידיו. בא להם יין ⁠— אף על פי שכל אחד ואחד ברך לעצמו, אחד מברך לכולם.

The Talmud raises an objection based on a Tosefta: What is the order of reclining at a meal? The guests enter and sit upon benches and chairs [katedraot] until all are assembled. Afterward, they brought them water and each and every one washes one hand in which to hold the cup of wine. When wine came before them prior to the meal, each and every one recites a blessing over the wine for himself. Then, when they entered and reclined on the divans for the meal itself, and water came before them, despite the fact that each and every one already washed one hand, they wash both hands again prior to the meal, so that they will be able to eat with both hands. If wine came before them during the meal, despite the fact that each and every one already recited a blessing for himself, one recites a blessing on behalf of them all.

Text data via Sefaria: William Davidson Edition - English and William Davidson Edition - Vocalized Aramaic, CC-BY-NC; edition provenance: Koren. Display terminology has been modernized for readability.