Berakhot 47A

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Text Excerpt

ולא בידים מזוהמות.

nor with regard to dirty hands, i.e., with regard to washing hands at the end of a meal.

רבין ואביי הוו קא אזלי באורחא, קדמיה חמריה דרבין לדאביי ולא אמר ליה ״ניזיל מר״. אמר: מדסליק האי מרבנן ממערבא, גס ליה דעתיה. כי מטא לפתחא דבי כנישתא אמר ליה: ניעל מר. אמר ליה: ועד השתא לאו מר אנא? אמר ליה, הכי אמר רבי יוחנן: אין מכבדין אלא בפתח שיש בה מזוזה.

The Talmud recounts: Ravin and Abaye were traveling along the road on donkeys. Ravin’s donkey preceded Abaye’s and Ravin did not say to Abaye: Let the Master go first. Abaye said to himself: Ever since this one of the rabbis, Ravin, ascended from the West, Eretz Yisrael, he has become arrogant. When they reached the door of the synagogue, Ravin said to Abaye: Let the Master enter first. Abaye said to him: Until now was I not Master? Why do you only begin deferring to me now but did not do so while we were traveling? Ravin said to him: R' Yoḥanan said the following: One only defers to those greater than he at a doorway that has a mezuza, as only there is it appropriate to allow him to go first.

דאית בה מזוזה ⁠— אין, דלית בה מזוזה ⁠— לא, אלא מעתה, בית הכנסת ובית המדרש, דלית בהו מזוזה, הכי נמי דאין מכבדין? אלא אימא: בפתח הראוי למזוזה.

The Talmud challenges: A doorway that has a mezuza, yes, one defers; a doorway that does not have a mezuza, no, one does not defer? If so, a synagogue or study hall that has no mezuza, there too, does one not defer at their doorways? Rather, say that this is the principle: One only shows deference at a doorway where it is worthy of affixing a mezuza, but not on a road or a bridge.

אמר רב יהודה בריה דרב שמואל בר שילת משמיה דרב: אין המסובין רשאין לאכול כלום עד שיטעום הבוצע. יתיב רב ספרא וקאמר: ״לטעום״ איתמר.

The Talmud continues with the subject of deferring to one’s superior during a meal: Rav Yehuda, son of Rav Shmuel bar Sheilat, said in the name of Rav: Those reclining at a meal may not eat anything until the one breaking bread has tasted the bread. Rav Safra sat and said: May not taste, was stated by Rav, and not: May not eat.

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.