Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

Referring to Grace before meals or the benediction over wine.

I.e. having done one wrong (not saying the benediction) shall he commit another (omit it altogether) ?

The cause of the immersion being impurity; and one may not say a benediction when in a condition of defilement.

The Greek word ἀσπάραγοϛ, which is not identical in meaning with what is now called "asparagus." It is the name given to the young shoots of various plants (see Krauss, pp. 93 f.). Brecher, Das Transcendentale...im Talmud, p. 181 n. 127, connects the word with the Latin purgans and renders "Purgiertrank" ; but this is improbable. The beverage referred to here is the "heart" of the cabbage brewed with wine or beer. By "beer" is intended a brew of figs or dates.

At least three years old (Rashi).

That we are here dealing with asparagus brewed with wine, not beer.

Viz. from a full cup.

I.e. if it is brewed with beer made from figs, he should only eat figs ; if from dates, he should only eat dates.

Because the duty to preserve the body in a healthy condition is more important than the honouring of a king.

M. : Simeon b. Eleazar. But see what is related of the supernatural communication to Ishmael b. Elisha on fol. 7 a, p. 35.

M. omits the name.

But take it thyself.

M.: seven.

M. adds here ; Return [the cup of] asparagus-beverage only to him who handed it to thee ; do not enter alone a Synagogue in which children are not being taught, because I store my weapon there ; when any [disturbance] is happening in the city, do not walk in the middle of the road but on the side ; when there is peace in the city do not walk along the side of the public road but in the middle.

Since death entered the world through woman, the angel of death accompanies her (Wunsche, p. 63 n.).

M. reads : let him stand behind it, turn his face to the wall and say.

These terms vill be explained in the next paragraph.

Viz. if he is lying on cushions or a low couch and the food is placed on the floor ; otherwise he raises it a handbreadth from the table.

To his wife to drink, who would not be dining with her husband when visitors were present.

I.e. make them sit round about the cup.

To make the cup of benediction conspicuous.

The word for "and with undiluted wine" seems out of place and yields no sense. The commentators find it difficult to explain. M. omits it, reading : R. Hanan said in the name of Rab Sheshet.

The wine must remain undiluted up to that point in the Grace, and then water is added.

The words in brackets are added by M.

M.: Ashe.

I.e. for a holy purpose — the benediction. R.V. "to the Sanctuary."

And not support the cup with the right and left.

M.: R. Hinnana said.

See p. 266 n. 7.

Rab Nahman's wife.

Therefore it was more important for the man to drink the cup of benediction than for a woman.

He meant that not only the wine in the cop of benediction, but the whole flask from which it is poured, brings a blessing ; and the cup he was sending her contained such wine.

A proverb which Jalta quoted to imply that from such a man as 'Ulla nothing good could be expected.

M.: Ashe.

Lit. punishment.

The allusion is here to the idea that even numbers were inauspicious and under the influence of evil spirits.

I.e. prepare to meet Him by avoiding everything that is inauspicious.

See p. 278 n. 3.

Lit. mix, sc. with water. See p. 322.

The floor by the couch upon which the diner had been reclining or the table at which he had been sitting.

At the meal on the conclusion of the Sabbath or Festival.

On the use of spices and light in the Habdalah ceremony, see Abrahams, pp. clxxxii f.

Of the benediction over light.

The turibula and faces used by the Romans at a funeral ; D.C.A.p. 103.

Although he has not heard the whole of it.

For the Kiddush which is not said on a non-holy day.

By the special prayers inserted into the Service.

If there were no wine or bread for Grace before meals, the Kiddush would be omitted.

See p. 176 n. 1.

And proclaimed that when Bet Shammai and Bet Hillel differ, the Halakah is in agreement with the latter. See Erubin 13 b.

Consequently it was necessary to make the above statement.

When it interferes with a discussion of Halakah; see Bab. Mesia' 59 b.

By giving it precedence over the benediction over wine.

I.e. after the meal, over the cup of wine he says Grace, the benediction over the wine, light, spices and Habdalah, the last-named corresponding to "the benediction of the day." Consequently "the benediction of the day" comes last and not first as was stated above.

On the next folio, p. 337, it is stated that according to R. Meir, the point at issue is not the order of light and spices, but the benediction over the food ; consequently the quoted Baraita could be Bet Hillel's teaching.

To connect the Baraita with our Mishnah.

The Mishnah places the benediction over food, according to both Schools, in the middle, whereas the Baraita allows it to come first. We have, therefore, to depend upon the difference of the two Schools in the version of R. Judah, viz. the order of light and spices, according to which the Baraita agrees with Bet Shammai.

According to the Mishnah, Bet Shammai require the benediction over the day before that over the wine ; but according to the Baraita (which it is concluded emanates from Bet Shammai) the benediction over the wine precedes the Habdalah.

The advent is marked by the benediction over the day, therefore it should come first, and it is to that the Mishnah refers.

The conclusion is marked by the Habdalah and should come last. Since the baraita refers to the conclusion of the holy day, it does not conflict with the Mishnah.

The Barita stated : "Should he have only one cup of wine, he leaves it until after the meal and combines all [the benedictions] afterwards," i.e. wine is required for Grace. But according to the Mishnah, if wine is brought to the man after he has eaten, so that he has not yet said a benediction over wine, he does so over this cup, drinks it and then says Grace; therefore wine is not essential for the Grace.

I.e. dips his finger in the wine, which he then puts to his mouth.

According to the Tanna of the Mishnah, i.e. R. Judah, Bet Shammai require wine for Grace ; but R. Hiyya understands them as not requiring it.

Liquid is the conductor of defilement for food ; cf. Lev. xi. 34.

Without the medium of a liquid; so why this fear?

Contracting defilement from something else.

Even if the hands are not moist.

Unless it be unclean in the first degree.

From the interior of the cup on to the exterior and thereby increase the possibility of the hand contracting defilement.

And the hands are then clean for the meal.

Should he wipe his hands during the meal.

See p. 335 n. 3.

See p. 335 n. 1.

Which belongs to the class of holy things and can be defiled by a table unclean in the second degree.

To protect themselves against defilement.

Bet Hillel's reason was the desire to protect the food from defilement.

And Bet Shammai are concerned to protect the hands from defilement.

The water may splash on to it, and it is forbidden to spoil food ; cf. fol. 50b, p. 324.

Which may be spoiled by being splashed upon. The words in brackets are omitted by M. and are probably an interpolation.

Consequently there is no need to fear that bread will be spoilt by the water, since the crumbs do not count.

Therefore the attendant will know that the larger pieces have to be removed, and the washing of the hands can safely be done before the table is cleared.

This, not Jose as in edd., is probably the correct reading. Cf. D. S. ad loc.

M. omits : b. Judah.

M.: Rab.

Why, then, did Raba say the benediction over spices before over the light?

I.e. continned the teaching of the Mishnah which must be supplemented as follows.

Hence Raba acted aright in saying the benediction over the spices first.

The word used by Bet Hillel. It ia the participle of the verb.

Or, he continues to create.

To Bet Shammai that bore' can mean "he will create." In all the following passages the participle refers to the past.

Rashi explains: coloured lights, as red, white, green. "[Bet] Hillel considered the different colours of bodies to be due to different sorts of light : whilst [Bet] Shammai attributed colour to the object coloured, and not to the light by means of which we see it" (S. Brodetsky iu J. R. ii. p. 66).

I.e. by its light forbidden work has been done on the Sabbath.

Throughout this passage some edd. read "Samaritans," for fear of the Censor.

Therefore the objection to "the spices of the gentiles" cannot be on the ground of idolatry.

M.: Rab Ashe. On Sura, see p. 74 n. 1.

E.g. attending to a sick person.

M. omits : b. Isaac.

Provided it was lit before the advent of the Sabbath ; but if kindled on the Sabbath, one may not use it for the benediction.

I.e. the flame is not to be considered as continuous and the same, but as consisting of a succession of flashes, each distinct. Consequently it may be thought that the prohibited light ceases with the termination of the Sabbath, and the flame then becomes permissible for the purpose of the benediction.

The circumstance referred to here is : A man puts oil in a vessel and places it in the public way, and by means of a torch which he holds while in the private domain, sets light to it.