Daf Highlights

1. The melocho of הוצאה From the opening Mishna’s eight cases of passing an object between the ba’al habayis standing in his reshus hayachid (private domain) and the poor person standing in reshus harabim (public domain) we learn: a. One has only transgressed m’doraysa the melocho of hotza’ah (transferring) if he does the act of lifting )עקירה)the object from its state of rest in one domain as well as the act of placing it down (הנחה (in another domain. b. The Rabbis forbid one from doing one of the acts of עקירה or הנחה lest one come to do both elements of the transfer. 2. הכנסה) Bringing in) Rav Ashi teaches that the Mishna’s usage of the term הוצאה) taking out) also refers to הכנסה (bringing in), since the Mishna includes cases of bringing in as examples of הוצאה . The Gemara further clarifies that the Tanna refers to any removal of an object from its place as an act of “taking out.” 3. Domains Rava said the when the Tanna uses the word יציאות) transfers) in the Mishna he is referring to domains. Therefore, the Mishna is understood to mean that there are two domains where one is prohibited to commit four acts of transferring. Siman – House The strange house, where the owner kept passing objects back and forth to a poor person standing outside, featured an exit sign over the entrance and a welcome sign to the Home of Two Domains. Key words – 8 cases, הכנסה ,רשויות

When the Rabbis in Bavel were looking for new leadership in the academy they asked the Rabbis in Eretz Yisroel which type of leader Is preferred, a “Sinai” (סיני (who has a lot of breadth in learning or one who uproots mountains (הרים עוקר (with his sharp analysis? The choice was between Rav Yosef who was a סיני and Rabba who was the הרים עוקר . The Rabbis answered that the סיני takes precedence because his encyclopedic knowledge will enable him to easily discover the solution to most problems. Rav Yosef in the end did not accept the position as the Gemara explains and only became head of the academy twenty-two years later after Rabbah’s death. ילכו מחיל אל חיל .2 R’ Levi bar Chiya said that one who leaves the beis haknesses and immediately enters the beis hamidrash to learn will merit to greet the face of the Shechinah as its says, חיל אל מחיל ילכו" – "בציון אלקים אל יראה Go from multitude to multitude, appear before Hashem in Tziyon. The multitudes are referring to those gathered in shuls and those gathered in batei midrashim. Rav Chiya bar Ashi said in the name of Rav that the passuk is referring to talmidei chochomim have no rest in Olam Hazeh or Olam Habah. The multitudes are referring to the batei midrashim in Olam Habah where talmidei chochomin will continue to climb from one level to the next forever increasing their understanding. 3. Talmidei chochomim bring shalom R’ Elazar said in the name of R’ Chanina: Talmidei chochomim increase the peace in the world as it says, בניך שלום ורב' ה למודי בניך וכל – And all your sons will be disciples of Hashem, and abundant will be the peace of your sons. Do not read it as “your sons” )בניך )but “your builders” )בוניך .)The passuk is teaching that it is the talmidei chochomim that build the world with their Torah which results in peace in the world. Siman – סוד - Secret The Daf Yomi learners secretly reviewed their encyclopedic knowledge of Masechta Berachos as they left the beis haknesses and immediately entered the beis hamidrash to learn, going from one level to the next as they learned from talmidei chochomim who bring peace to the world.

1. Small but fundamental passuk Bar Kapppara asked the following question: What is a small passuk upon which all of the fundamentals of the Torah depend? He answered: ארחתך יישר והוא דעהו דרכך בכל –In all your ways you must know Him, and He will straighten your paths. Rava explained that “In all your ways” includes even one engaged in a transgression. This passuk teaches that there are times when Hashem’s honor demands that one perform a transgression. - (An example of this is when Eliyahu Hanavi brought offerings outside the Beis Hamikdash on Har HaCarmel in the incident with the prophets of Ba’al even though sacrificing outside of the Beis haMikdash is a Torah prohibition). 2. Receiving Torah daily It was taught in a Baraisa that when the Rabbis entered Kerem beYavneh they each opened up their derasha with words in honor of their hosts that housed them )אכסניא בכבוד פותחין .) Rebbe Yehuda further opened up his derasha focusing on honoring those who learn Torah with the following passuk, “לעם נהיית הזה היום ישראל ושמע הסכת – “Pay heed and listen, Yisroel, on this day you became a nation.” How does one make sense of this passuk that implies that that the Torah was given on that day, when in fact it was given Torah forty years earlier? Rebbe Yehuda answers that the passuk is coming to teach you that on each an every day the Torah should be as dear to those that study it as on the day it was given on Har Sinai. 3. Learning with others The Gemara says that the word "הסכת"teaches – בתורה ועסקו כתות כתות עשו –that one must form groups (asu kitos) and engage in Torah learning because the Torah is only acquired through learning with others. This is in accordance with Rebbe Yossi b’Rebbe Chaninah who said: 1. There will be as sword against those who sit alone and learn Torah. 2. They will become foolish and make mistakes in judgment 3. They will also come to sin. Siman – Boys on Segways The Yeshiva Ketana boys sped to the Beis Midrash on their Segways taking every type of straight path, eager to learn Torah as if it was just given that day and making sure to get the most by learning in

1. Not wiping oneself with the right hand A significant part of the Daf focuses on proper and modest behaviors in the bathroom. A number of reasons are given as to why the right hand should be given honor and not be used for the base purpose of wiping oneself: a. The Torah was given with Hashem’s right hand as it says – למו דת אש מימינו –From His right hand, the fire of the Law was given. b. It is generally used for noble act of eating. c. One ties tefillin on his left arm with one’s right hand. d. One shows the cantillation notes of the Torah with his right hand. The hand used for a holy purpose should not be used for a profane one. 2. Dishonoring clothing Whoever dishonors clothing in the end will not benefit from them. – אינו סוף הבגדים את המבזה כל .נהנה מהם This is learned from the incident when Dovid quietly cut off the corner of Shaul’s cloak when Shaul went into a cave to discreetly relieve himself. Dovid did this to demonstrate that he had been able to cause greater harm to Shaul but chose not to. Nevertheless, since he dishonored Shaul’s garment, Dovid was punished in his later years when his own garments did not provide him warmth. 3. Taking shortcuts through a shul Although one is not permitted to use a shul as a shortcut, if one initially entered to daven he may leave through a different exit even though it will end up being a shortcut. Siman – Submarine captain The submarine captain that was famous for doing everything with his right hand with his left one tied behind his back, reprimanded his officers for not keeping their uniforms clean and for taking shortcuts through the ship’s shul. Key Words – right hand, clothing, shortcuts

1. How Chavah was fashioned There is a machlokes between Rav and Shmuel concerning how Chavah was fashioned: - One opinion is that man was created as a double figure, male and female, and that Hashem fashioned Chavah from the female figure. - The pasuk of בראם ונקבה זכר – He created them male and female is initially brought in support of this view. - The other opinion is that she was fashioned from the tail. - The pasuk of האדם מן לקח אשר הצלע את אלקים' ה ויבן – And He built the side that He had taken from man, seems to support this view. If the woman already existed, there would have been no need to build her. 2. The concept of a בינוני Rabbi Yosi Haglili says that the righteous are ruled by their yetzer tov, the evil by their yetzer hara, and average people )בינונים )are ruled by both. When Abaye heard Rava say that he considered himself an average person, he said that by that standard, not a person in the world could be considered righteous. 3. R’ Akiva’s response to Pappus ben Yehudah The Gemara relates the story of R’ Akiva’s imprisonment and subsequent execution, during which— with his dying breath—he proclaimed the אחדof Krias Shema. Before being imprisoned, as he was giving a shiur, R’ Akiva was asked by Pappus ben Yehudah if he feared the wicked regime, which had forbidden the teaching of Torah. R’ Akiva answered with a mashal of a fox trying to persuade fish to save themselves from being pursued in the water by coming up onto the land. The fish replied that if in the environment that supported their life they were afraid, shouldn’t they be even more afraid in an environment that was inimical to their life? Similarly, the Jewish people’s life support is Torah learning, as it says, כי ימיך וארך חייך הוא – For it is your life and the length of your days. Without Torah learning, we would be in even greater danger. Eventually, when Pappus was thrown into prison with R’ Akiva for a false accusation, he said, “Fortunate is R’ Akiva, who was apprehended on words of Torah! Woe to Pappus, who was apprehended on account of meaningless words!” Siman – A saw The magician successfully sawed the man into two, one half male and one half female but was booed as a benoini performer because he couldn’t make the fish jump out of the fishbowl. Key Words – Chavah, בינוני ,Pappus

דיין האמת והטוב והמטיב .1 The Gemara illustrates the meaning of making a berachah of האמת דיין) the True Judge) on a calamity that has the potential to have a favorable outcome, and making the berachah of הטוב והמטיב) Who is good and does good) on a favorable occurrence that has the potential for a calamitous outcome: - One should recite האמת דיןon his field being flooded, even though there will be a favorable outcome in that the accumulation of sediment will improve his land. - One should recite והמטיב הטובon finding an object, even though the King might hear of it and take it from him. 2. The conclusion of יצר אשר The Gemara details the various berachos of Hamapil, Asher yatzar, Elokai neshamah and the 15 birkas hashachar. - There is a machlokes regarding the concluding berachah of Asher yatzar: - Rav says it should be חולים רופא – Who heals the sick. - Objecting that this would portray everyone as sick, whereas healthy people also recite the berachah, Shmuel holds that the proper ending is בשר כל רופא – Who heals all flesh. - Rav Sheishesssays it should be לעשות מפליא – Who does wonders. - Rav Pappa rules to incorporate both the endings of Shmuel and Rav Sheishess, resulting in our text of לעשות ומפליא בשר כל רופא – Who heals all flesh and does wonders. כל דעביד רחמנא לטב עביד .3 R’ Akiva said that one should always be accustomed to say עביד לטב רחמנא דעביד כל – Whatever the Merciful one does, He does for the best. The Gemara relates the story of R’ Akiva traveling and being denied lodging in a city. He said כל לטב רחמנא דעבידand went to sleep in a field. That night a wind blew out his lamp, a cat ate his rooster and a lion ate his donkey, after which he repeated לטב רחמנא דעביד כל . The next day R’ Akiva learned that an army had come by the previous night and captured the city that had denied him lodging. Had his lamp had not blown out, the soldiers would have seen him and captured him. Likewise, had his rooster and donkey not been eaten, the soldiers would have discovered him after hearing his animals make noise. Siman – Smiley Face Stickers The forever optimistic farmer who made a האמת דיין on his flooded field was putting smiley face stickers on his dead rooster and donkey and in his siddur next to birkas hashachar and asher yatzar. לטב עביד ,אשר יצר ,דיין האמת – Words Key

1. The berachah on a rainbow There is a dispute regarding the berachah to recite on seeing a rainbow (though one should not stare at it). - The Gemara says the berachah is הברית זוכר ברוך – Blessed [are You] … Who remembers the covenant. - R’ Yishmael the son of R’ Yochanan ben Beroka says the ending should be וקיים בבריתו נאמן במאמרו – Who is trustworthy in His covenant and fulfills His word. - Rav Pappa rules that we accommodate both views by incorporating both endings: זוכר ברוך במאמרו וקיים בבריתו ונאמן הברית – Blessed [are You] … Who remembers the covenant and is trustworthy in His covenant and fulfills His word. 2. Birkas Hachamah One who sees the sun at the beginning of its 28-year cycle, when it returns to its original position at its creation, recites Birkas Hachamah, the blessing on the sun: בראשית עושה ברוך– Blessed [are You] … Who makes the work of creation. הטוב והמטיב .3 One who drank wine at a meal and is then offered a superior wine makes the berachah הטוב והמטיב] –Blessed are You] … Who is good and does good. Siman – Knight in shining armor The knight in shining armor stood nobly at the bottom of the rainbow, as he blessed the sun after 28 years by raising his cup of superior wine making a והמטיב טוב .

ברוך חכם הרזים .1 One who sees a multitude of Jews (600,000) recites הרזים חכם ברוך) Blessed [are You] … Sage of the secrets), acknowledging that Hashem knows everyone’s secret thoughts. 2. Rav Sheishess and the king The Gemara elaborates on the importance of greeting a king,(which we initially learned on daf ט (relating the incident of the blind Rav Sheishess, who was able to discern when the king passed by in his procession. When the first two troops passed by, each followed by loud noise, Rav Sheishess knew that the king was not yet approaching. After the third troop passed by and it fell silent, he knew that the king was about to pass. Rav Sheishess explained that he knew this from the verses (Melachim I 19:11-12) describing how Eliyahu discerned Hashem’s presence not in the midst of three loud noises, (great wind, an earthquake and a fire) but rather when there was a still, thin sound )דקה דממה קול .)He said, since “earthly royalty reflects Heavenly royalty,” there must be a similar chain of events when an earthly king appears. 3. שהחיינו on a friend One who sees a friend after a lapse of thirty days recites שהחיינו ;if the lapse is twelve months, he says המתים מחיה ברוך) Blessed [are You] … Who resurrects the dead(. Siman – נח –Zookeeper The Zookeeper greeted his friend the king who he hadn’t seen in 30 days with a שהחיינוand over his procession of 600,000 a הרזים חכם ברוך ,while everyone else stood still in silence. Key Words – רזים ,king’s ilences, שהחיינו on friend

1. Visions of tefillah in dreams The Gemara lists dream visions that include elements of tefillah, along with their meaning: • One who responds "מברך רבה שמיה יהא אמן "in a dream is assured of being destined for Olam Haba. • One who recites Krias Shema in a dream is fit to have the Shechinah dwell upon him, except that his generation doesn’t merit having it happen. • One who dreams of laying tefillin should anticipate growing in greatness. 2. Waking up with a passuk R’ Yochanan says that if one wakes up and a verse “fell into his mouth,” i.e. immediately came to mind, this is a type of minor prophecy. 3. One sixtieth Five things are considered a sixtieth of something else: 1. Fire is a sixtieth part of Gehinnom. 2. Honey is a sixtieth part of the manna. 3. Shabbos is a sixtieth part of Olam Haba. 4. Sleep is a sixtieth part of death. 5. A dream is a sixtieth part of prophecy. Siman – Pinocchio’s nose Pinochio’s nose began to grow when he claimed he was saying Krias Shema in his dream and then woke up with a passuk in his mouth, until he was reminded wood burns in fire which is a sixtieth part of Gehinnom. Key Words – tefillah in dreams, waking with passuk, one sixtieth

1.People dream about what they were thinking about To illustrate the teaching (on 55b) that a person dreams about what he was thinking of during the day )לבו מהרהרי אלא לאדם לו מראין אין ,)the Gemara cites the incident of Caesar asking R’ Yehoshua bar R’ Chananya what he would dream of that night. R’ Yehoshua told him that he would dream of being pressed into service by the Persians in a degrading way. Caesar thought about the distressing vision all day and then dreamt of it at night. 2. Bar Hedya, the Dream Interpreter The Gemara relates the story of Bar Hedya, the dream interpreter, who gave positive interpretations to those who paid for his services and negative ones to those who didn’t. Abaye and Rava shared many similar dreams and had them interpreted by Bar Hedya. Since Abaye paid, his dreams were always interpreted for good; Rava did not pay, and his dreams were interpreted for ill. Finally, Rava discovered—in a book owned by Bar Hedya—that “dreams go according to the mouth” (הפה אחר הולכין חלומות כל ,(meaning according to the way they are interpreted. Rava cursed him and Bar Hedya fled, eventually meeting a gruesome death at the hands of the Roman royal court. 3. The meaning of a well in a dream The Gemara discusses the symbolic meaning of items appearing in a dream. If one dreams of a well: • R’ Chanina says he will see peace. • R’ Nassan says he will find Torah. • Rava says he will find life. Siman – Shusher in shul going nu nu The shusher in shul was going bananas trying to nu nu the guy giving nightmares to the President about losing the election while the dream interpreter was telling the cheapskate he was going to fall into a well. Key Words – nightmares, Bar Hedya, wells

Three things that prolong life The Gemara analyzes the three actions which, when prolonged, prolong one’s life, according to Rav Yehudah (54b): • Spending a long time in tefillah. • Spending a long time at the table, thereby affording the poor a greater chance to come and share in the meal. • Spending a long time in the bathroom. 2. Betzalel’s wisdom The Gemara discusses Betzalel’s wisdom: • He was called Betzalel because “he lived in the shadow of G-d” )קל בצל ,)as he knew the order in which Hashem had commanded the building of the Mishkan—first the Mishkan, then the vessels—despite Moshe changing the order in his instructions to him. • He knew how to join together the letters of the Torah in the same way they were combined to create heaven and earth. 3. Dreams The daf discusses dreams at length: • A dream that has not been interpreted is like an unread letter. • One who is troubled by a dream should have it remedied in the presence of three people. The text of חלום הטבת is presented. • One who doesn’t understand the meaning of his dream should stand before the kohanim during Birkas Kohanim and recite a supplication, aiming to finish it as the congregation responds amein, so that his supplication will be affirmed together with the blessing of the kohanim. We are accustomed to doing this during Mussaf on Yom Tov. Siman - Speed Limit – 55 Rabbi Betzalel dreamt that he planted a speed limit sign in the middle of shul to remind the congregants that the key to long life is spending more time in tefillah, and his congregants begged him to do Hatavos Chalom. Key words – Betzalel, long life, hatavos chalom

1. Berachos in places where miracles occurred All are obligated to make a berachah when seeing a place where miracles were performed for the masses, but only an individual is obligated to make a berachah on a miracle performed for him alone. 2. Eight places where miracles occured A Baraisa enumerates eight places where one is obligated to recite a berachah for the miracles performed there. 1. Where the Yam Suf was crossed. 2. Where the Jordan was crossed. 3. At the crossing of the Canyons of Arnon )ארנון נחלי מעברות ,)where the Amorites waiting in ambush were miraculously crushed in the mountains. 4. At the stones of Elgavish in the descent of Beis-Choron. These were the hailstones that were suspended in midair for the sake of Moshe and later came down for the sake of Yehoshua when he defended Givon in the battle with the Emori. 5. At the stone that King Og of Bashan wanted to throw at the nation. 6. At the stone that Moshe sat on during the war with Amalek. 7. At the remains of Lot’s wife. 8. At the wall of Jericho, which was swallowed. The Gemara elaborates on the eight miracles. 3. Bentching gomel and having a shomer (guardian) Rav Yehudah said in the name of Rav that four types of people must give thanks and bentch gomel, because they survived dangerous situations: • One who travels across the sea. • One who travels through a wilderness. • One who recovers from an illness. • One who is freed from prison. Rav Yehudah further taught that three types of people need protection from mazikin (demons): A sick person is more vulnerable, because his mazel has turned for the worse. A chassan and kallah are also in danger, because they evoke the jealousy of mazikin. Siman – Noodles The caterer transporting spaghetti noodles across the desert bentched gomel after finally delivering them to the well-guarded chassan and kallah, who were busy making berachos in the eight places where miracles had occurred. Key Words – miracle place, eight places, gomel and shomer

1. Which light and spices one can make the berachah on? The berachah of האש מאורי בוראis recited only on a flame lit for illumination. If it was lit solely for other purposes, such as cooking, or to honor a prominent person sitting in a beis haknesses or beis midrash, or to honor the deceased at his funeral, no berachah is recited. Similarly, a berachah of בשמים מיני בורא is recited only for a fragrance designated for the enjoyment of its smell. A fragrance used for other purposes, such as perfuming clothing or removing the odor of a decaying corpse, does not merit a berachah. 2. What is considered deriving benefit from the light? There is a machlokes regarding the Mishnah’s meaning when it says one may not make a berachah over the flame until he benefits from its illumination – שיאותו עד הנר על מברכין אין . • Rav Yehuda in the name of Rav says that one does not actually have to benefit from the light— the berachah is made as long as the light is strong enough that one could benefit from it, even though he is standing far away and can’t benefit from it. • Rava says that the berachah is only made when he is close enough to the light that he could benefit from it. This is the basis for looking at one’s fingernails when making the berachah on the flame in Havdalah. Distinguishing between the fingernail and its surrounding skin is similar to discerning the difference between two different small coins or two different weights that are similar in appearance. 3. Making the berachah vs. saying amein There is a machlokes Tanna’im regarding whether it is preferable to make a berachah or to answer amein to it. • One Baraisa holds that saying amein is greater. R’ Nehorai likens it to battle, where the common soldiers engage the enemy first, followed by the elite troops, who come in to seal the victory. • Another Baraisa holds that the Heavenly emissaries hasten more to bestow reward on the one making the berachah than on the one answering amein. Siman – A Nigerian Prince The Nigerian Prince held his fingers up to benefit from the light that had been lit for illumination (not for his honor) and made a berachah on all of his riches while his champion servants proudly proclaimed amein. Key Words – lit for illumination, derive benefit, berachah vs. amein

1. Kiddush hayom or the berachah on wine The Gemara resolves a seeming contradiction in Beis Shammai. In the Mishna on 51b, Beis Shammai holds that the beracha on kedushas hayom (sanctity of the day) precedes the berachah on the wine because it is the sanctity of the day which is cause for the wine to be brought to the meal. Yet in a Beraisa on 52a, Beis Shammai holds that the berachah on the wine precedes the berachah of Havdalah, which addresses the nature of the day. The Gemara answers that according to Beis Shammai there is no contradiction. When it comes to bringing in Shabbos, the more we advance it, the better, therefore the berachah on the day comes first. When it comes to ending the Shabbos day, the more we more we delay it, the better, therefore the berachah of Havdalah comes after the berachah on the wine. 2. What a tamei liquid does to a utensil A tamei liquid that touches the outside of the keli (utensil) renders the outside tamei but the inside, rim, and handle is tahor. But if the tamei liquid touches the inside of the keli (utensil) then the whole keli becomes tamei. 3. Why Beis Hillel holds it better to put wet napkin on a cushion There is no requirement of washing the hands for chullin (non-consecrated food) from the Torah since the hands are not considered a separate entity from the body and cannot contract tumah from a rishon. It is only a Rabbinic law that they are treated separately and considered a sheni to require someone to wash and remove the tumah before eating bread. This explains why Beis Hillel holds that it is of greater concern that the liquid in a wet napkin will lead to food becoming tamei when placed on a table, than the liquid in the wet napkin leading to hands becoming tamei when placed on a cushion. Siman - Newbie The newbie to Yiddishkeit had finally gotten down the order of berachos for Kiddush and Havdallah when he was introduced to the metaphysics of tamei liquids touching utensils and wet napkins touching his hands. Key Words – kedushas hayom, tamei liquids, wet napkins

1. Forgot to make a berachah If one forgot to make a berachah before he ate, he should make one when he remembers and continue eating. If he has finished eating, he no longer has the opportunity to make a berachah.    2. Ten requirements for the כוס של ברכה The Gemara lists ten requirements of the כוס של ברכה (the cup of blessing): It must be washed on the inside – הדחה and rinsed on the outside – שטיפה It must be fresh – חי and full – מלא It must be crowned – עיטור Opinion 1 – the one who recites Birkas Hamazon should surround himself with students while doing it Opinion 2 – the cup must be surrounded with other cups of wine (done during second cup of wine) The one who recites Birkas Hamazon should cover himself with a cloak while sitting, or spread a scarf over his head – עיטוף It should be taken with both hands – נוטלו בשבתי ידיו and then placed in the right hand – ונותנו בימין It should be raised a tefach off the ground – מגביהו מן הקרקע טפח One should concentrates his eyes on it while reciting Birkas Hamazon - נותן עיניו בו   3. The מלאך המות teaches three things The מלאך המות (Angel of Death) told R’ Yehoshua ben Levi three things: Do not take your shirt in the morning from the hand of the butler. Do not have your hands washed by someone who has not washed his own hands. Do not stand in front of women when they are returning from a funeral, because the Angel of Death dances before them with his sword in hand and has permission to harm those he meets. Siman – Gnawing beaver which connects to beaver pelt hat. The eccentric who insisted on donning his beaver pelt hat when holding up his freshly rinsed כוס של ברכה got such a fright when he saw the מלאך המות standing by his butler who was holding his shirt, that he started drinking the wine without making a berachah. Key words – forgot beracha,  ten כוס של ברכה, מלאך המות

1. Talmid chacham or ignoramus making berachos The Gemara teaches that we can tell whether a person is a talmid chacham or an ignoramus from the way he makes berachos. • If he does any of the following, he is considered an ignoramus: • Instead of saying חיינו ובטובו) and through Whose goodness we live), he says חיינו ומטובו) and from Whose goodness we live), which minimizes Hashem’s bestowal of goodness. • He says חיים ובטובו...) and through Whose goodness they live), since he is excluding himself. • Instead of saying משלו שאכלנו נברך) Let us bless [He] of Whose we have eaten) he says שאכלנו למי משלו) to the One of Whose we have eaten), since it implies that he is blessing one of many possible providers. • Instead of saying משלו שאכלנו ברוך) Blessed is [He] of Whose we have eaten) he says המזון על שאכלנו...) for the food we have eaten) since it appears as if he is blessing the food and not its Provider. 2. One bentched without making a zimun If a group of three ate bread together and one of them recited Birkas Hamazon on his own without a zimun, he may join the other two in a zimun so they can fulfill their obligation, but he does not fulfill his own obligation, because there is no such thing as a retroactive zimun (למפרע זימון.( 3. One forgot to make a berachah If one mistakenly put food in his mouth without reciting a berachah: • If it’s a liquid, he should swallow it. • If it’s a food that won’t be made repulsive by being spit out, he should spit it out, make the berachah and then eat it. • If spitting it out would make the food repulsive, he should shift it to the side of his mouth, make the berachah and then eat it. Siman – Nincompoop The nincompoop who always forgot to make berachos and join in a zimun, was declared a total ignoramus when the Rabbi overheard all the textual changes he made in his bentching. Key words – ignoramus, forgot zimun & berachah

1. Don’t conclude berachah with two subjects The Gemara explains that we don’t conclude a berachah with two subjects because we don’t perform .אין עושין מצות חבילות חבילות – bundles in mitzvos For example, we don’t conclude the berachah of Birkas Hamazon with ירושלים בונה) Builder of Yerushalayim) and ישראל מושיע) Savior of Israel). 2. Forgetting ויבא יעלה of Rosh Chodesh in tefillah and birkas hamazon Rav Nachman explains logically why when one forgets to say ויבא יעלה in his Rosh Chodesh tefillah he must repeat it, but when he forgets to say it in Rosh Chodesh bentching, he doesn’t repeat it: • Tefillah is obligatory, so it must be repeated with the proper mentioning of Rosh Chodesh. • Eating bread on Rosh Chodesh is not obligatory, so there is no need to repeat bentching if יעלה ויבא was forgotten. 3. Minimum amount of bread to be obligated in joining a zimun The Gemara explains the machlokes between R’ Meir and R’ Yehudah regarding the minimum amount of bread one must eat to be obligated in joining a zimun. • R’ Meir says it’s a כזית ,because he interprets ואכלתas referring to אכילה and ושבעתas referring to שתיה ,and the minimum shiur for אכילהis a כזית . • R’ Yehudah says it’s a כביצה ,because he interprets the words ושבעת ואכלתtogether as referring to שביעה בה שיש אכילה) the eating of an amount that satiates), which is a כביצה . Siman – Meat/Butcher The extremely generous butcher sent bundles and bundles of mitzvah meat and כביצים of bread for the זימוןat the Yeshiva’s Rosh Chodesh party because they never forget to say ויבא יעלה in the bentching.

1. Minimum number of bread-eaters in a zimun There is a machlokes regarding how many of the men in a ten-man zimun are required to have eaten bread: - R’ Yirmiyah says a simple majority of six. - R’ Zeira regretted that he did not inquire about the case of six and was concerned that possibly a more noticeable majority of seven was required. The Gemara brings the halachah that one who ate vegetables or wine can join in a zimun of ten (assuming there were seven who ate bread) but cannot lead the zimun unless he ate a kezayis of food produced from grain. 2. Who wrote various berachos in Birkas Hamazon The Gemara details how the text of Birkas Hamazon was formulated: - Moshe composed the berachah of Hazan at the time the manna fell. - Yehoshua composed the berachah for Eretz Yisrael when they entered the land. - David and Shlomo composed Boneih Yerushalayim. David, who conquered Yerushalayim, composed the segment, “Have mercy, please, Hashem our G-d, on Israel Your people and on Yerushalayim your city.” Shlomo, who built the Beis Hamikdash, composed the segment, “and on the great and holy House.” - The Sages of Yavneh composed Hatov VeHameitiv on the day the slain Jews of Betar were finally allowed to be buried. Hatov (Who is good) refers to the miracle that the bodies did not decay. VeHameitiv (and Who bestows good) refers to the kindness that the bodies were allowed to be buried. 3. The source for the various berachos in Birkas Hamazon A Baraisa breaks out the Torah verse (Devarim 8:10) that serves as the source for the blessings in Birkas Hamazon: - Hazan – וברכת ושבעת ואכלת –And you will eat, be satisfied and bless - Hazimun – אלקיך' ה את –Hashem your G-d - Haaretz – הארץ על –on the land - Boneih Yerushalayim – הטובה – the good [land] - Hatov VeHameitiv – לך נתן אשר –which I have given you Siman – Brainiacs The seven brainiacs would only let three non-bread eaters join their zimun if they could match the right author to each berachah of Birkas Hamazon, as well as identify the source of each berachah. Key words – bread-eaters majority, Birkas Hamazon authors, sources

1. Replying amein is part of the berachah procedure After reciting hamotzi, the one who made the berachah is not permitted to break the bread until the listeners finish saying amein. (The Gemara had earlier taught that the berachah must be finished before the bread is broken; here it teaches that replying amein is considered part of the berachah procedure [Rashi]). 2. Incorrect ways to say Amein A Baraisa lists the incorrect ways to respond amein, with Ben Azzai warning of the consequences for doing so: a. חטופה אמן – Amein Chatufah (snatched): The aleph is pronounced with a sheva instead of a kamatz gadol. One who does this will have his days snatched away. b. קטופה אמן – Amein Ketufah (abbreviated): The nun at the end is not enunciated clearly, so that it sounds like “Amei.” One who does this will have his days abbreviated. c. יתומה אמן – An orphaned amein: One says amein without hearing the berachah. Doing this will cause one’s children to be orphaned. d. מפיו ברכה יזרוק לא – One should not throw the blessing from his mouth, i.e. not say it hastily. - Ben Azzai concludes that whoever is lengthy with his amein (meaning he pronounces it properly) will merit length of days and years. 3. Who is considered an am haaretz? A Baraisa lists a number of opinions regarding who is considered an am haaretz: - R’ Eliezer – Anyone who does not recite Shema in the morning and evening. - R’ Yehoshua – Anyone who does not put on tefillin. - Ben Azzai – Anyone who does not wear tzitzis. - R’ Nassan – Anyone who does not have a mezuzah on his door’s entrance. - R’ Nassan bar Yosef – Anyone who has sons and does not raise them to learn Torah. - Others – One who did not engage in group discussions to discern the underlying reasons and applications of the Chumash and Mishnah (Rashi). Siman – Maze The only way for the contestants to escape the maze while being chased by a group of non-tzitzis wearing amei haaretz, was for everybody to finish pronouncing a proper amein and then break bread.

1. Who breaks bread and who leads the bentching? R’ Yochanan says in the name of R’ Shimon bar Yochai that the baal habayis breaks the bread and a guest leads Birkas Hamazon. - The reason the baal habayis is the one to break the bread is because he will be generous and cut larger pieces, which a guest would not be comfortable doing. - The reason a guest leads the zimun is to enable him to bless the host by saying the Yehi Ratzon paragraph toward the end of bentching. The Yehi Ratzon includes the following requests: a. That the host not be embarrassed in either this world or the next. b. That he be successful with all his property. c. That host and guests never have thoughts of sin. 2. How far does the berachah of the zimun extend? There is a machlokes regarding how far the berachah of the zimun extends: - Rav Nachman says it extends up to and including the leader’s response of נברך. - Rav Sheishess says it includes the first berachah of הזן .According to Rashi, Rav Sheishess holds that the first berachah of Birkas Hamazon proper is הארץ) .Tosafos and other Rishonim interpret Rav Sheishess differently). דרבנן a is הטוב והמטיב .3 The Gemara brings different proofs that the blessing ומטיב הטוב is not Biblical: - Rav Yosef sees it from the halachah that laborers may delete it. - Rav Yitzchak bar Shmuel in the name of Rav derives it from the fact that it is next to the beracha ירושלים בונה ,yet it still begins with the word “ברוך “.Were it Biblical, it wouldn’t require “ברוך “,since it would be considered a סמוכה ברכה .לחברתה - Rav Nachman derives it from the halachah that it is not recited in the house of a mourner. Siman - Cows Farmer Brown’s cow themed bentcher guided the one leading the Zimun to go up until the end of HaZan, a reminder to bless Farmer Brown to have lots of prize winning cattle (after all he did give big pieces of bread out at the beginning of the meal), and instructions for his farmhands to skip HaTov VeHaMativ and get back to the fields.