Brachos 40-Bread and Salt, Mushrooms, Health Food Remedies, Shehakol in place of other brachos - a podcast by Eran Netkin

1. Speaking after saying Hamotzi
Although one may not talk in between reciting a bracha and eating,one is permitted to speak
between making Hamotzi and eating of the bread if the purpose is to facilitate the eating of
the bread.
- Rav says one is allowed to tell the people seated at the table to take a piece of bread.
- R’ Yochanan says one is even allowed to ask for salt or relish to be brought to the table to
enhance the taste of the bread.
- Rav Sheishess says one is even allowed to ask that food be prepared for his animals since
it is forbidden for a person to eat before he gives food to his animals.
2. What type of tree was the Eitz HaDaas?
A Baraisa is brought that lists various opinions regarding what type of tree Adam HaRishon
ate from (i.e. the Eitz HaDaas):
- R’ Meir – It was a grapevine. R’ Meir’s reasoning is that we find that“wine brings wailing
upon a person,” and the Eitz HaDaas brought about death.R’
- Nechemyah – It was a fig tree. R’ Nechemyah’s reasoning is that it is logical that Hashem
will bring about Adam and Chava’s “repair through what caused their damage,” i.e. since
their “repair” was through a fig tree, asthey sewed fig leaves to wear, their “damage” i.e.
their downfall of eating from the Eitz HaHadaas as well must have been through a fig tree.
- R’ Yehuda – It was wheat.,R’ Yehuda’s logic is that since a child does not know his first
words of “Abba” and “Imma” until he begins to eat grain, this indicates that grain is
associated with the development of Daas.
3. The proper text for a berachah
There is a dispute regarding the required text for a berachah:
- Rav says that any berachah that does not mention Hashem’s name is not considered a
berachah.
כל ברכה שאין בה הזכרת השם אינה ברכה
- Rav Yochanan says that any berachah that does not include Hashem’s name and does not
mention Hashem’s sovereignty over the world as well, is not considered a berachah.
כל ברכה שאין בה מלכות אינה ברכה
Siman – Pool of water
The over ambitious new parents were sitting by the pool under a fig tree trying to feed their
infant grain, teaching it the proper text of the berachah while asking for salt for the bread.
Key Words – Speaking after motzi, Eitz HaDaas, Text of Berachah

Further episodes of Daf Highlights

Further podcasts by Eran Netkin

Website of Eran Netkin