Title: Zichru - Brachos
Tags: Brachos Perek_8 Zichru Brachos_52 Brachos_53 Siman

Q: Daf 52 – דף נב Siman
A: Newbie

Q: Daf 52 – דף נב - Newbie
A: 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

Q: 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.
A: 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.

Q: 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.
A: 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.

Q: 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.
A: 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.

Q: 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.
A: 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.

Q: Daf 53 – דף נג - Siman
A: A Nigerian Prince

Q: Daf 53 – דף נג - A Nigerian Prince
A: 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

Q: 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.
A: 1. Which light and spices one can make the berachah on?
The berachah of בורא מאורי האש is 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 בורא מיני בשמים 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 – אין מברכין על הנר עד שיאותו .
•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.

Q: 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.
A: 1. Which light and spices one can make the berachah on?
The berachah of בורא מאורי האש is 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 בורא מיני בשמים 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.

Q: 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.
A: 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 – אין מברכין על הנר עד שיאותו .
•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.

Q: 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.
A: 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.