Berakhot 37a (לז.) — the Talmud in English

This teaches us:

even

every

food

that contains

a mixture of one of the five species of grain, even though in practice the grain does not serve as the principal component of the food, its blessing is “Who creates varieties of nourishment,” because due to its importance it is always regarded as the principal component of the food.

And had it taught us

only

“anything that contains

some of the five species,”

I would have said

that specifically

anything that contains

some of the

five species—

yes,

only concerning it does one recite “Who creates varieties of nourishment,”

but

concerning food that contains a mixture of

rice and millet—

no,

one does not recite “Who creates varieties of nourishment.” One might have mistakenly thought that the reason is

because it comes through a mixture: therefore, since it does not serve as the principal component of the food, it is subordinate to the other species in the mixture.

and therefore, since it does not serve as the principal ingredient of the food, it is subordinate to the other species in the mixture.

But

in a case where

there is

rice and millet

as such,

and the entire food [or most of it] is made of rice and millet—

let us say

that

even

for

rice and millet as well

one recites over it, “Who creates varieties of nourishment.”

This teaches us: “Anything that is of the five species”—

it is concerning this that one recites “Who creates varieties of nourishment,” to exclude rice

and millet, for even if there is rice as such—

we do not recite

over it

“Who creates varieties of nourishment.”

The Gemara asks:

And

is it true that concerning

rice [

and millet ]

we do not recite “Who creates varieties of nourishment”?

But was it not taught in a beraita: If they brought before him rice bread or millet bread—

he recites over it first

the blessing before it,

and at the end

the blessing after it,

as

they recite over a

cooked dish

of grain.

And concerning a cooked dish

of grain

it was taught: At the beginning one recites over it “Who creates varieties of nourishment,” and at the end one recites over it one blessing that is a summary of the three,

so it follows that over rice and millet one must recite “Who creates varieties of nourishment,” contrary to the words of Rav and Shmuel!?

The Gemara answers: The beraita that said that the blessing over rice and millet is

like that over a cooked dish

means to compare them in only one respect

and not

to compare them

to a cooked dish

in every respect.

That is,

like a cooked dish—

one recites over it both at the beginning and at the end .

And not like a cooked dish—

for in the case of a cooked dish, at the beginning

one recites over it

“Who creates varieties of nourishment,” and at the end, one blessing that is a summary of the three.

Whereas here,

with rice and millet,

at the beginning one recites over it “Everything comes into being through His word,” and at the end, “Who creates numerous living beings

and their deficiencies, for everything that He has created.”

The Gemara asks:

And

is

rice not

included within

the category of a cooked dish

with regard to its blessing?

But was it not taught: These are

the cooked dishes considered

cooked dishes

for which the blessing is “Who creates varieties of nourishment”:

ḥilqa,

a dish made from wheat divided into two parts.

Targis,

a dish made from wheat divided into three parts.

Solet —

a dish made from coarse flour.

Zariz,

a dish made from wheat divided into four parts.

And arsen,

a dish made from wheat divided into five parts.

And

a cooked dish made from

rice.

Thus, rice too is included within the category of a “cooked dish”; why, then, should one not recite over it “Who creates varieties of nourishment”?

The Gemara answers:

Whose view is this?

Which tanna taught this beraita, which includes rice within the category of a grain “cooked dish”?

It is the view of Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Nuri.

As it was taught: Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Nuri says: Rice—

is a species of grain, and

therefore

one is liable for

eating

its leaven

on Pesaḥ

with karet, and

likewise

a person fulfills his obligation with it on Pesaḥ

if he made matza from it in accordance with the law.

But the Rabbis

hold that rice is

not

a species of grain.

It follows, then, that Rav and Shmuel, who ruled that one does not recite “Who creates varieties of nourishment” over rice, adopted the view of the Rabbis.

The Gemara returns and asks: Even though rice is not considered a species of grain, it should still be asked:

And

according to

the Rabbis, do they not

recite over it “Who creates varieties of nourishment”?

But was it not taught: One who eats a kernel of wheat raw,

in its natural raw state —

recites over it “Who creates the fruit of the earth.”

And if

one ground it, baked it, and

afterward

cooked it

into the baked loaf of bread, the law is as follows:

When the slices

of the loaf have not dissolved during cooking and they remain

intact,

the status of bread still applies to them.

Therefore,

at the beginning—

before eating it—

one recites over it, “Who brings forth bread from the earth,”

and at the end—

after eating it—

one recites the three blessings

of Birkat HaMazon.

But

if

they dissolved during cooking and

the slices are no longer intact,

the status of “bread” is nullified, and they are considered a “cooked dish.”

Therefore,

at the beginning—

before eating it—

one recites over it, “Who creates varieties of nourishment,”

and at the end—

after eating it—

one recites over it one blessing that is a summary of the three,

as one recites over every cooked dish made from one of the five species of grain.

One who eats a kernel of rice

while it is raw in its natural state—

recites over it, “Who creates the fruit of the earth,”

and if

one ground it, baked it, and

afterward

cooked it

into this loaf of bread,

even though the slices are intact

and the status of bread still applies to them—

at the beginning one recites over it, “Who creates varieties of nourishment,” and at the end one recites over it one blessing that is a summary of the three.

Who is the author?

Who is the tanna who taught this beraita?

If you say it is Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Nuri, who says that rice is a species of grain,

then

“Who brings forth bread from the earth”

before it

and the three blessings

after it

would be required

as is the law with regard to all bread made from the five species of grain!

Rather, is it not—

the Rabbis

who hold that rice is not among the species of grain, and therefore one does not recite “Who brings forth bread” or Birkat HaMazon over it?

And

if so, this should constitute

a refutation of Rav and Shmuel,

who said that over rice one does not recite “Who creates varieties of nourishment” but rather “Everything comes into being through His word,” for the beraita clearly states that one recites “Who creates varieties of nourishment” over it!?

The Gemara concludes that indeed the words of Rav and Shmuel are

refuted,

and one should recite “Who creates varieties of nourishment” over rice.

The Master said: One who eats a kernel of wheat recites over it, “Who creates the fruit of the earth.”

But was it not taught:

One who eats a kernel of wheat recites over it

“Who creates varieties of seeds”!?

This is not difficult.

This

beraita, which said that one should recite over it “Who creates varieties of seeds,” is the view of

Rabbi Yehuda,

who explains below that a distinct blessing should be designated for each species. Therefore, over seeds one recites “Who creates varieties of seeds,” and over vegetables, “Who creates varieties of herbs.”

And this

beraita, which said that one should recite over it “Who creates the fruit of the earth,” was taught according to the view of

the Rabbis,

who hold that over everything that grows from the earth one recites “Who creates the fruit of the earth,” and they did not designate a particular blessing for each species.

As we learned: And over vegetables

he

says, “Who creates the fruit of the earth,”

as he recites over everything that grows from the earth.

Rabbi Yehuda says:

Since a distinct blessing was designated for each species, one should recite over them

“Who creates varieties of herbs.”

The Master said: One who eats a kernel of rice—

recites over it, “Who creates the fruit of the earth.”

If one ground it, baked it, and cooked it, even though the slices are

intact—

at the beginning one recites over it, “Who creates varieties of nourishment,” and at the end one recites one blessing that is a summary of the three.

The Gemara asks:

But was it not taught:

One does not recite

at the end

over bread or a cooked dish made from rice

anything at all—meaning, neither Birkat HaMazon nor one blessing that is a summary of the three, but rather “Who creates numerous living beings.”

The Gemara answers:

Rav Sheshet said: This is not difficult.

This

beraita, which said that one should recite “for the nourishment,” is the view of

Rabban Gamliel.

It is.

And this

beraita, which said that one should recite “Who creates numerous living beings,” was taught according to the view of

the Rabbis.

As it was taught: This is the general rule: Anything that is of the seven species,

Rabban Gamliel says:

One recites after it

the three blessings

of Birkat HaMazon, as after eating bread.

And the Sages say:

One recites after it

one blessing that is a summary of the three.

And there was an incident involving Rabban Gamliel and the Elders, who were reclining in an upper room in Jericho, and dates

of the seven species were brought before them,

and they ate.

And Rabban Gamliel gave Rabbi Akiva permission

to lead the zimun and

to recite

the three blessings of Birkat HaMazon, as one recites over bread, and thereby discharge everyone’s obligation.

Rabbi Akiva quickly recited one blessing that is a summary of the three,

in accordance with the view of the Sages.

Rabban Gamliel said to him: Akiva, how long will you continue to thrust your head between the disputants

between me and the Sages!?

He said to him

Rabbi Akiva:

Our teacher, although you say so and your colleagues say so,

nevertheless

you have taught us, our teacher,

that in a dispute between

an individual and the majority,

the

halakha follows the majority.

Rabbi Yehuda

would teach the dispute between Rabban Gamliel and the Sages in a different manner, and this is how he would

say in the name

of Rabban Gamliel: