Berakhot 40a (מ.) — the Talmud in English

It is forbidden to interrupt with conversation between the blessing and eating, and one who interrupted is required to return and recite the blessing .

However, if the speech concerned something necessary for the blessing, this interruption is not considered as having interrupted between the blessing and eating, and he need not recite the blessing again.

Rav said:

One who recites a blessing over bread and fulfills his fellow’s obligation through his blessing, and before tasting from it says to his fellow

“Take and recite the blessing, take and recite the blessing”

[take from the piece over which I recited the blessing], this speech does not constitute an “interruption” and

he need not

return and

recite the blessing

again.

However, if he lacked salt and said between the blessing and eating:

“Bring salt”

or

“Bring relish,”

in order to flavor the piece over which he recited the blessing of HaMotzi,

he must

return and

recite the blessing

again, because this speech constitutes an “interruption” between the blessing and eating.

And Rabbi Yohanan said: Even if

he

said “Bring salt”

or

“Bring relish,” he likewise need not

return and

recite the blessing,

because the speech is considered necessary for the blessing and therefore does not constitute an “interruption.”

However, if he said:

“Prepare food for the oxen, prepare food for the oxen,”

prepare the food for the oxen,

he must

return and

recite the blessing again,

because this speech constitutes an “interruption,” since it is not necessary for the blessing.

And Rav Sheshet said: Even if

he

said “Prepare food for the oxen” as well,

this does not constitute an interruption and

he need not

return to

recite the blessing.

As Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav: It is forbidden

for a person to eat

before he gives food

to his animal,

as it is stated:

Deuteronomy 11:15,

“And I will give grass in your field for your animal,” and afterward

and only afterward—

“and you shall eat and be satisfied.”

Since it is forbidden to eat before giving food to his animal, saying “Prepare food for the oxen” is considered necessary for the blessing or for the meal.

Rava bar Shmuel said in the name of Rabbi Chiyya: The one who breaks bread may not break bread until they bring salt or relish before each and every person

among those reclining at the meal, so that they can dip the piece in it, since it is an honor for the blessing that the piece over which they recited the blessing should be flavored, and also so that they will not need to interrupt between the blessing and eating to request salt or relish.

Rava bar Shmuel happened to come to the house of the Exilarch. They brought out bread for him

[they brought him bread so that he could eat],

and he immediately broke bread,

without waiting until they brought salt.

They said to him:

But

has the master then retracted his teaching?

He said to them: This requires no waiting

[this bread does not require waiting for salt or relish, since it is fine bread].

And Rava bar Shmuel said in the name of Rabbi Chiyya: Urine does not completely leave

a person’s body

unless

he expels it

in

a

sitting position.

When he urinates while standing, he is concerned that when the stream weakens and stops, drops will splash onto his legs; therefore, he refrains from urinating until it has completely left his body.

Rav Kahana said: But

if he urinates

on loose soil,

where there is no concern that drops will splash,

even while standing

he expels it until it has completely left his body.

And if there is no loose soil—

he should stand in a high place and urinate onto a slope,

so that the drops will not splash onto his legs and he will not be concerned about urinating until it has completely left his body.

And Rava bar Shmuel said in the name of Rabbi Chiyya: After every meal, eat salt, and after every drink, drink water, and

through this

you will not be harmed

by your eating and drinking.

It was taught likewise: After every meal, eat salt, and after every drink, drink water, and you will not be harmed.

It was taught in another

baraita:

If one ate every type of food but did not eat salt, or drank every type of beverage but did not drink water,

during the day—

he should fear bad breath, and at night—

he should fear diphtheria.

The Sages taught: One who floods his food with water,

who drinks a large quantity of water after eating, until the food in his stomach floats because of the abundance of water,

will not come to intestinal illness.

And how much

should he drink?

Rav Chisda said: A jug

of

water for a loaf.

Rav Mari said in the name of Rabbi Yohanan: One who regularly eats

lentils

once every thirty days—

prevents diphtheria from entering his home.

Since this illness results from intestinal constipation, and lentils cause diarrhea.

But every day, no

should he eat lentils.

What is the reason?—

Because their consumption is harmful

to

the breath of the mouth.

And Rav Mari said in the name of Rabbi Yohanan: One who regularly eats

mustard

once every thirty days—

prevents illnesses from entering his home.

But every day he should not

eat mustard.

What is the reason?—

Because its consumption is harmful

to

weakness of the heart

[weakness of the heart].

.

We learned in the Mishna: One who recited a blessing

over the fruits of the ground

the blessing

Who creates the fruit of the tree

instead of the blessing “Who creates the fruit of the ground” —

has not fulfilled his obligation.

The Gemara challenges this:

Is it obvious

that he has not fulfilled his obligation, since fruits of the ground have no connection whatsoever to a tree?

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: It was necessary

for our Mishna to teach us this law

only according to the

opinion of

Rabbi Yehuda,

who said: Wheat —

is a species of tree.

One might have thought that, because of this, if one recited “Who creates the fruit of the tree” over wheat, he has fulfilled his obligation after the fact. The Mishna therefore teaches us that he has not fulfilled his obligation.

As it was taught

: The tannaim disagreed concerning what was the

tree from which Adam, the first man, ate,

Rabbi Meir says: It was a grapevine.

And this is reasonable, because

there is nothing that brings wailing upon a person like wine. As it is stated

(Genesis 9:21):

“And he drank of the wine, and became drunk.”

And for this reason it is reasonable that through it death and mourning were decreed upon the world forever.

Rabbi Neḥemya says: It was a fig tree,

and Adam, the first man, sinned through it, because it is reasonable to say

that through the thing by which they were corrupted

Adam and Eve —

through it they were repaired!

For this is the attribute of the Holy One, blessed be He: Through the very thing with which He strikes, He effects repair.

As it is stated

(Genesis 3:7):

“And they sewed fig leaves.”

And since they were repaired with a fig leaf, it is reasonable that they also sinned through a fig tree.

Rabbi Yehuda says: It was wheat,

and Adam, the first man, sinned through it.

His proof is that Scripture called the tree through which Adam, the first man, sinned “the tree of knowledge”; this teaches that he ate from a tree that brings a person to knowledge, and that is wheat. For

a child does not know how to call his father and mother “Abba” and “Imma” —

until he tastes the taste of grain!

Therefore —

one might have thought: Since Rabbi Yehuda said that wheat is a species of tree —

let him recite over it “Who creates the fruit of the tree”

[if he recited “Who creates the fruit of the tree” over it, he has fulfilled his obligation after the fact] —

it teaches us

that this is not so, and he has not fulfilled his obligation, because although in the language of the Torah wheat is called a “tree,” nevertheless, with regard to a blessing it is not considered a tree.

The general rule in this matter is:

Where do we recite “Who creates the fruit of the tree”? —

Where, when you remove the fruit

from the tree,

the branch remains

the branch of the tree remains intact,

and then produces

other fruit.