The Jerusalem Talmud Jerusalem Talmud Berakhot 8.1

English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

MISHNAH: These are the matters between the House of Shammai and the House of Hillel about meals. The House of Shammai say, one pronounces the benediction of the day and then the one over wine. But the House of Hillel say, one pronounces the benediction over wine and aftewards the one of the day.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

HALAKHAH: What is the reason of the House of Shammai? The Sanctification of the Day causes the wine to be served; he was obligated for the Sanctification of the Day before the wine was served. What is the reason of the House of Hillel? The wine causes the Sanctification of the Day to be recited. Another explanation: The wine is frequent, Sanctification is less frequent.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Yose said: From the words of both of them it follows that for wine and Havdalah, the wine comes first. Is not the reason of the House of Shammai that the Sanctification of the Day causes the wine to be served? But here, Havdalah does not cause the wine to be served; wine therefore has precedence. Is not the reason of the House of Hillel that the wine is frequent, Sanctification of the Day is less frequent? Also here, wine is frequent and Havdalah is less frequent: the wine has precedence. Rebbi Mana said: From the words of both of them it follows that for wine and Havdalah,Havdalah comes first. Is not the reason of the House of Shammai that he was obligated for the Sanctification of the Day before the wine came? Also here, since he is obligated for Havdalah before the wine came, Havdalah has precedence. Is not the reason of the House of Hillel that the wine causes the Sanctification of the Day to be recited? But here, the wine does not cause Havdalah to be recited: Havdalah has precedence.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Zeïra said: One infers from the words of both of them that one may make Havdalah without wine but one may not make Qiddush without wine. That is the opinion of Rebbi Zeïra since Rebbi Zeïra said: One makes Havdalah on alcoholic beverages but one goes from one place to another to hear Qiddush.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

The Great Rebbi Yose said: Over there, they have the custom that at a place without wine, the reader stands before the Ark, recites one benediction that contains seven, and closes by “He Who sanctifies Israel and the Sabbath Day.”

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

It is difficult in the opinion of the House of Shammai, how to proceed on Friday evening if someone was sitting and eating on Friday afternoon, it got dark, and there was only one cup of wine? You must say that he reserves the cup until after the recitation of Grace and includes all other benedictions. Obviously, if he would want to pronounce the benediction for the day, Grace has precedence. If he wants to recite the benediction over wine, the day has precedence. One may infer this from the following (Mishnah 8:9): “If wine was brought to them after the meal and there was only one cup.” Rebbi Abba said: Because it is a very short benediction, he might forget and drink. But here, he connects everything with the cup of wine and he will not forget. How should he proceed according to the House of Shammai? He should recite Grace first, after that he makes Qidddush, and only after that he recites the benediction over the wine.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

It is difficult in the opinion of the House of Hillel, how may one proceed at the end of the Sabbath if someone was sitting and eating on Sabbath, it got dark, and there was only one cup of wine? You say, he reserves it until after the meal and connects everything to it. What can you say? Shall he recite the benediction for the wine, Grace has precedence. Shall he recite Grace, the light has precedence. Shall he recite for the light, Havdalah has precedence. We may infer from the following: “Rebbi Yehudah said, the house of Shammai and the house of Hillel do not disagree that Grace comes first and Havdalah at the end. They disagree only over light and spices because the House of Shammai say spices and afterwards light, but the house of Hillel say light and afterwards spices.” Rebbi Abba and Rav Jehudah: Practice follows him who says spices and afterwards light. What should he do following the opinion of the House of Hillel? He should say Grace first, afterwards he should recite the benediction over wine and afterwards Havdalah.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

A holiday that starts at the end of Sabbath. Rebbi Yoḥanan said YQNH, wine, Qiddush, light, Havdalah. Ḥanan bar Abba said in the name of Rav: Wine, Qiddush, light, Havdalah, sukkah, time. Rebbi Ḥanina said, NHYQ. Samuel follows the opinion of Rebbi Ḥanina since Rebbi Aḥa said in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: A king leaves and a prefect comes. One accompanies the king and only afterwards does one receive the prefect. Levi said YNHQ. It seems that Levi says it both ways. Rebbi Zeïra asked before Rebbi Yose: What does one do in practice? He said to him: one follows Rav and Rebbi Yoḥanan. And so it became the practice following Rav and Rebbi Yoḥanan.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

When Rebbi Abbahu went to the South, he followed Rebbi Ḥanina. When he descended to Tiberias, he followed Rebbi Yoḥanan in order not to disagree with anybody in his home town.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

The opinion of Rebbi Ḥanina is understandable. It is difficult to understand Rebbi Yoḥanan: Does one not pronounce the benediction over the light at all other days that one should extinguish it? And here, he makes the benediction over the light so that he should not extinguish it. How does Rebbi Yoḥanan handle this? Since he has wine, his light will not go out. Then he might say the benediction over the light at the end. In order not to disturb its timing from other Sabbaths.

Jerusalem Talmud Berakhot 8.1

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