Commentary for Berakhot 102:8
אמר רב אסי אין מסיחין על כוס של ברכה ואמר רב אסי אין מברכין על כוס של פורענות מאי כוס של פורענות אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק כוס שני תניא נמי הכי השותה כפלים לא יברך משום שנאמר (עמוס ד, יב) הכון לקראת אלהיך ישראל והאי לא מתקן
Rab Assi said : One must not speak over the cup of benediction. Rab Assi also said : We may not say the benediction over a cup of ill-luck. What means "a cup of ill-luck"? Rab Nahman b. Isaac said : A second cup. There is a teaching to the same effect : He who drinks [cups of wine] of an even number should not say Grace ; because it is said, "Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel" (Amos iv. 12); but such an one is not fitly prepared.
Tosafot on Berakhot
ONE MAY NOT SPEAK OVER A CUP OF BLESSING. Rashi explained that the one who is reciting the blessing should not speak from the time they gave him the cup. And the same applies for the recliners, who will listen to him recite the b’rochoh, that they are not allowed to speak for it is required that the listener and the speaker1 give their attention to the b’rochoh. And also the listeners should not interrupt their attention from the birchas hamozon with mundane talk just as the one who recites is not allowed to talk.
According to Tosfos understanding, one may not talk while he is involved with the performance of the mitzvo of birchas hamozo. Tosfos finds another Gemara that seems to contradict this. And even though we said there (the last perek of Rosh Hashonoh 34b): One who heard nine blasts of the shofor extended over nine hours of the day has fulfilled his obligation. It appears that the listener most probably spoke in between, and even so he fulfilled his obligation, which contradicts what we have learned about birchas hamozon, that one may not talk during the b’rochoh.
Tosfos explains that there is a difference between what one may initially do and what is effective de facto. But initially, one may not do so, to talk while he is in the process of listening to shofor, even if it is over an extended period. Our Gemara here is saying that initially one may not talk during birchas hamozon and this in no way contradicts the Gemara in Rosh Hashonoh. However, it appears that this, that he fulfills his obligation de facto if he has spoken during birchas hamozon is specifically if he spoke while the one reciting the b’rochoh was silent for a moment, but if he was speaking while the one reciting was reciting the b’rochoh, he has not fulfilled his obligation even de facto.
According to Tosfos understanding, one may not talk while he is involved with the performance of the mitzvo of birchas hamozo. Tosfos finds another Gemara that seems to contradict this. And even though we said there (the last perek of Rosh Hashonoh 34b): One who heard nine blasts of the shofor extended over nine hours of the day has fulfilled his obligation. It appears that the listener most probably spoke in between, and even so he fulfilled his obligation, which contradicts what we have learned about birchas hamozon, that one may not talk during the b’rochoh.
Tosfos explains that there is a difference between what one may initially do and what is effective de facto. But initially, one may not do so, to talk while he is in the process of listening to shofor, even if it is over an extended period. Our Gemara here is saying that initially one may not talk during birchas hamozon and this in no way contradicts the Gemara in Rosh Hashonoh. However, it appears that this, that he fulfills his obligation de facto if he has spoken during birchas hamozon is specifically if he spoke while the one reciting the b’rochoh was silent for a moment, but if he was speaking while the one reciting was reciting the b’rochoh, he has not fulfilled his obligation even de facto.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot
M.: Ashe.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot
Lit. punishment.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot
The allusion is here to the idea that even numbers were inauspicious and under the influence of evil spirits.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot
I.e. prepare to meet Him by avoiding everything that is inauspicious.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy