Commentary for Berakhot 103:9
והאמר מר המברך צריך שיטעום דטעים ליה והאמר מר טעמו פגמו דטעים ליה בידיה
But the teacher has said : He who says a benediction must taste ! He does taste [but leaves the greater part]. But the teacher has said : If he tasted it, he disqualifies it [for another benediction] ! He tastes it with his hand.
Tosafot on Berakhot
ONE WHO TASTED [THE CUP OF WINE] DISQUALIFIED IT. One who tastes wine in a cup renders the remainder blemished. To what degree is I blemished is Tosfos discussion. Rashbam explained, that it is only for kidush and havdoloh that it is required that the cup not be blemished, but for drinking, one is required to recite a b’rochoh even though it, the cup is blemished, because it is forbidden to benefit from this world without reciting a b’rochoh.
And as far as kidush and havdoloh as well, we have not said that the cup cannot be blemished, only when there is a possibility of using some other cup. But if it is impossible to find another cup that is not blemished, one recites the b’rochoh of kidush and havdoloh even upon a blemished cup. And he puts some water into the cup, so that it will appear to be unblemished. As it is stated in Yerushalmee: R” Yonoh tasted the cup and he corrected it by adding water or wine and the explanation is that after he drank from it he added a drop of water or wine to correct it and then he would recite havdoloh or kidush upon it.
And as far as kidush and havdoloh as well, we have not said that the cup cannot be blemished, only when there is a possibility of using some other cup. But if it is impossible to find another cup that is not blemished, one recites the b’rochoh of kidush and havdoloh even upon a blemished cup. And he puts some water into the cup, so that it will appear to be unblemished. As it is stated in Yerushalmee: R” Yonoh tasted the cup and he corrected it by adding water or wine and the explanation is that after he drank from it he added a drop of water or wine to correct it and then he would recite havdoloh or kidush upon it.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot
I.e. dips his finger in the wine, which he then puts to his mouth.
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