Commentary for Berakhot 85:12
מסייע ליה לרב דאמר רב חייא בר אשי אמר רב הנוטל ידיו תחלה באחרונה הוא מזומן לברכה רב ורבי חייא הוו יתבי קמיה דרבי בסעודתא א"ל רבי לרב קום משי ידך חזייה דהוה מרתת אמר ליה רבי חייא בר פחתי עיין בברכת מזונא קאמר לך:
This supports the statement of Rab ; for Rab Hiyya b. Ashe said in the name of Rab : He who is the first to wash his hands at the conclusion of the meal has the privilege of saying Grace. Rab and R. Hiyya were sitting at table in the presence of Rabbi. Rabbi said to Rab, "Arise, wash thy hands." R. Hiyya noticed that Rab was trembling, and said to him, "O son of princes! See it is for the privilege of saying Grace after meals that Rabbi tells thee [to wash]."
Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot
Rab was afraid that he was told to wash because his hands were dirty. He must have been quite a youth when this happened ; hence his nervousness.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot
See p. 86 n. 8.
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