Berakhot 8:5-8
ืืฉื ื ืืจืืืช ื:ื-ื
Seder: Zeraim | Tractate: Berakhot | Time4Mishna
๐ Mishna
Mishna 8:5
ืืฉื ื ื:ื
Hebrew:
ืึผึตืืช ืฉืึทืึผึทืื ืืึนืึฐืจึดืื, ื ึตืจ ืึผืึธืืึนื ืึผืึฐืฉืึธืึดืื ืึฐืึทืึฐืึผึธืึธื. ืึผืึตืืช ืึดืึผึตื ืืึนืึฐืจึดืื, ื ึตืจ ืึผืึฐืฉืึธืึดืื ืึผืึธืืึนื ืึฐืึทืึฐืึผึธืึธื. ืึผึตืืช ืฉืึทืึผึทืื ืืึนืึฐืจึดืื, ืฉืึถืึผึธืจึธื ืึฐืืึนืจ ืึธืึตืฉื. ืึผืึตืืช ืึดืึผึตื ืืึนืึฐืจึดืื, ืึผืึนืจึตื ืึฐืืึนืจึตื ืึธืึตืฉื:
English:
Just as they dispute the order of the blessings in kiddush, they dispute the order of the blessings in havdala. If a meal continued until the conclusion of Shabbat, Beit Shammai say: One recites the blessing over the candle, then the Grace after Meals blessing, then the blessing over the spices, and finally the blessing of havdala. And Beit Hillel say: The order is candle, spices, Grace after Meals, and havdala. With regard to the blessing over the candle, Beit Shammai say: Who created [bara] the light of fire. And Beit Hillel say: Who creates [boreh] the lights of fire.
ืงืืืื ืขื ืืืฉื ื:
Now the mishna turns to havdalahโthe ceremony marking the end of Shabbat. Whatโs the order of blessings when havdalah occurs during a meal? Beit Shammai say: Candle, food (Grace), spices, havdalah. Beit Hillel say: Candle, spices, food, havdalah.
The logic behind each order reflects different priorities. Beit Shammai: The candle is lit first (itโs already providing light), then we bless food (which is on the table), then spices (brought out), then havdalah (the conclusion). Beit Hillel: Candle first (immediate), spices (quick), then the lengthy Grace after Meals, and finally havdalah to concludeโso the final blessing properly ends Shabbat.
The halacha follows Beit Hillel. The familiar mnemonic โYavnehโ (ืืื โืโYayin, Besamim, Ner, Havdalah) reflects a further development where wine comes first.
Key Terms:
- ืืืืื (Havdalah) = Separation; ceremony ending Shabbat/holidays
- ื ืจ (Ner) = Candle; the braided havdalah candle
- ืืฉืืื (Besamim) = Spices; fragrant spices used in havdalah
Mishna 8:6
ืืฉื ื ื:ื
Hebrew:
ืึตืื ืึฐืึธืจึฐืึดืื ืึนื ืขึทื ืึทื ึผึตืจ ืึฐืึนื ืขึทื ืึทืึผึฐืฉืึธืึดืื ืฉืึถื ืขืึนืึฐืึตื ืืึนืึธืึดืื, ืึฐืึนื ืขึทื ืึทื ึผึตืจ ืึฐืึนื ืขึทื ืึทืึผึฐืฉืึธืึดืื ืฉืึถื ืึตืชึดืื, ืึฐืึนื ืขึทื ืึทื ึผึตืจ ืึฐืึนื ืขึทื ืึทืึผึฐืฉืึธืึดืื ืฉืึถืึผึดืคึฐื ึตื ืขึฒืืึนืึธื ืึธืจึธื. ืึตืื ืึฐืึธืจึฐืึดืื ืขึทื ืึทื ึผึตืจ ืขึทื ืฉืึถืึผึตืืึนืชืึผ ืึฐืืึนืจืึน:
English:
One may neither recite a blessing over the candle nor over the spices of gentiles, nor over the candle nor the spices designated to pay respects to the dead, nor over the candle nor the spices of idolatry. The mishna cites another halakha with regard to the blessing over the candle: And one does not recite the blessing over the candle until he derives benefit from its light.
ืงืืืื ืขื ืืืฉื ื:
This mishna discusses what disqualifies items for use in havdalah blessings. You may not use a candle or spices belonging to: (1) gentiles, (2) the dead, or (3) idolatry.
The reason for each exclusion differs. Gentile candles and spices: they werenโt rested on Shabbat (the fire was burning throughout Shabbat, violating its sanctity). Candles/spices for the dead: these were designated for honoring the deceased, not for human benefitโusing them for havdalah would be disrespectful. Candles/spices for idolatry: obvious prohibition against deriving benefit from idolatrous objects.
The mishna then specifies: you may not bless over the candle until you actually benefit from its lightโmeaning you must be close enough to distinguish between different coins by its light. The blessing acknowledges benefit; without actual benefit, the blessing is empty.
Key Terms:
- ื ืจ ืฉื ืขืืืื ืืืืืื (Ner Shel Ovdei Kokhavim) = Gentileโs candle; fire that burned on Shabbat
- ืืชืื (Metim) = The dead; items designated for funeral honor
- ืขืืืื ืืจื (Avodah Zarah) = Idolatry; objects used in idol worship
Mishna 8:7
ืืฉื ื ื:ื
Hebrew:
ืึดื ืฉืึถืึธืึทื ืึฐืฉืึธืึทื ืึฐืึนื ืึตืจึทืึฐ, ืึผึตืืช ืฉืึทืึผึทืื ืืึนืึฐืจึดืื, ืึทืึฒืึนืจ ืึดืึฐืงืึนืืึน ืึดืืึธืจึตืึฐ. ืึผืึตืืช ืึดืึผึตื ืืึนืึฐืจึดืื, ืึฐืึธืจึตืึฐ ืึผึทืึผึธืงืึนื ืฉืึถื ึผึดืึฐืึผึธืจ. ืขึทื ืึตืืึธืชึทื ืืึผื ืึฐืึธืจึตืึฐ. ืขึทื ืึผึฐืึตื ืฉืึถืึผึดืชึฐืขึทืึผึตื ืึทืึผึธืืึนื ืฉืึถืึผึฐืึตืขึธืื:
English:
The mishna cites an additional dispute: One who ate and forgot and did not recite a blessing; Beit Shammai say: He returns to the place where he ate and recites the blessing. Beit Hillel say: That is unnecessary. He recites the blessing at the place where he remembered. Both agree, however, that there is a limit with regard to how long after eating one may recite Grace after Meals. And until when does he recite the blessing? Until the food is digested in his intestines.
ืงืืืื ืขื ืืืฉื ื:
What if you ate, became satiated, and then realized you forgot to say Grace after Meals (birkat hamazon)? Beit Shammai say: Return to the place where you ate and recite it there. Beit Hillel say: Recite it wherever you are when you remember.
Beit Shammaiโs reasoning: Blessings should be recited in the place of the experience. You ate there; you should thank there. Returning shows respect for the mitzvah. Beit Hillelโs reasoning: The obligation is gratitude to God, not location. Making someone returnโespecially if theyโve traveled farโmight cause them to skip the blessing entirely. Better a blessing in the โwrongโ place than no blessing at all.
The halacha follows Beit Hillel, but recommends returning if convenient. This debate illustrates a recurring theme: Beit Shammai emphasize ideal performance; Beit Hillel emphasize ensuring performance happens at all.
Key Terms:
- ืืจืืช ืืืืื (Birkat HaMazon) = Grace after Meals; the blessing after eating bread
- ืืงืื (Makom) = Place; location where eating occurred
- ืฉืื (Shakhach) = Forgot; failed to recite required blessing
Mishna 8:8
ืืฉื ื ื:ื
Hebrew:
ืึผึธื ืึธืึถื ืึทืึดื ืึฐืึทืึทืจ ืึทืึผึธืืึนื ืึฐืึตืื ืฉืึธื ืึถืึผึธื ืืึนืชืึน ืึทืึผืึนืก, ืึผึตืืช ืฉืึทืึผึทืื ืืึนืึฐืจึดืื, ืึฐืึธืจึตืึฐ ืขึทื ืึทืึผึทืึดื ืึฐืึทืึทืจ ืึผึธืึฐ ืึฐืึธืจึตืึฐ ืขึทื ืึทืึผึธืืึนื. ืึผืึตืืช ืึดืึผึตื ืืึนืึฐืจึดืื, ืึฐืึธืจึตืึฐ ืขึทื ืึทืึผึธืืึนื ืึฐืึทืึทืจ ืึผึธืึฐ ืึฐืึธืจึตืึฐ ืขึทื ืึทืึผึธืึดื. ืขืึนื ึดืื ืึธืึตื ืึทืึทืจ ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตื ืึทืึฐืึธืจึตืึฐ, ืึฐืึตืื ืขืึนื ึดืื ืึธืึตื ืึทืึทืจ ืึทืึผืึผืชึดื ืึทืึฐืึธืจึตืึฐ, ืขึทื ืฉืึถืึผึดืฉืึฐืึทืข ืึผึธื ืึทืึผึฐืจึธืึธื:
English:
Wine came before the diners after the meal; if only that cup of wine is there, Beit Shammai say: One recites a blessing over the wine and recites a blessing over the food, Grace after Meals, thereafter. And Beit Hillel say: One recites a blessing over the food and recites a blessing over the wine thereafter. And one answers amen after a Jew who recites a blessing even if he did not hear the entire blessing, and one does not answer amen after a Samaritan [Kuti] who recites a blessing until he hears the whole blessing in its entirety, as perhaps the Kuti introduced an element inconsistent with the Jewish faith in that section of the blessing that he did not hear.
ืงืืืื ืขื ืืืฉื ื:
The chapter concludes with a scenario: wine arrives after the meal but before Grace. If thereโs only one cup of wine available, Beit Shammai say: Bless the wine first, then recite Grace over it. Beit Hillel say: Recite Grace first, then bless and drink the wine.
The reasoning: Beit Shammai treat the wine blessing as immediateโthe wine is in front of you, bless it now. Grace can follow. Beit Hillel: Grace after Meals is the more pressing obligationโyouโve finished eating and owe thanks. The wine blessing can wait; use the cup for Grace, then bless and drink.
This mishna introduces a structural principle: when obligations compete, which takes precedence? Frequency? Immediacy? Importance? The Sages would develop elaborate rules for such conflicts, but the core tension appears here in this practical dining scenario.
Key Terms:
- ืืืก ืฉื ืืจืื (Kos Shel Berakha) = Cup of blessing; wine cup for Grace after Meals
- ืงืืืื (Kedimah) = Precedence; which blessing comes first
- ืชืืืจ (Tadir) = Frequent; principle that more common obligations precede rarer ones
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