Rif Brachot 38a

HIDE/SHOW IMAGE
38a

{Brachot 51a continued}
he must fix his eyes on it, and he must send it round to the members of his household.

Rabbi Yochanan said: We only have four: rinsing, washing, undiluted and full.
Rinsing - is done on the outside.
Washing - is done on the inside.
Undiluted - until the blessing on the land {HaAretz}, and in the blessing on the land he puts into it water, as we learn {tnan}: The Sages agree with Rabbi Eliezer etc. {that is requires water for Grace after meals}
Full - For Rabbi Yochanan said: Anyone who blesses on a full cup of blessing {over grace after meals} is given inheritance without bounds. As it states in Dvarim 33:23:

כג וּלְנַפְתָּלִי אָמַר--נַפְתָּלִי שְׂבַע רָצוֹן, וּמָלֵא בִּרְכַּת יְהוָה; יָם וְדָרוֹם, יְרָשָׁה.

23 And of Naphtali he said: O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the LORD: possess thou the sea and the south. {S}

and Rabbi Yossi bar Rabbi Chanina said: he merits to inherit two worlds - both this world and the next - as it states יָם וְדָרוֹם, יְרָשָׁה.

Crowning - Rav Yehuda crowned it with students {he made them sit around him}.
Rav Chisda crowned it with cups.

(Rabbi Yochanan said: and undiluted. Rav Sheshet said: Only until HaAretz)

Wrapping - Rav Papa wrapped {himself in his robe} and sat and blessed.
Rav Ashi spread a kerchief over his head, and took it with both of his hands, for Rav Chanina bar Papa said: The verse states (in Tehillim 134:2):

ב שְׂאוּ-יְדֵכֶם קֹדֶשׁ; וּבָרְכוּ, אֶת-ה.

2 Lift up your hands to the sanctuary, and bless ye the LORD.

and he held it in his right hand.

Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba cited Rabbi Yochanan: The first ones {earlier students} asked: The left, may it support the right?
Rav Ashi said: Now that the first ones have not decided the question, we will conduct ourselves stringently.

{Brachot 51b}
And he lifts it from the ground a handsbreadth - Rav Acha bar Chanina said: For the verse states (in Tehillim 116:13)

יג כּוֹס-יְשׁוּעוֹת אֶשָּׂא; וּבְשֵׁם ה אֶקְרָא.

13 I will lift up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.

And he distributes to the people of his house as a gift - so that his wife may be blessed.

Rav Asi said: We may not speak over the cup of blessing {of Birchat HaMazon}. And Rav Asi said: We do not bless over the cup of punishment. What is the cup of punishment? Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak said: the second cup. And so said a brayta: One who drinks twice should not bless {upon it}, for it is stated in Amos 4:12:

יב לָכֵן, כֹּה אֶעֱשֶׂה-לְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל: עֵקֶב כִּי-זֹאת אֶעֱשֶׂה-לָּךְ, הִכּוֹן לִקְרַאת-אֱלֹקֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל.

12 Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel; because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.

{as Rashi says: in pleasant and proper [nechonim] things, and not in matters of punishment.}

And he should fix his eyes on it - so that he does not divert his attention from it.

Rabbi Abahu said, and some say they learn in a brayta: One who eats as he walks should stand and bless {Birchat HaMazon}. One who stands and eats should sit and bless. One who reclines and eats should sit {upright} and bless.

And the halacha is that in all of them, he sits in his place and blesses.

MISHNAH.
THESE ARE THE POINTS [OF DIFFERENCE] BETWEEN BETH SHAMMAI AND BETH HILLEL IN RELATION TO A MEAL.

BETH SHAMMAI SAY THAT THE BENEDICTION IS FIRST SAID OVER THE DAY {of Shabbat or Yom Tov} AND THEN OVER THE WINE,
WHILE BETH HILLEL SAY THAT THE BENEDICTION IS FIRST SAID OVER THE WINE AND THEN OVER THE DAY.

BETH SHAMMAI SAY THAT WASHING THE HANDS PRECEDES THE FILLING OF THE CUP {Rashi: of wine drunk before the meal},
WHILE BETH HILLEL SAY THAT THE FILLING OF THE CUP PRECEDES THE WASHING OF THE HANDS

Gemara:
The Sages learnt {in a brayta}: These are the matters between Bet Shammai and Bet Hillel regarding a meal. Bet Shamma say: he blesses upon