Rif Brachot 39b

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39b

{Brachot 53a continues}
And if the majority of the population is Jewish he does bless.

One Tanna taught: the light of a furnace, one may bless over, while another Tanna said we do not bless.
This is not a question. Here is initially {lichatchila}, here is at the end {bedieved}.

One Tanna taught: the light of a shul or house of Torah study, we bless over, while another Tanna taught they we do not bless.
This is not a question. Here is where there is a prominent man present, and there is where there is not a prominent man present.
{Rashi: Since where there is a prominent man, the light was lit for his benefit, and we may bless over it.}

The Sages taught {in a brayta}: If people were sitting in the Bet Midrash and light was brought in [at the termination of the Sabbath], Beth Shammai say that each one says a blessing over it for himself, while Beth Hillel say that one says a blessing on behalf of all, because it says in Mishlei 14:28:

כח בְּרָב-עָם הַדְרַת-מֶלֶךְ; וּבְאֶפֶס לְאֹם, מְחִתַּת רָזוֹן.

28 In the multitude of people is the king's glory; but in the want of people is the ruin of the prince.

The Sages learnt {in a brayta}: We may say the blessing over glowing coals but not over dying coals.
How do you define 'glowing'?
This means coals from which a chip, if inserted between them, will catch of itself.

{The Mishna had said:} "NOT OVER THE LIGHTS OR THE SPICES OF THE DEAD":
Rav Yehuda cited Rav: Wherever [the person buried is of such consequence that] a light would be carried before him either by day or by night, we do not say a blessing over the light [if he is buried on the termination of Sabbath]; but if he is one before whom a light would be carried only at night, we may say the blessing.

What is the reason?
Anything that was not made for light {as opposed to the person's honor} we do not bless upon.

Rav Huna said: Spices of the privy and oil created to remove grease {from hands}, we do not bless upon them.

The Sages learnt {in a brayta}: If one enters a spice-dealer's shop and smells the fragrance, even though he sits there the whole day he makes only one blessing, but if he is constantly going in and out he makes a blessing each time he enters.

The Sages learnt {in a brayta}: If one was walking outside the town and smelt an odour [of spices], if the majority of the inhabitants are idolaters he does not say a blessing, but if the majority are Israelites he does say a blessing.

Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba cited Rabbi Yochanan: If one was walking on the eve of Sabbath in Tiberias, or at the conclusion of Sabbath in Sepphoris, and smelt an odour [of spices], he does not say a blessing, because the probability is that they are being used only to perfume garments.

We learn in perek Ain Omdin Lihitpallel {Brachot 32a}, that Rav and Shmuel both say that anyone who blesses an unnecessary blessing violates {Shemot 20:6}

ו לֹא תִשָּׂא אֶת-שֵׁם-ה אֱלֹקֶיךָ, לַשָּׁוְא: כִּי לֹא יְנַקֶּה ה, אֵת אֲשֶׁר-יִשָּׂא אֶת-שְׁמוֹ לַשָּׁוְא. {פ}

6 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain. {P}

{Brachot 53b}
{The Mishna had said:} "A BLESSING IS NOT SAID OVER THE LIGHT TILL IT HAS BEEN UTILIZED":
And how much {must one be need it to 'utilize it'?
Ulla said: Near enough to distinguish between an as {issar} and a dupondium {pundion - coinage - and a pundion is twice the size of an issar.}
Chizkiya said: Enough to distinguish between a melozma of Tzippori and a melozma of Teveria. {Rashi: a weight. Jastrow: the stamp of a coin.}

Rav Yehuda cited Rav: We do not go looking for a light in the same way as we do in the case of other commandments.
That is to say, if you encounter it, you would bless upon it, but if not, you do not go after it.

We learn in perek Makom SheNahagu {Psachim, 4th perek, daf 54a}: Rabbi Binyamin bar Yefet cited Rabbi Yochanan: