Rif Brachot 42b

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42b

{Chullin 107b continued}
whether the cup is in his own hand, or whether the cup is in the hand of the host, lest something bad happen within the meal.
And the attendant who has not washed his hands, it is forbidden for one to place a piece in his mouth.

We learn in the first perek of Sota {daf 4a}: Rabbi Zerika cited Rabbi Eleazar: Anyone who denigrates the importance of washing hands is uprooted from the world.

Rabbi Chiyya bar Ashi cited Rav: mayim rishonim {the washing at the beginning of the meal} one needs to lift his hands up {Rashi: make the tips of his fingers higher}. acharonim {the washing at the conclusion of the meal} one needs to lower his hands down.

A brayta also says so: one who washes his hands needs to raise them up so that water does not go past the joint and return and make his hands impure.

Rabbi Abahu said: Anyone who eats without drying his hands is as if he ate impure bread. For it is stated (in Yechezkel 4:13)

יג וַיֹּאמֶר ה, כָּכָה יֹאכְלוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת-לַחְמָם טָמֵא, בַּגּוֹיִם, אֲשֶׁר אַדִּיחֵם שָׁם.

13 And the LORD said: 'Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their bread unclean, among the nations whither I will drive them.'

We learn in Yoma, in perek Amar Lahem Hamemuna {daf 30a}: The Sages learnt {in a brayta}: it is a halacha regarding meals that a man who leaves to urinate washes one hand {afterwards} and enters. If he speaks to his friend and waits around {outside for about an hour or two} he washes both of his hands and enters. And when he washes, he should not wash outside {so people will not think he did not wash}, but rather inside. He should enter, sit in his place, wash, and turn his face to the guests {Rashi notes that the girsa in the Tosefta is that the attendant turns the washing cup to face the guests}.

Rav Chisda said: They only said this {that he should wash inside} regarding drinking, but to eat, he can wash outside and then enter, for they know that he would not wish to do it {if he did not wash his hands first}.

Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak said: I, even regarding urinating, they know that I would not wish to do it. {drink without first washing}

HADRAN ALACH ELU DVARIM
END EIGHTH PEREK

BEGIN NINTH PEREK

{Brachot 54a}
MISHNAH.
IF ONE SEES A PLACE WHERE MIRACLES HAVE BEEN WROUGHT FOR ISRAEL, HE SHOULD SAY, BLESSED BE HE WHO WROUGHT MIRACLES FOR OUR ANCESTORS IN THIS PLACE.

ON SEEING A PLACE FROM WHICH IDOLATRY HAS BEEN EXTIRPATED, HE SHOULD SAY, BLESSED BE HE WHO EXTIRPATED IDOLATRY FROM OUR LAND.

[ON WITNESSING] SHOOTING STARS, EARTHQUAKES, THUNDERCLAPS, STORMS AND LIGHTNINGS ONE SHOULD SAY, BLESSED BE HE WHOSE STRENGTH AND MIGHT FILL THE WORLD.

ON SEEING MOUNTAINS, HILLS, SEAS, RIVERS AND DESERTS HE SHOULD SAY, BLESSED BE HE WHO WROUGHT CREATION.
R. JUDAH SAYS: IF ONE SEES THE GREAT SEA ONE SHOULD SAY, BLESSED BE HE WHO MADE THE GREAT SEA,
[THAT IS] IF HE SEES IT AT [CONSIDERABLE] INTERVALS.

FOR RAIN AND FOR GOOD TIDINGS ONE SAYS, BLESSED BE HE THAT IS GOOD AND BESTOWS GOOD.
FOR EVIL TIDINGS ONE SAYS, BLESSED BE THE TRUE JUDGE.