The Order of the Benedictions

Tractate Berakoth, by , by A. Lukyn Williams, [1921], at sacred-texts.com

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Points in Dispute between the Schools of Shammai and Hillel: The Order of the Benedictions.

M.VIII. I. The following are the points of difference between the School of Shammai and the School of Hillel ¹ in the case of a meal. The School of Shammai say: One says ² the Benediction over the day, and afterwards the Benediction over the wine; and the School of Hillel say: One says the benediction over the wine, and afterwards over the day.

T. VI. 1. Matters which are in dispute between the School of Shammai and the School of Hillel in the case of a meal.

The School of Shammai say: One pronounces the Benediction over the day, and afterwards the Benediction over the wine. For the day carries with it the coming of the wine, and the holy day had already come before the wine had come.

The School of Hillel say: One pronounces the Benediction over the wine, and afterwards over the day. For the wine carries with it the saying of sanctification of the day. ³ Another reason [given] is: The Benediction of the wine is constant, but the Benediction of the day is not constant. ⁴ And the Rule is according to the words of the School of Hillel.

III. 8. The question of honouring the day and honouring the night. The honouring of the day

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T.

takes the precedence over honouring the night. ¹ If one has only one cup (of wine), the sanctification of the day takes the precedence over the honouring of the day and the honouring of the night. ²

In the case of sabbath nights and feast-day nights. In them [both] is the sanctification of the day (spoken) over the cup, and in them [both] is the mention [of the holiness of the day] in the Benediction after the meal. ³

Sabbath, and feast—day, and the first day of the month, and the weekdays of the feasts—in them [all] is the mention [of the holiness of the day] in the Benediction after the meal, but there is not in them the sanctification of the day over the cup.

Footnotes

65:1 The reasons in each case are given in T.

65:2 One says. i.e. at the beginning of Sabbaths and Festivals.

65:3 sanctification of the day. The Benediction which mentions the day is never uttered without the use of wine.

65:4 constant . . . not constant. That which is done every day has a claim prior to that which is done only occasionally.

66:1 If it is impossible to honour both day and night of sabbath or festival by special meals one should reserve it for the day (cf. Laible).

66:2 The Benediction should be said over that one cup at the entrance of the day (cf. Laible).

66:3 The portion stating the special reference of each festival is to be mentioned.