M. VIII. 4; T. VI. 3-5. On Wiping one's Hands

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

On Wiping one's Hands.

M.VIII. 4 (3). The School of Shammai say: One M. wipes his hands ³ with a napkin, and lays it on the table; ⁴ and the School of Hillel say: On the cushion. ⁵

p. 68

T.

T. VI. 3. The School of Shammai say: One wipes his hands with a napkin, and leaves it on the table. Perchance [any] moisture which is on the napkin becomes unclean through the cushion [if the napkin were placed there], and makes his hands unclean again.

The School of Hillel say: Any doubt about moisture on his hands means that he is clean.

Another reason [is given]: The washing of the hands is not for ordinary food. ¹ But one wipes his hand with a napkin, and leaves it on the cushion. Perchance [any] moisture which is on the napkin will become unclean through the table, and make the eatables unclean again.

5. The School of Shammai say: The cup of wine ² is on one's right hand, and sweet-smelling oil on one's left. He says the Benediction over the wine and afterwards says the Benediction over the oil. ³ But the School of Hillel say: Sweet-smelling oil on his right, and cup of wine on his left. He says the Benediction over the oil and smears it on the head of the attendant. ⁴ If the attendant be learned in the Law, he smears it on the wall, for it is no credit to one learned in the Law to go out anointed with perfume.

Footnotes

67:3 wipes his hands. After the first washing before eating.

67:4 See T.

67:5 the cushion. i.e. on which he is lying.

68:1 not for ordinary food. It is thus not a question of making the hands, but the eatables, unclean.

68:2 the cup of wine. At the end of Sabbath.

68:3 afterwards says the Benediction over the oil. The wine is the more important.

68:4 on the head of the attendant. So as not to waste it.