Daf 153b (דַּף קנ״ג ע״ב)

Rabbi Ḥiyya opened and said (פָּתַח רַבִּי חִיָּיא וְאָמַר), “And you shall eat and be satisfied and bless Hashem your Elohim…” (וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבַעְתָּ וּבֵרַכְתָּ אֶת יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְגוֹ') (Deuteronomy 8). And is it only after a person eats to fullness and his belly is filled that he must bless Kudsha Berikh Hu? (וְכִי עַד לָא אָכִיל בַּר נָשׁ לְשַׂבְעָא, וְיִתְמְלֵי כְּרִיסֵיהּ, לָא יְבָרֵךְ לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא)? Some say: if so (ד״א: ל״ג אִי הָכִי), why does it say, “And you shall eat and be satisfied,” and only afterwards, “and you shall bless”? (בְּמַאי נוֹקִים וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבַעְתָּ, וּבָתַר וּבֵרַכְתָּ). Rather, even if a person eats only an olive’s bulk (אֶלָּא אֲפִילּוּ לָא יֵיכוּל בַּר נָשׁ אֶלָּא כְּזַיִת), and his desire is upon it (וּרְעוּתֵיהּ אִיהוּ עָלֵיהּ), and he considers that food as the essential part of his meal (וְיִשָׁוֵי לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא מֵיכְלָא עִקָרָא דְּמֵיכְלֵיהּ), it is called satisfaction (שָׂבְעָא אִקְרֵי). As it is written: “You open Your hand and satisfy every living thing with will” (דִּכְתִּיב, פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת יָדֶיךָ וּמַשְׂבִּיעַ לְכָל חַי רָצוֹן) (Psalms 145).

It does not say “food for every living thing” (לְכָל חַי אֲכִילָה לָא כְּתִיב), but “will” (אֶלָּא רָצוֹן). That Desire placed upon that food-that is called satisfaction (הַהוּא רְעוּתָא דְּשַׁוֵּי עַל הַהוּא מֵיכְלָא, שָׂבְעָא אִקְרֵי), even if before the person there is only that small olive, and nothing more (וַאֲפִילּוּ דְּלֵית קָמֵיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ אֶלָּא הַהוּא זְעֵיר בִּכְזַיִת, וְלָא יַתִּיר). That desire of satisfaction rests upon it (הָא רְעוּתָא דְּשָׂבְעָא שַׁוֵּי עָלֵיהּ). And for this reason it says, “satisfies every living thing with will”-it says “will,” not “eating” (וּבְגִין כַּךְ, וּמַשְׂבִּיעַ לְכָל חַי רָצוֹן, רָצוֹן כְּתִיב, וְלָא אֲכִילָה). And regarding this, “and you shall bless” is indeed correct (וְעַל דָּא וּבֵרַכְתָּ וַדַּאי), and a person is obligated to bless Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְאִתְחַיֵיב בַּר נָשׁ לְבָרְכָא לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), in order to bring joy above (בְּגִין לְמֵיהַב חֶדְוָה לְעֵילָּא).

Rabbi Ḥizkiyah opened with the verse following and said (פָּתַח רַבִּי חִזְקִיָּה, בְּהַאי קְרָא אֲבַתְרֵיהּ וְאָמַר), “And you shall eat and be satisfied…” (וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבַעְתָּ). From here we learn that a drunk person is still permitted to recite the blessing over food p1-36(מֵהָכָא, דְּשִׁכּוֹר שָׁרֵי לֵיהּ לְבָרְכָא בִּרְכְתָא דִּמְזוֹנָא). This is not the case regarding prayer (מַה דְּלֵית הָכִי בִּצְלוֹתָא). For prayer is not like this (דִּצְלוֹתָא לָאו הָכִי), for prayer is elevated even without eating (דְּהָא צְלוֹתָא מָעַלְיָא בְּלָא אֲכִילָה אִיהִי). Why is that? (מַאי טַעֲמָא) Because prayer ascends above, above (בְּגִין דִּצְלוֹתָא סַלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא לְעֵילָּא), to a place where there is no eating and no drinking (אֲתָר דְּלֵית בֵּיהּ לָא אֲכִילָה וְלָא שְׁתִיָּה). And concerning this we have learned (וְעַל דָּא תָּנִינָן): the World to Come has no eating and no drinking, etc. (עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי לֵית בֵּיהּ אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה וְכוּ'). But the other levels below contain the blessing over food (אֲבָל שְׁאַר דַּרְגִּין דִּלְתַתָּא אִית בְּבִרְכַּת מְזוֹנָא), and another and superior form is found (אִשְׁתְּכַח גַּוְונָא אָחֳרָא וּמָעַלְיָא), which is that blessing that is found with satisfaction (הַהוּא בִּרְכְתָא דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח בְּשַׂבְעָא).

Because the blessing over food exists in a place where there is eating and drinking (בְּגִין דְּבִרְכַּת מְזוֹנָא, אִיהִי בַּאֲתָר דְּאִית בֵּיהּ אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה), and from there comes sustenance and satisfaction below (וּמִנֵּיהּ נָפַק מְזוֹנָא וְשַׂבְעָא לְתַתָּא), and for that reason it must be shown before Him with fullness and joy (וְעַל דָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאַחֲזָאָה קָמֵיהּ שָׂבְעָא וְחֶדְוָה). (And for this reason, this is the place where there is eating and drinking, and from it goes forth sustenance below, and it must be presented before Him with satisfaction and joy) (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, הַאי אִיהוּ אֲתָר דְּאִית בֵּיהּ אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה, וּמִנֵּיהּ נָפֵק מְזוֹנָא לְתַתָּא, וְאִצְטְרִיךְ לְאַחֲזָאָה קָמֵיהּ שָׂבְעָא וְחֶדְוָה).

In the place of prayer, it is not so (בַּאֲתָר דִּצְלוֹתָא, לָאו הָכִי), for it ascends far above (דְּהָא סַלְּקָא יַתִּיר לְעֵילָּא לְעֵילָּא), and because of this, a drunk person may not recite prayer (וְעַל דָּא, שִׁכּוֹר לָא יִצְלֵי צְלוֹתָא). But with the blessing over food, a drunk person is permitted to recite it (בְּבִרְכַּת מְזוֹנָא, שִׁכּוֹר שָׁרֵי לֵיהּ לְבָרְכָא בִּרְכַּת מְזוֹנָא). This is indicated by the verse (מַשְׁמַע מֵהַאי קְרָא): “And you shall eat and be satisfied and bless…” (דִּכְתִּיב וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבַעְתָּ וּבֵרַכְתָּ). “And you shall eat”-this is eating (וְאָכַלְתָּ: זוֹ אֲכִילָה). “And be satisfied”-this is drinking, for satisfaction comes through wine (וְשָׂבַעְתָּ: זוֹ שְׁתִיָּה, דְּהָא שָׂבְעָא, בְּחַמְרָא אִיהִי רַוֵּי). Wine surely satisfies (חַמְרָא שָׂבְעָא וַדַּאי), and this is a drunk person (וְדָא אִיהוּ שִׁכּוֹר). As it is written: “and you shall bless” - precisely so (דִּכְתִּיב וּבֵרַכְתָּ אֶת, דַּיְיקָא), implying that the blessing over food requires joy and fullness (דְּמַשְׁמַע דְּבִרְכַּת מְזוֹנָא אִצְטְרִיךְ חֶדְוָה וְשַׂבְעָא). “Over the good land” (עַל הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה)-what is meant by “good”? Fullness (מַאי טוֹבָה שָׂבְעָא). As it is said (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), “And we were filled with bread and it was good for us” (וַנִּשְׂבַּע לֶחֶם וַנִּהְיֶה טוֹבִים) (Jeremiah 45). And because of this, joy and satisfaction are required (בְּגִין כַּךְ אִצְטְרִיךְ חֶדְוָה וְשַׂבְעָא).

Rabbi Yissa opened and said (פָּתַח רַבִּי יֵיסָא וְאָמַר), “And you shall make a table of shittim wood…” (וְעָשִׂיתָ שֻׁלְחָן עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים וְגוֹ') (Exodus 25). This table is established inside the Mishkan (שֻׁלְחָן דָּא אִיהוּ קַיְּימָא לְגוֹ בְּמַשְׁכְּנָא), and the blessing from above rests upon it (וּבִרְכְתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא שַׁרְיָא עָלֵיהּ), and from it flows sustenance to the entire world (וּמִנֵּיהּ נָפִיק מְזוֹנָא לְכָל עָלְמָא). And this table must never be empty (וְשֻׁלְחָן דָּא לָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֶהֱוֵי בְּרֵיקַנְיָּא), not even for a single moment (אֲפִילּוּ רִגְעָא חֲדָא), but must always have food upon it (אֶלָּא לְמֶהֱוֵי עָלֵיהּ מְזוֹנָא), for blessing is never found in an empty place (דְּהָא בִּרְכְתָא לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח עַל אֲתָר רֵיקָנַיָּא). And for this reason, there must always be bread upon it (וּבְגִין כַּךְ אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֶהוֵי עָלֵיהּ נַהֲמָא תָּדִיר), so that supernal blessing will always rest there (דְּלֶהוֵי תָּדִיר בִּרְכְתָא עִלָּאָה מִשְׁתַּכְּחָא בֵּיהּ), and from that table, blessings and sustenance go forth to all other tables of the world (וּמִגּוֹ הַהוּא שֻׁלְחָן, נַפְקֵי בִּרְכָּאן וּמְזוֹנֵי לְכָל שְׁאַר פָּתוֹרִי דְּעָלְמָא), which are blessed because of it (דְּאִתְבָּרְכָאן בְּגִינֵיהּ).

The table of every person must be like this before him (שֻׁלְחָן דְּכָל בַּר נָשׁ אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֶהֱוֵי הָכִי קָמֵיהּ), at the time that he blesses Kudsha Berikh Hu (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקָא מְבָרַךְ לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), so that blessing from above may rest upon it (בְּגִין דְּתִשְׁרֵי עָלֵיהּ בִּרְכְתָא מִלְּעֵילָּא), and it not be seen as empty (וְלָא יִתְחָזֵי בְּרֵיקַנְיָּא). For blessing from above does not rest in an empty place (דְּהָא בִּרְכָּאן דִּלְעֵילָּא לָא שַׁרְיָין בְּאֲתָר רֵיקָנַיָּא), as it is written: “Tell me what you have in the house…” (דִּכְתִּיב, הַגִּידִי לִי מַה יֶשׁ לָכְי בַּבָּיִת) (II Kings 4), and my Friends have already explained this (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא). A table upon which no words of Orayta are spoken (some say: on which no blessing is recited to Kudsha Berikh Hu over that food-(שֻׁלְחָן דְּלָא אִתְּמַר עָלֵיהּ מִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, ס״א: אֵינוֹ, וְלֹא בֵּרֵיךְ עַל הַהוּא מְזוֹנָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), upon that table it is written: “For all the tables are full of vomit and filth, without place” (עָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב, כִּי כָּל שֻׁלְחָנוֹת מָלְאוּ קִיא צוֹאָה בְּלִי מָקוֹם) (Isaiah 28). And it is forbidden to bless upon that table (וְאָסוּר לְבָרְכָא עַל הַהוּא שֻׁלְחָן).