Gdyby usiedli do jedzenia [bez odchylania się, znak, że nie umówili się na wspólne jedzenie, ponieważ kiedy grupy ludzi postanowiły jeść razem, siadali na matach i jedli i pili, opierając się po lewej stronie], każdy błogosławi sam siebie, [nie ma „ustalonego” posiłku bez odpoczynku. Jeśli jednak powiedzieli: „Chodźmy i jedzmy chleb w tym miejscu”, nawet jeśli nie leżeli, to tak, jakby to robili i błogosławi za wszystkich; a oni też łączą się ze sobą po łaskę.] Jeśli leżeli, błogosławi za wszystkich. Gdyby przyniesiono im wino podczas posiłku, każdy błogosławi (nad winem) dla siebie [ponieważ ich gardło nie jest wolne, a leżący nie są zainteresowani błogosławieństwem, ale połykaniem tego, co jest w ich ustach. Albo może się zdarzyć, że obawiamy się ich zadławienia w odpowiedzi „Amen”.] I On błogosławi mugmar [Ten, który błogosławi łaski nad mugmar: „Który stwarza lasy korzenne”. I chociaż może być obecna osoba bardziej dostojna niż on, ponieważ zaczął od jednej (błogosławieństwo), czyni drugą], chociaż mugmar nie jest przyniesiony wcześniej niż po posiłku [po łasce, aby nie był wymóg posiłku. Jednak od kiedy zaczął te ostatnie błogosławieństwa, dopełnia je. ["Mugmar": Po posiłku mieli zwyczaj przynosić na patelnię drzewne przyprawy, aby wydobyć aromatyczny zapach.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
היו יושבין – Without reclining and the sign is that they were not gathered to eat together, since it was customary when groups of people gather together to eat, they would recline on couches and eat and drink while leaning to the left.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Berakhot
Introduction
In ancient Greco-Roman custom, formal meals were eaten while reclining on couches. Indeed, a banquet was to a certain extent defined by reclining. Today, the only time Jews recline, even symbolically, is at the Pesah seder. In contrast, people sitting upright and eating together were not at a banquet, rather they were just putting food in their mouths so that they wouldn’t be hungry.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
כל אחד מברך לעצמו – For they did not have an established meal without reclining. However, if they said: “Let us go and eat bread in a certain place,” even though they did not recline, it is as if they had reclined, and one makes the blessing for (i.e. on behalf of) everyone and they join together also for the invitation [to recite ברכת המזון/The Blessing after the Meal].
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Berakhot
If [those at the table] are sitting upright, each one blesses for himself. People sitting and eating together are not really eating a meal together. Hence, when the food arrives everyone blesses for himself.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
בא להם מים בתוך המזון כל אחד מברך לעצמו – Since the esophagus is not free, and the hearts of those leaning are not facing the individual who is making the blessing, other than to swallow what is in their mouths. If so, there is concern lest a person choke when he comes to answer “Amen” [to the blessing recited].
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Berakhot
If they are reclining, one blesses for them all. If they are reclining, then they are eating a formal banquet together and one person can bless on behalf of them all.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
והוא אומר על המוגמר – He who recites ברכת המזון/The Blessing After the Meal, he is the one reciting a blessing on the spices on perfume, “who creates the trees of spices/בורא עצי בשמים”, and even though that there is one that is preferable to it, even so, since he began with one, he would move to the other.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Berakhot
If wine came during the meal, each one says a blessing for himself. If after the meal, one blesses for them all. As I stated in yesterday’s mishnah, wine was generally not served during the middle of the meal. When it was, it wasn’t social wine but rather wine to help one digest one’s food. Also, it would be drunk at different times and not everyone would drink together. Therefore, each person blesses for himself. If the wine came at the end of the meal then everyone would drink together and one person could bless for them all.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
לאחר הסעודה – After [reciting] ברכת המזון, that currently is not [connected to] the needs of the meal, even so, since he has begun reciting other blessings, he should finish them.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Berakhot
The same one says [the blessing] over the incense, even though the incense is not brought until after the meal. At the end of a formal meal incense would be brought in front of the diners. The person who blesses over the wine at the end of the meal also recites the blessing over the incense “Who creates the wood of incense” (Bore atzei besamim).
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
מוגמר – they were accustomed to bring trees of spices/perfume after the meal snuff-dishes on a fire for the purposes [of providing] a good smell.
