chamra vesiyem bedeshichra (He began with wine and ended with beer). So, yesterday we learned shitat Rashi (Rashi’s view). A guy was holding a cup of Scotch, and the ikar of the berachah (blessing), which is Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha'olam (Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the universe), he began bedeshichra (with beer)—I’m sorry, bedechamra (with wine). He thought it was wine. So he patach bedechamra vesiyem bedeshichra (He began with wine and ended with beer). And then, all’s well that ends well: he finished with shichra, the beer, which means he said shehakol nihyah bidvaro (Everything came to be through His word).
So Rashi learns that the Gemara is saying that in such a case—if he began with wine and ended with beer—the Gemara says, “lo yatza (did not fulfill the obligation).” Why didn’t he fulfill the obligation? He said shehakol nihyah bidvaro. Rashi says that since, at the main part of the berachah, your kavanah (intention) was contrary—you had a kavanah negdit, a contrary intention—you said something that, if you made gefen (Who creates the fruit of the vine) on Scotch, would not be poter (covers the obligation). Therefore, even though you ended correctly, it’s not going to work. That’s shitat Rashi.
Now we’re going to read another shitah (approach). We have a few shitot. Let’s take the Aruch Hashulchan (Set Table). Aruch Hashulchan, rabotai (my masters), we’re in dalet. Now we’re going to learn—look at that, we can’t get away from the Rambam! Baruch Hashem. “Veshitat HaRambam.” Benny, do you want to give us the Rambam’s shitah in the case of patach bedechamra vesiyem bedeshichra, please?
“Shitat HaRambam beperek chet, din yud-alef: yoter tamuah.” Get ready, rabotai, to be surprised. “Ledato, af im berach shelo ke’hogen, kegon sheberach al shechar ‘Borei peri hagefen,’ im besha’ah she’amar ‘Baruch Atah Hashem’ vechulei kiven lomar ‘shehakol,’ ela shenitkal bilshono ve’amar ‘Borei peri hagefen,’ yatza (fulfills the obligation).” That’s the Rambam’s wording.
Wow! Hear what he’s saying? The guy ended up saying Borei peri hagefen on Scotch. Normally, if you say Borei peri hagefen on beer, lo yatza. But the guy wanted to say shehakol; he intended to say shehakol, but the words came out Borei peri hagefen. So, since his kavanah was to say shehakol, even though his words actually said Borei peri hagefen, Maimonides says that’s okay. That’s a phenomenal chiddush (novel insight). You said Borei peri hagefen, and yatza. Why? Because his kavanah was to say shehakol; he just got tongue-tied.
Now let’s read the Rambam’s wording. “Vezeh leshon HaRambam. Lakach kos shel shechar beyado.” Okay, he took the beer in his hand. “Vehitchil haberachah al menat lomar ‘shehakol.’” Right, he knows it’s shehakol; he’s going to make shehakol. What happened? “Veta’ah. Veta’ah ve’amar ‘Borei peri hagefen,’ ein machzirin oto.” Wow! Because his kavanah was to make shehakol. I would say, “Hey, listen, you have to go with what came out of his mouth.” No, don’t worry about what came out of his mouth. hakol holech achar hakavanah (Everything follows the intention).
“Vechen. Im hayu lefanav peirot ha’aretz (fruits of the ground).” Okay, the same thing with fruits of the ground. Now, we know that if you make Borei peri ha’etz (Who creates the fruit of the tree) on fruits of the ground, lo yatza. So the guy had kavanah to say Borei peri ha’adamah (Who creates the fruit of the earth), but Borei peri ha’etz came out of his mouth. Same thing: “Vehitchil haberachah al menat lomar ‘Borei peri ha’etz,’ ‘Borei peri ha’adamah,’ veta’ah ve’amar ‘Borei peri ha’etz.’ Ken. Ein machzirin oto.”
Unbelievable, rabotai! A guy had a bowl of porridge in front of him, a bowl of Farina, and his kavanah was to make Borei minei mezonot (Who creates kinds of nourishment). However, what came out of his mouth was HaMotzi (Who brings forth bread from the earth). Now, you’re not yotzei HaMotzi on Farina. But what? Yatza. “Mipnei? Mipnei shebesha’ah shehizkir et Hashem vehamalchut, shehen ikar haberachah, lo nitkaven ela liberachah haro’uyah le’oto hamin. Veho’il velo hayah be’ikar haberachah ta’ut, af al pi sheta’ah besofah, yatza ve’ein machzirin oto.”
Wow! Rabotai, let’s connect to HaKadosh Baruch Hu (the Holy One, blessed be He) now through this Rambam. If anybody came to the Derech Hashem (The Way of God) class yesterday, you learned one of the important kavanot we have when we come and learn here: we’re not just coming to learn; we’re coming to connect to HaKadosh Baruch Hu, to devekut (cleaving to God) through the Torah. Let’s try to have that in mind now as we analyze the Rambam. The more you analyze something, the more the velocity of the shefa (divine abundance) comes down into a person’s neshamah (soul).
The Rambam is saying something incredible. The guy, lema’aseh (in practice)—if you have the recorder on—said Borei peri hagefen on beer. If you’re a rabbi, you’d say, “Well, sorry, you have to do it again.” But if you’re the Rambam, he would ask you one simple question: “What were you thinking when you said Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam?” “I was thinking that it was beer, and I intended to make a shehakol.” “So why did Borei peri hagefen come out of your mouth?” You know, that’s what happens; sometimes you daydream. “So gefen came out, but my kavanah when I said Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam was clearly for shehakol nihyah bidvaro.” The Rambam says that since, at the ikar berachah—the ikar berachah is Baruch Atah Hashem—his kavanah was good, even though the words that came out of his mouth were wrong, he is yotzei.
Now, this is very surprising, says the Aruch Hashulchan, in halachah heh: “Udevarav, udevarav temuhiym ad me’od. Ad me’od. Heich ka’amar shelo hayah be’ikar berachah ta’ut? Halo kulah ta’ut, keivan shesiyem biberachah acheret. Vaharei ikar berachah hi hasof.”
Right. The Rambam is saying, “Since you were good at the main part of the berachah, you’re okay.” So the Aruch Hashulchan asks, “What do you mean, the main part of the berachah? The main part of the berachah is the last words of the berachah.” And in the last part of the berachah, he actually said it wrong. He said Borei peri hagefen. So how can you say that the ikar berachah was good? The Aruch Hashulchan assumes that the ikar berachah is the words you say at the end.
“Vechi”—and now he gives a mashal (analogy)—“Vechi im amar adam rak Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam velo yoter, mikrei berachah?” Right? A guy says Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam and stops right there. He did nothing. The ikar berachah is the end. Well, I can argue the other way, too: if a guy says only Borei peri hagefen, he also didn’t do anything. “Vaharei ein zeh rak shem Shamayim levatalah (God’s name in vain). Uchevar hisiguhu bahakadmonim (early authorities).”
All the kadmonim asked about the Rambam: how can you say that the ikar berachah was good? The ikar berachah was not good. “Ulefi aniyut da’ati ner’eh de-Rambam hachi ka’amar, ve’olech leshitato (according to his approach) beferak alef, dekhol haberachot yotze’in behirhur balev bilvad.”
Oh, look what he’s doing here. To explain Maimonides, he’s introducing Maimonides’ approach: the Rambam holds that you’re yotzei through hirhur, pondering the berachah. Which is amazing: according to the Rambam, just pondering the berachah is enough.
“Oh, so once you say that, ulefi zeh shapir ka’amar, shebishe’ah shehizkir et Hashem bamalchut”—what was he thinking?—“shenikar haberachah, lo nitkaven ela laberachah hare’uyah. Kelomar, keivan debishe’at amirat Hashem bamalchut hayah belibo lomar kahogen, harei hu ke’ilu gamar haberachah belibo veyatza.”
Wow. So when you say Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam, and your kavanah at that point is to say shehakol nihyah bidvaro, according to the Rambam hirhur is enough. “Ve’im ken mah ichpat lanu mah shesiyem befiv?” What do I care what he ended with? He had already fulfilled the obligation through hirhur halev, thought in his heart.
Right? So that means, by the way, according to the Rambam, it sounds like if a guy said Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam, and at that point he had kavanah for shehakol nihyah bidvaro, and he stopped right there, he’s yotzei? That’s basically what he’s saying. When you said Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam and had kavanah for shehakol, since hirhur is enough, you’re yotzei; you already did the berachah. What do I care if he said Borei peri hagefen afterward?
Wow. Also, it seems like you don’t have to think the words, either. You might think that hirhur means you’re thinking the words. Right, you’re just thinking—he’s saying, “No, you’re just thinking that, right? Shehakol. I would like to fulfill the obligation for this cup of whatever with a shehakol right now.” You have the thought: that’s what I would like to do. I don’t think the words; I don’t think anything. That’s the Rambam’s shitah.
Ezra, do you want to read for us shitat ha-Rif (Rif)? “Veshitat ha-Rif hi yoter mechuberet.” The Rif is more mechuberet—more white, more clear. “Vehachi ka miba’ya leh kegon shelakach beyado kos shel mayim o shechar ve’amar baruch vechulei Borei peri hagefen venizkar techef ve’amar gam shehakol vechach hayah omer Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam Borei peri hagefen shehakol nihyah bidvaro.”
“Wow. Im nomar dehavi yatza keivan she’amar besofo shehakol o keivan she’amar zeh achar Borei peri hagefen havei ke’achat haberachah, aval lehefech keshelakach yayin (wine) ve’amar…”
Oh, so there it’s a safek (doubt). When a guy says Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam Borei peri hagefen shehakol nihyah bidvaro, that’s a safek. Is that going to be okay or not? I would have said maybe toch kedei dibur (within a short interval), you corrected yourself, so it should be okay.
“Aval lehefech keshelakach yayin ve’amar baruch shehakol Borei peri hagefen, vadai yatza, shebishehakol bilvad yotzim al kol hadevarim.”
Right. With yayin, there’s no question. If a guy said on wine, Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam shehakol nihyah bidvaro Borei peri hagefen, no matter which part of that berachah you take, it’ll be okay. If you take the shehakol, it counts. If you take the gefen, it counts. So there’s no question on that side. The question is when you took the shichra and said gefen, shehakol.
“Vedina? Pask ha-Rif. Pasak ha-Rif deve’safek berachot holchin lehakeil velo mehadreinan lei.” Okay, leave him alone. If he said on Scotch or beer, Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam Borei peri hagefen shehakol nihyah bidvaro, yatza. He’s saying it’s a safek. The Gemara is a safek in that case, and therefore, safek berachot lehakeil (be lenient in blessing doubts). In reverse, for sure you’re okay, because if you took wine and said shehakol nihyah bidvaro Borei peri hagefen, no matter what I said, I’m okay.
“VehaRamban, vehaRamban vehaRosh hiskimu lefeirusho begirsato.” So you have the Rif, the Rosh (Rosh), and the Ramban (Ramban), all learning the Gemara in the same way. “Aval haRashba (Rashba) tamah bezeh umah mo’il mah sheyomar achar achar siyum (conclusion) kol haberachah.”
Ah, wow. The Rashba has a big question. Bottom line, you said Borei peri hagefen; the berachah is over. What is it going to help to say shehakol nihyah bidvaro after the berachah is already over?
“Vehanir’eh? Ucheivan dehasiyum haytah beta’ut lo chashvinan zeh kesiyum.” Ah, the argument is going to be the other way: since you made a mistaken siyum, it must mean that it’s not considered a siyum yet. That’s why we’re learning the Rif: a siyum beta’ut is not called a siyum, so you can continue and finish it. “Ela kehefsek (interruption) be’alma.” Now, you shouldn’t have made a hefsek; we agree with that. “Af al pi she’asur lehafsik be’emtza haberachah kedibur acher. Kedibur acher, okay, fine, acher. Aval mikol makom, mikol makom bedi’avad (after the fact) lo amrinan dehefsek tevateil haberachah, keivan keivan shechazar bo toch kedei dibur ve’amar kahogen, vegam vegam ein zeh hefsek kishe’ar hefsekot.”
But you didn’t say anything wrong. What did you say? “God creates gefen.” Nothing wrong with that; it’s true, just not for this item. Therefore, that’s where we’re going to learn the Rif. Let’s review the Rif’s shitah: Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam Borei peri hagefen shehakol nihyah bidvaro—yatza. What do you mean? The Rashba says the berachah is over once you say Borei peri hagefen. Once you’ve said the berachah, you can’t fix it anymore. The Rif learns, no, the berachah is not over if you ended it wrong. Since the chatimah (concluding formula) was wrong, it’s not a chatimah yet, so I can still fix it by saying shehakol nihyah bidvaro.
“Ah, it’s a hefsek; you made a hefsek.” So it’s not a—“Yeah, but you made a hefsek, bottom line.” Bottom line, I said Borei peri hagefen. It’s like I first said Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam al bi’ur chametz. It’s a hefsek, but then I said shehakol nihyah bidvaro. So he comes along and says that since you corrected yourself toch kedei dibur, not just said something, you’ll be okay.
“Vehinei haRambam leshitato vehaRif leshitato pasku lekula kedin safek berachot lehakeil.” Right. Both rabbis ruled leniently in a case of doubt about a berachah. The Rambam learned the case differently. He learned that the guy is holding beer, says Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam, has kavanah for shehakol, and Borei peri hagefen comes out of his mouth. Yatza. Since, at the ikar berachah, he had kavanah for shehakol—and the Aruch Hashulchan learned that the Rambam holds that hirhur is enough—since he pondered the berachah at the ikar berachah, yatza. Therefore, umistama gam Rashi leshitato kein hu.
“Omnam, haTosafot (Tosafot) katvu sham, vehaRi hayah vehaRi hayah omer dechumra detzarich levarech pa’am acheret.” Wow. So all these cases in the Gemara are questions. The Rambam will say, “Listen, safek berachot lehakeil; yatza.” Tosafot says, “No, you have to repeat the berachah.” That’s a big chiddush. What happened to the rule of safek berachot lehakeil, according to Tosafot? “Ve’eino muvan kelal.” What? “Ve’eino muvan kelal hala zehu halachah pesukah desafek berachot lehakeil.” Right. Tosafot, what happened to the rule? Don’t Tosafot know about the rule? Everybody holds of it.
“Ulam nidbeik bahem she’achar kach nitba’eir kavanatam shekatvu: mihu hayah omer Rabbeinu Tam (Rabbeinu Tam), im hayah yodei’a beveirur sheta’ah bediburo vechulei uvetoch kedei dibur yachol lachazor bo. Vechein beyom tov im ta’ah bemikadesh Yisrael vehazemanim ve’amar mekadesh Hashabbat, vechazar vechazar betoch kedei dibur yatza acharei shehu yodei’a shehu yom tov.”
Oh, that’s like the Rif! That’s basically like the Rif. Imagine you said kiddush on Yom Tov, “Mekadesh Yisrael vehazemanim,” and then said “Shabbat.” You’ll be yotzei because you corrected yourself toch kedei dibur. “Vezehu lefi haRif kamuvan.”
Right. “Mechalkim bein im yada shezehu mayim, mai? Ela sheta’ah bilshono lomar Borei peri hagefen.” Right, in that case we’ll say safek berachot lehakeil. He knew it was Shabbat. He just tongue-tied himself and said mekadesh Yisrael vehazemanim. Or he knew what he was supposed to do. He knew it was water; he just mistakenly said gefen. In that case, Tosafot will say safek berachot lehakeil, because he knew what he was supposed to do.
“Aval im lo yada klal shehu—” Right, but if he made a double mistake—he thought it was wine and said the berachah for wine—that’s already too much. Understand? That’s too much. “Vesavur shehu yayin, kemo shenir’eh mechiluk Rashi, vechi hai gavna lo amrinan safek berachot lehakeil, keivan shebe’ikar haberachah lo yada klal shezehu mayim, ela savur shehu—ein kan berachah klal.”
Okay. So now that we have the shitot, rabotai—now that we have the shitot—wait, he doesn’t hold that this is the case the Gemara is uncertain about? The Gemara could be uncertain about whether that’s the case? He’s saying the case is that the guy thought it was wine, but it was water. So when he made the berachah—he’s saying that, according to Rashi, this is the Gemara’s case. The Gemara is uncertain about that case, and therefore he says you have to go back.
“I’m saying, so what is safek berachot lehakeil?” “No, because it’s not a berachah.” For the Gemara, a berachah—“Yeah, but on the side where you’re saying that you didn’t do anything, it’s not a berachah at all.” “No problem. I’m just saying that he doesn’t answer the question of how he’s not—if the Gemara is uncertain—if he’s saying that’s the Gemara’s case, then that’s exactly what the Gemara is uncertain about, and it should be safek berachot lehakeil.” “So if he’s answering—” “Yeah, you’re right. He made it a stronger case for saying a new berachah, but if the Gemara is uncertain, it’s uncertain.”
The truth is, the Gemara sounds like that: he thought it was wine, and he thought it was beer. I mean, that’s why he made the berachah like that. Say from the beginning—“No, I’m saying if that’s the case of the Gemara, that it’s uncertain whether it’s beer or wine, and the Gemara says it’s a safek, and they don’t answer the question, then how does Tosafot say, ‘Okay, that’s exactly our question. How come you’re not just saying safek berachot lehakeil if the Gemara says it’s a safek?’” “Yeah, I guess if on one side there’s no berachah at all.” “Yeah, okay. No, I’m saying then we come up with a major rule: fine, when it’s that dramatic, we don’t say safek berachot lehakeil. It could be that you didn’t do anything, and we won’t say safek berachot lehakeil.” Right, that sounds like his answer. That is his answer.
Continue, Ezra. “Vezeh leshon haTur (Tur), chet, rabotai, Aruch Hashulchan. Rabotai, please connect, connect, connect, chet. Vezeh leshon haTur: Hayah beyado kos shel mayim vesavur shehu shel yayin…” Oh, there’s our bad case. The guy is holding a cup of water and thinks it’s wine. “Patach ve’amar Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech ha’olam al da’at lomar Borei peri hagefen…” Okay, turn your finger. “Venizkar shehu shel mayim vesiyem shehakol, yatza.”
Okay, vesiyem shehakol, yatza. That’s a big thing. Bottom line, you go according to hakol holech achar hasof. That’s not Rashi—well, maybe it is Rashi. Bottom line, you said shehakol nihyah bidvaro; who cares what you had in mind? That’s not the Rambam. According to the Rambam, at the ikar berachah you had kavanah for gefen. According to the Rambam, you have a problem.
“So the ikar was at the end, no? He wouldn’t say safek berachot lehakeil in this case, the Rambam? It was at the end, and he had the right intention at the end, no?” You’re right. That would be according to shitat Rashi: if you made it shehakol nihyah bidvaro, even though at the ikar berachah you said Borei peri hagefen, you’re going to be yotzei.
“Vechol sheken… Vechol sheken im hayah beyado kos shel yayin vesavur shehu shel mayim…” Wine is easy, because no matter what you do with wine, you’re going to be okay. “Upatach al da’at lomar shehakol venizkar shehu shel yayin vesiyem Borei peri hagefen sheyatza, she’af im siyem shehakol yatza.” Fine. “Vechen? Vechen im ta’ah ve’amar al hayayin shehakol nihyah bidvaro Borei peri hagefen…” Okay, that’s like the Rif: you said on wine, “Shehakol nihyah bidvaro, Borei peri hagefen.” That’s an easy case. Whether you said shehakol or gefen, you’re okay.
“O she’amar al hamayim Borei peri hagefen shehakol nihyah bidvaro, yatza.” Oh, that’s a chiddush. He said Borei peri hagefen on water, which is wrong, but corrected himself toch kedei dibur and added shehakol nihyah bidvaro; yatza. That’s the Rif. “Vechen hadin beferi ha’etz uferi ha’adamah… Shehayah tzarich levarech al echad mehem, patach ada’ata de’idach venizkar vesiyem kahogen o she’amar sheneihem, yatza. Ad kan leshono.”
Okay, vezehu peirush Rashi… peirush haRif. Right, he rules like all of them, but he didn’t bring the Rambam at all. The Rambam is the biggest chiddush here, rabotai, because the Rambam’s case is where the guy, with a cup of Scotch, said, “Borei peri hagefen,” and the Rambam says yatza, because at the ikar berachah he had kavanah for shehakol. Just the kavanah. So the Tur doesn’t bring the Rambam at all. He brings Rashi and the Rif, but he doesn’t bring the Rambam. “Peirush haRambam lo heivi kelal. U’va letareitz shapir.”
It makes sense, I guess, because if you hold that the Rambam’s main shitah is based on hirhur, and the Tur doesn’t hold that hirhur is enough, that’s why he won’t bring the Rambam. We explained that the reason the Rambam says that if you said Baruch Atah Hashem with kavanah to say shehakol, even though you said Borei peri hagefen, yatza, is that when you said Baruch Atah Hashem you were pondering shehakol, and the Rambam holds that hirhur is enough. But if the Tur doesn’t hold that hirhur is enough, he couldn’t bring the Rambam, because bottom line, you said gefen on Scotch. I think that’s what he’s going to say.
“U’mishum diberachot yesh sovrim vekhol haposkim cholkim bazeh, beautiful. Kemo shekatavnu, siman kuf-pei-heh, dela… Belo hashma’at ozen lo yatza.” But you have to say it. Okay, beautiful. Joe, do you have an Aruch Hashulchan in front of you? No? What ya charram? Ya charram. Well, we’re not in Yemen over here. This is like Benei Yosef (Sons of Joseph).
Okay, now, Joe, you get the most important one because you’re the most important guy. Look at halachah tet, because now you’re going to give us the Beit Yosef (House of Joseph) shitah. There you go. Aruch Hashulchan for us, Ezra. “Vehinneh haBeit Yosef heivi hadin mikodem lefi peirush haRambam ve’acharei khen lefi peirush Rashi.” Also, Maran—Chacham Maran—brought both. Chacham Maran brought the Rambam’s shitah, and he also brought Rashi’s shitah. “Ufasak bishneihem deyatzah…” Okay, stop right there. That’s very important.
Let’s review shitat Rashi. When you said Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech ha’olam, your kavanah was for gefen, and then you ended up saying shehakol nihyah bidvaro. Since you said shehakol nihyah bidvaro at the end, you’ll be okay, even though at the ikar berachah you had kavanah for wine. That was shitat Rashi. We saw that at the beginning. “Lakach kos shel mayim o shechar, savur shehu yayin, u’vevirchato gefen, vehitchil haberachah Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech ha’olam al menat gefen… Melech ha’olam”—you remembered and ended up saying shehakol. Rashi said bedi’avad (after the fact), safek berachot lehakeil, and you’ll be okay. Maran ruled like that. But he also ruled like the Rambam: if you had kavanah for shehakol when you said Baruch Atah Hashem, even though you ended up saying Borei peri hagefen, you’re also yatza. He brought both shitot. That’s in halachah alef.
Now, in halachah bet, se’if bet (section two), he brought the Rif’s explanation according to the Tur’s wording: “Veyeish omrim delafi peirush haRif demairi she… keshe’amar shenei hadevarim Borei peri hagefen, Borei peri hagefen veshehakol, ufasak deyatzah.” Right. The Rif’s case was where you corrected yourself. You had Scotch, said Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech ha’olam Borei peri hagefen shehakol nihyah bidvaro, and the Rif said that since you corrected yourself toch kedei dibur, yatza. Maran brought that, too. But what did he think he had in his hand? That’s a very important question to ask about the Rif. Some want to say, “Eino ela kesheyada shehu mayim”: according to the Rif, he knew at least that it was water or Scotch; he just got tongue-tied and said Borei peri hagefen. “Rak shenitka bilshono ve’amar hagefen,” and therefore it helps when he goes back toch kedei dibur and says shehakol.
“Veyeish omrim… Continue, veyeish omrim. Veyeish omrim de’afilu le’achar kedei kedei dibur nami mo’il.” Wow. Someone says that even after kedei dibur it would help! That’s a big chiddush. Baruch Atah Hashem… Borei peri hagefen, you wait four seconds, then say shehakol nihyah bidvaro—ya chabibi! “Aval Maran haBeit Yosef dikdek lomar dedavka toch kedei dibur.” Okay, that we understand: specifically toch kedei dibur. “Vechen katav haRambam vechen mashma milshon haTur, velakhen nir’eh ikar ledina dela’achar kedei dibur ein shum hitchabrut laberachah!” Right. There’s no connection to the berachah after toch kedei dibur.
We understand that. According to Rashi and the Rambam, there’s no toch kedei dibur here, because the guy just said one thing. So toch kedei dibur is an issue according to the Rif, but not according to—Basically, it sounds like Maran took all the opinions here. He brought Rashi and the Rambam in halachah alef, and he brought the Rif in halachah bet.
“Mihu… yud. Mihu al al ken… al kol panim da’at hagedolim delafi haRif im lo yada kelal shehu mayim lo yatza, lo yatza. Ach bedi’avad…” Ah, so that’s Tosafot! We already learned that according to Tosafot, if the guy didn’t even know what he had in front of him—he didn’t even know that it was Scotch; he thought it was wine—then that won’t help you, even according to the Rif. The Rif would help only if he knew it was water and just got tongue-tied and said Borei peri hagefen, shehakol nihyah bidvaro. But if he really thought it was gefen and said Borei peri hagefen, even if he corrected himself, Tosafot will say it’s no good; you have to make a new berachah. Now we have to see whether Maran holds like that, but that’s clearly Tosafot’s opinion. “Aval ha-Levush katav, gam be-zeh she-lo yada shehu shel mayim, ayen sham.”
Okay, now let’s open up Shulchan Aruch (Set Table), rabotai. Stop right there before you get to tanna kamma; open up Shulchan Aruch. We’re learning siman reish-tet today. If we’re lucky, we can finish it today. Joe, you’re reading it.
“Lakach kos shel shechar o shel mayim ufotach ve’amar, ‘Baruch atah Hashem Elokeinu melech ha-olam,’ al da’at lomar shehakol, veta’ah ve’amar ‘Borei peri hagefen’… Ein machzirin oto.” Unbelievable. That’s the Rambam: at the ikar berachah he had kavanah for shehakol, and he ended up saying gefen. The Rambam says that since you had it right at the ikar berachah, he doesn’t care what you said. It says, “Ein machzirin oto. Mipnei, mipnei she-bish’ah she-hizkir shem u-malchut, she-hem ikar ha-berachah, lo nitkaven ella li-vrachah ha-re’uyah le-oto ha-min.” Stop right there. Look at the alef, Joe, in Be’er Ha-Golah (Well of the Exile), on the right side, lower down. “Berachot yud-bet, le-feirush ha-Rambam.” That’s it! That’s the source. We knew that. That’s all I wanted to show you: we had the source right there.
“Ve-yesh omrim, ve-yesh omrim she-im lakach kos shechar o mayim be-savor shehu shel yayin, ufotach, ‘Baruch atah Hashem Elokeinu melech ha-olam,’ al da’at lomar Borei peri hagefen, ve-nizkar shehu shechar o mayim, ve-siyyeim shehakol, yatza.” That’s shitat Rashi! Rashi says if the guy began thinking it was gefen, and started with gefen, as long as he ended correctly and said she-ha-kol nihyah bidvaro, he’s also yatza.
Okay, leave the Rema (Rema) for one minute. Go to bet, Joe. Halachah bet: “Lakach kos shel shechar o mayim uverach, ‘Baruch atah Hashem Elokeinu melech ha-olam Borei peri hagefen,’ uvetoch kedei dibbur nizkar she-ta’ah ve’amar ‘shehakol nihyah bidvaro,’ ve-chach haytah amirato… ‘Baruch atah Hashem Elokeinu melech ha-olam Borei peri hagefen shehakol nihyah bidvaro,’ yatza.”
Okay! Bottom line, rabotai, it’s fair to say that Maran took all three opinions here. He took Rashi and the Rambam. But what does he hold? The first halachah is a yesh va-yesh? It’s a stam va-yesh. So stam va-yesh means he took the Rambam. Look at the Mishnah Berurah (Clarified Mishnah), Joe, alef. When he brings the Rambam, the Mishnah Berurah says, “Zehu da’at ha-Rambam.” But most of the decisors, and almost all of them, did not accept the ruling that follows the initial intention. “Keivan she-le-fiv hotzi berachah she-einah re’uyah le-oto ha-min, lo yatza, u-machzirin oto. U-che-svara achronah de-chen yesh li-krot.” Wow, so that’s against the Rambam.
Look at 1 in Gary’s book: “Ve-chen katav Nahar Shalom (River of Peace), Kaf HaChayim (Palm of Life), Shut Yabi’a Omer (Yabi'a Omer), ve-chach katav be-Ben Ish Chai (Son of a Living Man), she-keivan she-le-da’at ha-Rambam lo yatza ba-zeh, keitzad ya’aseh mishum safek berachot?” Wait, what does it say? Am I reading bet? I’m reading 1. Wow. Look at 1. “Ve-chen katav be-sefer Birkat Avraham (Blessing of Abraham). Ulam be-Kaf HaChayim, af de-shechi’ach machloket Rishonim (early authorities) ba-zeh, if there’s a machloket about this, safek sefeika, im nizkar toch kedei dibbur achar she-amar Borei peri ha-gefen yomar miyad she-ha-kol nihyah bidvaro, she-ba-zeh yotzei le-rov ha-poskim u-che-de’ita be-se’if bet.” Nir'ah lo dibbur yisbor kol ha-berachah be-tikkunah be-libo. Wow. Or Le-Tzion (Light of Zion), u-virkat Hashem, ve-zeh leshon Maran al ha-she'ar, hevi'u Kaf HaChayim, Ben Ish Chai, she-svira lehu she-tzarich lomar she-tzarich lachzor u-levarech. Wow. “She-nir’ah de-svira lei she-tzarich lachzor u-levarech, ve-chen katav be-sefer Birkat Avraham.”
So what does Chacham—what does Chacham Ben Tzion (Chacham Ben Tzion) say? Let’s see Chacham Ben Tzion, Or LeTziyon, chelek bet. The question is: do we take this Rambam or not? Yud-daled kaf-heh. “Mi shehitchil levarech beshem umalchut al hamayim al da’at lesayem shehakol nihyah bidvaro, veta’ah vesiyem Borei peri hagefen. Vechen hahefech, shehitchil levarech al hayayin al da’at lesayem Borei peri hagefen, vesiyem shehakol nihyah bidvaro, ha’im tzarich lachzor ulevarech? Ein hamvarech tzarich lachzor al haberachah bechol ofen.”
So he obviously takes the Rambam: safek berachot lehakeil. However, here’s the chiddush of Chacham Ben Tzion. “Vechen im hotzi bivrachah zo acherim”—let’s say you were motzi others with this kind of crazy berachah—“ein yecholim ha’acherim lachzor ulevarech et haberachah.” The others cannot make a new berachah. They were relying on him. I can say, “Listen, I didn’t hire you to make me a berachah like this.” He says, “Ve’ein le’ar’er shebsha’ah shematchil levarech al da’at berachah achat hotzi acherim, eino chozer misafek.”
“Uvazeh yesh le’ayin, im hashome’a yachol lachzor ulevarech ketikunah mishum sheyachol lomar letikuni shedarticha velo le’avuti (I sent you to repair, not to damage).” Well, I can tell the guy, “I sent you to fix something for me, not to put me in a debacle.” I tell you, “Joe, please make the berachah for me; you have a scotch in here.” He says, “Baruch atah Hashem, Elokenu Melech ha’olam, Borei peri hagefen.” Hey, this guy has messed me up over here. “No, I’m relying on the Rambam, bedi’avad.” I’m not interested in this safek. So maybe I can tell you, “I sent you to fix me; I didn’t send you to hurt me.” “Velo hayah beda’ati latzet yedei chovah be’ofen.” I don’t want to fulfill my obligation bedi’avad, on the basis of safek berachot lehakeil.
That’s the question. “What? If you don’t say amen, you’re not yotzei?” I don’t think so. I know; I don’t know. That’s what I was taught. All right, but if I don’t say amen and I have kavanah to be yotzei, I understand.
“Ve’af shebaMishneh LaMelech histafeik beme’ein zeh, be’inyan mi sheshalach shaliach lekadesh lo ishah”—this famous case: I sent a shaliach to go mekadesh a woman, and he performs kiddushin—some type of kiddushin that’s controversial. So I can tell the shaliach, “I’m not interested in kiddushei safek. You put me in this situation—” “The shlichut is batel.” When I sent you as a shaliach, I sent you to do it right. “Im yachol lomar she’al da’at hachi lo shelacho.”
So what’s the difference? With berachot, can’t I tell him the same thing? “Mikol makom yesh lechalek, shesham efshar lomar shebechol zot tisha’er shlichut kedei shetehe aginah gabei. Ve’af im hayetah techilat hakiddushin, tehe muchrachet get, lo tinase ela keyvan shehu safek mekudeshet. Ve’od she’afilu im hu eino rotzeh bah ka’et, al kol panim im eira ken mah she’ein bo lo matirim…” In that case, he’ll give a get. Since he gives her a get, he doesn’t mind the agency here, because he doesn’t get out of it anyway; he’ll always give a get. So, in a case where he can get out of it, we can say that the agency is still good.
“Aval benidon didan yesh lomar devadavai lo nicha leh behachi, veyachol lomar lo letikuni shedarticha velo le’avuti, veyachzor veyevarech. Wow! Ulema’aseh tzarich iyun.” You know, he has a question here. Unbelievable chiddush.
If that’s the case, I told you about the wedding with the Aderet (Aderet). The Aderet came from who knows where. Rabbi Salant brought him to be the rav, the chief rabbi. The Aderet came to Yerushalayim (Jerusalem), and the night he arrived by boat, Rabbi Salant told him, “Be mekadesh; make kiddushin.” He said, “I just came from the derech.” They gave him a cup of wine, and he said, “Savri maranan, Baruch atah Hashem, Elokenu Melech ha’olam shehakol nihyah bidvaro.” All of a sudden he realized he had made shehakol nihyah bidvaro. “Savri maranan, Borei peri hagefen.” They were all shocked. They said, “Hold it.” They said, “What, the rabbi doesn’t know that if you make shehakol on wine you’re not yotzei? Of course you’re yotzei, what is he—” What was his kpeida? “I’m the shaliach of the chatan, and clearly the chatan didn’t make me a shaliach to do something for him bedi’avad. He sent me to do something lechat’chilah (ideally).”
So he used this sevara (reasoning) of letikuni shedarticha velo le’avuti. “I make you an agent. I want to do it the right way, not shehakol, bedi’avad, and all that.” And then he said, especially when it comes to marriage, you don’t want to start the marriage on a bedi’avad. You want to start on a lechat’chilah. All right, that’s a big—
Anyway, everybody holds that bedi’avad, we hold like the Rambam. Lema’aseh, forget about being motzi others. He himself said Borei peri hagefen on Scotch with kavanah to say shehakol; you’re yotzei. And that’s the way—let’s see Chacham Bitan. Where is Chacham Bitan in this sheet? That’s a very interesting sevarot. Do you want to look, Joe? Is the Rabbi Bitan’s book the one that said that? Yalkut Yosef brings it—
Right, but it definitely wouldn’t go according to the da’at of the shome’a ke’oneh (one who hears is like one who answers)? Let’s say the rabbi is making a berachah. I’m thinking Scotch; I’m drinking Scotch. I thought you were drinking Scotch. So I’m listening to the rabbi’s berachah, thinking shehakol, and the rabbi says hagefen. My da’at the whole time was shehakol. The rabbi gave me a left turn with Borei peri hagefen. According to the Rambam, why shouldn’t that be yotzei?
“I’m thinking—” “Yeah, it is yotzei.” “Because so—” “Yeah, but I didn’t send you to do something on a safek.” “No, no, I understand. But in terms of—” “I’m talking—” “So back to what do you call it? Should—” “But not—It was almost like it was my mistake. I thought you had Scotch. It’s almost like he, savur shehu shechar beyado. What is he holding? He must be holding Scotch. I’m holding Scotch. The rabbi’s holding wine. I think the rabbi has Scotch. So the rabbi starts Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam, and I’m being yotzei shehakol. The rabbi says Borei peri hagefen. But hagefen doesn’t cover my Scotch. Right, it doesn’t cover my Scotch, but my da’at was shehakol.”
It’s almost like my da’at was shehakol. What’s the difference between my da’at being shehakol and my getting tongue-tied, or my listening to someone else who says the wrong berachah? It’s like shome’a ke’oneh: I said what the rabbi said. No problem. But my da’at was for the—So, according to that logic, you can see how the Rambam would say, yes, he’s yotzei.
Rabotai, let’s just read the three pages here. We have time. I’ll say the case; you make the rule. Let’s see if you’ve got this halachah. “Lakach kos shechar.” You make the call, Isaac. “Lakach beyado kos shechar. Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam al da’at lomar shehakol, veta’ah ve’amar Borei peri hagefen.” Yatza or lo yatza? “Yatza.” According to shitat HaRambam, yatza. Ein machzirin oto. Why? Because the ikar berachah—you had it right. Shulchan Aruch.
“Mikol makom im nizkar betoch kedei dibbur, of course, fix it.” Yeah, it could never hurt. There’s no reason not to fix it. Not according to the Rashba, but at least—Right. According to the Rif and these other rabbis, what if he said hagefen? Then you said it levatalah. So he says over there, “Mikol makom, yitaken,” because otherwise it could be levatalah.
“Ve’im lo nizkar toch kedei dibbur, yevarech kol berachah ketikunah belibo behirhur.” That’s the Kaf HaChayim, to fix it. Kaf HaChayim says if you didn’t fix it, say the berachah in your mind, in hirhur. I don’t know why he has to tell you that, because anyway you’re relying on the Rambam when it comes to hirhur, and the Rambam says you’re yotzei. I mean, that’s what’s happening according to the Aruch Hashulchan. You know what the Kaf HaChayim says? If you did this, at least ponder the correct berachah.
Now, according to the Rambam, we’re learning that that’s why you’re yotzei: hirhur is enough. So why should you ponder it afterward? The whole basis for why I’m yotzei is hirhur. “Because your berachah was correct?” Yeah, I said shehakol in my hirhur. When I said Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam, my hirhur was shehakol; then I said Borei peri hagefen. The Aruch Hashulchan understood the Rambam to mean that it works because hirhur is enough. Since, when I said the ikar berachah, I was pondering shehakol, it’s like I made the berachah.
So it’s interesting that the Kaf HaChayim says to ponder it. Aderaba, I had already pondered it. Unless he means to ponder it from beginning to end correctly. Or maybe you could say that your spoken words were contrary to your hirhur. Obviously, the Rambam doesn’t hold like this. The Rambam holds that the berachah is over—that’s how the Aruch Hashulchan learned it. But you could say bedi’avad—“Bedi’avad.” And then lechat’chilah you should—maybe even the Rambam would say you should do that. I mean, you know, just—
So, to help us understand the Rambam’s ruling, Or LeTziyon taught that the essential component of any blessing is Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam. Our Sages added the obligation to specify the type of blessing, but the main thing is God’s name: Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam, ikar berachah. In this case, the person recited the main part of the blessing with the correct intention, even though he ended up saying the wrong words. He did not utter a lie by saying Borei peri hagefen, because those words are true. Even the Rambam agreed that each blessing should be recited correctly. Therefore, it is possible to correct one’s error within the one second he should—
Or LeTziyon warned that we must always realize that halachah technically follows the Rambam.
For example, let’s look at this case. Someone ate and needs to recite the blessing of Borei nefashot (Who creates living souls), and he must relieve himself, but he first relieved himself, so he needs to say Asher Yatzar (Who formed). He is supposed to recite the blessing of Asher Yatzar before Borei nefashot, as explained above in siman 207. I guess it’s because you want to make Asher Yatzar tadir (more frequent) first. What did we say? Why do you make Asher Yatzar first? 207:9. What was 207:9? Maybe in this book, 207:9: “Stam, mi she’achal verotzeh levarech achar kach berachah acharonah Borei nefashot, and he went to the bathroom—Asher Yatzar further than Borei nefashot.” Fine. Maybe Borei nefashot yatza? I guess you don’t want to make nefashot on a—What’s the problem? Tet. Tet doesn’t give you a reason. Okay.
Nonetheless, what happens here? Let’s say the guy starts the berachah, Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam, to say nefashot, and then realizes, “Hey, I went to the bathroom, so now I want to change midstream and make it Asher Yatzar.” If you hold like the Rambam, don’t do that. The ikar berachah was nefashot. Don’t now make a left turn to Asher Yatzar. That’s the beauty: according to the Rambam, this blessing is still nefashot because of the ikar berachah. Therefore, he must continue—continue with nefashot. You started with nefashot, Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam, and then, “Oh, I have to say Asher Yatzar.” Don’t do that. If you switched, we’d have to rely on other Rishonim who say that bedi’avad it’s okay. But if you’re following the Rambam, don’t do that. That’s a great case, Chacham Ben Tzion. Once you start with one, don’t switch. According to the Rambam, once you committed in the ikar berachah, you’re committed. That’s a beautiful piece.
“Mi shehayah lefanav peirot ha’aretz”—so you make the ruling, rabotai. Ready for the ruling? A person had fruits of the ground in front of him, intended to say Borei peri ha’adamah, but mistakenly said Borei peri ha’etz. What’s the law? He had the right intention, but said Borei peri ha’etz. According to the Rambam, that’s right: yatza yedei chovah. And the same thing according to Kaf HaChayim if he ponders it. Or he can correct it toch kedei dibbur: Borei peri ha’adamah.
“Mi shehayah lefanav peirot ha’aretz umitkaven liftor acherim biberachah zo”—oh, that’s Chacham Ben Tzion’s case. “Veta’ah baberachah, Borei peri ha’adamah, veta’ah ve’amar Borei peri ha’etz, af hashome’im yatzu yedei chovah, af sheshame’u zo haberachah beta’ut.” That’s it, that’s the Radbaz (Radbaz). That’s Or LeTziyon’s case. The Peri Megadim (Fruit of Delights) disagreed with this. He explained that since the person who recited the blessing on behalf of the others didn’t perform his agency correctly, the agency is canceled. What a beauty!
“Lakach kos shechar vesavur shehu shel yayin, Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam al da’at to say Borei peri hagefen, venizkar shehu shechar vesiyem shehakol.” And what? He began with hagefen, but ended with the correct berachah, shehakol. According to Rashi, we said yatza. Maran brought Rashi, so the posek says yatza. Beautiful.
Are you ready for one more, rabotai? There’s an easy one. A guy had a cup of beer in his hand and said, “Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam Borei peri hagefen shehakol nihyah bidvaro.” Bedi’avad, that’s bedi’avad. What did we say? You’re okay.
Now, what would you say in the other case? Let’s say you said shehakol on the Scotch: Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam shehakol nihyah bidvaro Borei peri hagefen. “Why am I going to say—after you say shehakol, you’re finished.” No, you could argue that, because if the chatimah is good, it’s finished. “Wait, what was my da’at the whole way?” “Shehakol.” And then I said Borei peri hagefen. Then the Rambam says I’m good. Al achat kamah vechamah. I had that intention—igla’i milta. Anyway, he says yatza bedi’avad. It’s lechatchilah.
247, in general the rule is that if someone corrects himself within a second, it cancels. In this case, that would ruin the blessing, right, if he corrects himself. In fact, Rabbeinu Avraham ben David ruled that in this case the blessing is invalid. The Ramban refuted their ruling, however, and defended Rabbeinu Yitzchak Alfasi that the blessing is still valid. Furthermore, according to the Rambam, the blessing is certainly valid, since his intention when he began the berachah was to recite—
That’s very good. Yes, it’s good, right? We got this one; we got this siman good. The first time I learned it, it was very difficult, but now it’s easier. All right, we’ll stop here. Baruch Hashem le’olam, amen ve’amen. Beauty cases.
“So, Sergey, do you have to say amen when someone says a berachah for you to be yotzei, or is it just—” “He’s saying you’re yotzei by—” “No, I always thought if a guy makes a berachah, you must say amen.” We have to look that up. I don’t think you have to say amen if I had kavanah. No, if I had kavanah and didn’t say amen, I don’t think that invalidates my being yotzei.
We always say, “Don’t say Baruch Hu uvaruch Shemo; answer amen.” “No, that’s for sure! Lechat’chilah, you have to answer amen. The question is if you didn’t answer amen but had kavanah to be yotzei.” I don’t think that if you didn’t answer amen, you’re not yotzei. But as long as my kavanah was to be yotzei—yeah, you could say that amen is a signature. I mean, it’s not worse than shome’a ke’oneh. With Birkat Hamazon (Grace after Meals), you don’t say amen. Why wouldn’t I say it if I want to be yotzei? It’s like I said every word. Why would I have to say amen? Megillat Esther (Scroll of Esther)—you remember, they told you in Megillat Esther—there you go, they say shome’a ke’oneh. What does amen do there? Amen is a giluy da’at (expression of intent), saying that I want to be yotzei. But if you didn’t do it—” “We always learn to do it.” “For sure! No one’s arguing about that. The question is if I didn’t do it.” Right, that’s it.
Remember, I was telling the guys—the kids at the table—about the whole thing with saying Birkat Hamazon, whatever, when the guy made Birkat Hamazon on mezonot. My son tells me, “You know, it doesn’t happen, but in Ateret (Ateret), they usually serve bread for breakfast. A couple of days a week, they serve hot cereal. A lot of times, the son thinks he has to make Birkat Hamazon…” “Oh, because he usually does.” Because usually he eats bread; that’s what he does. And then—so you see, the case comes up! It comes up. The guy eats bread every day, and this day they served—was he yotzei or not? That happened with this gezeirah shavah (verbal analogy). Tu demar inyana. “Nehi, kulei demar inyana, aval…” Lema’aseh, it’s—The sevara itself is very surprising. The Mishnah Berurah’s sevara is interesting, though. It’s a way out, an upgrade, a way out. Otherwise, it’s hard to understand. It’s an amazing chiddush. Where did we come out lema’aseh? Yotzei. Bedi’avad, yotzei. Okay. Beautiful, rabotai. Good learning. Good connection. You feel connected, Charlie? Almost.