משנה מסכת ברכות פרק ו משנה א
כיצד מברכין על הפירות על פירות האילן אומר בורא פרי העץ חוץ מן היין שעל היין אומר בורא פרי הגפן ועל פירות הארץ אומר בורא פרי האדמה חוץ מן הפת שעל הפת הוא אומר המוציא לחם מן הארץ ועל הירקות אומר בורא פרי האדמה רבי יהודה אומר בורא מיני דשאים:
How does one recite blessings for fruits? For fruits growing on a tree, one says, "...Who creates the fruit of the tree," Except for wine; For wine, one says, "...Who creates the fruit of the vine." For fruits growing from the earth, one says, "...Who creates the fruit of the ground," Except for bread; For bread, one says, "...Who brings forth bread from the earth." For vegetables, one says, "...Who creates the fruit of the ground." Rabbi Yehudah says: One should say instead, "...Who creates various types of herbs." [Translation by Kayam Farms]
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. What is the effect of having specific categories for food blessings?
2. What do the different categories show about how the rabbis understood the natural world?
3. Why do you think these categories were chosen? Would you assign categories differently? Are there any missing, in your opinion?
Time Period: Rabbinic (Maccabees through the Talmud)