Rub a Dub, Thank God for the Grub: Why Jewish Berakhot are About So Much More than Thankfulness

(1) A person should not taste anything until he makes a Beracha (blessing) [on it], as it is said, “To Hashem is the Earth and its fullness…” (Psalms 24:1) [A person] who receives pleasure from this world without a Beracha makes inappropriate use of sacred property, until all of the Mitzvot (commandments) [that must be done over this object] will permit it to him.

(1) How does one recite blessings for fruits? On fruits growing on a tree, one says, "...Who created the fruit of the tree," except for wine; on wine, one says, "...Who created the fruit of the vine." On fruits growing from the earth, one says, "...Who created the fruit of the ground," except for bread; on bread, one says, "...Who brings forth bread from the earth." On vegetables, one says, "...Who created the fruit of the ground." Rabbi Yehudah says: [One should say instead,] "...Who created various types of herbs."

If he blessed over the bread he has exempted the appetizer/dessert (parperet), but if he blessed over the appetizer/dessert (parperet) he has not exempted the bread. Bet Shammai say: [he has not even exempted] a cooked [grain] dish.

If they brought in front of him salted food at the beginning of the meal and bread with it, he blesses over the salted food and thereby exempts the bread, since the bread is ancillary to it. This is the general principle: whenever there is one kind of food that is the main [food] and another that is ancillary, he blesses over the main food and thereby exempts the ancillary.

If one was eating plain wheat flour, what blessing would he recite? Rav Yehuda said that one recites: Who creates fruit of the ground, and Rav Naḥman said that one recites: By Whose word all things came to be. Rava said to Rav Naḥman: Do not disagree with Rav Yehuda, as Rabbi Yoḥanan and Shmuel hold in accordance with his opinion, As Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said, and so too Rabbi Yitzḥak said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: One recites the blessing: Who creates fruit of the tree, over olive oil. Consequently, even though the olive has changed into olive oil, the formula of the blessing remains as it was. This too, even though the wheat has changed into flour, its blessing remains as it was: Who creates fruit of the ground.

The heart of palm [kura]: Rav Yehuda said: Who creates fruit of the ground. And Shmuel, Rav Yehuda’s teacher, said that one should recite: By Whose word all things came to be. Rav Yehuda said: Who creates fruit of the ground; it is a fruit. And Shmuel said: By Whose word all things came to be, since it will ultimately harden and it is considered part of the tree, not a fruit. Shmuel said to Rav Yehuda: Shinnana. It is reasonable to rule in accordance with your opinion, as a radish ultimately hardens if left in the ground; nevertheless, one who eats it while it is soft recites over it: Who creates fruit of the ground.

In any case, That is not so; people plant a radish with the soft radish in mind. However, people do not plant palm trees with the heart of palm in mind and therefore it cannot be considered a fruit.

Rav Ḥisda taught in the name of Rabbeinu; and the Gemara remarks incidentally: Who is Rabbeinu? Rav. Over boiled vegetables one recites: Who creates fruit of the ground. And our Rabbis who descended from Eretz Yisrael, and again the Gemara explains: And who is the Sage with this title? Ulla said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: Over boiled vegetables one recites: By whose word all things came to be,

And I say that there is an intermediate opinion: Anything in its original uncooked state, one recites: Who creates fruit of the ground, when he boiled it, he recites: By whose word all things came to be,. And any vegetable that when eaten in its original uncooked state, one recites: By whose word all things came to be, because it is not typically eaten raw, when he boiled it, he recites: Who creates fruit of the ground.

(3) The Beracha (blessing) for undiluted wine is Borei Pri Haetz (Who created the fruit of the tree) and it (i.e. undiluted wine) can be used to wash hands. [If] he added water into it, [then] the Beracha on it [becomes] Borei Pri Hagafen (Who created the fruit of the vine) and it (i.e. diluted wine) cannot be used to wash hands. [These are] the words of Rebbi Eliezer. And the Chachamim (Sages) say, “Whether this one (i.e. undiluted wine) or that one (i.e. diluted wine), the Beracha on it is Borei Pri Hagafen and it cannot be used to wash hands.”