ברכות דף מט

וזו נתנה בשלש עשרה בריתות.

and that, the covenant of circumcision, was given with thirteen covenants, as the word brit, covenant, appears thirteen times in the portion dealing with the circumcision of Abraham (Genesis 17:1–14).

רבי אבא אומר: צריך שיאמר בה הודאה תחלה וסוף. והפוחת לא יפחות מאחת. וכל הפוחת מאחת — הרי זה מגונה.

Rabbi Abba says: One must mention thanks in the blessing of thanksgiving in Grace after Meals at the beginning and the end of the blessing. And one who decreases the number of expressions of thanksgiving may not decrease their number to fewer than one, and if anyone decreases their number to fewer than one, it is reprehensible.

וכל החותם ״מנחיל ארצות״ בברכת הארץ, ו״מושיע את ישראל״ ב״בונה ירושלים״ — הרי זה בור. וכל שאינו אומר ברית ותורה בברכת הארץ,

The Gemara added that the conclusions of the blessing of the land and the blessing: Who builds Jerusalem, may also not be changed. Anyone who concludes the blessing of the land: Who bequeaths lands and concludes the blessing: Who builds Jerusalem, with the formula: Who redeems Israel, is an ignoramus, as he thereby corrupts the intention of the blessing. And anyone who does not mention covenant and Torah in the blessing of the land and the royal house of David in the blessing: Who builds Jerusalem, did not fulfill his obligation.

ומלכות בית דוד ב״בונה ירושלים״ — לא יצא ידי חובתו.

מסייע ליה לרבי אילעא, דאמר רבי אילעא אמר רבי יעקב בר אחא משום רבינו: כל שלא אמר ברית ותורה בברכת הארץ ומלכות בית דוד ב״בונה ירושלים״ — לא

The Gemara notes: This baraita supports the opinion of Rabbi Il’a, as Rabbi Il’a said that Rabbi Ya’akov bar Aḥa said in the name of Rabbeinu, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi: Anyone who did not mention covenant and Torah in the blessing of the land and the royal house of David in the blessing: Who builds Jerusalem, did not fulfill his obligation.

יצא ידי חובתו.

פליגי בה אבא יוסי בן דוסתאי ורבנן. חד אמר: ״הטוב והמטיב״ צריכה מלכות, וחד אמר: אינה צריכה מלכות. מאן דאמר צריכה מלכות קסבר דרבנן.

Abba Yosei ben Dostai and the Rabbis disagreed whether or not God’s sovereignty must be invoked in the blessing: Who is good and does good. One said: Who is good and does good, requires mention of God’s sovereignty, and one said: It does not require mention of God’s sovereignty. The Gemara explains: The one who said that it requires mention of God’s sovereignty holds that this blessing was instituted by the Sages, so it is not a continuation of the previous blessings. As an independent blessing, God’s sovereignty must be mentioned. The one who said that it does not require mention of God’s sovereignty holds that the obligation to recite this blessing is by Torah law. Therefore, it is a continuation of the previous blessings.

ומאן דאמר אינה צריכה מלכות קסבר דאורייתא.

תנו רבנן: מהו חותם בבנין ירושלים, רבי יוסי ברבי יהודה אומר: ״מושיע ישראל״. ״מושיע ישראל״ — אין, ״בונה ירושלים״ — לא? אלא אימא: אף ״מושיע ישראל״.

The Sages taught in a baraita: With what formula does he conclude the third blessing of Grace after Meals, which discusses the building of Jerusalem? Rabbi Yosei son of Rabbi Yehuda says: He concludes it with: Who redeems Israel. This is perplexing: Is that to say that with: Who redeems Israel, yes, he concludes the blessing; with: The building of Jerusalem, no, he does not conclude the blessing? The Gemara responds: Rather, say that Rabbi Yosei son of Rabbi Yehuda said the following: One who recites the blessing concludes either with: The building of Jerusalem, or even with: Who redeems Israel.

רבה בר רב הונא איקלע לבי ריש גלותא, פתח בחדא וסיים בתרתי. אמר רב חסדא: גבורתא למחתם בתרתי! והתניא רבי אומר: אין חותמין בשתים!

The Gemara recounts: Rabba bar Rav Huna happened to come to the house of the Exilarch. While reciting the blessing: Who builds Jerusalem in Grace after Meals, he opened with one theme: Have compassion on Jerusalem, and concluded with two themes: Both the building of Jerusalem and Who redeems Israel. Rav Ḥisda said derisively: It takes great fortitude to conclude with two themes. How could you conclude with two themes? Wasn’t it taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: One may not conclude with two themes? Each blessing has its own particular ending.

גופא. רבי אומר: אין חותמין בשתים. איתיביה לוי לרבי, ״על הארץ ועל המזון״! — ארץ דמפקא מזון. ״על הארץ ועל הפירות״! — ארץ דמפקא פירות.

The Gemara discusses the matter itself: Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: One may not conclude with two themes. Levi, his student, raised an objection to the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi based on the standard conclusions of various blessings. The second blessing of Grace after Meals concludes: For the land and for the food. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi explained that the conclusion to that blessing is actually a single theme: The land that produces food. Levi raised a similar objection from the blessing that concludes: For the land and for the fruit. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi explained that there, too, it means: The land that produces fruit.

״מקדש ישראל והזמנים״! — ישראל דקדשינהו לזמנים. ״מקדש ישראל וראשי חדשים״! — ישראל דקדשינהו לראשי חדשים.

Levi cited two other blessings: Who sanctifies Israel and the seasons. It means: Who sanctifies Israel, who sanctify the seasons. Who sanctifies Israel and the New Moon. It means: Who sanctifies Israel, who sanctify the New Moons.

״מקדש השבת וישראל והזמנים״! — חוץ מזו.

Levi cited an additional blessing that concludes with two themes, the blessing recited when Shabbat coincides with a Festival: Who sanctifies Shabbat, Israel, and the seasons. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi answered: Except for that one.

ומאי שנא? הכא חדא היא, התם תרתי, כל חדא וחדא באפי נפשה.

The Gemara asks: What is different about this blessing? The Gemara answers: Here, the blessing thanks God for one matter, the sanctity of the day. However, there, in the conclusion of the third blessing of Grace after Meals, the building of Jerusalem and redemption of Israel are two themes, and each one is distinct from the other.

וטעמא מאי אין חותמין בשתים? לפי שאין עושין מצות חבילות חבילות.

The Gemara asks: And what is the reason that one does not conclude a blessing with two themes? The Gemara responds: Because there is a general principle: One does not perform mitzvot in bundles; rather, each mitzva must have its own blessing.

מאי הוי עלה?

The Gemara has yet to arrive at a clear conclusion regarding the conclusion of the third blessing of Grace after Meals. The Gemara asks: What conclusion was reached about it?

אמר רב ששת: פתח ב״רחם על עמך ישראל״ — חותם במושיע ישראל. פתח ב״רחם על ירושלים״ — חותם ב״בונה ירושלים״. ורב נחמן אמר:

Rav Sheshet said: If he opened with: Have compassion on Your people, Israel, mentioning redemption of Israel at the start, he concludes with: Who redeems Israel; if he opened with: Have compassion on Jerusalem, he concludes with: Who builds Jerusalem. Rav Naḥman said: Even if he opened with: Have compassion on Israel, he concludes with: Who builds Jerusalem, because it is stated: “The Lord builds Jerusalem; He gathers in the exiles of Israel” (Psalms 147:2). This verse is interpreted to mean: When does God build Jerusalem? When He gathers in the exiles of Israel. The rebuilding of Jerusalem symbolizes Israel’s redemption.

אפילו פתח ב״רחם על ישראל״ — חותם ב״בונה ירושלים״, משום שנאמר ״בונה ירושלים ה׳ נדחי ישראל יכנס״: אימתי בונה ירושלים ה׳ — בזמן שנדחי ישראל יכנס.

אמר ליה רבי זירא לרב חסדא: ניתי מר ונתני. אמר ליה: ברכת מזונא לא גמירנא, ותנויי מתנינא. אמר ליה: מאי האי? אמר ליה: דאקלעי לבי ריש גלותא,

On a similar topic, the Gemara relates: Rabbi Zeira said to Rav Ḥisda: Let the Master come and teach Mishna. He responded: I have not yet learned Grace after Meals, and I will teach Mishna? He responded: What is this? Why do you say that you have not yet learned Grace after Meals? He said to him: I happened to come to the house of the Exilarch and recited Grace after Meals, and Rav Sheshet stiffened his neck over me like a snake, i.e., he got angry and challenged me. Rabbi Zeira asked: And why did Rav Sheshet become angry with you? He answered: I did not mention covenant, Torah, or sovereignty in Grace after Meals. Rabbi Zeira wondered: And why did you not mention those themes? He answered that he did so in accordance with the opinion that Rav Ḥananel said that Rav said, as Rav Ḥananel said that Rav said: If one does not mention covenant, Torah or sovereignty in Grace after Meals, he nevertheless fulfilled his obligation because these themes are not applicable to all of Israel. Covenant does not apply to women; Torah and sovereignty apply neither to women nor to slaves. Rabbi Zeira said to him: Rav Sheshet should have been angry with you. And you abandoned all of these tanna’im and amora’im who disagree with him, and followed Rav? Evidently, many tanna’im and amora’im hold that covenant, Torah, and sovereignty must be mentioned in the second blessing of Grace after Meals.

ובריכי ברכת מזונא, וזקפיה רב ששת לקועיה עלי כחויא. ואמאי? דלא אמרי לא ברית ולא תורה ולא מלכות. ואמאי לא אמרת? כדרב חננאל אמר רב,

דאמר רב חננאל אמר רב: לא אמר ברית ותורה ומלכות — יצא. ברית — לפי שאינה בנשים. תורה ומלכות — לפי שאינן לא בנשים ולא בעבדים.

ואת שבקת כל הני תנאי ואמוראי, ועבדת כרב?!

אמר רבה בר בר חנה אמר רבי יוחנן: ״הטוב והמטיב״ צריכה מלכות. מאי קא משמע לן, כל ברכה שאין בה מלכות — לא שמה ברכה?

Rabba bar bar Ḥana said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The blessing: Who is good and does good, requires mention of God’s sovereignty. The Gemara asks: What is he teaching us that we did not already know? If you say that he is teaching us that any blessing that does not contain mention of God’s sovereignty is not considered a blessing, didn’t Rabbi Yoḥanan already say that halakha once? Rabbi Zeira said: Rabba bar bar Ḥana is saying that the blessing: Who is good and does good, requires two mentions of sovereignty, one for itself and one for the blessing: Who builds Jerusalem.

והא אמרה רבי יוחנן חדא זימנא! אמר רבי זירא: לומר שצריכה שתי מלכיות, חדא דידה וחדא ד״בונה ירושלים״.

אי הכי ניבעי תלת: חדא דידה, וחדא ד״בונה ירושלים״, וחדא דברכת הארץ! אלא ברכת הארץ מאי טעמא לא? משום דהוייא לה ברכה הסמוכה לחברתה,

The Gemara asks: If so, that God’s sovereignty must be mentioned a second time in the blessing: Who is good and does good, to compensate for the fact that it was not mentioned in the blessing: Who builds Jerusalem, it should require three mentions; one of its own, one for the blessing: Who builds Jerusalem, and one for the blessing of the land, in which sovereignty is also not mentioned. Rather, in the blessing of the land, what is the reason that sovereignty is not mentioned? Because it is a blessing juxtaposed to another preceding blessing. Who builds Jerusalem, should also not require its own mention of God’s sovereignty, as it is a blessing juxtaposed to another preceding blessing.

״בונה ירושלים״ נמי לא תבעי, דהויא לה ברכה הסמוכה לחברתה!

הוא הדין דאפילו ״בונה ירושלים״ נמי לא בעיא. איידי דאמר מלכות בית דוד, לאו אורח ארעא דלא אמר מלכות שמים. רב פפא אמר, הכי קאמר:

The Gemara responds: The same is true even with regard to the blessing: Who builds Jerusalem, that it does not require mention of sovereignty. However, since he mentioned the royal house of David in the blessing, it would not be proper if he did not mention God’s sovereignty as well. On the other hand, Rav Pappa said: The blessing: Who is good and does good, requires two mentions of sovereignty besides its own; one to compensate for its lack of mention in the blessing: Who builds Jerusalem, and one for the blessing of the land.

צריכה שתי מלכיות לבר מדידה.

יתיב רבי זירא אחורי דרב גידל, ויתיב רב גידל קמיה דרב הונא, ויתיב וקאמר: טעה ולא הזכיר של שבת, אומר:

The Gemara recounts: Rabbi Zeira sat behind Rav Giddel in the study hall, and Rav Giddel sat before Rav Huna, and he sat and he said: One who erred and did not mention the formula for Shabbat in Grace after Meals, says the following abridged version instead: Blessed…Who gave Shabbatot for rest to His people Israel with love, as a sign and a covenant; Blessed…Who sanctifies the Shabbat. Rav Huna said to him: Who said this halakha? He answered: Rav.

״ברוך שנתן שבתות למנוחה לעמו ישראל באהבה לאות ולברית, ברוך מקדש השבת״. אמר ליה: מאן אמרה? רב.

הדר יתיב וקאמר: טעה ולא הזכיר של יום טוב, אומר: ״ברוך שנתן ימים טובים לעמו ישראל לשמחה ולזכרון, ברוך מקדש ישראל והזמנים״. אמר ליה: מאן אמרה? רב.

Again Rav Giddel sat and said: One who erred and did not mention the formula for Festivals in Grace after Meals, says: “Blessed…Who gave Festivals to His people Israel for joy and for commemoration; Blessed…Who sanctifies Israel and the seasons.” Rav Huna said to him: Who said this halakha? He answered: Rav.

הדר יתיב וקאמר: טעה ולא הזכיר של ראש חודש אומר ״ברוך שנתן ראשי חדשים לעמו ישראל לזכרון״. ולא ידענא אי אמר בה ״שמחה״ אי לא אמר בה ״שמחה״,

Again Rav Giddel sat and said: If one erred and did not mention the New Moon, he says: “Blessed…Who gave the New Moon to His people Israel for commemoration. Rabbi Zeira, who related this incident, said: I do not know whether he mentioned joy in the formula or whether he did not mention joy, whether he concluded this formula with a blessing as he did in the parallel formulas for Shabbat and Festivals or if he did not conclude it with a blessing; and whether this halakha is his or whether it is his teacher Rav’s statement.

אי חתים בה, אי לא חתים בה, אי דידיה אי דרביה.

גידל בר מניומי הוה קאי קמיה דרב נחמן, טעה רב נחמן

The Gemara relates: Giddel bar Manyumi was standing before Rav Naḥman, Rav Naḥman erred and did not mention the special formula for Shabbat in Grace after Meals,

והדר לרישא. אמר ליה: מאי טעמא עביד מר הכי? אמר ליה, דאמר רבי שילא אמר רב: טעה — חוזר לראש.

and he returned to the beginning of Grace after Meals and repeated it. Giddel bar Manyumi said to Rav Naḥman: Why did the master act in that manner? He said: As Rabbi Sheila said that Rav said: If one erred, he returns to the beginning.

והא אמר רב הונא אמר רב: טעה — אומר ״ברוך שנתן״! אמר ליה: לאו איתמר עלה, אמר רב מנשיא בר תחליפא אמר רב:

Giddel bar Manyumi challenged: Didn’t Rav Huna say that Rav said: If one erred, he recites: Blessed…Who gave? Rav Naḥman said to him: Wasn’t it stated about this that Rabbi Menashya bar Taḥlifa said that Rav said: They only taught that one recites the short blessing in a case where he did not yet begin reciting: Who is good and does good; however, if he already began reciting: Who is good and does good, he must return to the beginning of Grace after Meals?

לא שנו אלא שלא פתח ב״הטוב והמטיב״, אבל פתח ב״הטוב והמטיב״ — חוזר לראש.

אמר רב אידי בר אבין אמר רב עמרם אמר רב נחמן אמר שמואל: טעה ולא הזכיר של ראש חדש בתפלה — מחזירין אותו.

Rav Idi bar Avin said that Rav Amram said that Rav Naḥman said that Shmuel said: If one erred and did not mention the formula for the New Moon in his Amida prayer, we require him to return to the beginning of the prayer and repeat it. However, if one erred and forgot to mention the New Moon in Grace after Meals, we do not require him to return to the beginning and repeat it.

בברכת המזון — אין מחזירין אותו.

אמר ליה רב אבין לרב עמרם: מאי שנא תפלה ומאי שנא ברכת המזון? אמר ליה: אף לדידי קשיא לי ושאילתיה לרב נחמן, ואמר לי:

Rav Avin said to Rav Amram about this: What is the difference between the Amida prayer and Grace after Meals? He said to him: That question was also difficult for me and I asked Rav Naḥman about it, and he said to me: I did not hear the reason from Mar Shmuel himself, but let us see if we can analyze it ourselves. For the Amida prayer, which is an obligation, we require him to return to the beginning of the prayer and repeat it. For Grace after Meals, which is not an obligation, as if he wants to eat, he eats and if he wants not to eat, he does not eat, we do not require him to return to the beginning and repeat it. Grace after Meals is not a full-fledged obligation; it is dependent upon eating, which is optional. Consequently, failure to mention the New Moon in Grace after Meals is not a source of concern.

מיניה דמר שמואל לא שמיע לי, אלא נחזי אנן: תפלה דחובה היא — מחזירין אותו. ברכת מזונא, דאי בעי אכיל אי בעי לא אכיל — אין מחזירין אותו.

אלא מעתה שבתות וימים טובים, דלא סגי דלא אכיל — הכי נמי דאי טעי הדר? — אמר ליה: אין, דאמר רבי שילא אמר רב: טעה — חוזר לראש.

The Gemara asks: If so, on Shabbatot and Festivals, when there is a mitzva to eat and when it is not possible to refrain from eating, there too, if he erred and failed to mention them in Grace after Meals, would you say that he must return to the beginning and repeat it? He said: Yes. As Rabbi Sheila said that Rav said: If one erred, he returns to the beginning of Grace after Meals. The Gemara asks: Didn’t Rav Huna say that Rav said: If one erred, he recites: Blessed…Who gave? The Gemara rejects this: Wasn’t it stated about this: They only taught that one recites the short blessing in a case where he did not yet begin reciting: Who is good and does good; however, if he already began reciting: Who is good and does good, he must return to the beginning of Grace after Meals.

והא אמר רב הונא אמר רב: טעה — אומר ״ברוך שנתן״! — לאו איתמר עלה: לא שנו אלא שלא פתח ב״הטוב והמטיב״,

אבל פתח ב״הטוב והמטיב״ — חוזר לראש.

עד כמה מזמנין וכו׳.

There is a dispute in the mishna: How much must one eat to obligate those with whom they ate in a zimmun? An olive-bulk; Rabbi Yehuda says: An egg-bulk.

למימרא דרבי מאיר חשיב ליה כזית, ורבי יהודה כביצה? והא איפכא שמעינן להו, דתנן: וכן מי שיצא מירושלים ונזכר שהיה בידו בשר קדש,

The Gemara asks: Is that to say that Rabbi Meir considers an olive-bulk significant and Rabbi Yehuda considers an egg-bulk significant? Didn’t we hear them say the opposite elsewhere? As we learned in a mishna: And similarly, one who left Jerusalem and remembered that there was consecrated meat in his hand, which may not be removed from Jerusalem, if he passed Mount Scopus, or anywhere that is a comparable distance from the Temple Mount, he burns the sanctified meat at the site where he is located; and if he has not yet traveled that distance, he must return to burn it before the Temple with the wood of the arrangement that was designated for burning consecrated items that were disqualified.

אם עבר צופים — שורפו במקומו, ואם לאו — חוזר ושורפו לפני הבירה מעצי המערכה.

עד כמה הם חוזרים? רבי מאיר אומר: זה וזה בכביצה. ורבי יהודה אומר: זה וזה בכזית.

The mishna continues: How much meat must be in their possession in order to obligate them to return? Rabbi Meir says: One must return for an egg-bulk of this, sanctified meat, and that, leaven mentioned there previously. And Rabbi Yehuda says: One must return for an olive-bulk of this and that. Their opinions there seem to contradict their opinions in our mishna.

אמר רבי יוחנן: מוחלפת השיטה. אביי אמר: לעולם לא תיפוך. הכא בקראי פליגי, רבי מאיר סבר: ״ואכלת״ — זו אכילה, ״ושבעת״ — זו שתיה, ואכילה בכזית.

To resolve this contradiction, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The opinions are reversed in one of these sources and must be emended. Abaye said: Actually do not reverse them. Here, with regard to zimmun, they disagree with regard to the interpretation of verses. Rabbi Meir holds: “And you shall eat,” that is eating; “and be satisfied,” that is drinking after eating. The halakha is in accordance with the standard halakhic principle that eating is defined as the consumption of an olive-bulk. And Rabbi Yehuda holds: “And you shall eat and be satisfied,” refers to eating that includes satisfaction. And what is considered eating with satisfaction? The consumption of an egg-bulk.

ורבי יהודה סבר: ״ואכלת ושבעת״ — אכילה שיש בה שביעה, ואיזו זו — כביצה.

התם בסברא פליגי, רבי מאיר סבר: חזרתו כטומאתו, מה טומאתו בכביצה — אף חזרתו בכביצה. ורבי יהודה סבר: חזרתו כאיסורו, מה איסורו בכזית — אף חזרתו בכזית.

On the other hand, there, in the case of leaven and sanctified foods, they disagree not with regard to the interpretation of verses, but with regard to logical reasoning. Rabbi Meir holds: The requirement to return consecrated food is analogous to its ritual impurity, and just as its susceptibility to ritual impurity is only when it is the size of an egg-bulk, so too, the requirement to return it is only when it is the size of an egg-bulk. And Rabbi Yehuda holds: The requirement to return consecrated food is analogous to its prohibition, and just as its prohibition is only when it is the size of an olive-bulk, so too, the requirement to return it is only when it is the size of an olive-bulk.

מתני׳ כיצד מזמנין? בשלשה — אומר: ״נברך״, בשלשה והוא — אומר: ״ברכו״.

MISHNA: The mishna delineates distinctions in the halakhot of the zimmun blessing, based on the number of people present. How does one recite the zimmun? In a group of three people, the one reciting the zimmun says: Let us bless the One from Whose food we have eaten. In a group of three people and him, the one reciting the zimmun says: Bless the One from Whose food we have eaten, as even without him there are enough people to recite the zimmun.

בעשרה — אומר ״נברך אלהינו״, בעשרה והוא — אומר ״ברכו״. אחד עשרה ואחד עשרה רבוא.

With the increase in the number of participants, the blessing is more complex. In a group of ten people, the one reciting the zimmun says: Let us bless our God. In a group of ten people and him, the one reciting the zimmun says: Bless our God. This formula is recited both in a group of ten and in a group of one hundred thousand.

במאה — הוא אומר ״נברך ה׳ אלהינו״, במאה והוא — אומר ״ברכו״. ובאלף — הוא אומר ״נברך לה׳ אלהינו אלהי ישראל״, באלף והוא — אומר ״ברכו״.

In a group of one hundred people, the one reciting the zimmun says: Let us bless the Lord our God. In a group of one hundred people and him, the one reciting the zimmun says: Bless the Lord our God. In a group of one thousand people, the one reciting the zimmun says: Let us bless the Lord our God, the God of Israel. In a group of one thousand people and him, he says: Bless the Lord our God, the God of Israel. In a group of ten thousand people, the one reciting the zimmun says: Let us bless the Lord our God, the God of Israel, the God of Hosts, Who sits upon the cherubs, for the food that we have eaten. In a group of ten thousand people and him, the one reciting the zimmun says: Bless the Lord our God, the God of Israel, the God of Hosts, Who sits upon the cherubs, for the food that we have eaten.

ברבוא — אומר ״נברך לה׳ אלהינו אלהי ישראל אלהי צבאות יושב הכרובים על המזון שאכלנו״, ברבוא והוא — אומר ״ברכו״.

כענין שהוא מברך, כך עונים אחריו ״ברוך ה׳ אלהינו אלהי ישראל אלהי צבאות יושב הכרובים על המזון שאכלנו״.

The principle is that just as he recites the blessing, so too those present recite in response: Blessed be the Lord our God, the God of Israel, the God of Hosts, Who sits upon the cherubs, for the food that we have eaten.

רבי יוסי הגלילי אומר: לפי רוב הקהל הם מברכים, שנאמר ״במקהלות ברכו אלהים ה׳ ממקור ישראל״. אמר רבי עקיבא: מה מצינו בבית הכנסת,

On a similar note, Rabbi Yosei HaGelili says: According to the size of the crowd, they recite the blessing, as it is stated: “Bless you God in full assemblies, even the Lord, you who are from the fountain of Israel” (Psalms 68:27). Rabbi Akiva said that there are no distinctions based on the size of the crowd: What do we find in the synagogue? Both when there are many and when there are few, as long as there is a quorum of ten, the prayer leader says: Bless [barekhu] the Lord. Rabbi Yishmael said that in the synagogue, one recites: Bless the Lord the blessed One.

אחד מרובים ואחד מועטים אומר ״ברכו את ה׳״. רבי ישמעאל אומר: ״ברכו את ה׳ המבורך״.

גמ׳ אמר שמואל: לעולם אל יוציא אדם את עצמו מן הכלל.

GEMARA: Shmuel said: One should never exclude himself from the collective.

תנן: בשלשה והוא — אומר ״ברכו״!

The Gemara raises a challenge from what we learned in our mishna: In a group of three people and him, the one reciting the zimmun says: Bless the One from Whose food we have eaten. He thereby excludes himself from the collective.

אימא:

The Gemara answers: Say that the meaning of the mishna is: