Brachot 43 – Eating in a company

At a common meal, when people are eating as a company, one should recite the blessing for food for all present, and then they can all eat. However, if they are not eating as a group, then each one should recite his own blessing. What is a sign that they are eating together? – When they are sitting together at a table, but not, for example, when they are standing. Another case of eating in a company is when they say, “Let's go an eat at such-and-such place.”

When Rav dies, his students accompanied him to the cemetery. On the way back, they said, “Let's go and have a meal on the bank of the Danak River.” After they have eaten, without quite sitting down, they did not know if they ate as a group. Rav Ada bar Ahavah stood up, turned his garment front-to-back, and tore an additional tear on it, as a sign of further mourning. He said, “Rav just died, and we already forgot the laws of the meal!” Finally a certain old man came and taught them the above rules, that even if they said “Let's go eat at a certain place,” they are already considered a company.

After the meal they would bring burning fragrances, and the one who said the blessing on the wine would also say them on the fragrances. What is the source of the blessing on fragrances? This is the last phrase in the psalms, “Let every breathing soul praise God.” What is it that only the person's souls, but not his body, derives please from? – These are pleasantly smelling fragrances.

Art: Jan Steen - The Meal