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BERACHOS 42

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1)
(a) It appears that Rav Huna, after eating thirteen loaves of bread, was still not satisfied, so he did not Bensch. Rashi however, rejects this explanation, because how can Rav Huna argue with both Rebbi Meir and Rebbi Yehudah (who argue about whether one Bensches over a Kezayis or a Kebeitzah, but) who both agree that mi'de'Rabbanan at least, one is obligated to Bensch .
(b) The Behag explains that Rav Huna recited 'Mezonos' before and 'Al ha'Michyah' afterwards, because that is the Berachah that one recites over 'Pas ha'Ba'ah be'Kisnin'. Rav Nachman commented that, since he ate such a large quantity over which people normally fix a meal, that he should have recited 'ha'Motzi' and 'Bensching'.
(c) When Rav Yehudah bar Chaviva explained that he recited 'ha'Motzi over Pas ha'Ba'ah be'Kisnin, because Shmuel ruled like Rebbi Muna, who quoted Rebbi Yehudah as saying that that is the correct Berachah to recite - Rav Yehudah informed him that he had misquoted Shmuel, who had not said '*Halachah* ke'Rebbi Muna', but '*Ein* Halachah ke'Rebbi Muna.
(d) Lachmaniyos (which according to Rashi, means thin wafer breads, something like our Matzos - see Tosfos DH 'Lachmaniyos'), which are also a kind of 'Pas ha'Ba'ah be'Kisnin', require a 'Motzi', and one can use them for an Eruv Chatzeros (in spite of Rav Yehudah's ruling) - because one tends to fix one's meal on them.

2)
(a) Rav Papa maintained that it is not finishing the meal which is the criterion for being forbidden to eat before one has Bensched (according to Rashi - according to Tosfos DH 'Rebbi Zeira', it is not necessary to Bensch, but one must recite a fresh Berachah), but rather removing the small table before Bensching, which was customary to place in front of each participant, in those days (See Tosfos DH 'Sileik').
(b) Raba ate even after his table had been removed - because, since he was a guest at the Resh Galusa's table, he relied on whatever they would bring him (i.e. he had not taken his mind off eating, even after the table had been removed).
(c) Some had the Minhag to wash their hands with oil - after the table had been removed - before Bensching. They were still permitted to eat without a fresh Berachah, as long as they had not washed their hands with oil.
(d) The Halachah is that one may continue to eat without a fresh Berachah (and Bensching first - according to Rashi), until one has washed 'Mayim Acharonim' (which should be the last thing to be performed last, as we shall now see).

3)
(a) The other two cases of Teikef are 1. ... 'Teikef li'Semichah Shechitah' (the Shechitah must follow immediately after the Mitzvah of leaning one's hands on the Korban. 2. ... 'Teikef li'Ge'ulah Tefilah'.
(b) When, after working fourteen years for Rachel and Leah, Ya'akov asked Lavan to let him go home , Lavan replied "Nichashti, ve'Yevarcheini Hash-m bi'Gelalecha!" And with regard to Potifera, the Torah testifies "va'Yevarech Hash-m es Beis ha'Mitzri Biglal Yosef". From both of these sources we learn that with a Talmid-Chacham comes Berachah.

4)
(a) It was customary in those days, to drink a cup of wine (as a sort of an Aperitif) before the meal. They would also serve a cup of wine after the meal (before Birchas ha'Mazon). And we have learnt: 'Beirach Al ha'Yayin she'Lifnei ha'Mazon, Patar es ha'Yayin she'le'Achar ha'Mazon'.
(b) The Parperes that was served before the meal (as a form of hors d'oeuvres), might be birds or fish, was meant to open the taste buds; whereas Parperes after the meal (a kind of desert) took the form of roasted wheat kernels or wafer breads (both would be served together with wine). And we have learned 'Beirach al ha'Parperes she'Lifnei ha'Mazon, Patar es ha'Parperes she'le'Achar ha'Mazon'.
(c) ('Beirach) al ha'Pas Patar es ha'Parperes', says the Mishnah, 'al ha'Parperes, Lo Patar es ha'Pas'.

5)
In those days, reclining during the meal was indicative of a Kevi'us. Consequently, if a number of people reclined and began eating, it was a sure sign that they were eating together - which would not be the case if they merely sat down to eat.

6)
(a) On an ordinary weekday, people do not automatically drink additional cups of wine, like they do on Shabbos and Yom-Tov. Consequently, unless they specifically have in mind to do so, each cup requires a fresh Berachah.
(b) On the other hand, after coming out of the bathhouse or after bloodletting, when one did tend to drink during the meal, a fresh Berachah is not necessary.
(c) Abaye claimed that even on Shabbos and Yom-Tov, he did not intend to drink more than one cup, and that, when he did, it was due to a change of heart, and it therefore required a fresh Berachah.

7)
(a) It is possible that wine before the meal exempts wine after the meal from a Berachah - because they are both served as drinks; whereas wine that is served during the meal is not served as a drink, but in order to digest the food - Maybe the Berachah there will not cover the wine which comes after the meal as a drink.
(b) The Gemara at first thinks that 'Achar ha'Mazon, Echad Mevarech le'Kulan', is a continuation of the first half of the Beraisa 'Ba Lahen Yayin be'Soch ha'Mazon' - a clear ruling that the Berachah over the wine served during the meal does not cover the wine served at the end of the meal.
(c) The Gemara concludes however, that the Seifa of the Beraisa is not an extension of the Reisha; what it is saying is that if wine was not served during the meal, then one person recites the Berachah over the wine when it is served at the end of the meal.

8)
The Gemara is uncertain - as to whether Beis Shamai refers to the Reisha of the Mishnah, which says 'Beirach Al ha'Pas, Patar es ha'Parperes' (how much more so, Ma'aseh Kedeirah), on which Beis Shamai comments 'Af Lo Ma'aseh Kedeirah' (and certainly not Parperes); or whether he refers to the Seifa, which says 'Al ha'Parperes, Lo Patar es ha'Pas' (from which we can infer that it does exempt Ma'aseh Kedeirah), on which Beis Shamai comments 'Af Ma'aseh Kedeirah Lo Patar'.

9)
(a) If the members of the group are reclining, then they automatically combine for Mezuman. If however, they say 'Come, Let's go and eat over there' (i.e. they verbally fix a place to eat), then, even if they only sat down together,(without reclining), it is called a fixture, and they Bensch with a Mezuman.
(b) Rav Ada bar Ahavah tore a second Keri'ah for Rav - because they did not know what to do in the case that we just described, which caused them to feel the loss even more acutely.
(c) It was only when an old man came and pointed out the discrepancy between the Mishnah and the Beraisa, and answered it as above, that Rav Ada bar Ahavah's mind was put at ease.

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