INITIALLY, THE MAN WAS UNFIT. This is bewildering, but a tomay is not prohibited from reciting a b’rochoh? And Rashi explained that those who have had emissions are prohibited¹ to recite words of Torahand b’rochos as well, as we have seen in the second perek. **And we can say that it,**the Braiso, is speaking of the immersion of convertswho cannot recite a b’rochoh before the immersion, because they do not have the mitzvos at that point in time. They will first have mitzvos after they come out of the mikvoh. They cannot say that He commanded us when there is no command as of yet. And because of that immersionwhere the b’rochoh must be said after one immerses, they required that for all other immersions as well the b’rochoh be recited after the immersion. We find that for other mitzvos as well, the b’rochoh is always recited after the performance of the mitzvoh, because there are some times that the b’rochoh cannot be recited before the mitzvoh. And the same is true of washing one’s handbefore eating. The b’rochoh is always recited after we wash our hands. **Because sometimes a person comes from the lavatory,**and his hands are unclean, and it is not suitable for him to recite a b’rochoh until after he washes. Therefore, it became the custom of the people to recite all other b’rochos forwashing hands after washing.

footnotes: ¹ See Rosh Chapter 34, who explains that even though nowadays a baal keree may recite words of Torah, and there is no time that the tomay cannot recite a b’rochoh before the immersion, the initial custom that was to recite a b’rochoh for immersion did not change. Tosfos may feel that to say that the present custom is based on a rule that is no longer in effect is inappropriate. He therefore searches for a case where even today the b’rochoh must be made after the immersion, even though it is not a terribly common occurrence.

WE ONLY HAVE FOUR THINGS. R’ Zairo said in the name of R’ Abohu, that there are ten things that are done as an expression of respect for the cup of blessing. R’ Yochonon says that we have only four. On the surface it appears as if there is a disagreement. Tosfos explores this issue. R’Yochono only mentions four expressions of respect that are done for the cup of blessing, however, it does not appear that R’ Yochonon argues about placingthe cup in his right handeven though he does not mention it among his four things as the Gemara says later: R’ Yochonon said the earlier generations asked: if the left hand can be used to support the right hand? It appearsfrom the question, **that this was their custom,**to hold the cup in the right hand and we do not find that R’ Yochonon argues with that. Rather, it appears that he is presenting the custom as a matter of fact.¹ Tosfos presents further proof that some of the other ten things that R’ Yochonon does not mention among his four things were practiced by the amoroim. However, from the fact that the amoroim practiced crowning and covering, it appears that they were stringent upon themselves and observed allof the ten things that R’ Zairo said in the name of R’ Abohu. And therefore one should be stringentin all these matters that pertain to the cup of blessing.

footnotes: ¹ See Artscroll note 34, for an interesting explanation of the apparent contradiction between R’ Yochonon’s stated position and what was practiced.

**[IT REQUIRES RINSING] AND WASHING; [IT MUST BE] UNDILUTED [WINE], AND FULL. In Yerushalmee at the end of our perek: R’ Acho said: three things have been said about a cup of blessing; it must be full, crowned and washed. And all three of them are derived from the verseנפתלי שבע רצון ומלא ברכת ה' (D’vorim 33, 23) שבע refers to crowning,**¹ רצון refers to washed² and ומלא **is as it means,**full.

footnotes: ¹ The commentators on the Yerushalmee say that crowning means that it is surrounded with other cups that give the appearance of satiation. ² When the cup is washed and is sanitary, it finds favor by all even those who may be repulsed by an unclean cup.

WASHING IS FROM THE OUTSIDE AND RINSING IS FROM THE INSIDE. And R’I explainedthat washing and rinsing are required **specifically when the cup is not clean,**¹ when there are leftovers of other cupsin the cup. **However, if it,**the cup is clean without washing and rinsing, that is fine. For it is only required that the cup be clean.

footnotes: ¹ יפהliterally means nice or fine. In the context Tosfos is using this word it translates as clean.

HE MERITS [REWARD] IN TWO WORLDS. How do we see from this verse that one who recites the b’rochoh on a full cup merits reward in two worlds? **HoRav Yosaif of Marseilles explained: that the word in the verse that means inherit should have been written as רש and it was written ירשה. There is a superfluous 'י and 'ה . And with a 'י and 'ה the two worlds were created, as the Gemara says in HaT’chailes (M’nochos 29b)**in explanation of the verse “**for through ה'י, Hashem created worlds.**The word ה'יis taken as if the letters are divided and it is stating that Hashem used the הto create this world and the יto create the next world. When applied to the verse discussing a full cup being used for the cup of blessing, it is saying that one who uses a full cup will merit to רשinherit the two worlds hinted at by the superfluous הand י.

WHAT IS [THE RULING, MAY] THE LEFT [HAND] ASSIST THE RIGHT? When and why would it be necessary to have the right hand supported by the left hand? The question is speaking of large cupsthat are difficult to hold with one hand orit is speaking of Rosh Chodesh Teves that comes on Shabos which is on Chanukohwhen we recite the longest birchas hamozon because of all the additions.¹ Orit is speaking of ameal ****celebrating a **marriage and it is required to recite a lengthy birchas hamozon.**²

footnotes: ¹ On that Shabos we add יעלה ויבא, רצה and על הניסים. ² That also includes the seven blessings for the marriage meal.