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What blessing does olive oil mixed with vegetables require when consumed for throat pain? Rashi (רש"י) holds that blessings require actual eating (achilah), so harmful substances get reduced blessings even when beneficial. The Rambam (רמב"ם) argues blessings follow benefit (hana'ah) rather than eating, making drinking therapeutically its own category deserving borei pri ha'etz.
This shiur analyzes Brachos 35b-36a discussing the proper blessing on olive oil (shemen zayis) mixed with vegetables (anigrin) when consumed for throat pain (choshesh bigrono). The Gemara (גמרא) establishes that pure olive oil is harmful (mazik) and normally wouldn't require a blessing, but when mixed with vegetables for medicinal purposes, it may warrant a borei pri ha'etz blessing. Rashi (רש"י) maintains that all blessings require actual eating (achilah) based on the verse 'v'achalta v'savata' - since harmful substances don't constitute proper eating, they don't require blessings. However, when oil provides benefit despite being harmful, it receives a reduced blessing (shehakol) rather than borei pri ha'etz. The Rambam (רמב"ם) presents a fundamentally different approach, arguing that blessings are based on benefit (hana'ah) rather than eating per se. According to the Rambam, drinking (shtiyah) can have its own blessing requirement separate from the principle that 'drinking is included in eating' (shtiyah b'chlal achilah). When oil is consumed for throat pain, the drinking itself provides therapeutic benefit warranting a borei pri ha'etz blessing. The Tur challenges the Bahag's position: if the determining factor is the large amount of oil (shemen harbeh) making it primary (ikar), then it should warrant a blessing even when not consumed medicinally. The shiur explores practical applications through the dispute between the Magen Avrohom and the Gra regarding vegetable juices. The Magen Avrohom holds that cooked beet juice (mei shelakos) drunk requires a borei pri ha'adamah blessing since drinking falls under eating, while the Gra distinguishes between consumption for eating versus drinking, ruling that when consumed as a beverage it receives shehakol. This fundamental disagreement extends to modern applications like tomato juice, where the method and intent of consumption determines the appropriate blessing. The analysis reveals two competing frameworks: Rashi's eating-based system where blessings require genuine achilah, versus the Rambam's benefit-based system recognizing independent categories of pleasure from drinking.
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Brachos 35b-36a
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