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What is the essential function of berachah - expressing gratitude or something more? The shiur develops a chiddush from the Gemara (גמרא)'s analysis of kodash lulav that berachah serves dual functions: gratitude for Hashem (ה׳)'s generosity and payment for permission to enjoy His world. This resolves why even heavily processed foods like bread require berachah despite human effort invested.
This Gemara (גמרא) shiur on Berachos 35a presents a sophisticated analysis of the nature of berachah through examining the Rashba's commentary and proposing an innovative third interpretation. Rabbi Zweig begins by reviewing the kashos (questions) on the Rashba's position that grapes (gefen) in the context of zayin minim (seven species) specifically refers to wine rather than the fruit itself. The fundamental difficulty with the Rashba is understanding how the Gemara can make a hekesh (analogy) between different sources when they seem to require different measures - one requiring sevia (satisfaction) and another requiring merely te'imah (tasting). The shiur's central chiddush (novel insight) proposes that the pasuk of kodash lulav is not establishing a new obligation to make berachah, but rather teaching us that berachah has a dual function. Beyond the traditional understanding that berachah expresses gratitude for pleasure received, the Torah (תורה) reveals that berachah also serves as a form of payment or permission to enjoy Hashem (ה׳)'s world. This insight emerges from analyzing how the pasuk places berachah alongside pidyon (redemption), suggesting they serve parallel functions in transferring ownership.
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Berachos 35a
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Should one learn Torah full-time trusting in Divine providence, or combine learning with work? The shiur distinguishes between Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai's approach of complete separation from worldly concerns versus Rabbi Shmuel's view that proper work itself becomes part of Torah. The key insight: true emunah means learning without demanding sustenance from either Hashem or community, unlike having a 'contract' expecting payment for learning.
