Berakhot

and buy it, provided he does not see the man plucking it!  — When R. Akiba conflicts with R. Eliezer, we follow him, and the opinion of Beth Shammai when it conflicts with that of Beth Hillel is no Mishnah.  But then let us be guided by the fact that it [the bud] is a protection for the fruit, and the All-Merciful said, Ye shall observe its uncircumcision along with its fruit;  'with' refers to that which is attached to its fruit, namely, that which protects its fruit?  — Raba replied: When do we say a thing is a protection for the fruit? When it does so both when [the fruit is] still attached [to the tree] and after it is plucked. In this case it protects while [the fruit is] attached, but not after it is plucked. Abaye raised an objection: The top-piece of the pomegranate is counted in with it,  but its blossom is not counted in.  Now since it says that its blossom is not counted in with it, this implies that it is not food: and it was taught in connection with 'orlah: The skin of a pomegranate and its blossom, the shells of nuts and their kernels are subject to the law of 'orlah!  — We must say, then, said Raba, that we regard something as a protection to the fruit only where it is so at the time when the fruit becomes fully ripe; but this caper-bud falls off when the fruit ripens. But is that so? Has not R. Nahman said in the name of Rabbah b. Abbuha: The calyces surrounding dates in the state of 'orlah are forbidden, since they are the protection to the fruit. Now when do they protect the fruit? In the early stages of its growth [only]. Yet he calls them a protection to the fruit'? — R. Nahman took the same view as R. Jose, as we have learnt: R. Jose says, The grape-bud is forbidden because it is fruit; but the Rabbis differ from him.  R. Shimi from Nehardea demurred: Do the Rabbis differ from him in respect of other trees?  Have we not learnt: At what stage must we refrain from cutting trees in the seventh year?  Beth Shammai say: In the case of all trees, from the time they produce fruit; Beth Hillel say: In the case of carob-trees, from the time when they form chains [of carobs]; in the case of vines, from the time when they form globules; in the case of olive-trees, from the time when they blossom; in the case of all other trees, from the time when they produce fruit; and R. Assi said: Boser and garua'  and the white bean are all one. ('White bean', do you say?  — Read instead: the size [of them] is that of the white bean.) Now which authority did you hear declaring that the boser is fruit but the grape-bud is not? It is the Rabbis;  and it is they who state that we must refrain from cutting down all other trees from the time when they produce fruit!  — No, said Raba. Where do you say that something is the protection to the fruit? Where if you take it away the fruit dies, Here  you can take it away and the fruit does not die. In an actual case, they once took away the blossom from a pomegranate and it withered; they took away the flower from a caper and it survived.  (The law is as [indicated by] Mar b. R. Ashi when he threw away the caper-berries and ate the buds. And since for purposes of 'orlah they [the buds] are not fruit, for the purposes of benedictions also they are not fruit, and we do not say over them, 'who createst the fruit of the tree', but, 'who createst the fruit of the ground'.) With regard to pepper, R. Shesheth says that the blessing is 'by whose word all things exist'; Raba says: It requires no blessing at all.  Raba in this is consistent; for Raba said: If a man chews pepper-corns on the Day of Atonement he is not liable [to kareth];  if he chews ginger on the Day of Atonement he is not liable. An objection was raised: R. Meir says: Since the text says. Ye shall count the fruit thereof as forbidden,  do I not know that it is speaking of a tree for food? Why then does it say [in the same context], ['and shall have planted all manner of] trees for food'? To include a tree of which the wood has the same taste as the fruit. And which is this? The pepper tree, This teaches you that pepper is subject to the law of 'orlah, and it also teaches you that the land of Israel lacks nothing, as it says, A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack anything in it!  — There is no contradiction; one statement refers to moist pepper,  the other to dried. The Rabbis  said to Meremar: One who chews ginger on the Day of Atonement is not liable [to kareth]. But has not Raba said: The preserved ginger which comes from India is permitted,  and we say over it the benediction 'Who createst the fruit of the ground'?  — There is no contradiction: one statement refers to moist ginger, the other to dried. With regard to habiz  boiled in a pot, and also pounded grain, Rab Judah says the blessing is 'by whose word all things exist', while R. Kahana says that it is 'who createst various kinds of foods'. In the case of simple pounded grain all agree that the correct blessing is 'who createst various kinds of foods'. Where they differ is in respect of pounded grain made like boiled habiz.  Rab Judah says that the blessing for this is 'by whose word etc.', considering that the honey is the main ingredient; R. Kahana holds that the blessing is 'who createst all kinds of food', considering the flour the main ingredient. R. Joseph said: The view of R. Kahana is the more probable, because Rab and Samuel have both laid down that over anything containing an ingredient from the five species [of cereals] the blessing is 'who createst all kinds of foods'. The [above] text [states]: 'Rab and Samuel both lay down that over anything containing an ingredient from the five species [of cereals] the blessing is 'who createst all kinds of foods'. It has also been stated: Rab and Samuel both lay down that over anything made of the five species the blessing is 'who createst all kinds of foods'. Now both statements are necessary. For if I had only the statement 'anything made of etc.', I might say, this is because the cereal is still distinguishable, but if it is mixed with something else, this is not [the blessing].