Berakhot

We are told therefore, 'anything containing an ingredient etc.'. If again I had only the statement, anything containing an ingredient etc.', I might think that this applies to the five species [of cereals], but not to rice and millet when they are mixed with other things; but when they are distinguishable the blessing even over rice and millet is 'who createst various kinds of foods'. So we are told that over anything which is made of the five species we say 'who createst various kinds of foods', excluding rice and millet, over which we do not say 'who createst various kinds of foods' even when they are distinguishable. And over rice and millet do we not say, 'who createst various kinds of foods'? Has it not been taught: If one is served with rice bread or millet bread, he says blessings before and after it as for a cooked dish [of the five species]; and with regard to cooked dishes, it has been taught: He says before partaking, 'Who createst various kinds of foods', and after it, he says one blessing which includes three?  — It is on a par with cooked dishes in one way and not in another. It resembles cooked dishes in requiring a benediction before and after, and it differs from cooked dishes, because the blessing before these is 'who createst various kinds of foods' and the blessing after is the one which includes three, whereas in this case the blessing before is 'by whose word all things exist', and the blessing after. 'Who createst many living beings with their wants, for all which He has created etc.' But is not rice a 'cooked dish'?  Has it not been taught: The following count as cooked dishes: spelt groats, wheat groats, fine flour, split grain, barley groats, and rice? Whose opinion is this?  That of R. Johanan b. Nuri; for it has been taught: R. Johanan b. Nuri says: Rice is a kind of corn, and when leavened it can entail the penalty of kareth,  and it can be used to fulfil the obligation of [eating unleavened bread on] Passover.  The Rabbis, however, do not admit this.  But do not the Rabbis admit this? Has it not been taught: If one chews wheat, he says over it the benediction, 'who createst the fruit of the ground'. If he grinds and bakes it and then soaks it [in liquid], so long as the pieces are still whole  he says before [partaking the blessing], 'who bringest forth bread from the earth' 'and after, the grace of three blessings;  if the pieces are no longer whole, he says before partaking 'that createst various kinds of foods', and after it one blessing that includes three.  If one chews rice, he says before partaking 'who createst the fruit of the ground'. If he grinds and bakes it and then soaks it, even if the pieces are still whole, he says before partaking who createst various kinds of foods', and after it the one blessing which includes three? Now whose opinion is this? Shall I say it is R. Johanan b. Nuri's? But he said that rice is a kind of corn, and therefore [according to him] the blessing should be 'who bringest forth food from the earth' and the grace the one of three blessings! It must therefore be the Rabbis'; and this is a refutation of Rab and Samuel, is it not? — It is a refutation. The Master said [above]: 'If one chews wheat 'he says over it the blessing, "who createst the fruit of the ground"'. But it has been taught: 'Who createst various kinds of seeds'? There is no contradiction: one statement represents the view of R. Judah,  the other that of the Rabbis, as we have learnt: Over vegetables one says, 'who createst the fruit of the ground'; R. Judah. however, says: 'Who createst various kinds of herbs'. The Master said [above]: 'If one chews rice he says over it "Who createst the fruit of the ground". If he grinds and bakes it and then soaks it, even if the pieces are still whole, he says before it, "Who createst the various kinds of foods", and after it one blessing which includes three'. But it has been taught: After it he need not say any blessing at all?  — R. Shesheth replied: There is no contradiction: the one statement expresses the view of R. Gamaliel, the other that of the Rabbis, as it has been taught: This is the general rule: after partaking of anything that belongs to the seven species,  R. Gamaliel says that three blessings should be said, while the Rabbis say, one that includes three. Once R. Gamaliel and the elders were reclining in an upper chamber in Jericho, and dates  were brought in and they ate, and R. Gamaliel gave permission to R. Akiba to say grace. and R. Akiba said quickly the one blessing which includes three. Said R. Gamaliel to him: Akiba, how long will you poke your head into quarrels?  He replied: Master, although you say this way and your colleagues say the other way, you have taught us, master, that where an individual joins issue with the majority, the halachah is determined by the majority. R. Judah said in his [R. Gamaliel's] name:  [After partaking of] any food from the seven species