בִּבְרָכָה מֵעֵין שָׁלֹשׁ אִם שָׁתָה יַיִן וְאָכַל פֵּרוֹת מִז' הַמִּינִים, חוֹתֵם: וְעַל פְּרִי הַגֶּפֶן וְעַל הַפֵּרוֹת, בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' עַל פְּרִי הַגֶּפֶן וְהַפֵּרוֹת (וְלֹא “וְעַל" הַפֵּרוֹת).
When reciting the threefold blessing after drinking wine and partaking of any of the seven fruits [with which Eretz Yisrael was blessed],1 one should conclude: …ve’al pri hagefen ve’al hapeiros. Baruch Atah Ado-nai, [al haaretz ve]al pri hagefen vehapeiros (rather than ve’al hapeiros).
To Fill In the Background
At first glance, the minute difference between the two possible wordings would appear to be insignificant. In fact, however, the above ruling is only one example of many that illustrate the detailed attention that the Talmud devotes to the precise wording of the blessings and of the prayers in general. Why?
The answer may be found in the very metaphor that the Talmud chooses when teaching that one should be particular in this regard: it teaches that one should use “the coin minted by the Sages” (as in the English idiom, “to coin a phrase”). This metaphor conveys the message that Above, the wording of the blessings and prayers, as instituted by the Sages, enjoys the ready acceptability of hard currency.
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