Berachot 45: Obligations of a Zimmun, a Communal Meal

Perek VII begins with this new Mishna: When do we recite Grace After Meals after a zimmun, a communal meal?   First, we have to determine who those three people are.  As long as any one of these did the following things, they are obligated to say Grace after Meals:

• one of them ate demai, doubtfully tithed produce
• one of them ate from a first tithe from which its teruma was already taken
• one of them ate from second tithe and consecrated food that were redeemed and therefore permitted
• a kuti, Samaritan, who ate with two others at a meal
• even the waiter at the meal ate at least an olive-bulk from the meal

The following are not obligated to recite Grace after Meals after eating in a group of three:

• one who ate tevel, utithed produce
• one who ate first tithe from which its teruma was not separated
• one who ate from second tithe and consecrated food that were not redeemed
• the waiter who did not eat an olive-bulk
• the gentile who ate with two Jews
• women, slaves and minors
• those who ate less than an olive-bulk at the zimmun
• Rabbi Yehuda suggests that one who ate less than an egg-bulk obligates reciting the Grace after Meals

The Gemara is a recording of the rabbis reasoning regarding each of these opinions.  Several proofs are presented.  The rabbis question, in particular, wehther or not two people might form a zimmun.  Part of the answer to that question is dependent on whether people create their zimmun as an option or as an obligation.  For example, the rabbis question whether a waiter might need permission to join in a couple eating together to create a zimmun with them. 

We learn that women form a zimmun for themselves and slaves form a zimmun for themselves, but women, slaves and minors are not to form a zimmun even if they want to do so.  We are reminded that one hundred women are considered the equivalent of two men because they do not count in a minyan.  However, women are permitted to form a zimmun because they are three individual minds which enables the collective to praise G-d.  Women and slaves cannot combine in a zimmun together only because the Rabbis admit that they are worried about the opportunity for promiscuity. 

The rabbis have a long conversation about what to do if one person in the zimmun leaves for the marketplace before saying the Grace after Meals.  Moving into this conversation, the rabbis discuss what should happen when there is not a zimmun, which is an obligation.  People should call others to join them in order to create a zimmun and praise G-d together.  What about saying "amen" after others pray?  The rabbis discuss how G-d is blessed and whether or not it is permitted to say "amen" after one's own prayer.