The rabbis ask whether or not we are permitted to say blessings over things that are not ordinarily permitted. For example, over a candle wit on Shabbat for a woman giving birth or a very ill person - can we recite a blessing during havdala? Lights that were lit by Gentiles for Jews, or by Gentiles for other Gentiles on Shabbat? One who carried a flame from the private to the public domain on Shabbat?
How might these rules change if the city has a minority or a majority of Jews? What if the town is half Gentiles and half Jews? And what if one sees a huge fire (of course this is described in specific terms: that looks as large as the fire of a furnace"). The rabbis note that some of these blessings are said at the beginning of an action and some are said at the end. This distinction allows contradicting rulings to be held simultaneously.
When people are seated in the study hall and they say havdala with fire, Beit Shammai say that each individual recites a blessing for themselves. Beit Hillel say that one person recites on behalf of everyone and all answer "amen". Beit Hillel's proof comes from Proverbs (14:28) where "The splendour of the King is in the multitude of the people". Beit Shammai's proof is that the recitation by many would lead to less study in the study hall. We learn about other instances where one cannot interrupt studying - by saying "good health" when someone sneezes.
The rabbis consider whether or not we can say blessings over fragrances. If we walk in and out of a fragrance store many times, do we say a blessing each time? And what are we using the fragrance for - it is incense for witchcraft? Is it perfume for clothing?
Are wAre we permitted to recite the blessing over the candle at any time or not util we derive benefit from its light? How do we measure benefit? And must we benefit from the light, or simply see the light? Or both? The rabbis consider what we might be able to make out in the light - for example, should we be able to to distinguish between a weight used in Tiberias and a weight used in Tzippori, which were slightly different?
We learn a story about two students who eat without reciting a blessing. One did so by accident and returned to where he ate and found a purse of gold - like Beit Shammai suggests. The other did so purposefully and went along with Beit Hillel's opinion (which were the same as those of Beit Shammai) and he was eaten by a lion. Another story - Rabbi bar bar Chana forgot to recite a blessing after eating with a travelling caravan. Should he tell them the truth and face their belief that one can recite a blessing to G-d anywhere? Or should he say "I forgot a golden dove" while they wait for him to find it? He recited a blessing and found a golden dove. The Gemara likens the people of Israel to a dove.
The rabbis then discuss how long we may say a blessing after eating. Perhaps as long as it takes to digest? And is that the time it takes to walk four mil? Or the time it takes to be hungry or thirsty again?
Our daf ends with questions about answering amen after blessings for schoolchildren. When learning, it is not necessary to say amen. Similarly, Rabbbi Zilai, Rabbi Zivai and Rav Acha say when one does not have oil to cleanse one's hands after eating, one does not say the Birkat Hamazon. Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak says that Rav Yehuda said that Rav said (or some say it was taught in a baraita) that we must wash our hands before the meal... and these are the final waters... for holy, this is oil that ones spreads on one's hands... this is the Birkat Hamazon blessing".
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