(Rav Yehudah): The Berachos are:

"... Who created everything for His honor".

"... Who forms man".

"... Who formed man in his image... Baruch Atah Hash-m, Who forms man."

"Rejoice and make rejoice... Baruch Atah Hash-m, Who gladdens Tziyon with her children."

"Be happy, loving companions... Baruch Atah Hash-m, Who gladdens Chasan and Kalah."

"... Who created happiness... Baruch Atah Hash-m, Who makes the Chasan rejoice with the Kalah."

Levi came to Rebbi's house at the wedding of R. Shimon, Rebbi's son; he blessed five of these Berachos (he omitted 'Yotzer ha'Adam').

Rav Asi came to Rav Ashi's house at the wedding of Rav Ashi's son Mar; he blessed all six Berachos.

Suggestion: Levi said only one Berachah about Yetzirah because he holds that there was one Yetzirah (Hash-m formed Adam and Chavah at once). Rav Asi said both of them because he holds that there were two Yetziros (Adam, and later Chavah).

Rejection: Both agree that there was only one Yetzirah. Rav Asi makes two Berachos because Hash-m intended to create two people;

Levi says that we follow the actual Yetzirah, and there was only one.

Contradiction (Rav Yehudah): It says "Hash-m created man in His image", and it says "He created them male and female"!

Answer: He intended to create two. He actually created one.

Rav Ashi came to Rav Kahana's house. The first day he made all the Berachos.

After the first day, if there were new faces he would bless all the Berachos. If not, they merely increase Simchah, so he blessed only "...that joy is in His dwelling", and "Who created joy..."

From seven days after the wedding until 30, whether or not the guests were invited due to the wedding, he blessed "...that joy is in His dwelling".

After 30 days, if the guests were invited due to the wedding, he blessed "that joy is in His dwelling"; if not, not.

Question: For how long does one say this when the guests were invited due to the wedding?

Answer (Rav Papi): He says it for 12 months.

Question: From when does one start saying the Berachah?

Answer (Rav Papa): He starts from when he soaks the barley (to make beer for the Nisu'in. Alternatively, he soaks barley to be an omen that the couple will be fruitful.)

Question: Rav Papa arranged a match for his son and blessed from the time of the Kidushin!

Answer: Rav Papa is an exception. He had all needs of the Chupah ready.

Ravina arranged a match for his son into the family of Rav Chaviva and blessed from the time of the Kidushin.

He did so because he was sure that they would not retract. In the end, they retracted.

Rav Tachlifa went to Bavel and blessed six long Berachos (he lengthened the first two and was Chosem 'Baruch Atah Hash-m... )' The Halachah does not follow this.

Rav Chaviva went to a meal celebrating a Bris. He blessed "...that joy is in His dwelling." The Halachah does not follow this, because people are disturbed that the baby is in pain.

(Rav): The Chasan counts towards the number (10) needed to say Birkas Chasanim. Mourners do not count towards the number needed to say Birkas Avelim.

Question (Beraisa): Chasanim and mourners count.

Answer: Rav is a Tana. He may disagree with a Beraisa.

(R. Yochanan): Chasanim count towards the required number, but mourners do not.

Question (Beraisa): Chasanim and mourners count.

Answer #1: The Beraisa discusses (Tosfos - Birkas Avelim said in) Birkas ha'Mazon. R. Yochanan's law applies to the line of consolers.

Objection: R. Yochanan said that we bless Birkas Chasanim with 10, and Chasanim count towards the 10. We bless Birkas Avelim with 10, and mourners do not count towards the 10.

There is no Berachah in the line of consolers!

Answer #2: Rather, R. Yochanan's law applies to the street (where we give to the mourner his first meal).

Question: R. Yochanan said that we bless Birkas Chasanim with 10 all seven days, and Chasanim count towards the 10. We bless Birkas Avelim with 10 all seven days, and mourners do not count towards the 10.

Do we bless in the street all seven days?!

Answer: Yes, we bless when new consolers come.

R. Chiya bar Aba taught the children of Reish Lakish; one of them died. He did not go the first day to console him. He went the second day. He told Yehudah bar Nachmani to say words of consolation.

Yehudah: "From the anger of his children" - when the parents sin, Hash-m is angry at the children, and they die in childhood.

Some say that an older child died. Yehudah cited "Hash-m will not rejoice on his youths... "

(Rav Chanan bar Rav): "... His hand is still stretched" - all know why a Kalah enters the Chupah, but if one fouls his mouth by saying something obscene, even if 70 good years had been decreed for him, they are changed for evil.

Question: This is not consolation. These words provoke pain!

Answer: He meant 'you (Reish Lakish) are worthy to bear the punishments fitting to come on the generation.'

R. Chiya bar Aba: Discuss the praise of Hash-m.

Yehudah: "The great G-d... Baruch Atah Hash-m, Who revives the dead."

R. Chiya bar Aba: Address the mourners.

Yehudah: Our afflicted brothers, put your hearts to investigate this... many drank (the cup of afflictions), and many will drink. The drinking of the later ones will resemble the drinking of the first ones... Blessed is He Who consoles mourners.

(Abaye): One should say 'many drank', but not 'many will drink.' One should say 'the drinking of the first ones', but not 'the drinking of the later ones'.

(Reish Lakish): A person should not suggest to the Satan (that he is worthy to be punished).

(Rav Yosef): He learns from "We were like Sodom." Hash-m replied "Hear the word of Hash-m, officers of Sodom".

R. Chiya bar Aba: Speak about the praise of the consolers.

Yehudah: Our brothers, bestowers of Chesed, children of bestowers of Chesed... Baruch Atah Hash-m, Who pays reward.

R. Chiya bar Aba: Speak on behalf of all of Yisrael.

Yehudah: Master of the worlds, redeem and save Your nation Yisrael from pestilence, sword,... Baruch Atah Hash-m, Who stops the plague.

(Ula): It was enacted that the mourner drink 10 cups of wine: three before the meal, to open his intestines (to help him to eat); three during the meal, to digest the food; and four after the meal, corresponding to the four Berachos of Birkas ha'Mazon.

They added four more cups, corresponding to community servants, leaders of the city (both of these used to assist in burials), the Beis ha'Mikdash, and R. Gamliel.

This led to drunkenness, so they returned to the former enactment (10 cups).

Question: Why was a Berachah enacted corresponding to R. Gamliel?

Answer (Beraisa): It used to be that the expense of burial pained the mourners more than the loss (because everyone used to buy expensive shrouds). Mourners would abandon the deceased and flee! R. Gamliel (the Nasi) buried his Mes in simple linen shrouds, and everyone followed his example.

(Rav Papa): Today the custom is to make shrouds of hemp, which cost only a Zuz.