Daf Yomi Insights - Berachos 14 & 15

The Shela HaKadosh writes that it is obvious that one may not speak between reciting the Brocha of HaMotzi and eating. And if one spoke he is sinning and needs to repeat the Brocha. It would seem that even if one placed the piece of bread in his mouth and chewed it that he may not speak until his palate tastes the food as he swallows it. Speaking before swallowing would still constitute an interruption as it is still before he ate since he didn't taste the food. The Shela brings a proof from Berachos 14 where it says that if a woman is cooking and tastes food she needs not recite a Brocha. Also, one who is fasting may taste the food they are preparing for after the fast and it is not an issue. Tosefos explains in the name of Rabbeinu Chananel that the Gemara means that the person spit the food out after tasting it and didn't swallow. Since she didn't benefit from the food it doesn't need to have a Brocha and it isn't considered to be eating on a fast day. Based on this idea, then, that it is the swallowing benefit that constitutes eating and tasting alone is not eating it follows that placing the piece of bread into the mouth and speaking before swallowing would be an interruption.
*******************************************************************************

On Berachos 15 Rebbe Yochanan compares cleansing oneself prior to davening to bringing a Koran, sacrifice. Rava responds "Don't you think that it is akin to immersion in a Mikva?" Maggid Ta'Alumah says that we see from here that tevila, immersion in a Mikva is a greater act than bringing a Korban. If you think about it, when bringing a Korban you are only symbolizing that you are offering yourself whereas tevila is complete nullification of the self. He places himself in an area of 3x3 Amos like a fetus in its mother's womb and no longer has its own existence in the world. Upon emerging he is like a new creature, like a newborn child. We know also that a Mikve contains 960 lugin (common liquid measure found in the Talmud) and the Yerushalmi teaches us that even a Beriyah is nullified in 960.

********************************************************************************