In the case of] women, slaves, and minors — the collective blessing is not recited on their account. How much [food must one eat in order] to participate in the collective blessing? At least an olive’s volume. R’ Yehudah says: [At least] an egg’s volume.

How do we perform zimmun? When there are three, he says: ‘‘Let us bless.’’ When there are three besides him, he says: ‘‘Bless.’’ When there are ten, he says: ‘‘Let us bless our God.’’ When there are ten besides him, he says: ‘‘Bless.’’ [It is all] one [formula] whether there are ten or ten myriads. When there are a hundred, he says: ‘‘Let us bless Hashem, our God.’’ When there are a hundred besides him, he says: ‘‘Bless.’’ When there are a thousand he says: ‘‘Let us bless Hashem our God, the God of Israel.’’ When there are a thousand besides him, he says: ‘‘Bless.’’ When there are ten thousand, he says: ‘‘Let us bless Hashem our God, the God of Israel, the Lord of Hosts, Who dwells by the Cherubim, for the food that we have eaten.’’ When there are ten thousand besides himself, he says: ‘‘Bless.’’ In the same manner in which he makes the blessing so do they respond after him: ‘‘Blessed is Hashem our God, the God of Israel, the Lord of Hosts, Who dwells by the Cherubim, for the food we have eaten.’’ R’ Yose HaGlili says: They recite the blessing in accordance with the size of the assemblage as it is stated (Psalms 68:27): ‘‘In assemblages, bless God, Hashem, from the source of Israel.’’ R’ Akiva says: What do we find in the synagogue? Whether many or few, he says: ‘‘Bless Hashem.’’ R’ Yishmael says: ‘‘Bless Hashem, the blessed One.’’

Three who ate together are not permitted to separate. And so too for four, and so too for five. Six may separate, up to ten. But ten may not separate, up to twenty.

[If] two groups were eating in one house: When some of them can see each other, they may combine for a collective blessing; but if not, these conduct a collective blessing by themselves, and these conduct a collective blessing by themselves. We do not recite a blessing over wine until water is added it; [these are] the words of R’ Eliezer. But the Sag-es say: We recite the blessing.