זוהר, תרומה נ״גZohar, Terumah 53

Segment 1א׳

כּוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה, לָא הֲוֵי אֶלָּא בִּתְלָתָא. בְּגִין דְּהָא מֵרָזָא דִּתְלַת אֲבָהָן קָא מִתְבָּרְכָא, וְעַל דָּא לָא אִצְטְרִיךְ כּוֹס אֶלָּא בִּתְלָתָא. כּוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֵיהַב לֵיהּ בִּימִינָא וּבִשְׂמָאלָא, וּלְקַבְּלָא לֵיהּ בֵּין תַּרְוַויְיהוּ, בְּגִין דְּאִתְיְהִיב בֵּין יְמִינָא וּשְׂמָאלָא. וּלְבָתַר יִּשְׁתְּבִיק לֵיהּ בִּימִינָא, דְּהָא מִתַּמָּן אִתְבָּרְכָא.

The Cup of Benediction (the cup of wine taken immediately after Grace has been recited at the conclusion of a meal) is only partaken of when there are (at least) three persons present at the table, because it is blessed through the mystery of the three Patriarchs. The cup must first be lifted by both hands, in order that it should be placed between the right and left grades, but afterwards it is left in the right alone, because it is blessed from that side.

Segment 2ב׳

עֲשָׂרָה דְּבָרִים נְאֶמְרוּ בְּכוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה, וְכֻלְּהוּ הֲווֹ כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת, בְּגִין דְּתִקּוּנֵי דְּכוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה עֲשָׂרָה אִינּוּן, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּא. כּוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאַשְׁגָּחָא בֵּיהּ בְּעֵינָא, בְּגִין דִּכְתִּיב, (דברים י״א:י״ב) עֵינֵי יְיָ' אֱלהֶיךָ בָּהּ, וְלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאִתְנָשֵׁי מֵעֵינָא, אֶלָּא לְאַשְׁגָּחָא בֵּיהּ.

There have been ten things enumerated in connection with the Cup of Benediction, which is quite appropriate, since there are ten aspects of it, as the Companions have pointed out. It is necessary to look at the cup while reciting the benediction, because it is written, “The eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it” (i.e. the Holy Land, Deut. 11, 12); therefore the thoughts must not be allowed to stray from the cup, but the eyes must be firmly fixed upon it.

Segment 3ג׳

כּוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה, אִתְבְּרַךְ בְּהַהוּא בִּרְכְתָא, דְּקָא מְבָרֵךְ בַּר נָשׁ עָלֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּגִין (כך) דְּאִיהוּ רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא, וְאִצְטְרִיךְ לְנַטְרָא לֵיהּ בִּנְטִירוּ עִלָּאָה, כְּמַאן דְּאִיהוּ חַשִׁיבוּתָא דְּמַלְכָּא, דְּהָא בְּגִינֵיהּ, אִתְבְּרַךְ פָּתוֹרֵיהּ, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּבִרְכָּתָא מְזוֹנָא, דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ מְבָרֵךְ.

The Cup of Benediction is blessed by the very benediction which man pronounces over it to the Holy One, blessed be He, because it is the mystery of Faith, and therefore man must guard it with the utmost care, as the very essence of the King’s Majesty, since for its sake is the table blessed.