| { | |
| "title": "Mishnah Berakhot", | |
| "language": "en", | |
| "versionTitle": "merged", | |
| "versionSource": "https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Berakhot", | |
| "text": [ | |
| [ | |
| "The beginning of tractate <i>Berakhot</i>, the first tractate in the first of the six orders of Mishna, opens with a discussion of the recitation of <i>Shema</i>, as the recitation of <i>Shema</i> encompasses an acceptance of the yoke of Heaven and of the mitzvot, and as such, forms the basis for all subsequent teachings. The Mishna opens with the laws regarding the appropriate time to recite <i>Shema</i>: <br><br><b>From when,</b> that is, from what time, does <b>one recite <i>Shema</i> in the evening? From the time when the priests enter to partake of their <i>teruma.</i></b> Until when does the time for the recitation of the evening <i>Shema</i> extend? <b>Until the end of the first watch.</b> The term used in the Torah (Deuteronomy 6:7) to indicate the time for the recitation of the evening <i>Shema</i> is <i>beshokhbekha</i>, when you lie down, which refers to the time in which individuals go to sleep. Therefore, the time for the recitation of <i>Shema</i> is the first portion of the night, when individuals typically prepare for sleep. <b>That is the statement of Rabbi Eliezer.</b> <b>The Rabbis say:</b> The time for the recitation of the evening <i>Shema</i> is <b>until midnight.</b> <b>Rabban Gamliel says:</b> One may recite <i>Shema</i> <b>until dawn,</b> indicating that <i>beshokhbekha</i> is to be understood as a reference to the entire time people sleep in their beds, the whole night. The mishna relates that Rabban Gamliel practiced in accordance with his ruling. There was an <b>incident</b> where Rabban Gamliel’s <b>sons returned</b> very late <b>from a wedding hall. They said to him,</b> as they had been preoccupied with celebrating with the groom and bride: <b>We did not recite <i>Shema.</i> He said to them: If the dawn has not</b> yet <b>arrived, you are obligated to recite</b> <i>Shema</i>. Since Rabban Gamliel’s opinion disagreed with that of the Rabbis, he explained to his sons that the Rabbis actually agree with him, <b>and</b> that it is <b>not only</b> with regard to the <i>halakha</i> of the recitation of <i>Shema</i>, <b>but rather, wherever the Sages say until midnight, the mitzva</b> may be performed <b>until dawn.</b> Rabban Gamliel cites several cases in support of his claim, such as <b>the burning of fats and limbs</b> on the altar. Due to the quantity of offerings each day, the priests were often unable to complete the burning of all of the fats and limbs, so they continued to be burned into the night, as it is written: “This is the law of the burnt offering: The burnt offering shall remain upon the pyre on the altar all night until morning, while the fire on the altar burns it” (Leviticus 6:2). <b>And,</b> with regard to <b>all</b> sacrifices, such as the sin-offerings and the guilt-offerings <b>that are eaten for one day</b> and night; although the Sages state that they may be eaten only until midnight, by Torah law they may be eaten <b>until dawn.</b> This is in accordance with the verse: “On the day on which it is offered must you eat. Do not leave it until the morning” (Leviticus 7:15). <b>If so, why did the Sages say</b> that they may be eaten only <b>until midnight?</b> This is <b>in order to distance a person from transgression,</b> as if one believes that he has until dawn to perform the mitzva, he might be negligent and postpone it until the opportunity to perform the mitzva has passed.", | |
| "<b>From when does one recite <i>Shema</i> in the morning</b>? <b>From</b> when a person <b>can distinguish between sky-blue [<i>tekhelet</i>] and white.</b> <br><b>Rabbi Eliezer says:</b> From when one can distinguish <b>between sky-blue and leek-green.</b> <br><b>And</b> one must <b>finish</b> reciting <i>Shema</i> <b>until</b> the end of the period when you rise, i.e., <b>sunrise,</b> when the sun begins to shine. <br><b>Rabbi Yehoshua says:</b> One may recite the morning <i>Shema</i> <b>until three hours</b> of the day, which this is still considered when you rise, <b>as that is the habit of kings to rise</b> from their sleep <b>at three hours</b> of the day. While there is a set time frame for the recitation of <i>Shema</i>, <b>one who recites</b> <i>Shema</i> <b>from that time onward loses nothing.</b> Although he does not fulfill the mitzva of reciting of <i>Shema</i> at its appointed time, <b>he is</b> nevertheless considered <b>like one who reads the Torah,</b> and is rewarded accordingly.", | |
| "Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel disputed the proper way to recite <i>Shema</i>. <b>Beit Shammai say:</b> One should recite <i>Shema</i> in the manner indicated in the text of <i>Shema</i> itself. Therefore, <b>in the evening every person must recline</b> on his side and recite <i>Shema</i>, in fulfillment of the verse: “When you lie down,” <b>and in the morning he must stand</b> and recite <i>Shema</i>, in fulfillment of the verse: When you rise, <b>as it is stated: “When you lie down, and when you rise.”</b> <b>And Beit Hillel say: Every person recites</b> <i>Shema</i> <b>as he is,</b> and he may do so in whatever position is most comfortable for him, both day and night, <b>as it is stated: “And when you walk along the way,”</b> when one is neither standing nor reclining (<i>Me’iri</i>). <b>If so,</b> according to Beit Hillel, <b>why was it stated: “When you lie down, and when you rise”?</b> This is merely to denote time; <b>at the time when people lie down and the time when people rise.</b> With regard to this <i>halakha</i>, <b>Rabbi Tarfon said:</b> Once, <b>I was coming on the road</b> when I stopped and <b>reclined to recite</b> <i>Shema</i> <b>in accordance with the statement of Beit Shammai.</b> Although Rabbi Tarfon was a disciple of Beit Hillel, he thought that fulfilling the mitzva in accordance with the opinion of Beit Shammai would be a more meticulous fulfillment of the mitzva, acceptable to all opinions. Yet in so doing, <b>I endangered myself due to the highwaymen [<i>listim</i>]</b> who accost travelers. The Sages <b>said to him: You deserved</b> to be in a position where you were <b>liable</b> to pay <b>with your life, as you transgressed the statement of Beit Hillel.</b> This statement will be explained in the Gemara.", | |
| "From the laws of the recitation of <i>Shema</i> itself, the mishna proceeds to discuss the blessings recited in conjunction with <i>Shema</i>. Here, the order is established: <b>In</b> the <b>morning</b> when reciting <i>Shema</i>, <b>one recites two blessings beforehand,</b> the first on the radiant lights and the second the blessing on the love of Torah, <b>and one thereafter,</b> which begins with: True and Firm [<i>emet veyatziv</i>]. <b>And in the evening one recites two blessings beforehand,</b> on the radiant lights and on the love of God, <b>and two thereafter,</b> the blessing of redemption: True and Faithful [<i>emet ve’emuna</i>], and the blessing: Help us lie down. With regard to the blessing: True and Faithful, <b>whether</b> one recites it in its <b>long</b> formula <b>and whether</b> one recites it in its <b>short</b> formula, he fulfills his obligation (<i>Tosafot</i>). However, the general principle is: <b>Where</b> the Sages <b>said</b> to recite <b>a long</b> blessing, <b>one may not shorten it,</b> and so too, wherever they said to recite <b>a short</b> blessing, <b>one may not lengthen it.</b> Where the Sages said that a blessing <b>must conclude</b> with a second blessing at the end, <b>he may not fail to conclude</b> with that blessing. Similarly, if the Sages said that a blessing must <b>not conclude</b> with a second blessing, <b>one may not conclude</b> with a blessing.", | |
| "It is a mitzva by Torah law to mention the exodus from Egypt at night, but some held that this mitzva was, like phylacteries or ritual fringes, fulfilled only during the day and not at night. For this reason it was decided: <b>The exodus from Egypt is mentioned at night,</b> adjacent to the recitation of <i>Shema</i>. <b>Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya said: I am approximately seventy years old, and</b> although I have long held this opinion, <b>I was never privileged</b> to prevail (<i>Me’iri</i>) and prove that there is a biblical obligation to fulfill the accepted custom (Ra’avad) and have <b>the exodus from Egypt mentioned at night, until Ben Zoma interpreted it homiletically</b> and proved it obligatory. Ben Zoma derived it <b>as it is stated: “That you may remember the day you went out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life”</b> (Deuteronomy 16:3). <b>The days of your life,</b> refers to daytime alone; however, the addition of the word all, as it is stated: <b>All the days of your life,</b> comes to add nights as well. <b>And the Rabbis,</b> who posit that there is no biblical obligation to mention the exodus from Egypt at night, explain the word, all, differently and <b>say: The days of your life,</b> refers to the days in <b>this world, all</b> is added <b>to include the days of the Messiah.</b>" | |
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| "The first question discussed in the mishna is the question of intent. <b>One who was reading</b> the sections of <b>the Torah</b> which comprise <i>Shema</i>, <b>and the time for the recitation</b> of the morning or evening <i>Shema</i> <b>arrived, if he focused his heart, he fulfilled</b> his obligation and need not repeat <i>Shema</i> in order to fulfill his obligation. This is true even if he failed to recite the requisite blessings (Rabbeinu Ḥananel). <i>Ab initio</i>, one may not interrupt the recitation of <i>Shema</i>. The <i>tanna’im</i>, however, disagree over how strict one must be in this regard. They distinguish between interruptions between paragraphs and interruptions within each paragraph. <b>At the</b> breaks between <b>paragraphs, one may greet</b> an individual <b>due to the respect</b> that he is obligated to show him, <b>and one may respond</b> to another’s greeting due to respect. <b>And in the middle</b> of each paragraph <b>one may greet</b> an individual <b>due to the fear</b> that the individual may harm him if he fails do so (<i>Me’iri</i>) <b>and one may respond</b> to another’s greeting due to fear. This is the <b>statement of Rabbi Meir.</b> <b>Rabbi Yehuda says:</b> There is a distinction between greeting someone and responding to his greeting. <b>In the middle</b> of each paragraph, one may <b>greet</b> another <b>due to fear and respond due to respect. In the</b> breaks between <b>paragraphs, one may greet</b> another <b>due to respect and respond with a greeting to any person</b> who greets him, whether or not he is obligated to show him respect.", | |
| "As for what constitutes a paragraph, <b>these are</b> the breaks <b>between the paragraphs: Between the first blessing and the second, between the second and <i>Shema</i>, between <i>Shema</i> and</b> the second paragraph: <b>If you indeed heed</b> My commandments <b>[<i>VeHaya im Shamoa</i>], between <i>VeHaya im Shamoa</i> and</b> the third paragraph: <b>And the Lord spoke [<i>VaYomer</i>] and between <i>VaYomer</i> and True and Firm</b> [<b><i>emet veyatziv</i></b>], the blessing that follows <i>Shema</i>. The Rabbis held that each blessing and each paragraph of <i>Shema</i> constitutes its own entity, and treat interruptions between them as between the paragraphs. <b>Rabbi Yehuda,</b> however, <b>says: Between <i>VaYomer</i> and <i>emet veyatziv</i>,</b> which begins the blessing that follows <i>Shema</i>, <b>one may not interrupt</b> at all. According to Rabbi Yehuda, these must be recited consecutively. Since the paragraphs of <i>Shema</i> are not adjacent to one another in the Torah, and they are not recited in the order in which they appear, the mishna explains their placement. <b>Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa said: Why,</b> in the mitzva of the recitation of <i>Shema</i>, <b>did the portion of <i>Shema</i> precede</b> that of <b><i>VeHaya im Shamoa</i>?</b> This is <b>so that one will first accept upon himself the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven,</b> the awareness of God and God’s unity, <b>and only then accept upon himself the yoke of the mitzvot,</b> which appears in the paragraph of <i>VeHaya im Shamoa</i>. Why did <b><i>VeHaya im Shamoa</i></b> precede <b><i>VaYomer</i>?</b> Because the paragraph of <b><i>VeHaya im Shamoa</i> is practiced both by day and by night,</b> while <b><i>VaYomer</i>,</b> which discusses the mitzva of ritual fringes, <b>is only practiced during the day.</b>", | |
| "<b>One who recites <i>Shema</i> and did not</b> recite in a manner <b>audible to his own ear,</b> either because he read inaudibly or because he is deaf, <b>fulfilled</b> his obligation. <b>Rabbi Yosei says: He did not fulfill</b> his obligation. <b>One who recited</b> <i>Shema</i> and <b>was not</b> sufficiently <b>precise in</b> his enunciation of <b>its letters, Rabbi Yosei says: He fulfilled</b> his obligation. <b>Rabbi Yehuda says: He did not fulfill</b> his obligation. <b>One who recited</b> <i>Shema</i> <b>out of order,</b> meaning he did not read the verses sequentially, <b>he did not fulfill</b> his obligation. <b>One who recited and erred, should return to the place</b> in <i>Shema</i> <b>that he erred.</b>", | |
| "The primary issue in this mishna is the requisite degree of concentration when reciting <i>Shema</i>. <b>Laborers</b> engaged in their work may <b>recite</b> <i>Shema</i> while standing <b>atop the tree or atop the course of stones</b> in a wall under construction, <b>which they are not permitted to do for</b> the <i>Amida</i> <b>prayer,</b> which requires intent of the heart.", | |
| "The mishna continues: <b>A groom is exempt from the recitation of <i>Shema</i> on the first night</b> of his marriage, which was generally Wednesday night, <b>until Saturday night, if he has not taken action</b> and consummated the marriage, as he is preoccupied by concerns related to consummation of the marriage. The mishna relates that <b>there was an incident where Rabban Gamliel married a woman and recited</b> <i>Shema</i> even <b>the first night. His students said to him: Didn’t our teacher teach us that a groom is exempt from the recitation of <i>Shema</i>? He answered them:</b> Nevertheless, <b>I am not listening to you</b> to refrain from reciting <i>Shema</i>, and in so doing <b>preclude myself from</b> the acceptance of <b>the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven, for even one moment.</b>", | |
| "The mishna relates another episode portraying unusual conduct by Rabban Gamliel. <b>He bathed on the first night after his wife died. His students said to him:</b> Have <b>you</b> not <b>taught us, our teacher, that a mourner is prohibited to bathe?</b> He answered them: <b>I am not like other people, I am delicate [<i>istenis</i>].</b> For me, not bathing causes actual physical distress, and even a mourner need not suffer physical distress as part of his mourning.", | |
| "Another exceptional incident is related: <b>And when his slave, Tavi, died,</b> Rabban Gamliel <b>accepted condolences for his</b> death as one would for a close family member. <b>His students said to him: Have you</b> not <b>taught us, our teacher, that one does not accept condolences for</b> the death of <b>slaves?</b> Rabban Gamliel said to his students: <b>My slave, Tavi, is not like all the rest of the slaves, he was virtuous</b> and it is appropriate to accord him the same respect accorded to a family member.", | |
| "With regard to the recitation of <i>Shema</i> on one’s wedding night, the Sages said that <b>if,</b> despite his exemption, <b>a groom wishes to recite <i>Shema</i> on the first night,</b> he may do so. <b>Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: Not everyone who wishes to assume the reputation</b> of a God-fearing person <b>may assume</b> it, and consequently, not everyone who wishes to recite <i>Shema</i> on his wedding night may do so." | |
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| "<b>One whose deceased</b> relative <b>is laid out</b> unburied <b>before him is exempt from the recitation of <i>Shema</i>, from</b> the <i>Amida</i> <b>prayer, and from</b> the mitzva to don <b>phylacteries, as well as all</b> positive <b>mitzvot mentioned in the Torah,</b> until the deceased has been buried. With regard to <b>the pallbearers and their replacements and the replacements of their replacements, those</b> located <b>before the bier</b> who have not yet carried the deceased <b>and those</b> located <b>after the bier. Those who are needed</b> to carry <b>the bier are exempt</b> from reciting <i>Shema</i>; <b>while those who are not needed</b> to carry <b>the bier</b>, are <b>obligated</b> to recite <i>Shema</i>. However, both <b>these and those are exempt from</b> reciting the <i>Amida</i> <b>prayer,</b> since they are preoccupied and are unable to focus and pray with the appropriate intent.", | |
| "After <b>they buried the deceased and returned, if they</b> have sufficient time to <b>begin</b> to recite <i>Shema</i> <b>and conclude before they arrive at the row,</b> formed by those who attended the burial, through which the bereaved family will pass in order to receive consolation, <b>they should begin. If</b> they do <b>not</b> have sufficient time to conclude reciting the entire <i>Shema</i>, then <b>they should not begin.</b> And <b>those standing in the row, those</b> in the <b>interior</b> row, directly before whom the mourners will pass and who will console them, <b>are exempt</b> from reciting <i>Shema</i>, while <b>those</b> in the <b>exterior</b> row, who stand there only to show their respect, <b>are obligated</b> to recite <i>Shema</i>.", | |
| "<b>Women, slaves and minors are exempt from the recitation of <i>Shema</i> and from phylacteries, but are obligated in prayer, <i>mezuza</i> and Grace after Meals.</b>", | |
| "Ezra the Scribe decreed that one who is ritually impure because of a seminal emission may not engage in matters of Torah until he has immersed in a ritual bath and purified himself. This <i>halakha</i> was accepted over the course of many generations; however, many disputes arose with regard to the Torah matters to which it applies. Regarding this, the mishna says: If the time for the recitation of <i>Shema</i> arrived and <b>one</b> is impure due to a <b>seminal emission,</b> he may <b>contemplate</b> <i>Shema</i> <b>in his heart, but neither recites the blessings preceding</b> <i>Shema</i>, <b>nor the blessings following it. Over food</b> which, after partaking, one is obligated by Torah law to recite a blessing, <b>one recites a blessing afterward, but one does not recite a blessing beforehand,</b> because the blessing recited prior to eating is a requirement by rabbinic law. <b>And</b> in all of these instances <b>Rabbi Yehuda says: He recites a blessing beforehand and thereafter</b> in both the case of <i>Shema</i> and in the case of food. ", | |
| "This mishna contains various statements with regard to individuals with different types of ritual impurity as well as the need to distance oneself from filth and impurity. <b>One who was standing in prayer and he recalled that he experienced a seminal emission,</b> and according to this opinion he is prohibited from praying, should <b>not interrupt</b> his prayer, <b>rather he should abridge</b> each individual blessing. They stated a general principle: <b>One who descended to immerse himself, if he is able to ascend, cover himself</b> with a garment, <b>and recite</b> the morning <i>Shema</i> <b>before sunrise, he should ascend, cover himself, and recite</b> <i>Shema</i>, <b>and if not,</b> he should <b>cover himself in the water and recite</b> <i>Shema</i> there. <b>He may not, however, cover himself in either foul water, or water</b> in which flax was <b>soaked, until he pours</b> other <b>water into it. And</b> in general, <b>how far must one distance</b> himself <b>from</b> urine <b>and feces</b> in order to recite <i>Shema</i>? At least <b>four cubits.</b>", | |
| "Continuing the earlier discussion of the <i>halakhot</i> of immersion for Torah study and prayer for one who experienced a seminal emission, the mishna discusses a case where individuals who were already impure with a severe form of ritual impurity are exposed to the impurity of a seminal emission as well. They are required to immerse themselves and purify themselves of the impurity of the seminal emission even though they remain impure due to the more severe impurity. Consequently, even a <b><i>zav</i>,</b> whose impurity lasts at least seven days, <b>who experienced a seminal emission,</b> for which, were he not a <i>zav</i>, he would be impure for only one day; <b>a menstruating woman who discharged semen,</b> despite the fact that she is already impure with a severe impurity unaffected by her immersion; <b>and</b> a woman <b>who engaged in conjugal relations</b> with her husband <b>and</b> later <b>saw menstrual blood,</b> all <b>require immersion. And Rabbi Yehuda exempts</b> them from immersion." | |
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| "This mishna determines the times beyond which the different prayers may not be recited. According to the Rabbis, <b>the morning prayer</b> may be recited <b>until noon. Rabbi Yehuda says:</b> It may be recited only <b>until four hours</b> after sunrise. According to the Rabbis, <b>the afternoon prayer</b> may be recited <b>until the evening. Rabbi Yehuda says:</b> It may be recited only <b>until the midpoint of the afternoon [<i>pelag haminḥa</i>],</b> i.e., the midpoint of the period that begins with the sacrifice of the daily afternoon offering and ends at nightfall, which is the end of the afternoon. <b>The evening prayer</b> may be recited throughout the night and <b>is not fixed</b> to a specific hour. According to the Rabbis, <b>the additional prayer</b> may be recited <b>all day. Rabbi Yehuda says:</b> It may be recited only <b>until seven hours</b> after sunrise.", | |
| "In addition to the <i>halakhot</i> relating to the fixed prayers, the Gemara relates: <b>Rabbi Neḥunya ben Hakana would recite a brief prayer upon his entrance into the study hall and upon his exit. They said to him:</b> The study hall is not a dangerous place that would warrant a prayer when entering and exiting, so <b>what room is there for this prayer? He said to them: Upon my entrance, I pray that no mishap will transpire</b> caused <b>by me</b> in the study hall. <b>And upon my exit, I give thanks for my portion.</b>", | |
| "The mishna cites a dispute with regard to the obligation to recite the <i>Amida</i> prayer, also known as <i>Shemoneh Esreh</i>, the prayer of eighteen blessings, or simply as <i>tefilla</i>, prayer. <b>Rabban Gamliel says: Each and every day a person recites the</b> prayer of <b>eighteen blessings. Rabbi Yehoshua says:</b> A short prayer is sufficient, and one only recites <b>an abridged</b> version of the prayer of <b>eighteen blessings. Rabbi Akiva says</b> an intermediate opinion: <b>If he is fluent in his prayer, he recites the</b> prayer of <b>eighteen blessings, and if not,</b> he need only recite <b>an abridged</b> version of the prayer of <b>eighteen blessings.</b>", | |
| "<b>Rabbi Eliezer says: One whose prayer is fixed, his prayer is not supplication</b> and is flawed. The Gemara will clarify the halakhic implications of this flaw. <b>Rabbi Yehoshua says: One who</b> cannot recite a complete prayer because he <b>is walking in a place of danger, recites a brief prayer and says: Redeem, Lord, Your people, the remnant of Israel, at every transition [<i>parashat ha’ibur</i>],</b> the meaning of which will be discussed in the Gemara. <b>May their needs be before You. Blessed are You, Lord, Who listens to prayer.</b>", | |
| "While praying, one must face toward the direction of the Holy Temple. <b>One who was riding on a donkey should dismount and pray</b> calmly. <b>If he is unable to dismount, he should turn his face</b> toward the direction of the Temple. <b>If he is unable to turn his face,</b> it is sufficient that <b>he focus his heart opposite the Holy of Holies.</b> ", | |
| "Similarly, <b>one who was traveling in a ship or on a wagon or on a raft [<i>asda</i>]</b> and is unable to turn and face in the direction of Jerusalem, <b>should focus his heart opposite the Holy of Holies.</b>", | |
| "<b>Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya says: The additional prayer is only</b> recited <b>in a city where there is a quorum of ten [<i>ḥever ir</i>]. The Rabbis say:</b> One may recite the additional prayer <b>with a <i>ḥever ir</i> or without a <i>ḥever ir.</i> Rabbi Yehuda says</b> another opinion <b>in his name,</b> the name of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya: <b>Any place where there is a <i>ḥever ir</i>, an individual is</b> completely <b>exempt from</b> reciting <b>the additional prayer.</b>" | |
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| "<b>One</b> may <b>only stand</b> and begin to pray <b>from</b> an approach of <b>gravity</b> and submission. There is a tradition that <b>the early</b> generations of <b>pious</b> men <b>would wait one hour,</b> in order to reach the solemn frame of mind appropriate for prayer, <b>and</b> then <b>pray, so that they would focus their hearts toward their Father in Heaven.</b> Standing in prayer is standing before God and, as such, <b>even</b> if <b>the king greets him, he should not respond to him; and even if a snake is wrapped on his heel, he should not interrupt</b> his prayer.", | |
| "This mishna speaks of additions to the standard formula of the <i>Amida</i> prayer and the blessings in which they are incorporated. <b>One mentions the might of the rains</b> and recites: He makes the wind blow and the rain fall, <b>in</b> the second blessing of the <i>Amida</i> prayer, the blessing of <b>the revival of the dead. And the request</b> for rain: And grant dew and rain as a blessing, <b>in</b> the ninth blessing of the <i>Amida</i> prayer, <b>the blessing of the years. And the prayer of distinction [<i>havdala</i>],</b> between the holy and the profane recited in the evening prayer following Shabbat and festivals, <b>in</b> the fourth blessing of the <i>Amida</i> prayer: <b>Who graciously grants knowledge. Rabbi Akiva says:</b> <i>Havdala</i> <b>is recited</b> as <b>an independent fourth blessing. Rabbi Eliezer says</b> that it is recited <b>in</b> the seventeenth blessing of the <i>Amida</i> prayer, the blessing of <b>thanksgiving.</b>", | |
| "Concluding the laws of prayer in this tractate, the mishna raises several prayer-related matters. This mishna speaks of certain innovations in the prayer formula that warrant the silencing of a communal prayer leader who attempts to introduce them in his prayers, as their content tends toward heresy. <b>One who recites</b> in his supplication: Just as <b>Your mercy is extended to a bird’s nest,</b> as You have commanded us to send away the mother before taking her chicks or eggs (Deuteronomy 22:6–7), so too extend Your mercy to us; <b>and</b> one who recites: <b>May Your name be mentioned with the good</b> or one who recites: <b>We give thanks, we give thanks</b> twice, they <b>silence him.</b> This mishna and the next one deal with the communal prayer leader. <b>(If one says: “May the good bless You,” this is a path of heresy.) One who is passing before the ark,</b> as prayer leader, <b>and erred, another should</b> immediately <b>pass in his place, and at that moment,</b> this replacement <b>should not refuse</b> in the interest of courtesy. The <i>Amida</i> prayer was interrupted and he should replace him as quickly as possible. <b>From where does</b> the replacement <b>commence? From the beginning of the blessing in which</b> the former <b>had erred.</b>", | |
| "In order to prevent the prayer leader from erring in his prayer, it was said that <b>one who passes before the ark should not respond amen after the</b> blessing of the <b>priests, because of</b> potential <b>confusion.</b> Since the mishna is describing a situation in which he was praying without a prayer book, responding amen would interrupt the order of the prayer and potentially lead him to begin a different blessing. For this reason, even <b>if there is no priest other than</b> the communal prayer leader, <b>he does not lift his hands</b> to bless the people, lest he become confused. <b>And,</b> however, <b>if he is certain that he can lift his hands and resume his prayer</b> without becoming confused, <b>he is permitted</b> to recite the blessing.", | |
| "Concluding its discussion of the <i>halakhot</i> of prayer, the mishna discusses less practical aspects of prayer. <b>One who prays and</b> realizes that he <b>erred</b> in his prayer, it is <b>a bad omen for him;</b> it indicates to him that his prayer was not accepted. <b>And if he</b> who erred <b>is the communal prayer leader,</b> it is <b>a bad omen for those who sent him, because a person’s agent</b> has legal status <b>equivalent to his own.</b> On a similar note, <b>they said about Rabbi Ḥanina ben Dosa that he would pray on</b> behalf of <b>the sick and</b> immediately after his prayer he would <b>say: This</b> one shall recover from his illness and <b>live and this</b> one shall <b>die.</b> When <b>they said to him: From where do you know? He said to them: If my prayer is fluent in my mouth</b> as I recite it and there are no errors, <b>I know that</b> my prayer <b>is accepted. And if not, I know that</b> my prayer <b>is rejected.</b>" | |
| ], | |
| [ | |
| "This mishna discusses the blessings recited over various foods. <b>How does one recite a blessing over fruits? Over</b> different <b>fruits</b> that grow on a <b>tree one recites: Who creates fruit of the tree, with the exception of wine.</b> Although wine is produced from fruit of the tree, due to its significance, its blessing differs from other fruits of the tree. <b>Over wine one recites: Who creates fruit of the vine. Over fruits</b> that grow from <b>the earth, one recites: Who creates fruit of the ground, with the exception of bread.</b> Bread, too, is significant and its blessing differs from other fruits of the ground, <b>as over bread one recites: Who brings forth bread from the earth. Over</b> herbs and leafy <b>vegetables one recites: Who creates fruit of the ground. Rabbi Yehuda says</b> that there is room to distinguish between fruits that grow from the earth, herbs, and leafy vegetables. Although they are all fruit of the ground, since they have different qualities, the blessing on the latter is: <b>Who creates various kinds of herbs.</b>", | |
| "This mishna discusses how, after the fact, a more general blessing exempts one from the obligation to recite a more specific one. <b>One who recited: Who creates fruit of the ground, over fruit of the tree, fulfilled</b> his obligation. One who recited: <b>Who creates fruit of the tree, over fruits of the earth, did not fulfill</b> his obligation. <b>And over all</b> food items, <b>one who recited: By whose word all things came to be, fulfilled</b> his obligation.", | |
| "<b>And over</b> a food <b>item whose growth is not from the ground, one recites: By whose word all things came to be.</b> And <b>over vinegar,</b> wine that fermented and spoiled, <b>and over <i>novelot</i>,</b> dates that spoiled, <b>and over locusts, one recites: By whose word all things came to be. So too, <b>over milk, and over cheese, and over eggs, one recites:</b> By whose word <b>all things</b> came to be. Rabbi Yehuda says:</b> Over <b>any</b> food item <b>that is a type</b> resulting from a <b>curse, one does not recite a blessing over it</b> at all. None of the items listed exist under normal conditions, and they come about as the result of a curse.", | |
| "On a different note: If there were <b>many types</b> of food <b>before him,</b> over which food should he recite a blessing first? <b>Rabbi Yehuda says: If there is one of the seven species</b> for which Eretz Yisrael was praised <b>among them, he recites</b> the first <b>blessing over it. And the Rabbis say: He recites a blessing over whichever of them he wants.</b>", | |
| "This mishna explains those cases and those circumstances in which blessings recited over particular foods exempt other foods at the meal from the requirement to recite a blessing over them. <b>One who recited a blessing over the wine that</b> one drank <b>before the meal,</b> with that blessing <b>he exempted the wine that</b> he drinks <b>after the meal.</b> Similarly, <b>one who recited a blessing over the appetizers that</b> one ate <b>before the meal,</b> with that blessing <b>he exempted the appetizers that</b> he eats <b>after the meal. One who recited a blessing over the bread exempted the appetizers,</b> as they are considered secondary to the bread. However, one who recited a blessing <b>over the appetizers did not exempt the bread. Beit Shammai say:</b> The blessing recited over the appetizers <b>did not exempt even a cooked dish</b> that he eats during the meal.", | |
| "An additional <i>halakha</i> is cited: If several people <b>were sitting</b> to eat not in the framework of a joint meal, <b>each recites a blessing for himself. If they were reclined</b> on divans to eat, which renders it a joint meal, <b>one recites a blessing on behalf of them all.</b> Additionally: If <b>wine came before them during the meal, each and every</b> diner <b>recites a blessing</b> over the wine <b>for himself.</b> If the wine came <b>after the meal, one recites a blessing on behalf of them all. And he,</b> who recited the blessing over the wine, also <b>says</b> the blessing <b>over the incense</b> [<b><i>mugmar</i></b>], <b>although they only bring the incense</b> to the diners <b>after the meal.</b>", | |
| "If <b>they brought salted</b> food <b>before him</b> to eat <b>first and bread with it, he recites a blessing over the salted</b> food <b>and</b> thereby <b>exempts the bread, because</b> the salted food is primary while <b>the bread is secondary to it. This is the principle: Any</b> food <b>that is primary and a secondary</b> food <b>is with it, one recites a blessing over the primary and,</b> in so doing, <b>exempts the secondary</b> from its own blessing.", | |
| "<b>One who ate</b> from the fruit for which Eretz Yisrael was praised, <b>grapes and figs and pomegranates, recites</b> the <b>three blessings</b> of Grace after Meals, as he would after eating bread; this is <b>the statement of Rabban Gamliel. And the Rabbis say:</b> One need only recite <b>one blessing abridged from</b> the <b>three</b> blessings of Grace after Meals. <b>Rabbi Akiva says:</b> The three blessings of Grace after Meals are not restricted to bread; rather, <b>even</b> if <b>one ate boiled vegetables, but it is his</b> primary <b>sustenance, he recites</b> the <b>three blessings</b> of Grace after Meals. Additionally: <b>One who drinks water</b> to quench <b>his thirst recites: By whose word all things came to be. Rabbi Tarfon says:</b> He recites: <b>Who creates the many forms of life and their needs.</b>" | |
| ], | |
| [ | |
| "This mishna sets out the essential <i>halakhot</i> pertaining to the invitation to recite Grace after Meals after a joint meal [<i>zimmun</i>]: <b>Three</b> people <b>who ate as one are required to form a <i>zimmun</i></b> and recite Grace after Meals. If, among the diners, <b>one ate doubtfully tithed produce [<i>demai</i>], and first tithe from which its <i>teruma</i> was</b> already <b>taken,</b> or <b>second tithe, and consecrated food that were redeemed</b> and therefore permitted to be eaten; <b>and</b> even <b>the waiter</b> who served the meal to the diners and <b>who ate</b> at least <b>an olive-bulk</b> from the meal, <b>and the Samaritan [<i>Kuti</i>]</b> who ate with two others at a meal; each of these people is included among the three <b>to obligate</b> those with whom they ate <b>in a <i>zimmun</i>.</b> However, <b>one who ate untithed produce [<i>tevel</i>], and first tithe from which its <i>teruma</i> was not separated, and second tithe, and consecrated food that were not redeemed, and the waiter who did not eat an olive-bulk, and the gentile</b> who ate with two Jews, none of these people is included among the three <b>to obligate</b> those with whom they ate <b>in a <i>zimmun</i>.</b> ", | |
| "<b>Women, slaves, and minors do not obligate</b> those with whom they ate <b>in a <i>zimmun</i>. How much</b> must one eat <b>to obligate</b> those with whom he ate <b>in a <i>zimmun</i>? An olive-bulk</b> of food suffices to obligate those with whom they ate in a <i>zimmun</i>. <b>Rabbi Yehuda says: An egg-bulk</b> is the minimum measure to obligate those with whom they ate in a <i>zimmun</i>.", | |
| "The mishna delineates distinctions in the <i>halakhot</i> of the <i>zimmun</i> blessing, based on the number of people present. <b>How does one recite the <i>zimmun</i>? In</b> a group of <b>three</b> people, the one reciting the <i>zimmun</i> <b>says: Let us bless</b> the One from Whose food we have eaten. <b>In</b> a group of <b>three</b> people <b>and him,</b> the one reciting the <i>zimmun</i> <b>says: Bless</b> the One from Whose food we have eaten, as even without him there are enough people to recite the <i>zimmun</i>. With the increase in the number of participants, the blessing is more complex. <b>In</b> a group of <b>ten</b> people, the one reciting the <i>zimmun</i> <b>says: Let us bless our God. In</b> a group of <b>ten</b> people <b>and him,</b> the one reciting the <i>zimmun</i> <b>says: Bless</b> our God. This formula is recited <b>both</b> in a group of <b>ten and in</b> a group of <b>one hundred thousand.</b> <b>In</b> a group of <b>one hundred</b> people, the one reciting the <i>zimmun</i> <b>says: Let us bless the Lord our God. In</b> a group of <b>one hundred</b> people <b>and him,</b> the one reciting the <i>zimmun</i> <b>says: Bless</b> the Lord our God. <b>In</b> a group of <b>one thousand</b> people, the one reciting the <i>zimmun</i> <b>says: Let us bless the Lord our God, the God of Israel. In</b> a group of <b>one thousand</b> people <b>and him, he says: Bless</b> the Lord our God, the God of Israel. <b>In</b> a group of <b>ten thousand</b> people, the one reciting the <i>zimmun</i> <b>says: Let us bless the Lord our God, the God of Israel, the God of Hosts, Who sits upon the cherubs, for the food that we have eaten. In</b> a group of <b>ten thousand</b> people <b>and him,</b> the one reciting the <i>zimmun</i> <b>says: Bless</b> the Lord our God, the God of Israel, the God of Hosts, Who sits upon the cherubs, for the food that we have eaten. The principle is that <b>just as he recites the blessing, so too</b> those present <b>recite in response: Blessed be the Lord our God, the God of Israel, the God of Hosts, Who sits upon the cherubs, for the food that we have eaten.</b> On a similar note, <b>Rabbi Yosei HaGelili says: According to the size of the crowd, they recite the blessing, as it is stated: “Bless you God in full assemblies, even the Lord, you who are from the fountain of Israel”</b> (Psalms 68:27). <b>Rabbi Akiva said</b> that there are no distinctions based on the size of the crowd: <b>What do we find in the synagogue? Both</b> when there are <b>many and</b> when there are <b>few,</b> as long as there is a quorum of ten, the prayer leader <b>says: Bless [<i>barekhu</i>] the Lord. Rabbi Yishmael said</b> that in the synagogue, one recites: <b>Bless the Lord the blessed One.</b> ", | |
| "<b>Three</b> people <b>who ate as one are not permitted to divide</b> and recite Grace after Meals individually; rather, they recite the <i>zimmun</i> together. <b>And the same</b> is true of <b>four</b> who ate together, <b>and the same</b> is true of <b>five.</b> However, a group of <b>six, up to</b> but not including <b>ten</b> people who ate as one, <b>may divide</b> into two groups, each reciting its own <i>zimmun</i>. <b>And</b> a group of <b>ten may not divide</b> into two groups <b>until there are twenty</b> people present. The general principle is that a group may not divide unless the smaller groups will be able to recite the same <i>zimmun</i> formula that the whole group would have recited.", | |
| "The mishna states a <i>halakha</i> with regard to two groups joining together: <b>Two groups that were eating in one house, when some</b> members of each group <b>can see each other, they may combine to</b> form a <b><i>zimmun</i>. And if not, these recite a <i>zimmun</i> for themselves and those recite a <i>zimmun</i> for themselves.</b> The mishna also speaks of the blessing over wine: <b>One does not recite a blessing over wine until he adds water to it,</b> that is <b>the statement of Rabbi Eliezer.</b> Undiluted wine is too strong to drink and a blessing is inappropriate. <b>And the Rabbis say:</b> Since it is possible to drink undiluted wine, one <b>recites a blessing over it.</b>" | |
| ], | |
| [ | |
| "<b>These</b> are the <b>matters</b> of dispute <b>between Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel with regard to</b> the <i>halakhot</i> of <b>a meal:</b> One dispute concerns the order of blessings in <i>kiddush</i>. <b>Beit Shammai say:</b> When one recites <i>kiddush</i> over wine, <b>one recites a blessing over the</b> sanctification of the <b>day and recites a blessing over the wine thereafter. And Beit Hillel say: One recites a blessing over the wine and recites a blessing over the day thereafter.</b>", | |
| "Similarly, Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai disagree with regard to drinking wine before a meal. <b>Beit Shammai say: One washes his hands and mixes</b> water with the wine in <b>the cup thereafter, and Beit Hillel say: One mixes</b> water with the wine in <b>the cup and</b> only <b>washes his hands thereafter.</b> The basis of this particular dispute is with regard to the laws of ritual purity, as the Gemara will explain below.", | |
| "Also with regard to the laws of ritual purity, <b>Beit Shammai say:</b> After washing, <b>one dries his hands with a cloth and places it on the table. And Beit Hillel say:</b> One places it <b>on the cushion</b> upon which he is sitting.", | |
| "Similarly, <b>Beit Shammai say: One sweeps the</b> area of the <b>house</b> where the meal took place <b>and he washes his hands</b> with the final waters before Grace after Meals <b>thereafter. And Beit Hillel say: One washes his hands and sweeps the house thereafter.</b>", | |
| "Just as they dispute the order of the blessings in <i>kiddush</i>, they dispute the order of the blessings in <i>havdala</i>. If a meal continued until the conclusion of Shabbat, <b>Beit Shammai say:</b> One recites the blessing over the <b>candle,</b> then the Grace after <b>Meals</b> blessing, then the blessing over the <b>spices,</b> and finally the blessing of <b><i>havdala</i>. And Beit Hillel say:</b> The order is <b>candle, spices,</b> Grace after <b>Meals, and <i>havdala</i>.</b> With regard to the blessing over the candle, <b>Beit Shammai say: Who created [<i>bara</i>] the light of fire. And Beit Hillel say: Who creates [<i>boreh</i>] the lights of fire.</b>", | |
| "<b>One may neither recite a blessing over the candle nor over the spices of gentiles, nor over the candle nor the spices</b> designated to pay respects <b>to the dead, nor over the candle nor the spices of idolatry.</b> The mishna cites another <i>halakha</i> with regard to the blessing over the candle: <b>And one does not recite the blessing over the candle until he derives benefit from its light.</b>", | |
| "The mishna cites an additional dispute: <b>One who ate and forgot and did not recite a blessing; Beit Shammai say: He returns to</b> the <b>place</b> where <b>he</b> ate <b>and recites the blessing. Beit Hillel say:</b> That is unnecessary. <b>He recites the blessing at the place</b> where <b>he remembered.</b> Both agree, however, that there is a limit with regard to how long after eating one may recite Grace after Meals. <b>And until when does he recite the blessing? Until the food is digested in his intestines.</b>", | |
| "<b>Wine came before</b> the diners <b>after the meal; if only that cup</b> of wine <b>is there, Beit Shammai say: One recites a blessing over the wine and recites a blessing over the food,</b> Grace after Meals, <b>thereafter. And Beit Hillel say: One recites a blessing over the food and recites a blessing over the wine thereafter.</b> <b>And one answers amen after a Jew who recites a blessing</b> even if he did not hear the entire blessing, <b>and one does not answer amen after a Samaritan [<i>Kuti</i>] who recites a blessing until he hears the whole blessing in its entirety,</b> as perhaps the <i>Kuti</i> introduced an element inconsistent with the Jewish faith in that section of the blessing that he did not hear." | |
| ], | |
| [ | |
| "This mishna, which includes all of this chapter’s <i>mishnayot</i>, contains a series of blessings and <i>halakhot</i> that are not recited at specific times, but rather in response to various experiences and events.<br><strong>MISHNA:<strong> <span class=\"gemarra-regular\">One who sees a place where miracles occurred</span><span class=\"gemarra-regular\"> on Israel’s behalf recites: Blessed…Who performed miracles </span><span class=\"gemarra-regular\">for our forefathers in this place. </span>One who sees<span class=\"gemarra-regular\"> a </span><span class=\"gemarra-regular\">place from which idolatry was eradicated recites: Blessed…Who eradicated </span><span class=\"gemarra-regular\">idolatry from our land.</span> </strong></strong>", | |
| "One who sees conspicuous natural occurrences recites a blessing. <b>For <i>zikin</i> and <i>zeva’ot</i>,</b> which the Gemara will discuss below, <b>for lightning, thunder,</b> and gale force <b>winds,</b> manifestations of the power of the Creator, one <b>recites: Blessed…Whose strength and power fill the world. For</b> extraordinary (Rambam) <b>mountains, hills, seas, rivers, and deserts, one recites: Blessed…Author of creation.</b> Consistent with his opinion that a separate blessing should be instituted for each individual species, <b>Rabbi Yehuda says: One who sees the great sea recites</b> a special blessing: <b>Blessed…Who made the great sea.</b> As with all blessings of this type, one only recites it <b>when he sees</b> the sea <b>intermittently,</b> not on a regular basis. <b>For rain and</b> other <b>good tidings, one recites</b> the special blessing: <b>Blessed…Who is good and Who does good.</b> Even <b>for bad tidings, one recites</b> a special blessing: <b>Blessed…the true Judge.</b>", | |
| " Similarly, when <b>one built a new house or purchased new vessels, he recites: Blessed…Who has given us life, sustained us, and brought us to this time.</b> The mishna articulates a general principle: <b>One recites a blessing for the bad</b> that befalls him <b>just as</b> he does <b>for the good.</b> In other words, one recites the appropriate blessing for the trouble that he is experiencing at present despite the fact that it may conceal some positive element in the future. <b>Similarly,</b> one must recite a blessing for <b>the good</b> that befalls him <b>just as for the bad.</b> The mishna states: <b>And one who cries out over the past</b> in an attempt to change that which has already occurred, <b>it is a vain prayer.</b> For example, <b>one whose wife was pregnant and he says: May it be</b> God’s <b>will that my wife will give birth to a male child, it is a vain prayer.</b> Or <b>one who was walking on the path</b> home <b>and he heard the sound of a scream in the city, and he says: May it be</b> God’s <b>will that</b> this scream <b>will not be from my house, it is a vain prayer.</b> In both cases, the event already occurred.", | |
| "The Sages also said: <b>One who enters a large city,</b> the Gemara explains below that this is in a case where entering the city is dangerous, <b>recites two prayers: One upon his entrance,</b> that he may enter in peace, <b>and one upon his exit,</b> that he may leave in peace. <b>Ben Azzai says:</b> He recites <b>four</b> prayers, <b>two upon his entrance and two upon his exit.</b> In addition to praying that he may enter and depart in peace, he <b>gives thanks for the past and cries out</b> in prayer <b>for the future.</b> ", | |
| "The mishna articulates a general principle: <b>One is obligated to recite a blessing for the bad</b> that befalls him <b>just as he recites a blessing for the good</b> that befalls him, <b>as it is stated: “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,</b> with all your soul, and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5). The mishna explains this verse as follows: “<b>With all your heart”</b> means <b>with your two inclinations, with your good inclination and your evil inclination,</b> both of which must be subjugated to the love of God. <b>“With all your soul”</b> means <b>even if God takes your soul. “And with all your might”</b> means <b>with all your money,</b> as money is referred to in the Bible as might. <b>Alternatively,</b> it may be explained that “<b>with all your might”</b> means <b>with every measure that He metes out to you;</b> whether it is good or troublesome, <b>thank Him.</b> The mishna teaches several Temple-related <i>halakhot</i>. <b>One may not act irreverently</b> or conduct himself flippantly <b>opposite the eastern gate</b> of the Temple Mount, <b>which is aligned opposite the Holy of Holies.</b> In deference to the Temple, one <b>may not enter the Temple Mount with his staff, his shoes, his money belt [<i>punda</i>], or</b> even <b>the dust on his feet. One may not make</b> the Temple <b>a shortcut</b> to pass through it, <b>and through an <i>a fortiori</i> inference,</b> all the more so <b>one may not spit</b> on the Temple Mount. The mishna relates: <b>At the conclusion of all blessings</b> recited <b>in the Temple, those</b> reciting the blessing <b>would say:</b> Blessed are You Lord, God of Israel, <b>until everlasting [<i>haolam</i>]</b>, the world. But <b>when the Sadducees strayed and declared</b> that <b>there is but one world</b> and there is no World-to-Come, the Sages <b>instituted that</b> at the conclusion of the blessing <b>one recites: From everlasting [<i>haolam</i>] to everlasting [<i>haolam</i>]</b>. The Sages also <b>instituted that one should greet another in the name</b> of God, i.e., one should mention God’s name in his greeting, <b>as it is stated: “And presently Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the harvesters, The Lord is with you, and they said to him, May the Lord bless you”</b> (Ruth 2:4). <b>And it says:</b> “And the angel of God appeared to him <b>and said to him, God is with you, mighty man of valor”</b> (Judges 6:12). <b>And it says: “And despise not your mother when she is old”</b> (Proverbs 23:22), i.e., one must not neglect customs which he inherits. <b>And</b> lest you say that mentioning God’s name is prohibited, <b>it says: “It is time to work for the Lord; they have made void Your Torah”</b> (Psalms 119:126), i.e., it is occasionally necessary to negate biblical precepts in order to perform God’s will, and greeting another is certainly God’s will. <b>Rabbi Natan says</b> another interpretation of the verse: <b>“Make void Your Torah” because “it is the time to work for the Lord,”</b> i.e., occasionally it is necessary to negate biblical precepts in order to bolster the Torah." | |
| ] | |
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| "William Davidson Edition - English", | |
| "https://korenpub.com/collections/the-noe-edition-koren-talmud-bavli-1" | |
| ] | |
| ], | |
| "heTitle": "משנה ברכות", | |
| "categories": [ | |
| "Mishnah", | |
| "Seder Zeraim" | |
| ], | |
| "sectionNames": [ | |
| "Chapter", | |
| "Mishnah" | |
| ] | |
| } |