Questions tagged [tractate-brachot]
The first tractate in the Order of Zeraim, this focuses on blessings and prayers, including: Shema, the Amidah, and blessings on food
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If kings get up at 3 hours past sunrise, wouldn't they need some extra time to say Shma?
Mishna Brachot 1:2 gives the times for saying Shma in the morning.
מאימתיי קורין את שמע בשחרים: משיכיר בין תכלת ללבן; רבי אליעזר אומר, בין תכלת לכרתן. עד הנץ החמה; רבי יהושוע אומר, עד שלוש שעות, ...
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How could Rav be disproved?
Frequently, when the Gemara tries to disprove Rav from a Mishna, it answers that he's considered a Tanna and can argue on a Mishna.
But there's this case in Berachos 37a, where Rav and Shmuel both ...
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What causes a person to remain in this world as a ghost?
A baraita on Berakhot 18b relates a story where a pious man sleeps in a cemetery and hears two spirits talking. One of them suggests they wander the world, and the other says she can't because she ...
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Is the Talmud 100% Oral Torah?
I've been taught that the Oral Torah was passed from generation to generation from Moshe Rabbeinu. And I've also heard that the Talmud is basically a recollection of Oral Torah. This would suggest ...
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Aveira Lishma: Is it permissible to make a decision that contradicts Halacha because it is for the greater good?
The gemara in brachos 10a says that Chizkiyahu made the decision not to have children as he saw that his kids would be negative influences on the Jewish people. Then, Yeshayahu tells him that is not ...
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'Aliyah an Isur 'Aseh? Even today?
The Gemara (Bab. Ber. 24b*) quotes R' Yehudah as saying that anyone who leaves Bavel to go to Israel violates an Isur 'Aseh (a violation of the parameters of a positive commandment), because the Navi ...
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Why is אותו מקום referred to as the מקום התורף? What does תורף mean?
In Bavli Berachot 24a (and Shabbat 64b), the Gemara records that:
כל המסתכל באצבע קטנה של אשה כאילו מסתכל במקום התורף
-- Anyone who gazes upon a woman’s little finger is considered as if he gazed ...
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Was R' Yishmael aware that his blessing was Hashem's prayer?
Berachos 7a:
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: מִנַּיִן שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִתְפַּלֵּל? ... מַאי מְצַלֵּי? אָמַר רַב זוּטְרָא בַּר טוֹבִיָּה, אָמַר רַב: ״יְהִי רָצוֹן ...
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What is the reason for שנים מקרא ואחד תרגום?
The gemara in Berachos 8a-b states:
אמר רב הונא בר יהודה אמר רבי אמי לעולם ישלים אדם פרשיותיו עם הצבור שנים
מקרא ואחד תרגום [...] שכל המשלים פרשיותיו עם הצבור מאריכין לו ימיו ושנותיו
Rav ...
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Why does Jewish law and tradition specify times for saying Shema?
This question is asked at a very basic level, not deeply aware of Judaism or the process of Jewish law. I'm not Jewish so it isn't directly applicable to me, but it helps me to ask a broader question ...
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What's behind the disagreement about the first words of the blessings immediately before Shema?
The Talmud, in Berachot 11b, records a disagreement between Shemuel and the rabbinic majority regarding the beginning of the blessings that we say immediately before Shema in the evening and in the ...
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Sharp sword on the throat
The Gemara says Berachot 10a
אפי' חרב חדה מונחת על צוארו של אדם אל ימנע עצמו מן הרחמים
Even if a sharp sword is resting on one's thought he shouldn't hold back from (asking for) mercy."
Why does ...
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Properly focusing attention on Hashem
Recently I've been travelling to places, where I couldn't daven minchah in a synagogue, and in many cases I couldn't determine where mizrach was. In another question we saw that, based on Berakhot 30a,...
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Why does the Mishnah/Gemara begin with Masekhet Berakhot?
As mentioned (link 1, link 2) and I've seen on the ArtScroll Talmud series (though I don't have a picture to support the fact), the Mishnah/Gemara "begin" with Masekhet Berakhot.
Why was this order ...
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How was Rabbi Yochanan allowed to walk with his son's bone?
It says in Brachos 5B that R' Yochanan used to show people his tenth son's bone (all of his children passed away, and he used to carry a bone of his tenth child).
How was he allowed to not bury this ...
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How do we translate חַטָּאִים?
Isaiah 1 (28): And destruction shall come over rebels and sinners
together, and those who forsake the Lord shall perish. כח.
וְשֶׁבֶר פֹּשְׁעִים וְחַטָּאִים יַחְדָּו וְעֹזְבֵי יְהֹוָה ...
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Is there a connection between Rav Yehuda loving Israel and forbidding the ascent from Babylon to Israel?
The Talmud in Barachot 43a states the following:
אמר ליה רב חסדא לרב יצחק האי משחא דאפרסמון מאי מברכין עלויה א"ל הכי אמר רב יהודה בורא שמן ארצנו א"ל בר מיניה דר' יהודה דחביבא ליה ארץ ישראל ...
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Why is the first mishna of Brachos included in the Ein Yaakov?
Rav Yaakov ibn Habib collected aggadeta from the shas bavli and yerushalmi. He called this collection Ein Yaakov. He also wrote a commentary on a bunch of it which is called HaKoseiv.
The very first ...
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Why is the blessing of Mezonos not mentioned in the Mishnah?
The Mishnayos of the sixth perek of Berachos discuss all the different blessings which one makes on food, with the exception of the blessing 'borei minei mezonos'. Why is this not mentioned?
user4523
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Do you have to pay if you damage someone in order to stop them from sinning?
There is a story in Brachos where R' Ada bar Ahava ripped a Karbalta (a red non-tznius garment) off a woman, and then discovered that she was not Jewish. He then was fined for that act 400 zuz. He ...
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Can three Talmudic passages about mitzvot "protecting" and mitzvot "saving" be reconciled?
The Talmud in Shabbat 49a records the following story:
שפעם אחת גזרה מלכות רומי הרשעה גזירה על ישראל שכל המניח תפילין ינקרו את מוחו והיה אלישע מניחם ויוצא לשוק ראהו קסדור אחד רץ מפניו ורץ אחריו וכיון ...
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Why do Beis Shammai and Beis Hillel argue twice regarding kiddush?
In Berachos 51b (8:1), Beis Shammai and Beis Hillel argue about when making kiddush on an ordinary seudah whether one should make the brachah on the day first, or the brachah on the wine. Beis Shammai ...
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Davening to change nature
In Mashcehes Brachos (Bavli) 60 the Gemara states that one should not pray that his unborn baby be a boy if it's after the time the baby has formed already in the womb. However, in Masheches Brachos ...
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Where does the Maharsha mention the Bermuda Triangle?
Someone once told me that the Maharsha talks about Bermuda Triangle in meseches berachos.
Does anyone know where the Maharsha speaks about it?
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Are there five or six reasons why Parshas Tzitzis was added to Shema?
Berachos 12b:
פָּרָשַׁת צִיצִית מִפְּנֵי מָה קְבָעוּהָ? אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר חֲבִיבָא, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ חֲמִשָּׁה דְּבָרִים: מִצְוַת צִיצִית, יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם, עוֹל מִצְוֹת, וְדַעַת ...
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How does the gemara of "everything is for the best" make sense?
The gemara in Brachos daf 60b recounts how while traveling, R Akiva was refused lodging in a certain town. He said "everything which Hashem does is for the good" and went to sleep outside of town. A ...
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Was King David the head of the Sanhedrin?
It's widely assumed that Dovid HaMelech was the head of the Sanhedrin; see, for example, Kesef Mishneh in the beginning of Rambam's introduction to Yad HaChazaka. However, the Gemara in Berachos 4a ...
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Modesty of the other side
Rav Tzadok haCohen in Peri Tzaddik on Vayishlach, section 11, last paragraph, discusses that Persian/Medean exile corresponds to Yaakov avinu.
In passing, he discusses the Talmud (Bavli Berachos 8b) ...
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Why don't we say Hagomel after driving through a desert?
The Gemara says that four have to say Hagomel:
One who went overseas
One who went into a desert.
One who was [deathly] ill.
One who was in prison [on a capital crime].
Everyone (to the best of my ...
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Linking two sources on Ben Zoma and richness
I recently came across a report of Ben Zoma being rich, and it made me wonder whether there's any relationship between that and his famous definition of "richness" in Avot.
A baraita quoted ...
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How Did David Slay His Evil Inclination?
The Jerusalem Talmud, Brachot 9:5, says that David could not deal with his evil inclination, so he killed it in his heart.
How does one understand this passage? How did David kill his evil ...
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What made Yochanan go off?
After Yochanan served as the Kohen Gadol for 80 years, he "left the fold" (Berachos 29a)
ולא והא תנן אל תאמין בעצמך עד יום מותך שהרי יוחנן כ"ג שמש בכהונה גדולה שמנים שנה ולבסוף נעשה צדוקי
The ...
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Does one have to feed his dog, parrot, or goldfish before eating according to this Gemara?
The Gemara (Berachos 40a) expounds from Devarim 11:15 that one may not eat before feeding his animals:
אמר רב יהודה אמר רב אסור לאדם שיאכל קודם שיתן מאכל לבהמתו שנאמר ונתתי עשב בשדך לבהמתך והדר ...
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Shimi Ben Geira was Shlomo's Teacher?
The Talmud (Berachot 8A) seems to indicate that Shimi Ben Geira was King Shlomo's teacher:
ואמר רבי חייא בר אמי משמיה דעולא לעולם ידור אדם במקום רבו שכל זמן ששמעי בן גרא קיים לא נשא שלמה את בת פרעה
...
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Mekor that bnei t'murah doesn't apply to women- berachot 20a?
I'm trying to recall a source that the issue of bnei t'murah (having thoughts of another while having relations with one's wife) does not apply to women.
I saw the related posts but I seem to think I ...
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Brachos Daf 2a - What does Creation have to do with Krias Shema?
The Gemorah in Brachos Daf 2a asks two questions right away after
learning the Mishnah. The second is: Why is it that the Mishnah
taught about the time at night for Krias Shema first - really we
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Why wasn't Rabbi Akiva made nasi?
Per @user6591's answer on this question:
See the gemara in Yoma 22b.
This was orchestrated in order to ensure the longevity of his kingdom.
As Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben ...
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"Hit him with a hammer until he pays attention!" Literally?
Abaye makes a rather harsh judgment on someone who is unattentive in prayer (Ber. 34a): Hit him with a hammer until he pays attention!
Is this meant to be taken as Halachah? Or is it just meant to ...
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Who established the Shema?
The Gemara in Berachos 12b says "They sought to establish [various passages] in the Shema" and "they establish[ed] the passage of tzitzis in the Shema" (Artscroll trans.)
I had thought that the ...
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Is living outside Israel a sin according to Talmud?
In Berachot 57a:15 Chazal mention that one who sees a dream of himself standing naked in Babylonia, it's a sign that he is free of transgression. Then it's written that "living outside of Israel is ...
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Location of the Neshama
The gemara in Brachot 10a says that the Neshama fills the body
מה הקדוש ברוך הוא מלא כל העולם - אף נשמה מלאה את כל הגוף
On the other hand we find places that indicate the Neshama is in the brain/...
user8726
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Must we say that Rabbah was mistaken, and why?
The Gemara (Berachos 61b) tells us, that Rabbah claimed to be a Beinoni, to which Abaye responded that if he were to be a Beinoni, then everyone else would be less than that (G-d forbid) - but does ...
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Understanding Kli Yakor question on Rashi about Betzalal following Moishe's instructions
The Gemara says in Berachos (55a)
א״ר שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי א״ר יוֹנָתָן בְּצַלְאֵל עַל שֵׁם חָכְמָתוֹ נִקְרָא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה לֵךְ אֱמוֹר לוֹ ...
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Berachot 7a – Is there a connection between R. Meir and Acher?
In Berachot 7a we find the following passage:
וא"ר יוחנן משום ר' יוסי שלשה דברים בקש משה מלפני הקב"ה ונתן לו בקש שתשרה שכינה על ישראל ונתן לו שנאמר הלוא בלכתך עמנו בקש שלא תשרה שכינה על עובדי ...
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source for obligation to recite the shema
The talmud in berachos 2a asserts that the verse ודברת בם בשבתך בביתך ובלכתך בדרך ובשכבך ובקומך is the source for the mitzva of reciting shema twice daily.
Yet later on in daf 13, the talmud says ...
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Why did Chizkiyahu Hide the book of Refuos
...and he shall provide for healing" (Mishpatim 21:19) nitna reshus larofeh lerapos (Bava Kama 85a) - so why did Chizkiyahu Hamelech hide the Sefer Herefuos (Brachos 10b)
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Rabbi Shimon without any other qualifiers
When there is a "Rabbi Shimon" without giving his father's name or his town, who is it assumed to be? The specific example I'm looking at is in Yerushalmi Brachot Daf 25.-25:.
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Are we supposed to say "go..." when parting from the dead?
The g'mara on B'rachot 64a quotes R. Avin Halevi as saying that when we depart from a person we should say "go to peace" (like Yitro to Moshe), not "go in peace" (like David to Avshalom), but that ...
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What level of danger is required for HaGomel?
The Gemara says that four have to say Hagomel:
One who went overseas
One who went into a desert.
One who was [deathly] ill.
One who was in prison [on a capital crime].
To what level of danger must ...
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Mentioning the name of the sick in teffila
We see in this weeks Parsha (Baha'aloscha) that Moshe Rabbeinu prayed for his sister Miriam's Refuah by saying "אל נא רפא נא לה".
The Gemara in Brachos (34a) says that from this passuk we see that ...
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