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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When does one need to be careful not to incite the Satan?
The Gemara (Berachos 19a) learns out from Yeshayah 1:9-2:1, that one should not say that something bad could have happened to him, so as not to incite the Satan.
The question is: doesn’t David ...
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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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Why connecting Information and Verses
There is a Pasuk in Shmot 24:12 that says:
I will give you the stone tablets, the Law and the commandments, which I have written to instruct them.
The Gemara in Berachot 5a explains that the tablets ...
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Shehecheyanu on eyeglasses
Does one recite the blessing/berakha of Shehecheyanu on getting new eyeglasses or no? As always, sources are always appreciated.
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Contradiction in Gemara over olive oil
The Gemara in Berachot 35b discusses why wine merits a special separate beracha. They suggest maybe because it changes forms for the better (grapes become wine), but then reject this by saying olives ...
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Blessing Over Gentile Candle
Some questions arose when reading [Mishnah Brachot 8:6]1
One may neither recite a blessing over the candle nor over the spices of gentiles, nor over the candle nor the spices designated to pay ...
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Bracha over Nazir or Metzora shaving their hair
Was a bracha historically made over shaving the heads/bodies of nazirim or metzoraim?
If so what was the girsa?
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Bracha on Kiddush Hachodesh
Did the beit din make a bracha each month on the mitzvah of kiddush hachodesh in the times of the Sanhedrin? If yes, what was the language of the bracha?
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Bracha on Unloading and raising up animals
Does one make a bracha over the mitzvot of unloading an exhausted animal, or raising up a collapsed animal?
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What Brachot were made over the temple services?
I am currently working on a project devising a list of all Brachot ever made in the history of yiddishkeit. So far I have 198, based on prevalent practice today as well as various poskim and, gemara, ...
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Brachos on mitzvos no longer practiced [closed]
I am currently working on a project devising a list of all Brachot ever made in the history of yiddishkeit. So far I have 198, based on prevalent practice today as well as various poskim and, gemara, ...
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Why doesn’t this Gemara include בכל לבבך
So the Talmud in Berachot 61b asks why the Shema states to serve Hashem “with all your money” if it already says “with all your soul” and vice versa. And they answer that “all your soul” refers to ...
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Why is this person deserving of death?
הַהוּא גַבְרָא דְּקָא מְצַלֵּי אֲחוֹרֵי בֵּי כְּנִישְׁתָּא, וְלָא מַהְדַּר אַפֵּיהּ לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא. חֲלַף אֵלִיָּהוּ. חַזְיֵיהּ, אִידְּמִי לֵיהּ כְּטַיָּיעָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: כְּדוּ בָר קָיְימַתְּ ...
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How do berry plants "die in the winter" compared to Ha'etz trees?
In Rema OC 203:2 one of the reasons given why we don't make Ha'etz on berries is because its shoots die during the winter and a new set of shoots and buds grow out from its roots during the summer, ...
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Where is this Rashba on prayer?
I remember I read that the Rashba has a beautiful piece of advice for Tefilla (prayer):
To always remember what he have is due to HaShem’s kindness, to always remember that HaShem is capable of ...
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Why is it a benefit for Avraham to die before Esav 'breaks bad'?
Rashi in his commentary to Bereshis 25:30 says that Avraham died 5 years earlier than he would have otherwise, in order to not witness his grandson Esav engage in bad behavior:
https://mg.alhatorah....
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Nothing missing in the world?
The Shulchan Aruch OC (226:1) writes that
בא"י אמ"ה שלא חיסר בעולמו כלום וברא בו בריות טובות ואילנות טובות
ליהנות בהם בני אדם - "Blessed Are you....who has not left anything
lacking ...
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Bowing at the end of Modim deRabanan
An answer tangentially mentions that there are those who say that one should also bow at the end of the Modim deRabanan. This is mentioned in Orach Chayim 127:1, and its foremost proponent seems to be ...
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What to do when you should not publicize the halacha?
The gemara 33b brachot says:
אֲמַר לֵיהּ לָאו הֲלָכָה אִתְּמַר אֵלָּא מַטִּין אִתְּמַר
Rabbi Zeira then said to him: It wasn't stated in public that the
halachah follows Rabbi Eliezer, but that we ...
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Am I obligated to say "bless you" (or its equivalent) after someone sneezes?
The Midrash Pirkei D'Rebbi Eliezer (54) writes
המופת הרביעי, מיום שנברא העולם לא היה אדם חולה, אלא בכל מקום שהיה אדם
אם בדרך אם בשוק ועטש היתה נפשו יוצאה מנחיריו ומת, עד שבא יעקב אבינו
ובקש רחמים על ...
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Whom does G-d pray to?
Berakhot 7a says:
מִכָּאן שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִתְפַּלֵּל
Whom does G-d pray to?
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What does the Gemara mean by שֶׁמְּמָאֲנִין אֶת הַקְּטַנָּה?
Brachot, Perek 4, daf 27, amud A, says
רִבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן בָּבָא הֵעִיד חֲמִשָּׁה דְּבָרִים שֶׁמְּמָאֲנִין אֶת הַקְּטַנָּה וְשֶׁמַּשִּׂיאִין אֶת הָאִשָּׁה עַל פִּי עֵד אֶחָד וְעַל תַּרְנְגוֹל ...
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Why did Rabbi Shila hide what he said?
In Berakhot 58a, Rabbi Shila thanks G-d by saying:
״לְךָ ה׳ הַגְּדֻלָּה וְהַגְּבוּרָה וְגוֹ׳״
When he's asked by the authorities about what he said, he replies:
״בְּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא דְּיָהֵיב ...
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Were there any animal in Eden?
The Gemara Berachos (34a) writes
רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי אָמַר: זֶה עֵדֶן, שֶׁלֹּא שָׁלְטָה
בּוֹ עֵין כׇּל בְּרִיָּה - Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: That is
Eden, which no creature’s eye has ...
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How can a table be a sheni l'tum'ah?
Mishna Berachos 8:3 says:
בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים, מְקַנֵּחַ יָדָיו בַּמַּפָּה וּמַנִּיחָהּ עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן. וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים, עַל הַכֶּסֶת:
Bet Shammai says: he wipes his hand with a towel ...
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What does it mean to "kill a soul"?
The Gemara Berachos (32b) says
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: כׇּל כֹּהֵן שֶׁהָרַג אֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ — לֹא
יִשָּׂא אֶת כַּפָּיו - Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Any Kohen who killed a
nefesh may not lift his hands in ...
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What is the origin of the word פְּלַסְתֵּר?
The Gemara Berachos (31b) writes
אֵלֵךְ וְאֶסְתַּתֵּר בִּפְנֵי אֶלְקָנָה בַּעֲלִי, וְכֵיוָן דְּמִסְתַּתַּרְנָא מַשְׁקוּ לִי מֵי סוֹטָה, וְאִי אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה תּוֹרָתְךָ פְּלַסְתֵּר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״...
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Identity of the rooster
The Gemara Berachos (7a) writes
וְאֵימַת רָתַח? אָמַר אַבַּיֵי: בְּהָנָךְ תְּלָת שָׁעֵי קַמָּיָיתָא
כִּי חִיוָּרָא כַּרְבַּלְתָּא דְתַרְנְגוֹלָא וְקָאֵי אַחַד כַּרְעָא.
The Gemara asks: When is the ...
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Why was Levi's davening wrong?
In Taanis 25a there is a story with Levi where rain didn't come so he fasted. He then 'shot' words towards heaven, and Rabbi Elazar then says A person should never shoot words onto the God up high, ...
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How could Abba Ḥilkiyya do that?
In the Gemara in Berochos daf 61 it says that one may not walk behind ones wife.
So how is it that Abba Ḥilkiyya in Tananis daf 23 went after his wife into the house, even if he didn't want to check ...
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Amen between Hashkiveinu and Yir'u Eineinu in maariv
Based on Brachot 45b and Yerushalmi Brachot 5:4/40b, many communities have the custom of saying amen after several of their own brachot. One of the places where some add amen is at the end of the ...
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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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Moshe instructed Betzalel to do other than Moshe had been commanded?
The Gemoro Berachos 55a quoted by Rashi on Shemos 38 (22) seems to say that Moshe ordered that the vessels should be made before the Mishkan that was to contain them.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said ...
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Why can one not daven to change the gender of a fetus?
According to Bava Metzia 42a, one may daven for things in the past if it's something that nobody knows yet.
Yet, when Berachos 60a asks how one may daven to change the gender of her fetus on the ...
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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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לך לשלום vs לך עם שלום vs לך בשלום
On page Berachos 33a1 the story of the Pious man praying on the road & the General, towards the end of the story it is stated that the "General was appeased and the Pious man departed to his home "...
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Why did Ben Azzai copy Rabbi Akiva?
In today's Daf Yomi, Brachot 62a, it says:
It was taught in a baraita in tractate Derekh Eretz that Rabbi Akiva said: I once entered the bathroom after my teacher Rabbi Yehoshua, and I learned ...
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Why is the Kurkavon mentioned?
In Masheches Berachos daf 61b, the gemara mentions various body parts and their respective functions. It seems that the gemara is referring to human body parts, based off the gemaras premise (on daf ...
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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 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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Berachot 35a - If a before-beracha is more compelling than an after-beracha how do we know that an after-beracha is required?
The Talmud in the beginning of the sixth chapter of Masechet Berachot seeks to find the source that blessings are required for food. At one point in this adventure, the Talmud concludes that there is ...
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Did Samuel write his book before he was born?
The Talmud (Berachot 31b) records the following statement:
ותדר נדר ותאמר ה' צבאות אמר רבי אלעזר מיום שברא הקב"ה את עולמו לא היה אדם שקראו להקב"ה צבאות עד שבאתה חנה וקראתו צבאות אמרה חנה ...
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How does the law of prayer direction apply to a spherical Earth?
A Beraita is cited in Berachot 30a as follows:
ת"ר סומא ומי שאינו יכול לכוין את הרוחות יכוין לבו כנגד אביו שבשמים שנא' והתפללו אל ה' היה עומד בח"ל יכוין את לבו כנגד ארץ ישראל שנא' והתפללו אליך דרך ...
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If a husband intentionally warns his wife knowing that she will not sin, does she drink?
Berachos 31b:
״אִם רָאֹה תִרְאֶה״, אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: אָמְרָה חַנָּה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, ״אִם רָאֹה״ — מוּטָב, וְאִם לָאו — ״תִּרְאֶה״ אֵלֵךְ וְאֶסְתַּתֵּר ...
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Is there no end to praying for a friend?
Talmud Berachot 12b says:
וְאָמַר רַבָּה בַּר חִינָּנָא סָבָא מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב: כֹּל
שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לְבַקֵּשׁ רַחֲמִים עַל חֲבֵירוֹ וְאֵינוֹ מְבַקֵּשׁ —
נִקְרָא ״חוֹטֵא״. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״גַּם ...
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Why is greeting someone before praying compared to building a private altar?
Berachos 14a:
אָמַר רַב: כָּל הַנּוֹתֵן שָׁלוֹם לַחֲבֵירוֹ קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּתְפַּלֵּל כְּאִילּוּ עֲשָׂאוֹ בָּמָה. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״חִדְלוּ לָכֶם מִן הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר נְשָׁמָה בְּאַפּוֹ כִּי בַמֶּה נֶחְשָׁב ...
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Why does Rashi explain where yoke of Mitzvos is discussed in Parshas Tzitzis?
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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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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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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Is prayer heard in all places of song?
Berachos 6a:
תַּנְיָא, אַבָּא בִּנְיָמִין אוֹמֵר: אֵין תְּפִלָּה שֶׁל אָדָם נִשְׁמַעַת אֶלָּא בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶל הָרִנָּה וְאֶל הַתְּפִלָּה״. בִּמְקוֹם רִנָּה — שָׁם ...
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