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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Is the word לבר or לבד?
In מסכת ברכות , on the top line of דף ל,ב, the text reads "בנהרדעא לבר מההוא יומא " [it continues the quote from Shmuel that he never davened mussaf privately in Neharde'a...]
According to the ...
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The principle of makom as it pertains to bentching
Gemara brachos records the dispute regarding one who forgets to make birkat hamazon. One shittah says you should return to the location he ate before making the bracha. How specifically does this ...
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Was Yehoshua Ben Karcha a member of Beth Hillel or Beth Shammai?
Was Yehoshua Ben Karcha a member of Beth Hillel or Beth Shammai? I am talking about the Yehoshua Ben Karcha of Mishna Berachot 2:2.
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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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How can the Gemara bring a proof supporting רבינו from רבי אבא?
In Brachot 49a, it talks about what people must say in birkat hamazon.
The top of the page is part of a braita, which quotes רבי אבא as saying that to fulfill their obligation, one must mention, ...
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Berachot before/after Shema in Berachot 2a
On Berachot daf 2a, the gemara says that we have two berachot before Shema and one after (in the morning) and two before, followed by two after (in the evening).
As far as I'm aware, there are three ...
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May one complain to G-d?
Is one allowed to be angry with G-d about misfortunes and pray to G-d in a complaining, or even insolent manner?
In Brachot 31b, we see that Chana spoke insolently toward G-d. However, I heard from ...
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Machlokes Hatanaim when Kriat Shema should be said
The first Blat of Berachot tells us about a Mahlokes when Krias Shema should be recited. There are almost 10 shitos there.
What is the Machlokes-is there a Sevara for each shita?
For instance, the ...
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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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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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Information about Arab Travelers in Aggadah
Pesachim 110b and Bava Metzia 86a mention ההוא טייעא in the midst of aggadic stories. Professor Jastrow translates this word as a traveler, esp. an Arabian caravan merchant. Soncino Translates it ...
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How does a verse in Yirmiyahu prove that one should say "אני ה' אלהיכם אמת" without interruption
In Talmud Berachot end of 14A, beginning of 14B, a reason is given why one does not make an interruption between "Ani Hashem Elokeichem" of the end of Shema, and "Emet":
א"ר ...
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Expounding a student's name
The Gemara in Berachos 39a has the following account:
תני תנא קמיה דרב נחמן בר יצחק מניח הפרוסה בתוך השלמה ובוצע ומברך אמר ליה מה שמך א"ל שלמן א"ל שלום אתה ושלמה משנתך ששמת שלום בין ...
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Why doesn't the Gemara cite Avos as a proof?
The Sugya in Brachos 6a (cited in the name of רבין בר רב אדא א"ר יצחק)
אמר רבין בר רב אדא א"ר יצחק מנין שהקב"ה מצוי בבית הכנסת שנאמר אלהים נצב בעדת אל ומנין לעשרה שמתפללין ששכינה עמהם שנאמר אלהים ...
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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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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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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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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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Discussing the Exodus in the Messianic Age
The Mishna (Berakhot 1:5) records a disagreement between Shimon ben Zoma and the sages as regards the interpretation of a word in Deuteronomy 16:3. There, the verse says that one should recall the ...
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Why do I care what time Bnei Melachim (sons of kings) rise in the morning?
The Mishnah in Berachothch2? teaches that one may recite Shema' until the end of the third hour of the day, "for it is the way of the sons of kings to rise by three hours."
Why is that the deciding ...
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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?
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Ruling Like Beis Shammai
The Mishna on Berachos 10b cites the opinions of Beis Shammai stating that one must lie down to read the evening Krias Shema, and Beis Hillel as saying that one can say it in any position. On the next ...
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Why don't we say what the Yerushalmi says to say during Bircat Kohanim?
I've been studying the Talmud Yerushalmi Berachot, which lists what you should say during Bircat Kohanim:
אמר רבי הונא זה שרואה את הכהנים בבית הכנסת בברכה ראשונה צריך לומר ברכו את ה׳ מלאכיו בשנייה ...
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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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Making a Bracha on pleasurable things
A couple lines up from the bottom of the first daf of Keitzad Mevarchin, the Gemarah gives its reason for making Brachas. Its answer (my translation) is "It is forbidden for a person to get pleasure ...
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Why are bread and wine important?
In the first Rashi of the sixth chapter of Mesechet Brachos, Rashi writes that wine (and bread) have their own Brachas because they are important. What does Rashi base this statement off of? Where ...
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Why not list the 7 Minim in order with no second "Eretz"?
Devarim 8:8 ארץ חיטה ושעורה, וגפן ותאנה ורימון; ארץ-זית שמן, ודבש. The Gemara in Berachos 41: says in the name of either Rabbi Yosef or Rabbi Yitzchok that the order of the Brachos would depend on ...
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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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Purpose of Suffering
The Talmud in Berachos 5a says: "Rava said: If a man sees suffering coming on him, let him examine his ways..."
does this mean the suffering is to atone for his sin or does it mean the suffering is ...
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Mishna, Brakhot 2a: When the kohanim enter...where?
Mishna, Brakhot 2a
מאימתי קורין את שמע בערבין משעה שהכהנים נכנסים לאכול בתרומתן
What is the author implying as the direct object of the verb נכנסים? In other words, from the hour that the kohanim ...
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Meaning of dreams with some kinds of animals
The gemara in berachot says: "All kinds of beasts are a good sign in a dream, except the elephant, the monkey and the long-tailed ape" (57b).
Why is a dream with an elephant, a monkey or a long-tailed ...
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Two Brachos before shema and one after in the morning, and two before and after in the evening
In the first Gemara of Brachos, the gemara quotes a 'seifa' that says:
THE MORNING SHEMA IS PRECEDED BY TWO BRACHOS AND FOLLOWED BY ONE. THE EVENING SHEMA IS PRECEDED BY TWO BRACHOS AND FOLLOWED BY ...
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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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Which kings stay in bed to the third hour of the day?
It says in the Gemara that we can say Shma until the third hour since that's when kings get up.
What kings are we talking about? Jewish kings weren't around until much later, so Sof Zman Krias Shema ...
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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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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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"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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Help parsing the Midrashim of ר׳ חנינא from בר׳ ל״ג ב׳
Can anyone offer help parsing the Midrashim of ר׳ חנינא from בר׳ ל״ג ב?
He seems to quote himself in third person a couple of times:
״ואמר ר׳ חנינא הכל...והא אמר ר׳ חנינא משום ר׳ שמעון בן יוחי אין לו....
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A Mashal of HaShem as a crazy king and Moshe as His weak-kneed friend?
The Gemara (Ber. 32a) quotes R' El'azar that when HaShem wanted to destroy Bnei Yisrael and Moshe intervened, it is comparable to a king who beat his son terribly, and the king's friend was at his ...
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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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Was Tevi a slave at death or not?
The gemarah (bava kama 74b) indicates that Rebbi Gamliel's slave, Tevi was given his freedom after his master blinded him in one eye. However, the gemarah elsewhere (Brachos 16b) indicates that Rebbi ...
user1668
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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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Ma'ariv is obligatory?
Berachoth (4b) states conclusively that Ma'ariv is compulsory (לאפוקי ממאן דאמר ... רשות; קמ״ל דחובה). But one of the accepted premises when comparing Ma'ariv to other Tefilloth is that Ma'ariv is ...
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Why don't translations of Tehilim 119 translate נשף like the Gemara?
The Gemara on Berachos 3b asserts that נשף can mean either "dawn" or "evening", and cites Tehilim 119:147 as an instance of "evening".
However, every translation I have seen of this verse - the ...
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Three reasons not to enter ruins (Berachoth 3a)
In Berachoth (3a) a Beraitha states that there are 3 reasons not to enter ruins - that it is unseemly, that walls might collapse, and that unsavory characters might lie in wait and harm the person. ...
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Kohanim on first shift can't say Shema'?
The first Mishnah in Berachoth quotes R' Eli'ezer's opinion that the time for reciting Shema' in the evening extends only until the end of the first shift (the Kohanim would serve in the Beith ...
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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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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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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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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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