Rabbinic JudaismJerusalem Talmud Berakhot 2.4HOLYMAP · SACRED TEXTS
The Jerusalem TalmudJerusalem Talmud Berakhot 2.4

The Jerusalem Talmud

Jerusalem Talmud Berakhot 2.4

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

MISHNAH: He who recited the Shema‘ and did not make his ear hear, (Rebbi Yehudah says that) he has fulfilled his obligation, Rebbi Yose says that he has not fulfilled his obligation. If he recited and was not exact in its letters, Rebbi Yose says that he has fulfilled his obligation, Rebbi Yehudah says that he has not fulfilled his obligation. He who reads backwards has not fulfilled his obligation. If he recited and made a mistake then he should return to the place of the mistake.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

HALAKHAH: Rav said: practice follows both of them for leniency. If it were not so, what could one say? An anonymous statement and Rebbi Yose, practice follows the anonymous. Rebbi Yose and Rebbi Yehudah, practice follows Rebbi Yose. So why does Rav have to say, practice follows both of them for leniency? Because he had heard Rebbi Ḥiyya formulating it in the name of Rebbi Meïr, he has to say that practice follows both of them for leniency.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

It was stated: “He who did pray and did not make his ear hear did fulfill his obligation.” For whom do we need that? For Rebbi Yose! For which statement of Rebbi Yose? For that which we have stated: “He who recites the Shema‘ and did not make his ear hear has fulfilled his obligation, Rebbi Yose says that he has not fulfilled his obligation.” Rav Mattanah said: That formulation is Rebbi Yose’s. Rebbi Yose said: We could be of the opinion that the rabbis and Rebbi Yose disagree only about Shema‘ since there it is written: “hear!”, but not about any other obligations. Since Rav Mattanah said “that formulation is Rebbi Yose’s”, it is the same for all obligations. What is the reason of Rebbi Yose? (Ex. 15:26) “Bend your ear to His commandments”, your ears should hear what your mouth says.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rav Ḥisda said: The deaf and dumb person is not mentioned, it is a formula. Then the Mishnah might be Rebbi Yehudah’s. Rebbi Yose said: It is reasonable to think that Rav Ḥisda concedes that the statement from Terumot is from Rebbi Yose. Rabbi Ḥanina said in the name of Rav Ḥisda, this one is by Rebbi Yose. Rebbi Yose bar Rebbi Abun said: It must be said that that one is Rebbi Yose’s since we have stated the first five cases and did not include it, because their terumah is no terumah. Then we have stated the five later ones and did not include it. So in the end you must say, that one is by Rebbi Yose.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

These need careful attention: al-lĕvāvĕkhā, al-lĕvavkhem, ēśev bĕśādĕkhā, waăvadt̂em mĕh̃ēr̄āh, hakkānāph pĕt́īl, etkhem mēereẓ. Rebbi Ḥanina in the name of Rebbi Aḥa: ăšer nišb̀a’ ădonay.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Samuel bar Ḥanina in the name of Rebbi Hoshaiah: “He Who forms light and creates darkness”; one should not say: “He Who forms light and creates radiance.” Rebbi Ḥaggai in the name of Rebbi Abba bar Zavda: “There they sang for You”, one should not say: “There they praised You”. Rebbi Levi, Rebbi Eudaimon of Haifa, in the name of Rebbi Levi bar Sisi: one has to pronounce tizkeru voiced. Rebbi Jonah in the name of Rav Ḥisda: one has to pronounce ki lĕ‘ôlām ḥasdȏ voiced. It was stated: One does not take as reader anyone from Haifa, Beth Sheän or Tiv‘on since they read ח like ה and ע like א. If his pronunciation was orderly, it would be permitted.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

New Section.He who reads backwards has not fulfilled his obligation. Rebbi Jonah said that Rav Naḥman bar Ada stated, Rebbi Yose said that Naḥman the Old stated, (Deut. 6:6) “They shall be”, they shall be unaltered. We have stated: The same holds for Hallel and the reading of the Esther scroll.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

This is fine for the Esther scroll since it is written there (Esther 9:27): “As they are written”. But for Hallel, since it is written (Ps. 113:3): “From sunrise to sunset, may the name of the Eternal be praised?” What can you understand from that? Rebbi Abun said: It also is written in order. (Ps. 114:1) “When Israel left Egypt” in the past. (Ps. 115:1) “Not for us, o Eternal, not for us” in the present. (Ps. 116:1) “I loved, truly the Eternal listened to my voice” in the days of the Messiah. (Ps. 118:27) “Bind the holiday sacrifice with ropes” in the days of Gog and Magog. (Ps. 118:28) “You are my God” in the future world.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Aḥa in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: Also he who composed this prayer composed it in good order. The first three and the last three are the praise of the Omnipresent, the middle ones are the needs of the creatures. Give us knowledge. You gave us knowledge, accept our repentance. You accepted our repentance, forgive us. You forgave us, save us. You saved us, heal our diseases. You healed our diseases, bless our years. You blessed our years, gather us in. You gathered us in, judge us in justice. You judged us in justice, subdue those who arise against us. You subdued those who arise against us, justify us. You justified us, build Your house, listen to our supplications, be pleased with us in it. Is it necessary after “build Your house,” listen to our supplications, be pleased with us in it? But as the verse is, so is the tradition (Is. 56:7): “I shall bring them to My holy mountain, make them happy in My house of prayer.”

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Jeremiah said: 120 elders, among them more than 80 prophets, instituted this prayer. Why did they follow “the holy God” by “He Who favors with knowledge”? Because (Is. 29:23–24) “they sanctify the Holy One of Jacob” is followed by “and those of erring spirit will know insight.” “Knowledge” followed by “Repentance”, (Is. 6:10) “Makefat the heart of this people, make it hard of hearing and its eyes sticky, that it should not see with its eyes, nor hear with its ears, nor understand with its heart, because if it would repent then it would be healed.” “Repentance” by “Forgiveness”, (Is. 55:7) “He should return to the Lord that He would have mercy on him, and to our God because He forgives much.” “Forgiveness” by “Redemption”, (Ps. 103:2–3) “He Who forgives all your sins, He Who hears all your maladies, He Who redeems your soul from destruction.” Then he should say “Healer of the sick” before that. Rebbi Aḥa said: why did they institute “Redeemer of Israel” as the seventh benediction? To teach you that Israel will be redeemed only in a Seventh Year. Rebbi Jonah in the name of Rebbi Aḥa: (Ps. 126) “A song of ascent. When the Eternal will return the returnees of Zion” is the seventh song, to show you that Israel will be redeemed only in a Seventh Year. Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: Why did they institute “Healer of the sick” as the eighth benediction? That is for circumcision which is done on the eighth, following (Maleachi 2:5) “My covenant was with him: Life”. Rebbi Alexander said: Why did they institute “He Who blesses the years” as the ninth benediction? Corresponding to (Ps. 29:5) “The sound of the Eternal breaks cedars”, since in the future He will break all market manipulators. Rebbi Levi in the name of Rebbi Aḥa bar Ḥanina: Why did they follow “He Who blesses the years” by “Ingatherer of the dispersed of Israel”? Because of (Ez. 36:8) “you, mountains of Israel, sprout your branches and carry your fruits for my people Israel”, why? “because they will soon come.” When the dispersed are gathered in then justice will be done, the evildoers will succumb, and the just will be happy. It was stated: One includes the apostates and the wicked in “He Who subdues the evildoers”, the converts and the elders in “refuge of the just”, David in “Builder of Jerusalem”. (Hosea 3:5) “Then the children of Israel will repent, seek the Eternal, their God, and their king David.”

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

The Rebbis say: This King Messiah, if he is from the living, his name is David. If he is from the dead, his name is David. Rebbi Tanḥuma said: I am declaring the reason (Ps. 18:51) “He gives kindness to His anointed, to David.’

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, his name is Ẓemaḥ. Rebbi Yudan, the son of Rebbi Aivu, said his name is Menaḥem. Ḥanina the son of Rebbi Abbahu said: they have no disagreement since the numerical value of one is the numerical value of the other: Ẓemaḥ is equal to Menaḥem. Since Rebbi Yudan the son of Rebbi Aivu said, it happened to a Jew who was plowing in the valley of Arbel that his ox was bellowing. An Arab passed by and heard the bellowing of the ox. He said to him: Jew, Jew, unharness your ox, unharness your plow because the Temple was destroyed. The ox bellowed a second time. He said: Jew, Jew, harness your ox, fix your plow because King Messiah has been born. He said to him: What is his name? Menaḥem. He said to him: What is his father’s name? Ḥizqiah. He said to him: Where is he? He said to him: At the king’s palace in Bethlehem in Judea. He went and sold his ox and plow and made himself a vendor of baby linens. He went to towns and left towns until he came to that town. All the women bought from him but the mother of Menaḥem did not buy. He heard the women say: Menaḥem’s mother, Menaḥem’s mother, come and buy for your son! She said: I would rather strangle him like a hater of Israel because he was born on the day the Temple was destroyed. He said to her: I like him, because for him it was destroyed and for him it will be rebuilt. She said to him, I have no money. He said to her, that does not bother me, come and buy for him! If you have nothing with you today, I shall return another day and I will take it then. After some time he went up to that town and said to her: How is your baby doing? She said to him: After you had seen me there came storms and raised him and tore him from my hands. Rebbi Abun said: We do not need to learn from that Arab, is it not a full verse (Is. 10:35): “The Lebanon will fall through a noble one”? And the next verse is (11:1) “A sprout will come from the stem of Jesse.”

13
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Tanḥuma said: Why did they institute “He Who listens to prayer” as the fifteenth benediction? Corresponding to (Ps. 29:10) “The Eternal throned over the Deluge”, that He avert the catastrophy, that it should not come over the world.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Temple service (precedes) Thanksgiving: (Ps. 50:23) “He who brings a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me and shows a path; I shall make him see God’s help.” One finishes with Peace, since all benedictions end with peace. Rebbi Simeon bar Ḥalaphta said: There is no vessel that contains more blessing than peace. What is the reason? (Ps. 29:11) “The Eternal gives strength to His people, the Eternal blesses His people with peace.”

15
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

“If he recited and made a mistake then he should return to the place of the mistake.” If he made a mistake between the first and second mention of “writing” he must return to the first “writing”. If he made a mistake and does not know where he made the mistake, he returns to the start, to any place that he is sure about. An explanation: Rebbi Ḥiyya, Rebbi Yasa, Rebbi Ammi were preparing the wedding canopy for Rebbi Eleazar. They heard the voice of Rebbi Joḥanan when he explained something new. They said: Who is going down to hear that from him? They said, let Rebbi Eleazar go down since he is very careful. He descended, ascended, and said to them: So says Rebbi Joḥanan, if he recited and found himself at למען one can be sure that he had the right intention.

16
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Lia, Rebbi Yasa in the name of the great Rebbi Aḥa: If he prayed and he found himself in “He Who hears prayer”, he may assume that he prayed with intent. Rebbi Jeremiah in the name of Rebbi Eleazar: If he prayed without intent and he knows that the second time he will pray with intent, he may pray a second time; otherwise he should not pray. The great Rebbi Ḥiyya said: I never managed to pray with intent, but one time I made an effort to concentrate and I started to think and said to myself, who enters first before the king, the ἀργαπέτης or the Resh Galuta? Samuel said: I counted chicks. Rebbi Abun bar Ḥiyya said: I counted stone rows. Rebbi Mattaniah said: I an thankful to my head that when I come to modim it bends down by itself.

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Jerusalem Talmud Berakhot 2.4English
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Jerusalem Talmud Berakhot 2.40%

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The Jerusalem Talmud, edition, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer (Berlin: De Gruyter, 1999–2015). CC BY. Text from Sefaria (sefaria.org); commentary notes omitted. · Source ↗

Hebrew/Aramaic text: The Jerusalem Talmud, edition by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer (Berlin: De Gruyter, 1999–2015), via Sefaria (sefaria.org). Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). Changes: footnotes and HTML formatting removed.

The Jerusalem Talmud, edition, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer (Berlin: De Gruyter, 1999–2015). CC BY. Text from Sefaria (sefaria.org); commentary notes omitted. · Source ↗

English translation: The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer (Berlin: De Gruyter, 1999–2015); commentary notes omitted, via Sefaria (sefaria.org). Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). Changes: footnotes and HTML formatting removed.

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