Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Berachot 6, 7, 8

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{Brachot 6b}
Rav Chelbo cited Rav Huna: Anyone who establishes a fixes place for his prayer, the God of Avraham helps him, and when he dies they say upon him: Woe to the Modest man; Woe to the Pious man. Woe to the one who was a student of our father Avraham. For it states (Bereishit 19:27):
כז וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם, בַּבֹּקֶר: אֶל-הַמָּקוֹם--אֲשֶׁר-עָמַד שָׁם, אֶת-פְּנֵי ה.27 And Abraham got up early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD.
and Amida (standing) only means prayer, as it states in Tehillim 106:30:

ל וַיַּעֲמֹד פִּינְחָס, וַיְפַלֵּל; וַתֵּעָצַר, הַמַּגֵּפָה.30 Then stood up Phinehas, and wrought judgment and so the plague was stayed.

{except וַיְפַלֵּל is taken to mean "and prayed" rather that "and wrought judgement."}



And Rav Chelbo cited Rav Huna: one who leaves a shul should not take large steps.
Abaye said: this was only said regarding leaving a shul, but upon entering, it is a mitzvah, as it states (Hoshea 6:3)

ג וְנֵדְעָה נִרְדְּפָה, לָדַעַת אֶת-ה, כְּשַׁחַר, נָכוֹן מֹצָאוֹ; וְיָבוֹא כַגֶּשֶׁם לָנוּ, כְּמַלְקוֹשׁ יוֹרֶה אָרֶץ.3 And let us know, eagerly strive to know the LORD, His going forth is sure as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth.'
{except נִרְדְּפָה can be taken literally as chase.}

Rabbi Zera said: at first, when a saw a member of the rabbinate run to learn on Shabbat I believed that that rabbi was violating the Shabbat. Once I heard that which Rabbi Tanchum cited Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, that one should always run to do a mitzvah, even on Shabbat, as it says in Hoshea 11:10

י אַחֲרֵי ה יֵלְכוּ, כְּאַרְיֵה יִשְׁאָג: כִּי-הוּא יִשְׁאַג, וְיֶחֶרְדוּ בָנִים מִיָּם.10 They shall walk after the LORD, who shall roar like a lion; for He shall roar, and the children shall come trembling from the west.
I also ran.

Rav Chelbo cited Rav Huna {we seem to have this as a direct quote on 6b}: Whoever prays at the rear of a shul is called an evildoer, since it says in Tehillim 12:9:

ט סָבִיב, רְשָׁעִים יִתְהַלָּכוּן; כְּרֻם זֻלּוּת, לִבְנֵי אָדָם.9 The wicked walk on every side, when vileness is exalted among the sons of men.{P}
Abaye said: this is only when he does not face towards the shul, but if he turns to face the shul there is nothing to it.

A certain man prayed at the rear of the shul and did not turn his face to face the shul. An Arab merchant passed by and saw him, and said "Are you turning your back to your master?" He took his sword and lopped off his head.

{Brachot 8b}
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: it is forbidden to walk in the rear of {behind} a shul at the time that the congregation is praying.
Abaye said: this is only when he is not carrying a burden, and not wearing tefillin, and there is not two entrances {to the shul }, and there is not another shul


but if one of these conditions is present, we have no issue with it.

{Brachot 7b}
Rabbi Yochanan cited Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai: One who establishes a permanant place for his Torah-study. his enemies fall under him, as it states in Shmuel 2 7:10:
י וְשַׂמְתִּי מָקוֹם לְעַמִּי לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וּנְטַעְתִּיו, וְשָׁכַן תַּחְתָּיו, וְלֹא יִרְגַּז, עוֹד; וְלֹא-יֹסִיפוּ בְנֵי-עַוְלָה לְעַנּוֹתוֹ, כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה.10 And I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be disquieted no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as at the first,


{Brachot 6a}
Abba Binyamin says: A man's prayer in only heard in shul, as it states in Melachim 1 8:28:

כח וּפָנִיתָ אֶל-תְּפִלַּת עַבְדְּךָ, וְאֶל-תְּחִנָּתוֹ--יְהוָה אֱלֹהָי: לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶל-הָרִנָּה וְאֶל-הַתְּפִלָּה, אֲשֶׁר עַבְדְּךָ מִתְפַּלֵּל לְפָנֶיךָ הַיּוֹם.28 Yet have Thou respect unto the prayer of Thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry {song} and to the prayer which Thy servant prayeth before Thee this day;

in the place of the song{rina}, there shall be My prayer.

{Brachot 8a}
And Rabbi Yochanan says, citing Rabbi Yossi ben Zimra: A man's prayer in only heard in shul, as it states in Tehillim 69:14:
יד וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּתִי-לְךָ ה, עֵת רָצוֹן-- אֱלֹהִים בְּרָב-חַסְדֶּךָ;
עֲנֵנִי, בֶּאֱמֶת יִשְׁעֶךָ.
14 But as for me, let my prayer be unto Thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time; O God, in the abundance of Thy mercy, answer me with the truth of Thy salvation.
What is an "acceptable time?" In the time that the congregation is praying.

Rabbi Yossi ben Chanina derived it from here, Yeshaya 49:8:

ח כֹּה אָמַר ה, בְּעֵת רָצוֹן עֲנִיתִיךָ, וּבְיוֹם יְשׁוּעָה, עֲזַרְתִּיךָ; וְאֶצָּרְךָ, וְאֶתֶּנְךָ לִבְרִית עָם, לְהָקִים אֶרֶץ, לְהַנְחִיל נְחָלוֹת שֹׁמֵמוֹת.

8 Thus saith the LORD: In an acceptable time have I answered thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to raise up the land, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;
Rav Nachman derived it from here, Iyyov 36:5:
ה הֶן-אֵל כַּבִּיר, וְלֹא יִמְאָס: כַּבִּיר, כֹּחַ לֵב.
Behold, God is mighty, yet He despiseth not any; He is mighty in strength of understanding.
{which is being taken as God does not despise the mighty, that is, the numerous.}

brayta also says the same: From where do we know that Hashem does not despise the prayers of the multitude? From Iyyov 36:5: 

ה הֶן-אֵל כַּבִּיר, וְלֹא יִמְאָס: כַּבִּיר, כֹּחַ לֵב.
Behold, God is mighty, yet He despiseth not any; He is mighty in strength of understanding.
and in Tehillim 55:19:

יט פָּדָה בְשָׁלוֹם נַפְשִׁי, מִקְּרָב-לִי: כִּי-בְרַבִּים, הָיוּ עִמָּדִי.19 He hath redeemed my soul in peace so that none came nigh me; for they were many that strove with me.

{implying that is was because there were many that were with him that Hashem redeemed him.}

The Holy One, Blessed Be He, said: one who is involved in Torah and acts of kindness, and is {commonly} found in the shul , I consider it as if he has redeemed my sons from amongst the nations until the end of the generations.

{Possibly inspired by the preceding pasuk, which states עֶרֶב וָבֹקֶר וְצָהֳרַיִם, אָשִׂיחָה וְאֶהֱמֶה; וַיִּשְׁמַע קוֹלִי.}


Resh Lakish said: One who has a shul in his city and does not enter to pray is called a bad neighbor, as it states in Yirmiyahu 12:14:
יד כֹּה אָמַר ה, עַל-כָּל-שְׁכֵנַי הָרָעִים, הַנֹּגְעִים בַּנַּחֲלָה, אֲשֶׁר-הִנְחַלְתִּי אֶת-עַמִּי אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל: הִנְנִי נֹתְשָׁם מֵעַל אַדְמָתָם, וְאֶת-בֵּית יְהוּדָה אֶתּוֹשׁ מִתּוֹכָם.14 Thus saith the LORD: As for all Mine evil neighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have caused My people Israel to inherit, behold, I will pluck them up from off their land, and will pluck up the house of Judah from among them.

{Perhaps the inheritance is prayer in shul, and they touch it by not attending it?}

And not only that, but they cause exile, as it states in the end of the pasuk:


יד כֹּה אָמַר ה, עַל-כָּל-שְׁכֵנַי הָרָעִים, הַנֹּגְעִים בַּנַּחֲלָה, אֲשֶׁר-הִנְחַלְתִּי אֶת-עַמִּי אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל: הִנְנִי נֹתְשָׁם מֵעַל אַדְמָתָם, וְאֶת-בֵּית יְהוּדָה אֶתּוֹשׁ מִתּוֹכָם.14 Thus saith the LORD: As for all Mine evil neighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have caused My people Israel to inherit, behold, I will pluck them up from off their land, and will pluck up the house of Judah from among them.




It was told to Rabbi Yochanan that there were elderly people in Bavel. He was astounded. He said: Let us see. It states in Dvarim 11:21:
כא לְמַעַן יִרְבּוּ יְמֵיכֶם, וִימֵי בְנֵיכֶם, עַל הָאֲדָמָה, אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע יְהוָה לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶם לָתֵת לָהֶם--כִּימֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם, עַל-הָאָרֶץ.21 that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, upon the land which the LORD swore unto your fathers to give them, as the days of the heavens above the earth.

it is written, but outside the land no. Once they told him that they come early and leave late from shul he said that is why they benefit, as Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi told his children to come early and leave late from shul so that your days will be extended.

Rav Acha bar Chanina said: What is the Scriptural source? Mishlei 8:34:

לד אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם, שֹׁמֵעַ-לִי: לִשְׁקֹד עַל-דַּלְתֹתַי, יוֹם יוֹם--לִשְׁמֹר, מְזוּזֹת פְּתָחָי.34 Happy is the man that hearkeneth to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

and the next verse states:

לה כִּי מֹצְאִי, מצאי (מָצָא) חַיִּים; וַיָּפֶק רָצוֹן, מֵה.35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.

We learn in perek shelosha sheAchlu keAchat {Brachot 7th perek, daf 47b}:
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: A man should always come early to the shul so as to be counted as one of the first ten, for even if 100 come after him, he takes the reward for all of them.

The reward of all of them, think you? Rather, he gets rewards equal to all of them.

{Brachot 8a}

Rav Chisda said: A man should always enter a measure of two doors-worth {into shul} and then pray, as it states {at the end of the pasuk in Mishlei cited above} לִשְׁמֹר, מְזוּזֹת פְּתָחָי - "waiting at the posts of my doors." {and thus we have plural doors, and minimum plural is two}

Rava said to Rafram bar Pappa: Let Master relate to us some of the great things that he has cited in the name of Rav Chisda regarding shul.
He said to him: So said Rav Chisda: What is the meaning of what is written in Tehillim 87:2?

ב אֹהֵב יְהוָה, שַׁעֲרֵי צִיּוֹן-- מִכֹּל, מִשְׁכְּנוֹת יַעֲקֹב.2 The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Hashem loves the the gates {שַׁעֲרֵי } that are distingushed {metzuyanim / צִיּוֹן} in halacha, more that all the shuls and houses of study in the world.

And this is as R Chiyya bar Ami cited Ulla: From the day that the Temple was destroyed Hashem only has in the world the 4 cubits of halacha.

Rav Ami and Rav Asi, even though they had 13 shuls in Teveria, they would only pray between the pillars where they learned.

Abaye said: At first, I would learn in my house and pray in shul. Now that I have heard what Rav Chiyya bar Ami cited in the name of Ulla, I only pray where I learn.



And Rav Chiyya bar Ami further cited Ulla: What is meant by the pasuk in Yeshaya 1:28?

כח וְשֶׁבֶר פֹּשְׁעִים וְחַטָּאִים, יַחְדָּו; וְעֹזְבֵי ה, יִכְלוּ.28 But the destruction of the transgressors and the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.

This is the one who leaves the Sefer Torah when it is opened, and exits.

Rabbi Abahu left between aliyot. {between one man and the next}
Rava asked: Between verses, what? {may one leave?}

Teku. {the question stands.}

Rav Sheshet would turn his face and learn. He said, "We with ours and they with theirs."

And the {non-Talmudic} Rabbis have said that specifically Rav Sheshet, for Torah is his profession; but to rule for a man who asks a halachic question {during the time of kriyat haTorah} needed at the time, or to explain a matter, is forbidden, for {in Sotah 39a} Rabbi bar Rav Huna said: one the sefer Torah is opened/begun {niftach} - it is forbidden to talk, even in a matter of halacha.

Rav Huna the son of Rav Yehuda cite Rav Menachem citing Rav Ami: one should always finish his parsha with the congregation {/community}, twice the Scripture {in Hebrew} and once Targum {in translation}. And even Bamidbar 32:3

ג עֲטָרוֹת וְדִיבֹן וְיַעְזֵר וְנִמְרָה, וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן וְאֶלְעָלֵה, וּשְׂבָם וּנְבוֹ, וּבְעֹן.3 'Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Sebam, and Nebo, and Beon,

{which are place names and thus do not have a translation in Targum Onkelos. Tosafot discusses how in Targum Pseudo-Yonatan/Yerushalmi there is a translation}

for all who finish their parsha with the congregation twice Scripture and once Targum, his days and years are extended.

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