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Translation:Talmud/Seder Zeraim/Tractate Berakhot/6a

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Tractate Berakhot
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R. Jose b. R. Hanina says: He is rewarded with the blessings enumerated in the following verse: Oh that thou wouldest hearken to My commandments! Then would thy peace be as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea; Thy seed also would be as the sand, and the offspring of thy body like the grains thereof etc.[1]

It has been taught: Abba Benjamin says, If the eye had the power to see them, no creature could endure the demons. Abaye says: They are more numerous than we are and they surround us like the ridge round a field. R. Huna says: Every one among us has a thousand on his left hand and ten thousand on his right hand.[2] Raba says: The crushing in the Kallah[3] lectures comes from them.[4] Fatigue in the knees comes from them. The wearing out of the clothes of the scholars is due to their rubbing against them. The bruising of the feet comes from them. If one wants to discover them,[5] let him take sifted ashes and sprinkle around his bed, and in the morning he will see something like the footprints of a cock. If one wishes to see them, let him take the after-birth of a black she-cat, the offspring of a black she-cat, the first-born of a first-born, let him roast it in fire and grind it to powder, and then let him put some into his eye, and he will see them. Let him also pour it into an iron tube and seal it with an iron signet that they[6] should not steal it from him. Let him also close his mouth, lest he come to harm. R. Bibi b. Abaye did so,[7] saw them and came to harm. The scholars, however, prayed for him and he recovered.

It has been taught: Abba Benjamin says: A man's prayer is heard [by God] only in the Synagogue. For it is said: To hearken unto the song and to the prayer.[8] The prayer is to be recited where there is song.[9] Rabin b. R. Adda says in the name of R. Isaac: How do you know that the Holy One, blessed be He, is to be found in the Synagogue? For it is said: God standeth in the congregation of God.[10] And how do you know that if ten people pray together the Divine presence is with them? For it is said: 'God standeth in the congregation of God'.[11] And how do you know that if three are sitting as a court of judges the Divine Presence is with them? For it is said: In the midst of the judges He judgeth.[12] And how do you know that if two are sitting and studying the Torah together the Divine Presence is with them? For it is said: Then they that feared the Lord spoke one with another;[13] and the Lord hearkened and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before Him, for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon His name.[14] (What does it mean: 'And that thought upon His name'? — R. Ashi[15] says: If a man thought to fulfill a commandment and he did not do it, because he was prevented by force or accident, then the Scripture credits it to him as if he had performed it.) And how do you know that even if one man sits and studies the Torah the Divine Presence is with him? For it is said: In every place where I cause My name to be mentioned I will come unto thee and bless thee.[16] Now, since [the Divine presence is] even with one man, why is it necessary to mention two?[17] — The words of two are written down in the book of remembrance, the words of one are not written down in the book of remembrance. Since this is the case with two, why mention three? — I might think [the dispensing of] justice is only for making peace, and the Divine Presence does not come [to participate]. Therefore he teaches us that justice also is Torah. Since it is the case with three, why mention ten? — To [a gathering of] ten the Divine Presence comes first, to three, it comes only after they sit down.

R. Abin[18] son of R. Ada in the name of R. Isaac says [further]: How do you know that the Holy One, blessed be He, puts on tefillin? For it is said: The Lord hath sworn by His right hand, and by the arm of His strength.[19] 'By His right hand': this is the Torah; for it is said: At His right hand was a fiery law unto them.[20] 'And by the arm of his strength': this is the tefillin; as it is said: The Lord will give strength unto His people.[21] And how do you know that the tefillin are a strength to Israel? For it is written: And all the peoples of the earth shall see that the name of the Lord is called upon thee, and they shall be afraid of thee,[22] and it has been taught: R. Eliezer the Great says: This refers to the tefillin of the head.[23]

R. Nahman b. Isaac said to R. Hiyya b. Abin: What is written in the tefillin of the Lord of the Universe? — He replied to him: And who is like Thy people Israel, a nation one in the earth.[24] Does, then, the Holy One, blessed be He, sing the praises of Israel? — Yes, for it is written: Thou hast avouched the Lord this day … and the Lord hath avouched thee this day.[25] The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: You have made me a unique entity[26] in the world, and I shall make you a unique entity in the world. 'You have made me a unique entity in the world', as it is said: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.[27] 'And I shall make you a unique entity in the world', as it is said: And who is like Thy people Israel, a nation one in the earth.[28] R. Aha b. Raba said to R. Ashi: This accounts for one case, what about the other cases?[29] — He replied to him: [They contain the following verses]: For what great nation is there, etc.; And what great nation is there, etc.;[30] Happy art thou, O Israel, etc.;[31] Or hath God assayed, etc.;[32] and To make thee high above all nations.[33] If so, there would be too many cases? — Hence [you must say]: For what great nation is there, and And what great nation is there, which are similar, are in one case; Happy art thou, O Israel, and Who is like Thy people, in one case; Or hath God assayed, in one case; and To make thee high, in one case.


Notes

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  1. ↑ lsa. XLVIII, 18, 19.
  2. ↑ Cf. Ps. XCI, 7 which verse is quoted in some editions.
  3. ↑ The Assemblies of Babylonian students during the months of Elul and Adar
  4. ↑ For really the lectures are not overcrowded.
  5. ↑ MS.M.: their footprints.
  6. ↑ The demons.
  7. ↑ He put the powder into his eye.
  8. ↑ I Kings VIII, 28.
  9. ↑ The song of the community and of the officiating Cantor.
  10. ↑ Ps. LXXXII, I.
  11. ↑ And a congregation consists of not less than ten, v. Sanh. 2b.
  12. ↑ Ibid. A Beth din consists of three.
  13. ↑ A phrase denoting two.
  14. ↑ Mal. III, 16.
  15. ↑ MS.M.: R. Assi. This remark is made in passing by the editor of the Gemara, R. Ashi. Hence the reading 'R. Ashi' as given by the editions, seems to be correct.
  16. ↑ Ex. XX, 21. The lesson is derived from the use of the singular 'thee'.
  17. ↑ This question is asked by the Gemara apropos of Rabin's statement.
  18. ↑ The same as the Rabin mentioned above.
  19. ↑ Isa. LXII, 8.
  20. ↑ Deut. XXXIII, 2.
  21. ↑ Ps. XXIX, 11.
  22. ↑ Deut. XXVIII, 10.
  23. ↑ The tefillin of the arm are covered by the sleeves.
  24. ↑ I Chron. XVII, 21.
  25. ↑ Deut. XXVI, 17, 18.
  26. ↑ So the Aruch. Jastrow, however, translates [H] 'the only object of your love'.
  27. ↑ Deut. VI, 4.
  28. ↑ I Chron. XVII, 21.
  29. ↑ The tefillin of the head has four cases.
  30. ↑ Deut. IV, 7, 8.
  31. ↑ Ibid. XXXIII, 29.
  32. ↑ Ibid. IV, 34.
  33. ↑ Ibid. XXVI, 19.
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