Tag: talmud

After concluding our discussion about the importance of praying for someone who is not well (or really to pray for anyone in need of anything), the Gemara turns to a discussion of how King Saul brought up the soul of Samuel the Prophet in order to find out what would happen to him the next day when he would engage in war with the Philistines.

Continue reading “Learn Talmud – Berachot – Lesson 34 – Daf 12b Part 2 (Koren Talmud Bavli) – Paragraph 3 of Keriat Shema”

The Rabbis instituted the way – the formula – for reciting blessings. As they set out the formula for reciting blessings, it is important that we keep to their formula. If the formula is a long one – a lengthy blessing, then we must recite it that way. We may not shorten it and make it a short blessing. On the other hand, if a blessing is a short one, we may not lengthen it.

Continue reading “Learn Talmud – Berachot – Lesson 33 – Daf 12a Part 2 – 12b (Koren Talmud Bavli) – Pray For Others”

Our page of Talmud teaches us about the wording to be used when reciting the blessing for Torah study. There is a Mitzvah to recite a blessing before engaging in the study of Torah. But the Rabbis debate the exact wording to be used. Ultimately, they agree that all the versions are beautiful and therefore all the versions of the blessing should be used.

Continue reading “Learn Talmud – Berachot – Lesson 32 – Daf 11b Part 2 – 12a (Koren Talmud Bavli) – Blessings”

Having completed the explanation dealing with the different understandings that Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai had towards the way in which the Keriat Shema must be read and what position to take, the Gemara continues with a story about two rabbis how behaved in a certain way when it came to recite the Keriat Shema.

Continue reading “Learn Talmud – Berachot – Lesson 31 – Daf 11a Part 2 – 11b (Koren Talmud Bavli) – Follow Beit Hillel”

One is permitted to recite the Keriat Shema until three hours in the day – a quarter of the day. So says Rabbi Yehoshua and so do we rule in accordance with him. But what about afterwards? May one still recite the Keriat Shema? Isn’t it just a part of the Torah in essence? And if so, it should be permitted. But what about its blessings?! Would it still be permitted to recite the blessings if indeed the time for reciting the Shema had already ended?

Continue reading “Learn Talmud – Berachot – Lesson 30 – Daf 10b Part 4 / 11a Part 1 (Koren Talmud Bavli) – The Shema”

The Gemara relates that after King Chizkiyahu realised that his fate was death due to his lack of fulfilling the commandment of marrying and having children, King Chizkiyahu prays to God – doing Teshuva (repentance.)

King David praised God five main times in life related to five world-time periods in his life. When he was in his mother’s womb, when he was born and saw the stars, when he suckled from his mother, when he saw his enemies fall and when he saw the day of death. King David teaches us the importance of valuing all parts of our lives and of seeing God’s endless miracles in everything in creation.

Continue reading “Learn Talmud – Berachot – Lesson 27 – Daf 10a Part 2 / 10b Part 1 (Koren Talmud Bavli) – The Soul”

We conclude Daf 9b as we discuss the Mitzvah of joining the Geulah (Ga’al Yisrael blessing) with the Shemoneh Esrei prayer (the Amidah – standing prayer). One who does so can be assured to come to no harm that day. But what does that mean practically?!

Continue reading “Learn Talmud – Berachot – Lesson 26 Daf 9b Part 3 / 10a Part 1 (Koren Talmud Bavli) – Redemption”

We conclude a last teaching of the first Mishnah of this tractate and immediately continue with the second Mishnah of Tractate Berachot.

Continue reading “Learn Talmud – Berachot – Lesson 25 Daf 9b Part 2 (Koren Talmud Bavli) – Time of the Morning Shema”