Ayin. We begin today’s daf (page) on tet-vav amud bet (15b). We are going to begin on the bottom line. Rabbi Chama berabbi Chanina says: “Lamah nismechah ohalim lenachalim?” (Why are tents associated with rivers?) If you look at the blessings that Bil'am harasha (wicked Balaam) gave Bnei Yisrael (Children of Israel), one of those pesukim (verses) says, “Kenachalim nitayu” (They are spread out like rivers): the Jewish people are like flowing rivers, “ke'ahalim nata” (planted like tents), and they are planted like ohalim. Ahalim actually means Besamim (spices), as Tosfot explains. But we could understand ahalim as ohalim, tents, and therefore there is a connection between rivers and tents. Tosfot says that we are not referring to the word ahalim in the way I mentioned, because it really means besamim. Tosfot says this pasuk is next to another pasuk that says, “Mah tovu ohalecha Ya'akov” (How good are your tents, Jacob), and there ohalecha clearly means tents. In any event, the Gemara is trying to make a connection between rivers and tents. So the Gemara says, “Dichtiv kenachalim nitayu, keganot alei nahar, ke'ahalim nata” (For it says, “They are spread out like rivers, like gardens by a river, planted like tents”), “lomar lecha” (to tell you): Just as a river, if a person is tamei, “ma'alin et ha'adam mitum'ah letaharah” (raises a person from ritual impurity to ritual purity). He goes into the river, and it brings him from tum'ah (ritual impurity) to taharah (ritual purity); after all, a river is a Mikveh (ritual bath). “Af ohalim” (so too, tents). What tents are we talking about here? The tents of Torah, the tents of the beit midrash (study hall). “Ma'alin et ha'adam mikaf chovah lechaf zechut” (They raise a person from the side of guilt to the side of merit): Even if a person has a lot of averot (transgressions), Torah has purifying qualities. If a person studies Torah, Torah purifies him.
So there are two types of mikva'ot: there is the wet mikveh that you go into, the nechalim, and then there is the dry mikveh. In previous shi'urim (lessons), we explained how Torah could have the quality of purifying a person. We explained it like this: If you understand the quality of a mikveh, a mikveh is made up of 40 se'ah (measure of volume). Forty se'ah of water. Each se'ah is made up of 24 lugin (liquid measure). A se'ah has 24 log in it. Therefore, 40 times 24 is 960, so there are 960 log in a mikveh. When Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our teacher) went to receive the Torah, it took him 40 days. Each day has 24 hours. So that is the same 960 hours, except that one is 960 liquid measures and the other is a measure of time. Therefore, there are two types of mikva'ot: the mikveh of liquid and the mikveh of time, or the mikveh of a concept. Torah is a dry mikveh that was given in the same measure as a mikveh, and therefore, when one studies Torah, it has the same ability to purify a person.
We should point out that if you look at the top Rashi, it says, “Af ohalim, batei midrashot; ohalim leshon neti'ah” (So too, tents: study halls; ohalim is an expression of planting). Rashi says that the word ohalim here is an expression of being planted, “nofelet bahem” (it applies to them), as we see in a pasuk he quotes in Dani'el: “Vayita oholo afadno” (He planted his palace). Therefore, the midrash (interpretation), which is like something planted, a firm building, explains the word “ohalim nata” (planted like tents). Rashi understands the word nata as referring to planting as well. As I already said, Tosfot learns it from a different pasuk: “Mah tovu ohalecha Ya'akov.”
Now we go to the Gemara: “Hakoreh lemafre'a lo yatza” (One who reads out of order has not fulfilled his obligation). If a person read Keri'at Shema (recitation of the Shema) backward, lo yatza. Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Assi, the two tzaddikim (righteous people), “havu ka kattrin leganana leRabbi Elazar” (were preparing a canopy for Rabbi Elazar). They were preparing a chuppah (wedding canopy) for Rabbi Elazar. Rashi says, “Koshirin lo chuppah liso ishah” (They were preparing a canopy for him to marry a woman). Rabbi Elazar was getting married; he was the chatan (groom), and he needed a chuppah. Look at Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Assi. If you learn anything from today’s daf, rabotai, this would be a very important lesson to remember. These were great rabbis. They learned in the beit midrash all day, but look at the chesed (kindness) they did. One of their friends was getting married. Who was going to build the chuppah? Who builds the chuppah today? The florist! You call the non-Jew: “Okay, go build this chuppah.” Here, the great rabbis, Rav Ami and Rav Assi, took time away from the yeshiva. What were they doing? They were constructing a chuppah for their friend Rabbi Elazar’s wedding.
After all, Mishlei (Proverbs) says, “Et rekod” (a time to dance). In that famous chapter that says there is a time for everything, one of the things it says is “Et rekod,” a time to dance. So the Gaon miVilna (Vilna Gaon) asked: Why doesn’t it say “et li... rekod”? Why is the lamed missing? Why does it just say “et rekod” instead of “et lirkod”? He says that when it comes to making simchat chatan ve-challah (groom and bride’s joy), you are allowed to mevatel Torah (interrupt Torah study). In Hebrew, the word is limud (learning). Therefore, “et rekod chaser lamed” (the phrase “a time to dance” is missing a lamed): the limud is chaser, because you are allowed to reduce your learning in order— Now we see something even greater: They reduced their learning even to prepare the chuppah.
But we learn another lesson. Look at what the chatan did on his wedding day. “Ve-Rabbi Asi havu ka-gadlei le-genana le-Rabbi Elazar, amar lehu” (Rabbi Assi and the others were building a canopy for Rabbi Elazar, and he said to them). Rabbi Elazar, the chatan, says, “Ad de-hachei ve-hachei” (While you are busy with this), “eizil ve-eshma milta de-vei midrasha” (I’ll go and hear something from the study hall). “Ve-eitei ve-eima lechu” (I’ll come back and tell you). The chatan is going to the yeshiva on his wedding day. What is he doing? He is also doing a kindness. What did he say? Not, “I’ll go to the yeshiva and learn while you do this,” but, “I’ll go to the yeshiva and come back, so at least you won’t be mevatel Torah. I can teach you a chiddush (novel Torah insight) while you are constructing the chuppah.” So you see here, rabotai, the importance of the middot (character traits) of the talmidei chachamim (Torah scholars). Besides the genius of the chachamim, look at their character traits. Everybody is doing chesed for one another.
“Azal, ashkechei le-tanna” (He went and found a Mishnaic sage). He went to the beit midrash and found a tanna “de-katanei kamei de-Rabbi Yochanan” (who was teaching in front of Rabbi Yochanan). “Kara ve-ta'ah” (He read and made a mistake). The man was reading Keri'at Shema. He made a mistake and lost his place, “ve-eino yode'a le-heichan ta'ah” (and did not know where he had made the mistake). He knew he was reading Keri'at Shema, but did not know where he had made the mistake. “Be-emtza ha-perek” (in the middle of the chapter), “yachazor le-rosh” (he should return to the beginning). If he is in the middle of the perek, in the middle of the chapter, he should go back to the beginning of the perek. At least he knows he can start from the beginning of the chapter. He does not know where in the chapter he made the mistake, so he goes back to the beginning of the chapter.
“Bein perek le-perek” (between one chapter and another): He is between chapters. He does not know whether he is between “Ve-ahavta” (And you shall love) and “Ve-hayah” (And it shall be), or between “Ve-hayah” and “Va-yomer” (And He said). He knows he must have read one chapter already, but he does not know exactly where he is between them. “Yachazor le-perek rishon” (he should return to the first chapter). He should go back to the perek rishon, which means “Ve-hayah.” That is the first perek, the first break, because perhaps he is there, so he has to go back to the first perek. Not the first perek meaning “Ve-ahavta,” but the first perek meaning the first interval, because there are exactly three of them.
“Bein ketivah le-chetivah” (between one occurrence of “you shall write” and another): Let’s say—and this is a common mistake—someone says, “U-chetavtam al mezuzot beitecha u-vish'arecha” (And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates). Now “u-chetavtam” is written twice: in “Ve-ahavta” and in “Ve-hayah.” He forgets which “u-chetavtam” he is up to. Is he supposed to continue with “Ve-hayah” or with “Lema'an yirbu” (So that they may increase)? He does not know where he is. He said, “U-chetavtam al mezuzot beitecha u-vish'arecha,” and at that point he is mesupak (uncertain). “Yachazor le-chetivah rishonah” (he should return to the first occurrence of “you shall write”). Obviously, he has to go back to the first chetivah, to “Ve-ahavta,” to be safe. He has to take insurance. Maybe he is indeed up to the first one, and therefore we cannot skip anything, so he goes back to the beginning.
Rabbi Yochanan says to him, “Lo shanu ella she-lo patach be-Lema'an yirbu yemeichem” (They taught this only if he had not begun “So that your days may increase”). That is speaking about a case where he did not naturally begin the words “Lema'an yirbu yemeichem.” The Gemara is going to say: Let’s say the person said, “U-chetavtam al mezuzot beitecha u-vish'arecha, Lema'an yirbu,” and then asks, “Where am I?” Once he has said “Lema'an yirbu,” you can assume that is where he is, because at that point his tongue is naturally accustomed to saying those words. Since he said “Lema'an yirbu,” we can assume he is following his usual pattern and that is where he is up to. The Gemara says, “Aval patach be-Lema'an yirbu yemeichem” (But if he began “So that your days may increase”), “sirchei nakat ve-atei” (he has taken hold of his habitual pattern and arrived there). Therefore, that is where he is.
Then he went back to the rabbis who were building the chuppah and told them this chiddush: “Ta'ah bein perek le-perek, ta'ah be-u-chetavtam, if you start Lema'an yirbu” (If he makes a mistake between chapters, or at “you shall write them,” if he begins “So that your days may increase”). “Ve-amar lehu,” “amru lei” (He told them, and they said to him), “Ilu lo banu ella lishmo'a davar zeh, dayyenu” (If we had come only to hear this teaching, it would have been enough). They did not know it! So they came out saying, “What a chiddush we have here!” Look at the chachamim’s reaction to chiddushim. They said that if everything we did here today was only for the sake of hearing this chiddush, it would have been worth it.
Now we begin the new Mishnah. “Matnitin: Ha-umanim” (Our Mishnah: The workers). Rashi says that the umanim are “she-hem asukim bi-melachtam” (those engaged in their work). They are workers. They might be gardeners working “be-rosh ha-ilan” (at the top of the tree), or they might be construction workers “be-rosh ha-nidbach” (at the top of the stone wall). “Ve-higia zman Keri'at Shema” (The time for reciting the Shema arrived). Now it is time for Keri'at Shema, and they are on the tree; or it is time for Keri'at Shema, and the man is on top of the scaffolding, on top of the wall. The question is: Does he have to come down in order to read Keri'at Shema, or can he read Keri'at Shema where he is? The Mishnah says, “Ha-umanim” (The workers), “korin berosh ha'ilan” (read at the top of the tree), “uverosh hanidbach” (and at the top of the stone wall), “mah she'enan resha'in la'asot ken bitfilah” (but they are not permitted to do so for prayer).
When it comes to the Amidah, we do not allow them to read it on the tree; they have to come down. Why? Keri'at Shema requires kavanah (concentration), and tefillah (prayer) requires kavanah. If you can have kavanah for Shema, you should be able to say the Amidah up there; and if you cannot have kavanah, you should come down for both. So Rashi makes a distinction: “De-tzluta rachamei” (Prayer is a request for mercy), “uva'ya kavanah” (and it requires attention). “Hilkach, ein mitpalelin berosh ha'ilan uvrosh hanidbach” (Therefore, they do not pray at the top of the tree or wall). “De-mistafe” (He is afraid), “dilma nafil” (lest he fall). “De'enan yecholim la'amod sham ela al yedei hadachak” (They can stand there only with difficulty). “Umichamat bi'ututa lo matze mechavein” (Because of his fear, he cannot concentrate). Keri'at Shema, as we learned earlier, requires kavanah only for the first pasuk. How much kavanah does that take? “Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad” (Hear, Israel: Hashem is our God, Hashem is one). You may also want to say, “Baruch shem kevod malchuto le'olam va'ed” (Blessed is the name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever). It takes less than a minute, so the man can manage that. But for the Amidah, you need kavanah for every berachah. Even though the halachah says that, minimally, you need kavanah for the first berachah, in practice you need kavanah for every single berachah. You are asking God for wisdom, so you need kavanah for that berachah; “barech aleinu” (bless us), “refa'enu” (heal us). Therefore, it takes too long. So when it came to that, they said he should come down.
The Gemara continues the Mishnah: “Chatan patur mikri'at Shema lailah harishonah ve'ad motza'ei Shabbat im lo asah ma'aseh” (A groom is exempt from the recitation of the Shema on the first night and until the end of Shabbat if he has not consummated the marriage). Let’s go back to an old custom. In the old days, the Mishnah in Masechet Ketubot (tractate Ketubot), daf bet, says, “Betulah niseit leyom harevi'i” (A virgin marries on Wednesday). In the old days, a betulah, a virgin, would get married on Wednesday. The reason was that if she were not a betulah, the chatan could go to court the next day, Thursday. The beit din (court) used to sit on Thursdays. It was practical to get married on Wednesday so that the court would be available on Thursday, just in case there were any problems.
Now, halachah (Jewish law) says that on Wednesday night, the chatan was exempt from Keri'at Shema. As we learned earlier in the masechet, a chatan is tarud (preoccupied). What is he preoccupied with? “Tarud tirda de-mitzvah” (commandment) (preoccupied with the demands of a mitzvah). We are going to learn again on this daf—it repeats what we learned earlier—not only that “osek bemitzvah patur min hamitzvah” (one engaged in a commandment is exempt from another commandment), but that a person who is mentally preoccupied with a mitzvah is also exempt. In this case, it is a mitzvah (commandment) to be with the betulah, to consummate the marriage. Therefore, he is exempt from Keri'at Shema.
Let’s say he was unable to consummate the marriage on Wednesday night, for whatever reason. He is exempt on Thursday night, because he has the mitzvah to do it the next night. If he could not consummate the marriage on Thursday night, he is exempt on Friday, until motza'ei Shabbat. The halachah basically gives him four nights. If he has not consummated the marriage, he is exempt from Keri'at Shema because, each time night comes, his mind is preoccupied with the mitzvah: “I have to do this mitzvah.” After four nights, we say that if he has not done it by then, his mind is no longer so preoccupied, and therefore he has to read Keri'at Shema.
We have to point out that this halachah does not apply today. The reason is that, first of all, we do not have such preoccupation in the first place, and our kavanah in Keri'at Shema is not so great that we can say, “Oh, I can’t concentrate.” What, do you have kavanah every night when you are not getting married? All of a sudden, on your wedding night, you want to say you are exempt, as if you have tremendous kavanah every other night? It would be ga'avah (arrogance) today for a person to exempt himself on the night of his wedding. Nonetheless, there was a rabbi who did it.
“Ma'aseh lo asah ma'aseh, uma'aseh beRabban Gamliel shenasa ishah” (There was an incident: Rabban Gamliel married a woman), “vekara lailah harishonah” (and he read the Shema on the first night). Rabban Gamliel got married, and he read Keri'at Shema on the first night. “Amru lo talmidav” (His students said to him), “Limmadtano rabbeinu shechatan patur mikri'at Shema?” (Our teacher, you taught us that a groom is exempt from reciting the Shema.) “Rabbi, you are the one who taught us that a chatan is exempt, and now you are reading the Shema?” He said to them, “Eini shome'a lachem levatel mimmeni malchut Shamayim afilu sha'ah achat” (I will not listen to you and relinquish the kingdom of Heaven for even one hour). I am not going to mevatel—to refrain from accepting upon myself—the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven, even for one minute, even for one second.
Hold on: This is a funny Mishnah. You give me a halachah, and usually you bring me a story to support the halachah. Here you are bringing me a story that goes against the halachah. Look at Tosafot. Tosafot says, “‘Ma'aseh beRabban Gamliel shenasa ishah vekara Keri'at Shema balailah harishonah,’ lav ma'aseh listor hi” (The incident in which Rabban Gamliel married and read the Shema on the first night is not an incident that contradicts the ruling). “De-ka mashma lan... im gadol hu, uvoteach b'atzmo sheyuchal lehitkaven, vra'ui litol et Hashem, hareshut b'yado” (It teaches us that if he is a great person and confident that he can concentrate, and it is appropriate for him to accept the yoke of Heaven, he has the option). The Mishnah is coming to teach us a halachah. When we said he is exempt, that applies to the average person. But if you are a great chacham, a tzaddik, and confident, like Rabban Gamliel, you can take upon yourself the obligation of reading Keri'at Shema. Therefore, it depends on who you are. If you are on Rabban Gamliel’s level—which we are not, even today, rabotai—nobody can come along and say, “Yes, I’m going to follow Rabban Gamliel’s opinion.” Have kavanah during the week when you are not getting married, and then we can start worrying about whether you are exempt on the night you are getting married.
The Gemara begins: “Tanu Rabbanan: Ha'umanin korin berosh ha'ilan” (The rabbis taught: Workers read at the top of the tree). Workers can read Keri'at Shema at the top of the tree, “uverosh hanidbach” (and at the top of the wall), “umitpalelin berosh hazayit” (and pray at the top of the olive tree), “uverosh hate'enah” (and at the top of the fig tree). “Ushe'ar kol ha'ilanot yordim lematah umitpalelin” (For all other trees, they come down and pray). We must distinguish between the olive tree and the fig tree. One explanation is that they have many branches, so you can get a foothold and hold on more easily, and therefore you can have kavanah. Another explanation is that because they have so many branches, it would be a big effort to come down, and that would take time away from the work for the ba'al habayit. After all, you are working. If you tell the man to climb down from the olive tree, it takes 15 minutes to get down, then he has to pray the Amidah, and then he has to climb back up. He is hired to work, not to pray. Therefore, it would take time away from the man’s work. So on an olive tree he can pray at the top, “mah she'en ken bishe'ar ilanot” (unlike the other trees).
Look at Rashi: “Bizman she'asukim o oskim bahem,” “mipnei she'anfehem merubim” (When they are engaged in work on them, because they have many branches). Rashi gives the first reason I mentioned: There are many branches, “veyecholim la'amod sham” (and they can stand there), “shelo vedochak” (without difficulty), “ve'en sham pachad lipol” (and there is no fear of falling). “Lefikach” (Therefore), “mitpalelim berosham, aval she'ar ilanot en mitpalelim” (they pray at the top of those trees, but they do not pray on other trees). Those are the two exceptions.
“Uva'al habayit, ben kach uven kach yored lematah umitpalel” (But the householder, in either case, comes down and prays), “lefi she'en da'ato meyushevet alav” (because his mind is not settled). This means that if they were lenient, they were lenient for workers, but they are not lenient for the ba'al habayit. You might say, “What do you mean? It’s an olive tree; he can concentrate up there, and there is a lot of space.” You are right, but praying up there is not the same as praying on the ground. We all agree on that. Whether you pray on flat ground or on an olive tree, it is clearly not the same. Since the olive tree has more branches and a little more space, we are lenient for the worker so he does not have to interrupt his work. But what excuse does the ba'al habayit have? Come down. There is no reason to be lenient here.
The Gemara then says: “Ramei leh Rav Mari, Rav Mari berei debat Shemuel” (Rav Mari, the son of Shemuel’s daughter, raised a difficulty). They had a rabbi called Mari. This is interesting in itself. Normally you identify a person as the son of his father. Here they say he is the son of bat Shemuel, the daughter of Shemuel—that is, they are referring to his mother. His mother happened to be the daughter of Shemuel. They refer to him as Rav Mari, the son of Shemuel’s daughter, who was his mother. He was Shemuel’s grandson. Why does it not tell us who his father was? The Gemara tells a famous story: Shemuel’s daughter was violated by a non-Jew. She became pregnant, and she was pregnant with Mari. Therefore, they did not want to give his father credit; he was an isur (prohibition). However, he converted afterward, and by the time he was born, he was Jewish. But since he was not Jewish when he was conceived, and he was conceived with Shemuel’s daughter, they did not want to call him by his father’s name. They say, “Rav Mari berei debat Shemuel.” Rashi gives us the whole story; you can look there.
Anyway, now that we know who is speaking, more importantly, what did he say? He brought a contradiction to Rava. We are on the third wide line of the Gemara, rabotai: “Tenan” (We learned): “Ha'umanin korin berosh ha'ilan uverosh hanidbach” (Workers read at the top of the tree and at the top of the wall). That is our Mishnah. Workers can read the Shema at the top of the tree and at the top of the wall. “Alma” (We learn from this): “Lo ba'ei kavanah” (They do not need concentration). Logic tells us that if they let you read up there, you must not need kavanah, because it is difficult to concentrate at the top of a tree or on top of a wall. It therefore seems that for Keri'at Shema you do not need kavanah. “Ureminhi” (But we have a contradiction): “Hakoreh et Shema tzarich sheyechaven et libo” (One who reads the Shema must direct his heart). We have already learned this Gemara: If you are reading Keri'at Shema, you do have to concentrate. “Shene'emar Shema Yisrael” (For it says, “Hear, Israel”). Shema means understand, perceive. “Ulehalan hu omer: Hasket, ushema Yisrael” (And elsewhere it says, “Pay attention and hear, Israel”). “Mah lehalan behasket” (Just as there it says to pay attention)—hasket means that you are attentive, and the word shema appears in “hasket ushema”—“af kan behasket” (so too here, you must be attentive). Just as “hasket ushema” means “pay attention and listen,” so shema means to be attentive. How can you tell me that you can read it at the top of a tree? How attentive can you be, and how much kavanah can you have?
Anyway, he asked this question to Rava. What was Rava’s response? “Ishtik” (He was silent). He held himself back and was quiet. He could not answer. Rava said to him, “Midi shemi'a lach beha?” (Have you heard anything about this?) Look at Rav Mari’s derech eretz (respectful conduct). Rav Mari knew the answer, but instead of telling the rabbi the chiddush, first he asked the rabbi, “Rabbi, I have a contradiction.” Once he saw that Rava was quiet, he did not say anything either. He did not say, “I know the answer.” He waited for Rava to ask, “Do you have anything on this?” Once Rava gave him permission, he was ready—You can already see the derech eretz: When a student wants to tell his teacher something, he waits for the teacher to say, “Please, what do you have to say about this?” He said, “Yes, I have something to say about this: ‘Hachi amar Rav Sheshet: Vehu shebeteilin mimlachtan vekorin’” (This is what Rav Sheshet said: It is when they stop working and read). Ah, that means of course we let them read in the tree, but not while they are working. They have to stop working. If the man is pruning the tree, we did not mean, “Yes, continue pruning the tree and read Shema.” Put your saw down. Put your equipment down for a minute and read. Therefore, you can read at the top of the tree as long as you are not working while reading. The assumption was that we let them read on the tree while they are working. But how can you work and have kavanah? That is already two things at once. You are on the tree, and you are working—impossible. No, the rabbi said, “Vehu shebeteilin mimlachtan.”
The Gemara asks, “What do you mean? How could that be?” “Vehatanya” (But it was taught): “Beit Hillel omerim oskin bimlachtan vekorin” (Beit Hillel say that they work and read). We learned this Gemara earlier. Beit Hillel said that you are actually allowed to work and read Keri'at Shema. He says, “Lo kashya. Ha beperek rishon, ha beperek sheni” (There is no contradiction. This refers to the first chapter, and that to the second chapter). As we learned earlier, where is the cutoff point for needing kavanah? This Gemara is speaking about the first perek, meaning Shema and Ve'ahavta, where you need kavanah. Then you have to put your equipment down and read. When Beit Hillel said that you could read Shema while “oskin bimlachtan” (working), that was referring to the second chapter.
Now Tosafot points out that this is not the halachah, because to whom was he asking the question? Rava. If you remember Rava’s opinion on the previous daf—on the previous dapim—what is the cutoff point for kavanah in Keri'at Shema? “Shema Yisrael” (Hear, Israel), the first line. Therefore, it is not precise that it says “perek rishon” here. The first perek is not the case; it really means the first pasuk, with “Baruch Shem,” and that is it. Basically, they tell the man in the tree, “Put down your equipment for one minute. Say Shema, Baruch Shem, and then continue working.” You can continue saying Ve'ahavta while you work.
“Tanu rabanan: Hapo'alim shehayu osim melachah etzel ba'al habayit” (The rabbis taught: Workers who were doing work for a householder), “korin Keri'at Shema” (read Keri'at Shema), “umevarchin lefaneha ule'achareha” (and recite the blessings before and after it). They make the blessing before Keri'at Shema and the blessings after it. So they recite the regular prayer, “Keri'at Shema uvirchoteha” (the Shema and its blessings). “Ve'ochlin pitan” (And they eat their bread), “umevarchin lefaneha” (and recite the blessing before it), “ule'achareha” (and after it). They recite Hamotzi (blessing over bread) over the bread and Birkat Hamazon (Grace after meals). “Umitpalelin tefillah shel Shemoneh Esreh” (And they pray the Eighteen Benedictions). “Aval” (However), “ein yordin lifnei hateivah” (they do not go before the ark). They cannot serve as the chazzan (prayer leader); that would take too much time. They cannot serve as the chazzan in the synagogue. “Ve'ein nos'in kapeihen” (And they do not raise their hands). If they are Kohanim (priests), they cannot recite Birkat Kohanim (Priestly Blessing).
Before we go further, we are basically learning a lesson here: If you are a worker, you have to be mindful of the ba'al habayit’s time. In our society, we might say, “Well, I’m praying; leave me alone.” What, you’re praying? You’re working. It is more important not to steal the ba'al habayit’s time than to go and pray. So the Gemara says, “Listen, we’ll let you pray, but don’t go be the chazzan in the synagogue; it will take too long. Nesi'at kapayim (priestly hand-raising) will take too long. Eat.”
The strange part of this wording is the order it gives. It says: Read Keri'at Shema, recite the blessing before and after it, eat your bread, recite the blessings before and after, and then pray. Obviously, that is not the order in which you do it. First you are going to say Shema, pray, and then eat. I think Rashi fixes this to a certain degree. Rashi says here, “Korin Shema umevarechin lefaneha ule'achareha ketikunah” (They read the Shema and recite its blessings before and after it, as prescribed), “vechen bizman tefillah” (and so too at the time of prayer). Why does Rashi add the words “vechen bizman tefillah”? I think Rashi is trying to say that if it is the time for prayer, you have to pray first. So he is pointing out that the order is not precise.
That does not explain why the Gemara chose to give an imprecise order. Rashi is just telling you that if it is the time for prayer, you certainly have to pray first. It could be that the reason you have to recite the blessings for Keri'at Shema is that, seemingly, those blessings are deRabbanan (rabbinic), while Keri'at Shema is de'Oraita (from the Torah). Seemingly, we should be lenient with something deRabbanan when the man is working. Rather, we see that this opinion holds that even though the blessings are deRabbanan, you still have to recite them. Once you tell me that, I have a chiddush: Birkat Hamotzi is also rabbinic. Therefore, first I have to prove that we recite rabbinic blessings even though a person is working. Where is the proof? From the blessings of Keri'at Shema. The result of that teaches me “umevarech al hapat kodem” (he recites the blessing over the bread first), because that is also rabbinic. I could have argued, “No, maybe you don’t recite Hamotzi; Hamotzi is only rabbinic.” But once I see that for Keri'at Shema you have to recite the blessings, the result is that for Hamotzi as well, you would have—That could be why the Gemara puts it in that order: one halachah leads us to the next.
In any event, the Gemara has a question. You are telling me that the worker prays the full Amidah? That is not so! “Vehatanya” (But it was taught): He is by himself; he does not have a minyan (prayer quorum). No, not only does he not have a minyan in a tree; he does not have a zimun (invitation to bless) either. “Vehatanya” (But it was taught) in a baraita: “Me'en yud-chet” (an abbreviated version of the Eighteen Benedictions). The worker does not have to pray the full Amidah. He prays an abridged version of the Amidah called Havineinu (abridged Amidah prayer). Me'en: It has the first three berachot, the last three berachot, and the eleven middle berachot are combined into one berachah. So how can you tell me he has to pray the whole Amidah? He only has to pray me'en! “Amar Rav Sheshet: La kashya. Ha Rabban Gamliel, ha Rabbi Yehoshua” (Rav Sheshet said: There is no contradiction. This is Rabban Gamliel, and that is Rabbi Yehoshua). We have a big machloket (dispute), which we will learn in the fourth perek. Rabban Gamliel says that every day a person has to pray the full eighteen berachot. Rabbi Yehoshua will teach us that every day a person can pray the short version. Therefore, there is no contradiction. The baraita that says the worker prays the full Amidah is Rabban Gamliel; the baraita that says he prays me'en is Rabbi Yehoshua.
The Gemara says: “I Rabbi Yehoshua, mai irya po'alim, afilu kol adam nami” (If this is Rabbi Yehoshua, why mention workers? It would apply to everyone). What are you talking about? Why would the baraita say workers? Seemingly, according to Rabbi Yehoshua, everyone gets to pray the abridged version. Why did the baraita say po'alim? According to Rabbi Yehoshua, everyone gets to pray Havineinu! “Ella idi ve'idi Rabban Gamliel” (Rather, both this and that are Rabban Gamliel). Okay, a new answer. Really, both baraitot are Rabban Gamliel. One baraita says you pray the full Amidah; that is Rabban Gamliel. The baraita that says workers pray me'en is also Rabban Gamliel. How can that be? “Vela kashya. Kan be'osim bischaran, kan be'osim bis'udatan” (There is no contradiction. This case is when they work for wages, and that case is when they work for their meal). It depends on how they are paid. If they work for wages, even Rabban Gamliel will say to pray the short Amidah. But if they are not being paid wages, and are just working for food, the ba'al habayit is not paying much; he is just paying for their food. Then the ba'al habayit is not as particular, and the worker can even pray the full Amidah. Therefore, it depends: If he is paid wages, he prays the short Amidah. If he is given food for his work, he prays the long Amidah.
“Vehatanya” (And it was taught): This is a proof for what we just said. What are we trying to prove, rabotai? We are trying to prove that there is a difference in how the worker is paid. If he is paid wages, he has to be more careful with his time. If he is paid just for lunch, he does not have to be so careful; he can pray more. What is the proof that there is a difference? Here it is: “Hapo'alim shehayu osim melachah etzel ba'al habayit” (Workers who were doing work for a householder), “korin Keri'at Shema” (read the Shema), “umitpalelin” (and pray), “ve'ochlin pitan” (and eat their bread). Now listen to this: “Ve'ein mevarechin lefaneha” (They do not recite the blessing before it). They do not recite the first blessing, Hamotzi; it is deRabbanan. “Aval mevarechin le'achareha shtayim” (But they recite two blessings after it). They recite Birkat Hamazon, but a shortened Birkat Hamazon of two blessings.
How do they recite two blessings? Birkat Hamazon is actually three blessings. The fourth blessing is deRabbanan, so leave out the fourth blessing; if you are working, you do not have to say that. But what about the three blessings? It says, “Keitzad?” (How so?) “Berachah rishonah ketikunah” (The first blessing is recited as prescribed), “sheniyah pote'ach beVirkat HaAretz” (For the second, he begins with the blessing of the land), sheniyah is “Nodeh lecha,” “vecholelan” (and combines them). “Vecholelin Boneh Yerushalayim beVirkat HaAretz” (He combines the blessing of Jerusalem with the blessing of the land). Since the blessing of the land and the blessing of Jerusalem are similar, you can combine those two blessings. Basically, what are we seeing? Even Birkat Hamazon is being shortened.
Tosafot comes along and says, “Listen, I understand not reciting Hamotzi; he is a worker, and Hamotzi is deRabbanan. But Birkat Hamazon is de'Oraita. How can you take away one of the blessings?” Tosafot says a phenomenal chiddush: “Yesh ko'ach bachachamim la'akor davar min haTorah beshev ve'al ta'aseh” (The sages have the power to uproot a Torah matter by requiring a person to refrain from action). The rabbis have the ability to uproot a halachah from the Torah by telling a person to be passive. Here they are not telling the man to do something; they are telling him, “Don’t do it; don’t recite the third blessing.” So what do we see here? The chachamim have the power to uproot. Tosafot must have believed that not only is Birkat Hamazon from the Torah, but reciting three blessings is also from the Torah, because we are not taking away a blessing; we are combining it.
However, Maran Beit Yosef (Rabbi Joseph Karo), in Hilchot Birkat Hamazon, questions Tosafot and says, “No, there is no problem here. Birkat Hamazon is de'Oraita, but not three blessings. So the rabbis were not uprooting anything. If anything, they were just combining them to save time, so the worker would not take time away from the ba'al habayit.” Nonetheless, what do we see here? The man does not have to recite Hamotzi. He recites an abridged Birkat Hamazon.
The Gemara says, “When does this apply? Bameh devarim amurim? Be'osim bisecharan” (When do these things apply? When they are working for wages). This is speaking only about workers who are being paid wages. As we learned, if you are getting paid wages, you have to be more careful about your time. “Aval osim bise'udatan” (But if they are working for their meal), if they are being paid with food, with lunch, “o shehayu ba'al habayit meseiv imahem” (or if the householder is eating with them), if the ba'al habayit is sitting with them, that shows he is not particular. Then “mevarechin ketikunah” (they recite the blessings as prescribed); they recite Birkat Hamazon as usual. Again, we have brought proof that there is a difference between how they are paid: bisecharan or bise'udatan.
Again, rabotai, this underscores the importance of a worker having to work sixty-minute hours. Every moment he takes away—certainly, we can deduce from this Gemara—if a person is not praying but fooling around on the computer and buying things on Amazon during the time he is supposed to be working, the Gemara does not even have to tell us: For sure, he is a thief; for sure, he is stealing.
There is a famous story about Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky zichrono livracha (may his memory be a blessing). One of the ba'alei batim called him and said, “Your honor, Purim is coming, and it falls on a weekday. He doesn’t want to go to work on Purim, so can he call his boss and tell him he’s sick? He has sick days, so he wants to call in sick.” Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky said, “What, you’re going to lie now? Bring a sandwich to the office and have your se'udat Purim in the office.” Which we might not think of. What do you mean? Of course... He said, “What do you mean? The ba'al habayit needs you there. If you’re sick, you’re sick. You’re just going to lie to the man? You can’t lie. You can’t tell a lie.” So you see here that the chachamim were mevatel Birkat Hamazon, and they were mevatel the kavanah in Keri'at Shema and tefillah. Again, that is a great lesson to learn from this Gemara.
Rabotai, we continue. This is a Gemara we have already learned. We can read it a little quicker than we would if we were learning it for the first time. “Chatan patur mikeri'at Shema” (A groom is exempt from reciting the Shema). “Tanu Rabbanan” (The rabbis taught): “‘Beshivtecha beveitecha’” (When you sit in your house): You have to read Keri'at Shema when you are sitting in your house. “Ha, perat le'osek bemitzvah” (This excludes one who is engaged in a commandment). It comes to exclude someone who is osek bemitzvah. “Osek bemitzvah patur min hamitzvah.” “‘Uvelechtecha vaderech’” (And when you walk on the road): You have to read Keri'at Shema even when you are walking on the road. “Perat” (This excludes) another case—not only when you are osek bemitzvah, but “lechatan” (the groom), who is preoccupied with thoughts of doing the mitzvah. “Mikan ameru” (From here they said): “Hakones et habetulah” (One who marries a virgin), “patur” (is exempt) from Keri'at Shema. “Ve'et ha'almanah, chayav” (But one who marries a widow is obligated). If he marries an almanah, who is not a betulah, he is not preoccupied, and therefore he is obligated.
“Mai mashma?” (How do we know?) Where do you see in this pasuk that it is speaking about “osek bemitzvah patur min hamitzvah”? From which words did you learn this concept? Rav Pappa says, “Ki derech” (For the word “road”): In “uvelechtecha vaderech,” when a person is going on his derech, it is his own way; he is doing his own things. “Mah derech reshut” (Just as one’s ordinary way is optional): When he is going on the road to do his own things, that is when it says he has to read the Shema. “Af hacha nami reshut” (So too here, it refers to an optional activity). “Beshivtecha beveitecha uvelechtecha vaderech” means that you are obligated when you are doing your personal things. It follows that if you are doing God’s business, performing mitzvot, you are exempt.
The Gemara says: Who told you that when it says “derech,” it means that he is going on his personal way? “Mi lo askinan dekazizil lidvar mitzvah?” (Could we not be speaking of someone who is rushing to perform a mitzvah?) Maybe he is going to perform a mitzvah, and even so “ve'afilu hachi amar Rachamana likrei” (the Merciful One says to read it). Maybe “uvelechtecha vaderech” refers to going to perform a mitzvah, and you still have to read Keri'at Shema. Maybe the opposite is true: We should learn from here that “ha osek bemitzvah, chayav bemitzvah” (one engaged in a commandment is obligated in another commandment). Who told you that the derech here is derech reshut, an optional activity? The Gemara says, “Im ken, leima kra belechet” (If so, the verse should have said “when you walk”). Why does it say “belechtecha”? “Belechtecha” means your walking. “Shema minah, belechet didach hu demechayeivat, ha demitzvah patirat” (We learn from this that it is your own walking that obligates you, while walking for a mitzvah exempts you).
The Gemara says, “Ei hachi mai irya kones et habetulah?” (If so, why mention one who marries a virgin?) If you tell me that one engaged in a mitzvah is exempt from another mitzvah, why only a betulah? “Afilu kones et ha'almanah” (It should apply even to one who marries a widow). Listen, rabotai, it is a mitzvah to marry an almanah. It is a mitzvah to get married. If you tell me that one engaged in a mitzvah is exempt from another mitzvah, then he should be exempt when marrying an almanah too. That is how Tosafot understands the question.
The Gemara says, “Hacha tarid vehacha lo tarid” (Here he is preoccupied, but there he is not). With a betulah, he is preoccupied. He wants to make sure she is a betulah. But with an almanah, there is no preoccupation about whether she is a betulah; he knows she is not. Now the Gemara is giving a new reason: It is not the mitzvah; it has to do with preoccupation. If it is because of preoccupation, “Ee mishum tirda, afilu tava'ah sefinato bayam nami” (If it is because of preoccupation, then even if his ship sank at sea, he should be exempt). Perhaps if a man’s yacht sank, he is preoccupied with his financial loss and should also be exempt.
The Gemara says we know that is not true: “Alma amar Rabbi Aba bar Zavda amar Rav, aval chayav bechol hamitzvot ha'amurot baTorah” (It is evident from what Rabbi Aba bar Zavda said in the name of Rav: A mourner is obligated in all the commandments stated in the Torah). A mourner, bar minan, is preoccupied. Clearly, his mind is on his loss, but he is still obligated in all the mitzvot. So you see that preoccupation is not enough to exempt you from a mitzvah. “Chutz min hatefillin” (Except for tefillin): On the first day, a mourner is exempt from tefillin (phylacteries), “sheharei ne'emar bahem pe'er” (since they are called an adornment). Tefillin are called pe'er, an adornment, and on the first day of avelut (mourning), a person has efer on his head. Pe'er is spelled with the same letters as efer, so we cannot put pe'er in the place of efer, “shene'emar pe'ercha chavush alecha” (as it says, “Your adornment is bound upon you”).
So the Gemara says there is a big difference between a man whose boat sank and someone marrying an almanah or, I’m sorry, a betulah. What is the difference? “Amri hatam tirda direshut, hacha tirda demitzvah” (They say: There, the preoccupation is with an optional matter; here, the preoccupation is with a mitzvah). That means you need two things to be exempt: either you are osek bemitzvah, or, if you are preoccupied, it has to be preoccupation with a mitzvah. With a betulah, you have the mitzvah of getting married, plus you are preoccupied with performing the mitzvah. With an almanah, you have the mitzvah but not the preoccupation. If the issue is tirda, preoccupation, and it is only a matter of what is on your mind, you need to add another factor: You need both tirda and a mitzvah. Therefore, “tava'ah sefinato bayam yesh tirda ein mitzvah” (If his ship sank at sea, there is preoccupation but no mitzvah). A mourner has preoccupation but no mitzvah. But with a man who loses his money, “yesh tirda aval ein mitzvah” (there is preoccupation but no mitzvah), so he remains obligated. With a betulah, the preoccupation itself is part of the mitzvah. With an almanah, there is a mitzvah but no preoccupation. Therefore, he is not osek bemitzvah; he can read Keri'at Shema and then get married. But when he is marrying a betulah, his mind is occupied the whole time with what will happen: Is she a betulah, and so on. That is the rule: Either you are actually engaged in a mitzvah, or, if you are preoccupied, the preoccupation has to be with a mitzvah.
Does the same hold true for a divorced woman? Yes, I think so. It is the same as with an almanah.
The Mishnah says: “Matnitin. Rachatz lailah harishon shemetah ishto” (Our Mishnah: He bathed on the first night after his wife died). We are talking about stories of Rabban Gamliel. Bar minan, his wife died, and he took a shower the first night. We are assuming that the first night means after he buried her: He came back that night and took a shower; he bathed himself. We will see exactly what happened to Rabban Gamliel. “Rachatz lailah harishon shemetah ishto.” “Amru lo talmidav” (His students said to him), “limadtanu rabenu she'avel asur lirchotz” (You taught us, our teacher, that a mourner is forbidden to bathe), and now you are telling us that you bathed? He said to them, “Eini kish'ar benei adam, istenis ani” (I am not like other people; I am delicate). Istenis means finicky, very tender; his body was very delicate. He could not go one night without a shower, he said. “Istenis ani.” Therefore, he was lenient. We will have to see exactly why. He must have held that it is only prohibited rabbinically. If it is prohibited by the Torah, you cannot say, “I’m delicate.” Whether you are delicate or not, it is prohibited. He must have held that taking a shower the first night is prohibited rabbinically, and therefore “bimkom istenis lo gazru” (in the case of a delicate person, they did not decree this), as the Gemara is going to say.
“Ucheshemet Tavi avdo” (And when his slave Tavi died), an eved Kena'ani (Canaanite bondservant). The slave’s name was Tavi, or Tobi. “Kibel alav tanchumin” (He accepted condolences). When Tavi passed away, Rabban Gamliel allowed himself to receive consolation. Bar minan, when somebody passes away, people come to offer consolation. He accepted consolation for the eved. The students said, “Amru lo talmidav limadtanu rabenu she'ein mekablin tanchumin al ha'avadim” (His students said to him: You taught us, our teacher, that one does not accept condolences for slaves). You taught us that when an eved passes away, he is like an asset, and you do not offer consolation for a slave. Now you are accepting condolences? He said to them, “Eini kish'ar kol ha'avadim, kasher hayah” (Tavi was not like all other slaves; he was a worthy man). He was different; he was a good man.
“Chatan im rotzeh likrot Keri'at Shema lailah harishon korei” (If a groom wants to read Keri'at Shema on the first night, he may read it). So now we are going against what we just learned. If a chatan wants to read Keri'at Shema on the first night, he can. Can he? “Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel omer: Lo kol harotzeh litol et hashem yitol” (Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: Not everyone who wishes to assume the name may do so). Not everybody who wants to take on the name of a chasid, claiming that he can concentrate, can take it on. This means that it would be ga'avah. A chatan comes along and says, “Yes, I’m going to read.” Who are you to read? Are you a chacham? Are you a tzaddik? Only people known to read Keri'at Shema every single night with kavanah can come along and say, “I’m going to read it tonight.” Otherwise, Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says it would be ga'avah for a chatan, unless he is known to be like the person in the last story of the Mishnah.
Rabotai, we need to read some of the Rashis here. “Rachatz lailah harishon,” the top line in Rashi: “Venikberah bo bayom” (She was buried that day). Okay, his wife had already been buried. “Ve'af al pi she'avel asur birchitzah” (Even though a mourner is forbidden to bathe). “Rachatz, kedamar ta'ama, istenis ani, vehu adam me'unag umefunak” (He bathed, as he said, because he was delicate; he was a pampered and delicate person). Me'unag means delicate, finicky, as we already said. Therefore, even though bathing is prohibited, he allowed himself to do it.
Now look at the Gemara. “Mai ta'ama deRabban Gamliel? Kasavar aninut lailah derabbanan” (pre-burial mourning) (What is the reason for Rabban Gamliel’s ruling? He holds that the laws of aninut at night after the burial are rabbinic). “Dichtiv ve'acharitah keyom mar, uvimkom istenis lo gazru bah rabbanan” (For it is written, “And its end is like a bitter day,” and the rabbis did not decree it for a delicate person). An interesting opinion here. Bar minan, when a person passes away, that day is a period of aninut until the burial. But it says aninut is one day. So they hold that there could also be aninut after the burial. The question is the night after the burial. According to this opinion, the poskim will say that the laws of aninut apply that night, but according to Rabban Gamliel, the laws of aninut apply only rabbinically. Since the laws of aninut apply only rabbinically, and he is delicate, he allowed himself to bathe.
Look at Rashi. Rashi says, “Kasavar aninut lailah derabbanan, ve'af al pi shehayah lailah leil yom hamitah,” “uchetivah aninut be'achariyuta dichtiv lo achalti ve'oni” (He holds that the laws of mourning at night are rabbinic, even though the night is the night following the day of death, and aninut is written in connection with its aftermath, as it says, “I did not eat of it in my mourning”). Where do we learn the laws of aninut? The Torah mentions aninut in connection with ma'aser. There is a law that you have to eat ma'aser sheni, but you are not allowed to eat ma'aser sheni when you are an onen, as it says, “Lo achalti mimenu ve'oni” (I did not eat from it in my mourning). Be'oni means when he was an onen. That is where we learn the laws of aninut, specifically that an onen cannot eat ma'aser sheni.
Again, “Uchetiva aninut be'Oraita” (And aninut is written in the Torah)—where is aninut written in the Torah? Read the fourth line of that opinion: “Dichtiv lo achalti ve'oni mimenu” (For it is written, “I did not eat from it in my mourning”). “Ufachot miyom echad eino aninut” (Less than one day is not aninut). Aninut has to last at least one day. They learn this rabbinically from “Ve'acharitah keyom mar” (Its end is like a bitter day), which calls aninut a bitter day. “Vekasavar Rabban Gamliel ein lailah she'le'acharav im hayom” (And Rabban Gamliel holds that the night after it is not included with the day). Let’s say she passed away on Sunday, and you would say, “Okay, it has to be a full day, so that means Sunday night too.” No. Since Sunday night is already the next day, we do not consider it part of the bitter day of aninut. “Aval miderabbanan hu keshe'ar yemei evel” (But rabbinically, it is like the other days of mourning). You are right that the night is governed by the regular laws of mourning. “Ulegabei istenis lo gazur bah rabbanan” (But in the case of a delicate person, the rabbis did not decree it). Regarding rabbinic aninut at night, the rabbis did not decree it for someone delicate, and therefore Rabban Gamliel allowed himself to bathe.
Rabotai, we are on the second line now. “Ucheshemet Tavi avdo, tanu rabbanan: Avadim ushefachot” (When his slave Tavi died, the rabbis taught: Male and female slaves). When it comes to avadim (slaves) and shifchot (female slaves)—an eved Kena'ani and a shifchah Kena'anit (Canaanite bondwoman)—“ein omdim aleihem beshurah” (we do not form a row for them). We do not give them the usual honor shown when an ordinary person passes away. In the old days, when someone passed away, all the people who went to the funeral would stand in a row, ten people in each row, and the mourners would walk by them. Everyone would say, “Tenuchamu” (May you be comforted), expressing sympathy for their loss. That used to be a formality. We do not do that for slaves. “Omdim beshurah” refers to standing in a row when they come back. Furthermore, “ve'ein omrim aleihem birkat avelim” (We do not recite the mourners’ blessing for them). There was a certain blessing they used to recite in the street, called birkat rechavah, and they used to give the se'udat havra'ah at that time. We do not give slaves the meal of consolation from others. “Vetanchumei avelim” (Nor do we offer condolences to mourners): We do not visit and offer condolences.
“Ma'aseh umetatah shifchato shel Rabbi Eliezer” (There was an incident: The female slave of Rabbi Eliezer died). What happened? Rabbi Eliezer’s shifchah passed away. “Nichnesu talmidav lenachamo” (His students came in to console him). The students came to offer him consolation. When he saw them, he thought, “What do you mean? They are coming to console me. Don’t they know the halachah? We just said we do not console someone over the death of a shifchah.” What did he do? He said, “I have to avoid them.” “Alah la'aliyah” (He went up to the attic). He went to the attic and hid. “Ve'alu acharav” (They followed him). “Nichnas le'anpilon” (He entered the front room). He went into the den. “Nichnesu acharav” (They followed him). “Nichnas letraklin” (He entered the reception room). He went to another room, the living room. “Nichnesu acharav” (They followed him). Finally, he said to them, “Kemdumeh ani she'atem nichvim beposhrim” (I thought you would get burned by lukewarm water). I thought you would get the hint. That was already poshrim. I gave you a hint that I was running away from you. What did you do? You followed me. I said, “Okay, maybe they did not get the hint.” So I moved to another room, and you followed me again. Now you have followed me a third time. “Achshav i atem nichvim afilu bechamei chamin” (Now I see you are not getting burned even by boiling-hot water). You did not get the hint!
“Lo kach shaniti lachem” (Did I not teach you this?): “Avadim ushfachot ein omdim aleihem beshurah ve'ein omrim aleihem birkat avelim velo tanchumei avelim” (One does not form a row for slaves, recite the mourners’ blessing for them, or offer them condolences). “Ela mah omrim aleihem?” (Then what do you say to them?) “Keshem she'omrim lo leadam al shoro ve'al chamoro shemetu” (Just as one says to a person whose ox or donkey has died), “Hamakom yemalei lecha chesroncha” (May the Omnipresent fill your loss). God should fill your loss; God should restore what you lost. “Kach omrim lo al avdo ve'al shifchato: Hamakom yemalei lecha chesroncha” (So too, one says to him about his male or female slave: May the Omnipresent fill your loss). That is it; it is an asset.
My question was: How did the rabbi know they might have been coming to tell him that? He saw them coming and thought, “Oh, they are coming to offer condolences. Let me run away.” Maybe they were coming to tell him, “Hamakom yemalei lecha chesroncha”? How was he so sure? The explanation is that for that, you do not come as a group. If you come as a group, you are coming to offer condolences. To come along and say, “Hashem should restore your loss,” you can see the rabbi in the yeshiva and tell him that on the way. You do not make a special trip with all the students to visit a man whose car got smashed just to say, “Hamakom yemalei chesroncha.” You do not visit for that. When he saw that they had come to visit, he said, “Oh, they are probably coming to console me.”
“Tanya idach: avadim ushfachot ein maspidim otam” (It was taught elsewhere: We do not eulogize male and female slaves). Nor do we make eulogies for slaves. “Rabbi Yosei omer” (Rabbi Yosei says)—again, rabotai, the main reason for this is that we do not want anyone to think they have yichus (lineage). If people think these are ordinary Jews, then they may regard their children as ordinary Jews too, and marry into the... Therefore, we have to treat them differently so that we do not run into the problem of people marrying their children, who are not considered full-fledged Jews and are slaves as well. So the Gemara says, “Ein maspidim otam” (We do not eulogize them). “Rabbi Yosei omer: im eved kasher hu, omrim” (Rabbi Yosei says: If he is a worthy slave, they say), “Hei ish tov” (Woe, we have lost a good man), “vene'eman” (and a loyal one), “veneheneh miyegio” (who benefited from his own labor). They said to him, “Im ken, mah hinachta lachasherim?” (If so, what have you left for the worthy people?) If that is what you are going to say in a eulogy for a slave, what have you left for the worthy person? That is a great eulogy: “A good man,” “loyal,” “benefited from his own labor.” The other side says, “That is a great eulogy. What have you left for an ordinary person?” In any event, you see here that we have to treat them differently.
“Tanu rabanan: Ein korin avot ela lisheloshah” (The rabbis taught: The name “forefathers” is used only for three). We learned this already, actually a little differently. The Gemara here says there are only three avot (forefathers). We call only Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov avot. “Ve'ein korin imahot ela le'arba” (And the name “foremothers” is used only for four). There are only four imahot: Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel, and Leah. Why? “Avot, mai ta'ama?” (What is the reason regarding the forefathers?) Why can’t you say, “Reuven avinu,” “Shimon avinu”? The shevatim (tribes)—call them avot too! The Gemara says, “Eilima mishum dela yad'inan ei miReuven ka'atinan, ei miShimon ka'atinan” (Perhaps it is because we do not know whether we descend from Reuven or from Shimon). You do not know whether you come from Reuven; perhaps you come from Naftali. If that is the reason, “ei hachi, imahot nami” (then the same should apply to the foremothers). “Lo yad'inan ei meRachel ka'atinan, ei miLeah ka'atinan” (We do not know whether we descend from Rachel or from Leah). How can you call Rachel “our mother”? Maybe you come from Leah. How can you call Leah “our mother”? Maybe you come from Rachel. If the reason you cannot call them “our father” and “our mother” is that you do not know where you come from, then you cannot call any of the imahot by that name!
The Gemara says, no, that is not the reason. “Ela ad hacha chashivei, tefei lo chashivei” (Rather, those before this point are important; those after are not as important). The Gemara gives an incredible answer: The avot are considered chashuv (important). After them, there is a lower level. This means that even if a person knows he comes from Reuven, you cannot call Reuven “our forefather.” Reuven does not have the status of the avot. What about a kohen? First of all, you are not certain that you come from Kohanim. You have a chazakah (presumption); you have a chazakah.
In any event, the question here is: What does chashivei mean? The avot have certain things that the shevatim do not have. A simple example: The Ramban (Nachmanides) writes, “ma'aseh avot siman labanim” (the deeds of the fathers are a sign for the children). When the avot did things in their lives, those actions created consequences for the children. What happened to Avraham would affect Jewish history; the same with Yitzchak and Yaakov. We do not say ma'aseh avot regarding the shevatim. So you see that there was already a distinction here. The Gemara said you cannot call Reuven “our forefather”; he does not have the same status.
Although I should point out that the poskim say that only one of the shevatim has the status of an av in that sense: Yosef. As the pasuk says, “Eleh toldot Yaakov Yosef” (These are the generations of Jacob: Joseph). Yosef is considered an extension of Yaakov. They say, “tefillot avot tiknum” (the forefathers instituted the prayers): the prayers correspond to the avot. Shacharit is Avraham, Minchah is Yitzchak, and Yaakov instituted Arvit. The Zohar Hakadosh writes that Musaf corresponds to Yosef. So you see that Yosef is in a separate category. Apart from that, you cannot call the shevatim avot. The same applies to the imahot.
“Tanya idach: avadim ushfachot ein korin otam Abba peloni ve'Ima, ve'Imma Pelonit” (It was taught elsewhere: Male and female slaves are not called “Father So-and-so” or “Mother So-and-so”). Rabotai, in the old days there was a custom that if someone was important, you called him, as we might say, “Mr. So-and-so.” They would say Abba; they would call him “father.” Just as we say “gentleman,” “sir,” or “mister,” they would refer to a man as Abba. The Gemara says there was a rabbi called Sha'ul. What did they call him? Abba Sha'ul. Abba was not his name; his name was Sha'ul. Abba Sha'ul was a title. With all due respect, when non-Jews want to address an important person, what do they call him? Father. They call the pope “father.” That was an old custom: an important man could be called Abba, and an important woman could be called Imma. But you do not call slaves Abba or Imma. “Ein korin otam Abba Peloni ve'Imma Pelonit” (They are not called “Father So-and-so” or “Mother So-and-so”). Again, it is for the same reason. If you give them importance, people will think they have lineage, and they may marry into the family.
“Veshel Rabban Gamliel hayu korin otam Abba Peloni ve'Imma Pelonit” (But Rabban Gamliel’s slaves were called “Father So-and-so” and “Mother So-and-so”). The Gemara says, “Ma'aseh listor?” (Is this an incident that contradicts the ruling?) What do you mean? You are bringing me a contradiction. You just said you cannot do that. The Gemara says, no, “mishum dechashivei” (because they were important). What does it mean that they were important? Everybody knew Rabban Gamliel’s family, and nobody would think that his children came from these avadim. They all knew his family was important. They knew that giving these slaves honor would not make anyone think Rabban Gamliel’s children came from these slaves or anything like that. It would not cast doubt on his own children. Since the family was important—not that the slaves were important, but that he was important—there was no concern that by giving the slave honor people would say, “Oh, maybe Rabban Gamliel’s children do not have proper lineage either.”
Rabbi Elazar says, “Mai dichtiv?” (What is written?) “Ken avarechecha vechayai, beshimcha esa chapai” (Thus I will bless You throughout my life; in Your name I will lift my hands). “Ken avarechecha vechayai” (Thus I will bless You throughout my life) refers to Keri'at Shema. Maharsha asks: Where do you see in the pasuk that “bechayai” refers to Keri'at Shema? Keri'at Shema is considered words of Torah, because it is a portion of the Torah. We know that the Torah says, “Ki hem chayeinu ve'orech yameinu” (For they are our life and the length of our days). So “avarechecha” (I will bless You) means I will bless You by doing something that gives me life. What is that? Keri'at Shema. “Beshimcha esa chapai” (In Your name I will lift my hands): I will mention Your name in the eighteen berachot. “Baruch Atah Hashem, Baruch Atah Hashem”—that is Your name. I will lift my hands in tefillah.
“Ve'im oseh chen” (And if a person does this): If a person recites the Shema and then prays the Amidah, “alav hakatuve” (the verse says), “Kemo chelev vadeshen tisba nafshi” (As with fat and richness, my soul will be satisfied). It is as if you brought a korban on the mizbe'ach and performed the deshen, meaning terumat hadeshen; you cleaned the mizbe'ach as well. That is as if you brought a korban completely. “Velo od ela shenochel shenei olamot” (Not only that, but he inherits two worlds). You benefit from two worlds, “Ha'olam Hazeh ve'Olam Haba” (this world and the World to Come). “Shene'emar” (As it says), “vesiftei renanot” (and lips of joyous song). Renanot is plural: “yehalel pi” (my mouth will praise).
“Rabbi Elazar batar dimesayeim tzeloteih, amar hachi” (Rabbi Elazar, after he finished his prayer, said this). The rabbis are now going to give us a few interpretations. When the rabbis used to pray the Amidah, after it was over they would recite certain tefillot. As we say, “Elokai netzor leshoni mera usifatotai” (My God, guard my tongue from evil and my lips from speaking deceit); that will be one of them on the next daf. But now we are going to discuss certain tefillot the rabbis recited at the end of prayer. What did he say? “Yehi ratzon milefanecha Hashem Elokeinu” (May it be Your will, Hashem our God), “shetishkon befurenu” (that You shall rest befurenu). Rashi says, “begoralenu” (in our lot). Pur means our lot, our portion; the Shechinah (Divine Presence) should rest in our portion. And what should be in our portion? “Ahavah ve'achvah shalom vere'ut” (love, brotherhood, peace, and friendship). “Vetarbeh gevulenu betalmidim” (May You increase our borders with many students). Yishtabach Shemo, as we have here this morning. “Vetatzliach sofenu acharit vetikvah” (May You make our end successful and our hope secure). Our end should be successful, something we can anticipate, something good that we can look forward to. “Vetasim chelikenu beGan Eden (Garden of Eden)” (And place our portion in the Garden of Eden). “Vetaknenu” (And establish us) in this world with the following: “chaver tov” (a good friend), “yetzer tov” (a good inclination), obviously. “Be'olamcha” (in Your world). “Venashkim” (May we awaken in the morning), when we get out of bed, “venimtza yichul libenu” (and may our heart’s desire be found) “leyir'ah et Shemecha” (to fear Your name).
That is an amazing thing. We are praying that when we get out of bed in the morning, we wake up motivated and with yir'at Shamayim (fear of Heaven). I once heard from one of the rabbis, Rav Karp, may he live and be well, who made a diyuk in this Rashi. Look at what Rashi says: “Venimtza yichul levavenu leyir'at shemecha” (May our heart’s desire be to fear Your name), “shelo yitgaber aleinu yetzer hara behirhur halaylah lasur me'acharecha bayom” (May the evil inclination not overpower us through thoughts at night and cause us to turn away from You during the day). It is amazing: When a person goes to sleep at night, that is when the yetzer hara can get him. What happens at the time he goes to sleep can affect the way he wakes up. If a person goes to sleep, chas veshalom, with the wrong kavanot—if a man goes to sleep playing on his computer or watching television, chas veshalom, or something like that—if he goes to sleep with improper thoughts, he is not going to wake up with yir'at Shamayim! That is what Rashi says. Rashi says again—I am reading the wording—“shelo yitgaber aleinu yetzer hara behirhur halaylah lasur me'acharecha bayom, ela keshenashkim bechol boker nimtza libenu meyachel lach” (May the evil inclination not overpower us through thoughts at night and cause us to turn away from You during the day; rather, when we awaken each morning, may our hearts be hoping for You). That is why he says you have to go to sleep with Keriat Shema al hamitah (bedtime Shema).
They made a famous derashah on this. Maran (the revered master), in Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law), starts off, “Yitgaber ka'ari” (He should strengthen himself like a lion); you should wake up like a lion in the morning. So the chachamim joke: If a person goes to sleep like a donkey, he cannot wake up like a lion! In order to wake up like a lion, you have to go to sleep like a lion. And how does a lion go to sleep? Keriat Shema al hamitah, words of Torah. Then he gets up like a lion. You are not going to change overnight while you sleep!
“Vatavo lefanecha korat nafshenu letovah,” and we should bring You korat ruach, “korat nafshenu,” which means we should bring You pleasure from our service.
“Rabbi Yochanan batar debasyeim tzeloteih, amar hachi” (Rabbi Yochanan, after finishing his prayer, said this): “Yehi ratzon milfanecha Hashem Elokeinu, shetatzitz beboshtenu” (May it be Your will, Hashem our God, that You look upon our shame). The simple explanation is that You should see our shame. Look at the non-Jews: They embarrass us. We walk in the street, they curse us, call us names, humiliate us, and pick on us. Look at our shame! The Maharsha says that “shetatzitz beboshtenu” means: Look at the shame of our averot. God Almighty, we have sinned, but look—we are ashamed of our sins! “Shetatzitz beboshtenu.” “Vetabit bera'atenu” (And look at our suffering). Look at the bad the non-Jews do to us, the violence, the antisemitism: bera'atenu. And therefore, what? “Vetitlabesh berachamecha” (Clothe Yourself in Your mercy); this attribute of Hashem is like clothing. “Vetitkaseh be'ozecha” (Cover Yourself with Your strength), “vetitatef bechasidutecha” (Wrap Yourself in Your kindness), “vetit'azer” (Gird Yourself), “be'anvatecha” (with Your favor), “vetavo lefanecha midat tuvcha ve'anvetanutecha” (and let Your goodness and generosity come before You). That means either forgive us for our sins because we are ashamed of them, or gird Yourself with strength, have mercy on us, and take it out on our enemies.
“Rabbi Zeira batar debasyeim tzeloteih amar hachi” (Rabbi Zeira, after finishing his prayer, said this): “Yehi ratzon milfanecha Hashem Elokeinu, shelo necheta, velo nebosh velo nikalem me'avotenu” (May it be Your will, Hashem our God, that we not sin and that we not be ashamed or disgraced before our forefathers). We should not sin, and we should not bring shame upon our fathers. Our fathers were great, and we should not give them a bad reputation. We should not be an embarrassment to our fathers; our fathers are much better than we are.
“Rabbi Chiya batar dematzlei amar hachi” (Rabbi Chiya, after he prayed, said this): “Yehi ratzon milfanecha Hashem Elokeinu shetehe Toratcha umanutenu” (May it be Your will, Hashem our God, that Your Torah be our craft). Our job should really be Torah; that should be our vocation. “Ve'al yidveh libenu” (May our hearts not be sorrowful), “ve'al yachshichu eineinu” (and may our eyes not grow dim). In order to study Torah, you have to be able to see. Our eyes should not go dark.
“Rav batar tzlotia amar hachi” (Rav, after his prayer, said this): “Yehi ratzon milfanecha Hashem Elokeinu shetiten lanu chayim aruchim, chayim shel shalom, chayim shel tovah, chayim shel berachah, chayim shel parnasah, chayim shel chillutz atzamot” (May it be Your will, Hashem our God, to give us long lives, lives of peace, goodness, blessing, livelihood, and healthy bones). Chillutz atzamot means a healthy life; the bones should be healthy. “Chayim sheyesh bahem yir'at chet” (Lives that contain fear of sin), “chayim she'ein bahem bushah uchelimah” (lives without shame or disgrace), “chayim shel osher vechavod” (lives of wealth and honor), “chayim shetehe vanu ahavat Torah veyir'at Shamayim” (lives in which we have love of Torah and fear of Heaven), “chayim shetemaleh lanu kol mish'alot libenu letovah” (lives in which You fulfill all the desires of our hearts for good).
“Rebbi batar tzlotia amar hachi” (Rebbi, after his prayer, said this). Finally, we get to the last one. “Yehi ratzon milfanecha Hashem Elokeinu ve'Elokei avotenu shetatzilenu me'azei fanim” (May it be Your will, Hashem our God and God of our forefathers, to save us from brazen people), “ume'azut panim” (and from brazenness). Azei fanim means people who are brazen, and azut panim means that we ourselves should not be brazen. The Maharsha explains that people should not call us brazen, because one of the traits of a mamzer (halachic offspring) is brazenness. So “me'azut panim” means that people should not call us a mamzer or impugn our lineage. “Me'adam ra” (from an evil person), “mipega ra” (from an evil occurrence), “yetzer hara” (the evil inclination), “chaver ra” (a bad friend), “shachen ra” (a bad neighbor), “mesatan umashchit” (Satan and the destroyer), “din kasheh” (a harsh judgment in court), and “umiba'al din kasheh” (a difficult litigant) who is fighting against us, somebody coming against us in court: “bein shehu ben berit uvein she'eino ben berit” (whether he is a member of the covenant or not).
Who made this prayer? Rebbi made it, and Rebbi was praying for all this protection. “Ve'af al gav dekaiyemei kitzotzei aleideh deRebbi” (Even though guards stood around Rebbi): Antoninus, Rebbi’s friend, was Caesar. He gave Rebbi security guards, and Rebbi had protection and all sorts of guards, yet he still recited this tefillah: “Save me from harsh judgment, a difficult litigant, a bad friend, and a bad neighbor.” Rashi says, “Shehayu shoterim omdim bemitzvat Antoninos lehakot ulenakem” (There were officers standing by the command of Antoninus to strike and take vengeance), “vechol ha'omdim alav” (and against all those who stood against him). They had permission to beat up anybody who started with Rebbi. But what do you see here? Rebbi did not put his faith in Antoninus and the guards. Rebbi said that with all of that, HaKadosh Baruch Hu, if Hashem does not protect us, all the guards here cannot do anything. Therefore, from Rebbi’s tefillah we learn not just what he was concerned about, but, more importantly, where he placed his faith: in HaKadosh Baruch Hu.
“Baruch Adonai le'olam amen ve'amen” (Blessed is Hashem forever, amen and amen). “Amen ve'amen.”