The Eddie B. Sit Edition, an audio series of the Talmud Bavli, Masechet Sota, has been dedicated by our good friends and Talmid, Mr. Chaim and Dina Danna, l'shem shemonim v'hayim, for the success of their children and especially l'refuah shelema, Moshe ben Dina, and for the elevation of the souls of Yosef ben Sarina, David ben Frida, Meir ben Zohara, Moshe ben Feiga Rut, Sara bat Ester, Feiga Rut bat Ester, and Ester bat Yocheved. May the spirit of Hashem rest upon them in Gan Eden, Amen. Tizku l'mitzvot. Today's daf is being studied le'iluy nishmat Marat Zekentati, Yafa bat Sara, and Mor Zekeni, Yosef ben Sara, Avraham ben Ester, and Shlomo ben Rivka. May the spirit of Hashem rest upon them in Gan Eden, Amen. Today's daf is being studied l'refuah shelema for Moshe ben Dina, Sara Ruchama bat Rachel, and Sara bat Rachel. El na refa na lahem, refuat hanefesh u-refuat haguf, their healing is close to come, and so may it be His will, and we say Amen.
We begin today's daf on Lamed Gimmel amud rishon, starting three, four, five, six, seven lines down. We return to a quote from the Mishnah: Tefillah. We learned in our Mishnah that Tefillah can be made, that is Amidah, b'chol lashon, in any language. The Gemara asks: How do we know that Tefillah can be made in any language? Because what is prayer? Rachamim, supplications. You're asking God for mercy. Kol heicha d'baei matzlei. In any language you want to pray, you can pray. All it is is asking God for mercy and compassion; therefore, whatever language you understand is valid.
However, the Gemara poses a challenge: U-tfillah b'chol lashon, is indeed Tefillah able to be made in any language? Why not? V'ha amar Rav Yehuda: L'olam al yishal adam tzerachav bilshon Aramit, that a person should not request in his Tefillah in Aramaic. Why? Because Rabbi Yochanan states: Kol hasho'el tzerachav bilshon Arami, ein malachei hasharet nizkakim lo. Anyone who prays in Aramaic does not receive the assistance of the angels. The angels do not understand Aramaic, and therefore, how could you say Tefillah b'chol lashon? According to one understanding, the question is whether there is one language that one should not pray in, namely Aramaic. The reason is that the angels do not understand it, and therefore they will not elevate the Tefillah.
Some explain that when they say the angels do not understand Aramaic, kol sheken other languages. They imply that the angels understand Lashon Hakodesh. If they do not understand Aramaic, which is close to Lashon Hakodesh, certainly they do not understand any other language. Thus, the Gemara seems to imply that you should only be able to pray in Lashon Hakodesh to ensure the aid of the angels. This is one interpretation. Others argue that the malachei hasharet understand every language, including Aramaic. So what does it mean, she'ein malachei hasharet makirin bilshon Aramit? Some suggest it means it is meguneh b'eineihem, meaning they do not prefer that language. To them, it is like slang compared to Lashon Hakodesh. Therefore, they will not respond to a Tefillah done in Aramaic.
The Gemara continues: La kashya, no question. Ha b'yachid, ha b'tzibbur. It depends: If one is praying individually, Rashi states he needs the aid of the malachei hasharet to elevate his Tefillot, as it is not a direct Tefillah. Therefore, one cannot pray in Aramaic because they will not understand what he is saying. However, the tzibbur does not require the aid of the angels to elevate their Tefillot, as it is written, and we learned in Masechet Brachot from a pasuk from Iyov, Hen El Kabir. When a person prays with the masses, lo yimas. God does not despise the prayers of the masses. The Gemara continues and states that the angels do not understand Aramaic. Is that so? The Gemara cites a Baraita: Yochanan Kohen Gadol once heard a voice from the Holy of Holies that said: Nitzchu talyah. Talya refers to the young ones. They went to fight in the war in the place called Antochia, which means there was a battle between the young Kohanim and the Greeks.
Yochanan was in the Beit Hamikdash and received the report in the Kodesh Kodashim. The voice came down and told him that the young ones defeated the Greeks in Antochia. The Gemara asks: What language was this report given in? Aramaic. Therefore, it seems the angels do understand Lashon Arami, assuming that the bat kol was a malach. Furthermore, there is another story about Shimon HaTzadik, who was also the Kohen Gadol. He heard a bat kol from the Holy of Holies that stated: Batilat avidetah. This legion has been eradicated from the world. The enemy said they wanted to come to the Heichal. That enemy, that legion that wanted to come and destroy the Heichal has been destroyed.
The Gemara continues with the discussion about the bat kol. Some want to say that the bat kol is different, as there is a special malach that is in charge of bat kolot. This malach knows Aramaic because the purpose of the bat kol is to provide information, thus requiring the language of the people. Therefore, bat kol angels have a special understanding of Lashon Arami. The Gemara resumes its inquiry regarding the need for specific language in prayer.
The Gemara states that Birkat Hamazon can be made in any language, as it is written, Ve'achaltem ve'savatem u'veirachta et Hashem Elohecha. You shall bless God. In any language that you bless Him, it does not matter what language you use, as long as you are blessing. Rashi does not have the girsa that starts this piece with Minalan. Normally, the Gemara would ask for the source of Birkat Hamazon. Rashi indicates that you do not need a biblical source here because it is a sevara. Why would I think otherwise? Since you are praising God, you can praise Him in any language.
However, Tosafot takes issue with this and states that Rashi misrepresented the girsa by not including Minalan. The reason is that you might think you need to say it in Hebrew, Lashon Hakodesh. Why? Because I might derive a connection from the blessings of Har Gerizim, which were done in Lashon Hakodesh. Therefore, the Gemara clarifies that the pasuk indicates that you can indeed bless in any language.
The Gemara continues with the discussion of Shvuat HaEdut. This refers to a person who knows testimony for his friend but does not disclose it. The Beit Din instructs him to swear that he knows nothing about the case. If it is found that he indeed knew about the case, he must bring a korban to atone for this. The Gemara states that Shvuat HaEdut can also be done b'chol lashon, as it is written, Ve'nefesh ki techeta v'shama kol alah. The pasuk indicates that he hears the shvua in any language that he understands.
The Gemara continues with Shvuat HaPikadon, where a person gives something to a friend to watch, and then claims he does not have it. The individual must make a shvua, which can also be done in any language. The Gemara notes a gezerah shavah, as the word techeta is written by both types of shvuot. Therefore, we apply the gezerah shavah to learn from one to the other.
However, there are certain items that must be said only in Lashon Hakodesh: Mikra Bikkurim, the recitation made at the time of the bikkurim, and Chalitzah. The Gemara discusses how Mikra Bikkurim is recited according to the pasuk, Ve'anita v'amarta lifnei Hashem Elohecha. The pasuk states that you will answer and say before Hashem your God, and it continues with Arami oved avi. The Gemara then connects this to the blessings and curses given at Har Gerizim and Har Eival, which were also done in Lashon Hakodesh.
The Gemara continues with the discussion of the requirements for the recitation of Bikkurim and the connection to the Levi'im. The Gemara explains that just as the blessings and curses were said in Lashon Hakodesh, so too must the recitation for Bikkurim be in Lashon Hakodesh. The discussion then shifts to the requirements of Chalitzah and how it must be conducted in Lashon Hakodesh.
The Gemara also explores Rabbi Yehuda's opinion that the ceremony must be in Lashon Hakodesh and that even the verbal part of the ceremony is essential to be in Lashon Hakodesh. The Rabbis disagree, stating that not all aspects of the ceremony are required to be in Lashon Hakodesh.
As the Gemara progresses, it examines the coordinates of where the blessings and curses were given, specifically at Har Gerizim and Har Eival. There is a debate between Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Eliezer about the exact location of these mountains and their relation to the surrounding areas.
Ultimately, the Gemara concludes that the location of Har Gerizim and Har Eival is significant for understanding the blessings and curses given to the Jewish people and how they were to navigate their entry into the Land of Israel. The Gemara emphasizes the importance of following the correct procedures and language in fulfilling these mitzvot, as they are foundational to the Jewish experience and identity.