Class Two Notes and Study Guide

Talmud Brachot - Class Two

PLEASE NOTE: This post has not been proofed by Rabbi. Errors may have been made by note taker. Stand by for updates.

Rabbi's Study Guide

Vocabulary
• Tanna = rabbi from the Mishnaic period (200-300 CE)
• Tamei = impure
• Terumah = burned offering set aside for the Kohanim (priests)
• Mishnah / mishnah = with a capital “M” it refers to the body of work as a whole, with a lower case “m” it refers to a line in the Mishnah
• Sugya= section of Gemara we are studying

Assignment
1. Review the Mishnah on 2a2 (Remember to read out loud to each other and discuss.)Re-read it if necessary, or if you can, just summarize the main points.
2. Read the Gemara up through the end of the discussion of the first Mishnah (i.e. just up to the sentence on 2a3 which reads “The Gemara now considers the next statement of the Mishnah”).

Study Questions
1. What is the goal of the first question the Gemara asks? (remember the goal of the Gemara in general is to…)
2. How does the Gemara use the verse to prove that the Mishnah/Tanna is correct in relating the laws of the evening Shema before the morning?
3. What is the purpose of bringing the Creation story into this discussion?
4. Why do you think the Gemara is bothered by the difference in order in the mishnah on this page versus the discussion later in the mishnah? Why does it want the order to be the same?
5. What solution does the Gemara provide to this discrepancy?
6. What do you think is the hidden question of this sugya?

Class Two Notes

Class Two Synopsis
We worked on the Brachot page 2a2 with our Chevrutah, then discussed the study questions as a group.

Additional Vocabulary
• Proof Text = A scholarly practice of tying statements to sources and using the connections to establish them as valid. In the case of the Gemera, the Torah is considered the primary proof text. It is common however to use multiple such texts searching for the greatest clarity. This was demonstrated in the class.
• D'oraita Laws = revealed by G*d to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai (e.g. the written Torah and elucidations from it,- Halacha l'Moshe miSinai)
• D'Rabbanan Laws = Rabbinic decrees, interpretations, customs.

Study Question Discussion
1. What is the goal of the first question the Gemara asks?
• The goal of the first question is to find a prooftext for the Mishna. For reference Devarim 6:7 "and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."

2. How does the Gemara use the verse to prove that the Mishnah/Tanna is correct in relating the laws of the evening Shema before the morning?
• The text of Shema from Devarim states first "When you lay down" then "and when you rise." Laying down is related to the time "evening" and "rising" related to the morning. As the evening is mentioned first, it is considered first.

3. What is the purpose of bringing the Creation story into this discussion?
• In Bereshit 1:5 "And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day." is referenced. The
reason for the second proof text is to find one that includes the word
"evening" in it. It also helps that it G-d who establishes that a day
begins in the evening

4. Why do you think the Gemara is bothered by the difference in order in the mishnah on this page versus the discussion later in the mishnah?
• Detail on the Morning recitation (number of blessing required) comes before similar detail about the evening recitation. This seems to violate the established principle of considering evening first.

4b.Why does it want the order to be the same?
• Desire for Continuity.

5. What solution does the Gemara provide to this discrepancy?
• It proposes that rhetorically it is less confusing to elaborate the morning, after
mentioning the morning. (Perhaps it also indicates a balance as the prayers in the evening are not MORE IMPORTANT THAN those of the evening. JCS?)

6. What do you think is the hidden question of this sugya?
• When does the day begin?

Other Class Comments
• Question was asked about the page numbering. Were not these commentaries written first on scrolls? When did page numbering system begin? Are there references to page numbers like 2a2 in the primary text.

* The page numbers were standardized with the advent of printing. Rabbi noted "the standard printing now is that each folio has to pages, a and b. So there is page 2a and 2b, 3a and 3b. When I reference 2a2 or 2a3, it's important to note that those pages do not exist in a standard gemara. The reason they exist in our edition is because of the length of the English explanations. Still the page of Talmud we are on is 2a."

Read More on History of Printing Talmud

• Noted the following teaching from Rabbi. "The Mishnah's compliation is attributed
to Judah the Prince. When a statement is not attributed to a particular
rabbi, it is usually thought to be the opinion of Rabbi Meir."

• Question about the reason for prohibition of eating offering beyond the end of the day. It was suggested that there may have been a practical reason - spoiling. Rabbi agreed but said there were other reasons related to ritual.

PLEASE ALWAYS ADD ANY OTHER NOTES MISSED AS COMMENTS. Thanks...

Class One Notes 12 JUL 11

Class One Synopsis (Expanded below with some questions and comments)

I. Welcome and Introduction to Talmud
II. Tradition of Chevrutah
III. Study of Berachot 2a1 (Law and thought related to reciting the Shema (Devarim 6:4–9, 11:13-21, and Numbers 15:37–41.)
R. Tamar's Study Guide {Click Here for Study Guide} (Vocabulary, Study Questions for Berachot 2a1)
IV. Home Work: Read the Publisher's Preface as well as the General Introduction.

Class Notes

I. Welcome and Introduction to Talmud
A. Introduction to Talmud

1. Elements in the Talmud (Lots of new vocabulary)
a. Mishna
• Predecessor to Talmud. Contains simple and concise legal statements but generally
Doesn't often reference Torah from which statements derive.
• From Oral Tradition committed to writing c.200 CE.
• Large role in compilation given to Judah the Prince (Yehuda HaNasi) Bio of Judah the Prince
• Has been published without Gemara but never the reverse.
• Composed of Six Orders Orders of Mishna
• Each Order is composed of multiple Tractates. For example Tractate Berachot, is from the Order of Zeraim (The Seeds)

b. Gemara (Talmud) - Commentary expounding the Mishna and other Mishna era texts c.500 CE

c. Contains Rashi Commentary
Class Asked "Who is Rashi?" R. Shlomo Yitzak (1040-1105ce in Troyes/Worms region of what is mod France.) Rashi Bio

d. Contains Commentary of Tosafot. (Both Tosafot and Rashi Commentary are in a font called Rashi Script but Rashi is always on the inside margin.) (Do not confuse with Tosefeta a manuscript from the Mishna era.)

e. Contains other important and later Commentators, cross reference, and text citations.

2. Elements in the Talmud in a Page Layout - Click Here to View Talmud Page Layout Explained

3. The Talmud consists mainly of Halakhic (legal) discussion and Aggadah (Stories, including Ma'aseh - Stories and Mashal - parables)

II. The Tradition of Chevrutah
Chevrutah = Study Partner (from shared root of Haver - Friend)
1. R. Tamar explained that Chevrutah are traditional because Talmud sprang from oral tradition. Study is not only to be on the page but read aloud with discussion, discourse, and conversation. Study partner also creates accountability and builds relationships in community.
2. Class Selected Study Partners.

III. Study of Berachot 2a1 (Law and thought related to reciting the Shema
Click Here for Rabbi Tamar's Study Guide {Click Here For Study Guide}(Vocabulary, Study Questions for Berachot 2a1)

Home Work: Read the Publisher's Preface as well as the General Introduction.

Vocabulary:
•Poskim - Scholarly Authorities, Singular Posek. (Decider of Halackha questions in a community)
•Terumah - Portion of Burnt offering eaten by Kohanim (Priests) More
•MaAriv - Evening/Evening Prayer Service
•Tamei/Tahor - "In Torah and halakhic terminology, tumah is a state of ritual impurity. A person or object which contracts tumah is said to be tamei (ritually impure), thereby unsuited for certain kedusha (Holy) activities or use until undergoing predefined purification actions that usually include the elapse of a specified time-period.
•Tahrah is a state of ritual purity that qualifies the tahor person or object to be used for kedusha purpouses"
•Pirkei - Chapter of Tractate
•Halakic Hours - Division of the day into 12 parts. This is modern. Do not confuse with time in Sugya.
•Ma'aseh - Story

Some Notes on Berachot 2a1
1. R. Mentioned it is customary to memorize first line. In this case "From when..."

2. The Sugya (section of Talmud to be studied as a unit) discusses when to recite the Shema. When is evening? When is the time we "lay down" or "rise up."

3. There is a Ma'aseh (story) regarding guests to a wedding who arrive late and are unsure on when to recite the Shema.

4. As an example of how elements in the page layout work, I noted that in the footnotes it mentioned that Rashi commented that Shema should be said at MaAriv not because it fulfills the obligation to say it but because it fulfills and obligation to recite Torah before the Amidah is said. The Tosafot disagree with him. This is harder to recognize because not all elements are translated into English. However, the feast set before is so great that we shall never starve and can look at how much more is to be had in the future!!!

Comments, Questions, and Rabbi's Remarks.
1. Class Discussed ideas about Jewish time. The Night is divided into 3 watches and begins when the stars come out. The day starts at dawn.
A. Class commented on idea of geographic centric, "What about in the north where they have 24hrs of sun sometimes?"
B. Class commented that with this rule at sometimes of year you would have much less light/time to comply.

2. R. Tamar contrasted bracha l'vatalah or saying an unnecessary blessing which is to be avoided since it uses G-d's name without any real reason) with the idea of saying the Shema anytime without being obligated. She then asked what 'obligated' means? This was a tricky question. R. Tamar explained that in relation to the parable the guests were not asking simply "How late can we say Shema" but "if you HAVE TO say the Shema what is the latest it CAN BE said."

3. In response to R. Tamar's last study question "Why are the Sages more stringent that the command? What does this tell us about the way they viewed people and dealt with them?" The class cited the idea of "Putting a fence around the Torah." That is to set the bar high so if people fall short they still observe. (The idea of the fence, R. Tamar once told me is also both ways. To keep us in and to keep it safe.

Study Guide Class 1

Talmud Brachot - Study Guide #1

Vocabulary
Chevrutah = study partner
Brachot (Brachos) = blessings
Mishnah = predecessor to the Talmud, the Mishnah contains simple and concise legal statements which generally do not reference the Torah, but presume knowledge of the Torah. This body of work is often published on its own.
Gemara = the expounding of the Mishnah to both explain and connect the legal statements of the Mishnah with the Torah. It is never published on its own, but only within the Talmud.
Talmud = the compilation of the Mishnah and Gemara
Sugya or Sugyot (sugyos) = a section of Talmud to be studied as a unit

In-Class Assignment and Study Questions

Read out loud to each other just the Mishnah Chapter One pgs. 2a1-2. You may be tempted to read ahead, but please do not read past the Mishnah.

What do you notice about the measurements used as parameters for saying Shema? Why don’t they just give you a time?
What does this tell you about how Jewish time is measured?
Is there a difference between obligation to say it and being allowed to say it to fulfill the mitzvah?
Why are “the Sages” more stringent than the Biblical command? What does this tell us about the way they viewed people and dealt with them?

Homework
Read the Publisher’s Preface as well as the General Introduction