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...