Class Five Study Guide

Talmud Brachot - Study Guide #5
Page 19b-20a: divine commands vs. human dignity

Vocabulary
• Baraisa (or Baraita) = text from the Tannaitic period (200-300 CE), but not found in the Mishnah
• Tahor = ritually pure
• Tamei = ritually impure
• Tumah = ritual impurity
• Beis Hapras = cemetery presumed ritually impure, because of fragments
• Lo Ta’aseh = negative commandment = a prohibition


Assignment

1. Begin on page 19b1 on the bottom left hand side of the page where it says, “The Gemara begins a new topic:” and read until footnote 12 where it says “…where necessary in order to show respect to the mourner.”

2. Now skip to the bottom right side of page 19b2, where it says, “The Gemara continues to challenge Rav’s teaching:” and read until 19b3 end of the first full paragraph, where it says, “nevertheless the Rabbis themselves allowed Rabbinic decrees to be waived for the sake of human dignity.”

3. Now skip to page 20a1 in the middle of the left column where it says, “The Gemara questions this solution:” and read through the end of page 20a2.

Study Questions

1. Do you agree with the Talmud’s priorities in the first case presented?

2. Can you think of more pressing examples than a forbidden garment?

3. In what case would you consider it necessary to stop someone from transgressing a commandment even at the risk embarrassing of embarssing that person?

4. Does it the status of the person whose dignity is in question make a difference? I.e. would you treat a mourner differently? Why or why not?

5. What happens to the Baraisa that so clearly seems to elevate human dignity even above transgressing a negative commandment (lo ta’aseh)?

6. What does this argument about the waiving of Rabbinic decrees tell us about the rabbis and how they viewed the responsibility of their authority?

7. What is the relationship between our willingness to sacrifice our own human dignity and G-d’s performance of miracles for us? Why are these correlated?

8. What is the purpose of the story about Rabbi Yochanan

9. What does this last bit about the evil eye have to do with the rest of this passage?

10. Where do you come down on this debate overall? How important is human dignity when weighed against the sanctification of G-d’s name?