Rif Brachot 13b

HIDE/SHOW IMAGE

13b

It was asked: may one interrupt for Amen Yehei Shemo HaGadol Mevorach?
And the conclusion is that one does not interrupt.

---

We learn in perek kol kitvei hakodesh {in Shabbat daf 119b}: Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: One who answers Amen Yehei Shmei Rabba Mevarach with all his strength, they rip up for his his {bad} decree of 70 years, as is stated in Shoftim 5:2:

ב בִּפְרֹעַ פְּרָעוֹת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, {ס} בְּהִתְנַדֵּב {ר} עָם, בָּרְכוּ, ה. {ס

2 When men let grow their hair in Israel, when the people offer themselves willingly, bless ye the LORD.

{with pr' meaning payment of a chov rather than letting hair grow long.}
What is the reason? Because {as it states at the end of the verse} בָּרְכוּ, ה - "they blessed the LORD."

---

We learnt in Sota {40a}: When the shliach tzibur says Modim, what does the congregation say after him?
{"Rav said" is missing here, but should be there:}We give thanks to You, Hashem our God, for we {are able to} give You thanks.
And Shmuel said: {...} Hashem our God, and God of all flesh, for we give You thanks.
Rabbi Simai said: {...} our Creator and Creator of the Beginning, for we give You thanks.
The Nehardeians said in the name of Rabbi Simai: Blessings and thanksgiving to Your great Name because You have kept us alive and preserved us. {missing: for we give You thanks}.
Rav Acha bar Yaakov would conclude thusly: So may You {continue to} keep us alive and be gracious to us; and gather us together and assemble our exiles to Your holy courts to observe Your statutes and to do Your will with a perfect heart, for we give You thanks.
Rav Papa said: Therefore we say them all.
That you should say: We give thanks to You, Hashem our God, and God of all flesh, our Creator and Creator of the Beginning, Blessings and thanksgiving to Your great Name because You have kept us alive and preserved us. So may You {continue to} keep us alive and be gracious to us; and gather us together and assemble our exiles to Your holy courts to observe Your statutes and to do Your will with a perfect heart, for we give You thanks.

---

Rabbenu Hai Gaon ztz"l wrote that the custom of the Sages was: when a man entered shul and finds the congregation praying {Shmoneh Esrei} silently, that he waits until they finish. And when the shliach tzibur begins Hashem Sefatai Tiftach, he says along with him silently, and {when they reach kedusha} he answers along with the congregation. And it is perfectly fine to do this, for it is not an interruption. And this that the Sages say "If he is able to begin and end before ..." is where he begins before the shliach tzibur, but when he begins together with the shliach tzibur it is perfectly fine.

---

{Brachot 22a}
{The Mishna had said:} "Rabbi Yehuda says: He blesses before them and after them":

We learnt {in a brayta}: Rabbi Yehuda ben Betera says: Words of Torah are not susceptible to {ritual} uncleanness {tumah}.
And there was a story about a student who was mumbling and reading above Rabbi Yehuda ben Betera {because he had had a seminal emission}. He {Rabbi Yehuda ben Betera} said to him: My son, open your mouth and let your words be clear, for it states in Yirmiyahu 23:29:

כט הֲלוֹא כֹה דְבָרִי כָּאֵשׁ, נְאֻם-ה; וּכְפַטִּישׁ, יְפֹצֵץ סָלַע. {ס

29 Is not My word like as fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? {S}

Just as fire is not susceptible to tumah, so too words of Torah are not susceptible to tumah.

Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak said: The world practices like the three elders - in words of Torah like Rabbi Yehuda ben Betera, like Rabbi Yoshaya in kilaim {forbidden mixtures}, and like Rabbi Illai in the first shearing.

When Ze'eri came {from Israel} he said: They have abolished immersion {in the mikvah for seminal emission}. Some say {he said}: They have abolished {ritual} washing of hands. The one who said "immersion" is in accord with Rabbi Yehuda ben Betera. And the one who said "washing of hands" is in accord with Rav Chisda, for Rav Chisda would curse one who returns after water at the time of prayer.

There is one who said that this they they said "They have abolished immersion" is in regard to both words of Torah and prayer. And there is one who said that this is only as regards to words of Torah, but in regard to prayer you need immersion. And not immersion {tevila} specifically but rather washing in 9 kav. And Rabbenu Hai Gaon wrote that since the gemara does not deal with this matter, we should take the custom of all Israel that all Baal Keri, even if they have no water, should not pray until they wash.
{Brachot 22b}
MISHNAH.
IF A MAN WAS STANDING SAYING THE TEFILLAH AND HE REMEMBERS THAT HE IS A BA'AL KERI, HE SHOULD NOT BREAK OFF BUT HE SHOULD SHORTEN [THE BENEDICTIONS].
IF HE WENT DOWN TO IMMERSE HIMSELF, IF HE IS ABLE TO COME UP AND COVER HIMSELF AND RECITE THE SHEMA' BEFORE THE RISING OF THE SUN, HE SHOULD GO UP AND COVER HIMSELF AND RECITE,
BUT IF NOT HE SHOULD COVER HIMSELF WITH THE WATER AND RECITE.
HE SHOULD, HOWEVER, NOT COVER HIMSELF EITHER WITH FOUL WATER OR WITH WATER IN WHICH SOMETHING HAS BEEN STEEPED