Tuesday, March 29, 2005

Rif Brachot 19b


19b

{Brachot 28b continued}
Bet haMidrash and You have not set my portion with those who sit in [street] corners, for I rise early and they rise early, but I rise early for words of Torah and they rise early for frivolous talk; I labour and they labour, but I labour and receive a reward and they labour and do not receive a reward; I run and they run, but I run to the life of the future world and they run to the pit of destruction.' For it states (in Tehillim 55:24)

כד וְאַתָּה אֱלֹהִים, תּוֹרִדֵם לִבְאֵר שַׁחַת--
אַנְשֵׁי דָמִים וּמִרְמָה, לֹא-יֶחֱצוּ יְמֵיהֶם;
וַאֲנִי, אֶבְטַח-בָּךְ.
24 But Thou, O God, wilt bring them down into the nethermost pit; {N}
men of blood and deceit shall not live out half their days; {N}
but as for me, I will trust in Thee. {P}
MISHNAH.
RABBAN GAMALIEL SAYS: EVERY DAY A MAN SHOULD SAY THE EIGHTEEN BENEDICTIONS.
R. JOSHUA SAYS: AN ABBREVIATED EIGHTEEN.
R. AKIBA SAYS: IF HE KNOWS IT FLUENTLY HE SAYS THE ORIGINAL EIGHTEEN, AND IF NOT AN ABBREVIATED EIGHTEEN.

Gemara:
These 18 are 19!
Rabbi Levi said: The blessing referring to Minim {our Gemara: Tzedukim} was established in Yavneh.
The Sages learnt {in a brayta}: Shimon the Pekuli {=cotton seller} arranged the 18 blessings before Rabban Gamliel in their order in Yavneh. Rabban Gamliel said to the Chachamim {Sages present in Yavneh}: Is there no one here who can frame a blessing regarding the Minim? Shmuel the Lesser arose and framed it. The next year, he forgot it.

{Brachot 29a}
And he tried for 2 or 3 hours and they did not remove him {from being the Chazzan}.

Why did they not remove him? Does not Rav Yehuda cite Rav: If he erred in any of the {other} blessings, they do not remove him, but if he erred in the blessing regarding Minim they remove him, for they suspect him of being a Min.

Shmuel the Lesser is different, for he composed it!
And perhaps he retracted?
Rather, {the case of} Shmuel the Lesser is different, because he started it {saying the blessing when he forgot the continuation}, for Rav Yehuda cited Rav, and some say Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: they only learnt {that you remove him if he erred in the blessing regarding the Minim} where he did not start it, but if he started it, he may finish it.

{The Mishna had said}: "R. JOSHUA SAYS: AN ABBREVIATED EIGHTEEN."
What does "an abbreviated eighteen" mean?
Rav said: an abbreviated form of each blessing.
And Shmuel said: {"Havineinu," that is} "Give us discernment, O Lord, to know Your ways, and circumcise our heart to fear You, and forgive us so that we may be redeemed, and keep us far from our sufferings, and fatten us in the pastures of Your land, and gather our dispersions from the four corners of the earth, and let them who err from You prescriptions be punished, and lift up Your hand against the wicked, and let the righteous rejoice in the building of Your city and the establishment of the temple and in the exalting of the horn of David Your servant and the preparation of a light for the son of Yishai Your Mashiach; before we call may You answer; blessed art You, O Lord, who hearkens to prayer."

Rav Nachman cited Shmuel: The entire year a man may say Havineinu except for Motzaei Shabbat and Motzaei Yom Tov, for he needs to say havdalah in {the blessing of} Chonein HaDaat.

Rav Bibi bar Avin said: The entire year a man may say Havineinu except for the rainy season for he needs to say the request {for rain} in the blessing on the years {Mevareich HaShanim}.

And the Sages said: these words {that one may say Havineinu} are in time of duress, but not in time of duress, he should not pray Havineinu.

Rabbi Tanchum cited Rabbi Asi: If he erred and did not mention the might of rain {Morid HaGeshem} in {the blessing of} the ressurection of the dead {Mechaye HaMeitim}, they cause him to return; if {he erred and did not mention} the request {for rain} in the blessing on the years {Mevareich HaShanim}, they do not cause him to return, for he is able to say it

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