Berakhot 164
of the Rabbinical Assembly in Israel
RABIN MISHNAH STUDY GROUP
On the occasion of his third Yahrzeit, today's shiur is dedicated to the memory of Shmuel ben Lev vHana (Sam S. Birkner) z"l by his daughter, Cheryl Birkner Mack.
TRACTATE BERAKHOT, CHAPTER NINE, MISHNAH FOUR (recap):
When one visits a city one should pray once upon entering and again upon leaving. Ben-Azzai is of the opinion that one should pray four times: twice upon entering and twice upon leaving: one should express gratitude for what has been and make one's pleas for the future.
EXPLANATIONS (continued):
11:
We continue our review of other benedictions cited by the Gemara [Berakhot 60a] to be recited on certain occasions. The Gemara now turns to Keriat Shema al ha-Mittah [Shema to be recited before going to bed]. At the very start of our study of this tractate, months ago, we spent many weeks studying the mishnayot that deal with the Recitation of the Shema. We noted that the Shema was to be recited "when you lie down and when you rise up" [Deuteronomy 6:7]. We also noted that it was the opinion of many sages that the Recitation of the Shema as part of the synagogue service was not its main function. In Berakhot 005 I wrote:
The very wording of the Torah [beshokhbekha, "when you lie down"] indicates that originally the recitation of the Shema at the end of the day was intended to be a final act of worship before retiring to bed for the night. This Keriat Shema al ha-mittah [recitation of the Shema upon one's bed] is still most important. However, in due course of time the recitation of the Shema was also added to the synagogue ritual. According to Rabbi Yosé in the Talmud of Eretz-Israel [Berakhot 2a], the recitation of the Shema was added to the Evening Service in the Synagogue in order that we might stand to recite the Amidah after Torah Study. Most interestingly, the discussion there makes clear that it was customary during Talmudic times in Eretz-Israel to hold the evening services in the synagogue before the onset of dark. Rabbi Yosé points out there that the recitation of the Shema in the synagogue as part of the evening service does not constitute fulfillment of the mitzvah of reading the Shema beshokhbekha, "when you lie down" because that service is held habitually before the earliest time that the Shema may be recited – the appearance of three medium-sized stars.
(Before drawing too many conclusions reread that whole shiur.)
12:
The Gemara [Berakhot 60a] now details how the Shema is to be recited upon going to bed:
When one gets into bed to sleep one says Shema Yisra'el up to Vehaya im shamo'a
The very wording of the Torah [beshokhbekha, "when you lie down"] indicates that originally the recitation of the Shema at the end of the day was intended to be a final act of worship before retiring to bed for the night. This Keriat Shema al ha-mittah [recitation of the Shema upon one's bed] is still most important. However, in due course of time the recitation of the Shema was also added to the synagogue ritual. According to Rabbi Yosé in the Talmud of Eretz-Israel [Berakhot 2a], the recitation of the Shema was added to the Evening Service in the Synagogue in order that we might stand to recite the Amidah after Torah Study. Most interestingly, the discussion there makes clear that it was customary during Talmudic times in Eretz-Israel to hold the evening services in the synagogue before the onset of dark. Rabbi Yosé points out there that the recitation of the Shema in the synagogue as part of the evening service does not constitute fulfillment of the mitzvah of reading the Shema beshokhbekha, "when you lie down" because that service is held habitually before the earliest time that the Shema may be recited – the appearance of three medium-sized stars. [in other words: Deuteronomy 6:4-9]. Then one says:
Praised are You … Who drops the the bands of sleep upon my eyes and slumber upon my eyelids, while illuminating the pupils. May it be Your pleasure … that You send me to sleep in peace; grant me my portion in Your Torah and accustom me to observe the commandments; do not accustom me to transgress. Bring me not within the clutches of sin, wrongdoing, temptation or shame. May my better inclination hold sway over me, and not my worse inclination. Save me from accidents and illnesses. Let my sleep not be disturbed by bad dreams and bad thoughts: may my bed be perfect before You. Enlighten my eye lest I die [during my sleep]. Praised are You, Who illumines the whole universe with His glory.
The reference to illuminating the eye during sleep is based on the conviction of the sages that "sleep is one-sixtieth part of death' [Berakhot 40a]. What they mean is that the loss of consciousness during sleep is "a kind of" dying, which could deepen into complete death. The reference to a "perfect bed" probably refers to the offspring generated by what is done in that bed [Rashi ad loc].
13:
Having mentioned the berakhah to be recited upon going to bed, the Gemara now details a whole series of erakhot to be recited upon getting up in the morning. These Berakhot were transferred in the Middle Ages to the synagogue, but it is quite obvious from the description in the Gemara that this was not their intended function and it would be most advisable to restore them to their original function:
Upon waking one says, "My God, the soul that You gave me is pure: You fashioned it inside me, You breathed it into me, You maintain it within me, and You will take it from me only to restore it to me in the future world. As long as my soul is within me I thank You … Sovereign of all Worlds, Master of All Souls. Praised are You, Who restores souls to dead corpses". When hearing the cock crow one says, "Praised be God … who gave the cock intuition to distinguish between day and night". On opening one's eyes one says, "… Who gives sight to the blind". Upon sitting up in bed one says, "… Who loosens the bound [muscles]". Upon getting dressed one says, "… Who clothes the naked". Upon standing up one says, "… Who makes the bent stand upright". When one's feet touch the ground one says, "…Who established the earth upon the waters". Upon taking one's first steps one says, "… Who guides a person's footsteps". Upon putting on one's shoes one says, "… Who provides my every need". Upon fixing one's belt one says "… Who girds Israel with might". Upon putting on one's headgear one says, "… Who crowns Israel with splendour".
The order of these Berakhot may be understood when we learn that in Amoraic times the beds were very high and had to be ascended by a ladder and that it was customary to put on one's clothes while still in bed.
14:
Rambam [Hilkhot Tefillah 7:7-9] writes:
These eighteen benedictions have no set order; one recites each one as appropriate. For example, if one fixes one's belt while still in bed one recites "Who girds Israel with might" … and any of these Berakhot that do not apply to a person should not be recited. For instance, if one slept fully dressed one does not recite "Who clothes the naked" upon waking; if one goes barefoot one does not recite "Who provides my every need"… The people in most of our towns are accustomed to reciting these benedictions one after the other in the synagogue, regardless of whether appropriate or not. This is erroneous and one should not act thus, only reciting those benedictions that are appropriate to one's situation.
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