Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

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19.15
Rab Shimi to R. Simeon b. Pazzi. What follows is an alternative explanation of the fivefold "Bless the Lord, O my soul" as given in the last paragraph but one.
19.16
On the theological import of this passage, see Abelson, Immanence of God, p. 109 n.
19.17
To visit the sick is a religious obligation.
19.18
"Be fruitful and multiply" (Gen. i. 28) was held in high esteem as the first commandment given to man.
19.19
I.e. the prophetic gift.
19.20
The sentence in brackets is added by M.
19.21
David who prayed even in the presence of the destroying angel; II Sam. xxiv. 17.
19.22
So M. correctly ; edd. Eliezer.
20.1
The phrase used here is identical with that in Gen. xxxvii. 19 applied to Joseph. More usually we have "The master of the dream," which merely represents the personification of the dream. See Bacher in R. E. J, xxxv. p. 238, n. 2.
20.2
M. adds : Finally Isaiah gave him his daughter in marriage, and there issued from him Manasseh and Rabshakeh. One day Hezekiah carried them on his shoulder to the Synagogue ; and one of them said, "Father's bald head would be fine for breaking nuts on," while the other said, "[It would be fine] to roast fish on." He threw them to the ground, and Rabshakeh was killed, but not Manasseh. He applied to them the verse, "The instruments also of the churl are evil ; he deviseth wicked devices" (Is. xxxii. 7).
20.3
Added by M.
20.4
M. : Johanan.
20.5
II Kings iv. 10, lit. "chamber of a wall."
20.6
See p. 56.
20.7
King Solomon was reputed to have compiled a book containing infallible prescriptions for almost all ailments. Josephus, Antiq. viii. ii. 5, mentions that he was skilled in expelling demons and "composed incantations by which distempers are alleviated." Hezekiah destroyed the book so that people in times of sickness should pray to God and not depend upon these cures.
20.8
Cf . II Kings xviii. 4.
20.9
He had his father's body borne to burial on a common pallet, because of his wickedness, instead of giving him royal honours.
20.10
II Chron. xxxii. 30.
20.11
II Kings xviii. 16.
20.12
This is a reference to II Ghron. xxx. 2 where it is mentioned that he observed the Passover in the second month. According to the Talmud, he had made a mistake in intercalation. The Hebrew month is lunar and lasts 29 or 30 days. Whether the 30th day was to be regarded as the last day of the month or the first of the new month depended upon observation of the New Moon (cf. Lane, p. 478). For the purpose of periodically adjusting the lunar and solar year (so that, e.g., the Passover which must be observed in the Spring should not occur in the Summer), an extra month was intercalated between Adar and Nisan seven times in nineteen years. On the Jewish Calendar, see J. E. III. p. 498, Oesterley and Box, pp. 346 ff.
20.13
I.e. the month having once been proclaimed Nisan, it cannot be intercalated.
20.14
By "Samuel" is meant the Amora of that name. He taught that if the year is to be intercalated, it must be announced before the 30th of Adar, since witnesses might come to testify that the New Moon had been observed on that day, and it would accordingly be reckoned as the 1st of Nisan. Hezekiah, however, thought that the 30th of Adar could never be reckoned as the 1st of Nisan. He therefore intercalated the year on that day, which afterwards proved to be the New Moon, with the consequence that he observed the Passover in the second month instead of in the first.
20.15
Because having prayed for it in his own name, it was granted in the name of another.
20.16
Lit. "chamber of a wall [kir]."
20.17
On the various meanings of aksedra (the Greek ὲξἑδρα) see Krauss, pp. 44 f.
20.18
M.: Raba b, Isaac which D.S. corrects to Rabbah b. Isaac.
20.19
He can refuse the invitation without being thought proud. To offer and accept such invitations belongs to the ordinary courtesy of Oriental life. Cf. Lane, p. 296.
20.20
Why mention "for there was his house," a fact well known? Since the preceding verse speaks of his circuit, these words are taken to apply not only to Ramah but also to the places there named.
20.21
In the parallel passage, Nedarim 38 a, the teaching is ascribed to Raba.
20.22
So M. Edd, : "a holy man" ; but those words are commented upon below.
20.23
That his food did not attract flies was evidence of his being a man of God. Cf. Abot 5:8 where it is stated that one of the ten miracles wrought in the Temple was "no fly was seen in the slaughter-house" (Singer, p. 200).
20.24
So M. ; edd.: R. Jose b. Hannina.
20.25
Lit. "the splendour of her beauty." להוד יפיה is read in להדפה "to thrust her away."
20.26
Cf. fol. 63 b.
20.27
Hence in Babylon it was customary to have the reading desk, where the Precentor stood, at a lower level than the floor of the Synagogue. In modern Synagogues the Precentor's platform is raised ; see Oesterley and Box, p. 338. But according to Elbogen, the recommendation of the Talmud to pray in a lowly place is intended to apply to the individual, not the Precentor. Cf. J. Q. R. xix. p. 705 n.
20.28
Lit. "a straight foot" i.e. they were placed together so as to appear like one foot. That is the correct posture for the Tefillah. J. T. offers two reasons: (1) to imitate the angels; (2) to imitate the priests in the Temple.
20.29
M. omits "R. Isaac said in the name of R. Johanan" which some edd. insert here.
20.30
Lit. "for your blood" — your life having been restored after the night's sleep.
20.31
M. here omits "in the name of R. Jose b. R. Hannina," rightly so because he was a disciple of R. Johanan.
20.32
"To receive upon oneself the Kingdom of Heaven" is the technical expression for reading the Shema'; cf. fol. 13 a, p. 82.
20.33
The first of the two benedictions introductory to the Shema'. See Singer, p. 37.
20.34
The benedictions have to be read with the Shema' even after the third hour; and this version of Rab Hisda's statement agrees with the Mishnah and Baraita.
20.35
As he pleases, standing or reclining or walking.
21.1
If, as Bet Hillel say, "When thou liest down and risest up" means the time when people lie down and rise up.
21.2
M. applies the bridegroom to "when thou sittest in thy house" ; but the reference to "way" later on is against this reading.
21.3
That one engaged upon a religious duty is exempt from reading the Shema'.
21.4
One has the choice of which road he will take ; similarly he can choose to engage himself in the fulfilment of a religious duty and consequently be freed from the obligation of the Shema'.
21.5
The Bible ordains that we should "speak of them" when walking by the way; does this not mean even when on the way to perform a religious duty?
21.6
To marry, whether a widow or a virgin, is a religious duty. Why, then, the distinction in the matter of reading the Shema'?
21.7
Whether she has signs of virginity, an important matter in the Orient. See Deut, xxii. 13 ff., Burckhardt, Arabic Proverbs (2nd ed.), p. 140.
21.8
An example of one labouring under mental anguish.
21.9
What explanation do they offer of "When thou walkest" as distinct from "when walking"? Bet Shammai had explained "when thou walkest" as excluding one occupied with a religious duty; but, according to the Gemara, "when walking" implies that.
21.10
For instance, the couriers of the Sanhedrin who, while not actually engaged in a religious duty, are for all that occupied with a task of religions import. According to Bet Shammai they need not interrupt their journey to read the Shema'.
21.11
What is their opinion of such messengers with reference to the Shema' ?
21.12
Acting according to Bet Shammai; but why did R. Ishmael sit up?
21.13
A compliment in the East ; cf. Lane, p. 29.
21.14
So Rashi. Another possible rendering is : "It is only in opposition to those who destroy [their beard by shaving]." Cf. T.A. i. p. 648 n. 858. The point of the parable is perverseness in doing the opposite of what is expected.
21.15
Out of deference to R. Ishmael.
21.16
That we both read the Shema' reclining.
21.17
During the Feast of Tabernacles when the Israelite is commanded to dwell in a booth.
21.18
Bet Shammai replied.
21.19
See Singer, p. 37, "Blessed... Who formest light" and p. 39, "With abounding love"; and p. 42, "True and firm."
21.20
See Singer, p. 96, "Blessed... Who at Thy word" and "With everlasting love"; and p. 98, "True and trustworthy" and p. 99, "Cause us...to lie down."
21.21
I.e. to conclude with the formula "Blessed art Thou, O Lord...."
21.22
M. : R. Jacob b. Iddi.
22.1
Singer, p. 87.
22.2
In the Biblical text. Is. xlv. 7.
22.3
Singer, ibid.
22.4
M. : Raba b. 'Ulla. On fol. 12 a, p. 75, the saying is quoted as the teaching of Rabbah b. 'Ulla, which is the correct form of the name.
22.5
Singer, p. 96.
22.6
Ibid. p. 39.
22.7
Which is prefaced to the evening Shema', ibid. p. 96.
22.8
Because this benediction includes : "O put it into our hearts to understand and to discern... and to fulfil in love all the words of instruction in Thy Torah. Enlighten our eyes in Thy Torah," etc. Singer, p. 39.
22.9
Even if the Shema' with its benedictions had been said. The views of the various Rabbis here mentioned are differently given in M. and edd. See D. S. ad loc. The aggregate is the same in all the variants, viz. that a benediction is necessary for each branch of study.
22.10
A Halakic commentary on Leviticus ; see J. E. xi. p. 330.
22.11
Singer, p. 4.
22.12
Ibid
22.13
M. omits Hamnuna, making Rab the teacher.
22.14
Singer, loc. cit.
22.15
Added by M.
22.16
Lit. "the appointed one," He is identical with the Segan ha-Kohanim. On this official, see Schurer, II. i. pp. 257 ff., J. E. x. p. 196, and Buchler, Priester und Cultus, pp. 103 ff. Cf. also M. G. W. J. Lxiv. pp. 30 ff.
22.17
These are the three paragraphs of the Shema' ; Singer, pp. 40 ff.
22.18
Ibid. p. 42.
22.19
Ibid. p. 50.
22.20
Ibid. p. 53.
22.21
The priests were divided into twenty-four "guards" or "courses," each doing duty for a week, from one Sabbath to the next. On the functions of the priests in the Sanctuary, see Edersheim, The Temple, p, 86, Schurer, 11. i, p. 220.
22.22
Referred to above: The Temple-superintendent said to the priests "Utter one benediction."
22.23
M. : Raba and Rab Joseph.
22.24
E.g. two blessings have to precede the recital of the Shema'. If the first were said but the second omitted, then the omission of the second does not invalidate the first. All that R. Zerika said was that the practice of the priests in the Temple illustrated this principle ; and from this statement the conclusion was drawn that the benediction recited was "Who formest light."
23.1
This Service in the Temple was before daybreak.
23.2
Why was Rab Isaac b. Joseph so careful to mention that R. Zerika's opinion depended only on an inference and not explicit teaching?
23.3
Not the omission of a benediction; i.e. the principle "The benedictions do not invalidate one another" might have been taken to mean that the saying of "With abounding love" first (for the reason that it was not yet daybreak) followed by "Who formest light" was not invalidated because of the inverse order. But this inference would be incorrect.
23.4
Who declared that only the Decalogue was given on Mt Sinai ; so J. T.
23.5
This reading of M. is to be preferred to edd. : Rabbah b. bar Hannah. See Hyman, III. p. 1077 b.
23.6
A town in S. Babylonia where Rab founded his School ; Neubauer, p. 343.
23.7
The oldest Jewish settlement in Babylon, situated near the junction of the Euphrates and Nahr Malka. See Neubauer, pp. 350 f., Schurer, II. ii. pp. 224 f., J. K. IX. p. 208.
23.8
This is the benediction for any beverage except wine ; Singer, p. 290. For wine the benediction is: "...Who createst the fruit of the vine"; ibid. p. 287.
23.9
See p. 4 n. 5.
23.10
Instead of concluding "Blessed... Creator of the luminaries" (Singer, p. 39) he wrongly says the formula of the evening prayer (ibid. p. 96).
23.11
He wrongly commenced with the evening prayer, and when about to conclude it notices the error and ends it with the correct formula.

Tractate Berakot by A. Cohen, Cambridge University Press, 1921. Via Sefaria (sefaria.org), Sefaria-Export. Version source: https://www.nli.org.il/he/books/NNL_ALEPH002182132 Licence: Public Domain. Source.