Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

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23.12
The benediction is correct but the conclusion wrong.
23.13
The benediction is wrong but the conclusion correct.
23.14
Are we, by analogy, to apply this rule to the instance of wine and beer?
23.15
The addition of "Blessed art Thou, O Lord" constitutes what follows a complete benediction in itself, quite irrespective of what precedes. For that reason, although the main theme was wrong, so long as the concluding benediction is correct, the requirement of the law has been fulfilled. The instance of wine and beer is different, because he began the benediction for wine and in the middle noticed the error, but the words which followed did not constitute a complete benediction.
23.16
The formula "Blessed... Creator of the luminaries" contains the divine Name and is, according to Rab, a complete benediction. But according to R. Johanan who requires the inclusion of the words "King of the universe," how can it be considered a complete benediction ?
23.17
See fol. 11b, p. 70.
23.18
The morning prayer opens "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, Who formest light and createst darkness" (Singer, p. 37); the evening prayer "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe... Thou rollest away the light from before the darkness" (ibid. p. 96). In either case his benediction refers to the Kingship and can apply to either "light" or "darkness," since both are mentioned. Therefore the objection raised on the score of R. Johanan's requirement is not valid.
23.19
The instance of wine and beer.
23.20
The instance quoted is parallel to that of wine and beer; and if the "general rule" includes the former, why not the latter?
23.21
The benediction after eating bread contains "Since Thou nourishest and sustainest all beings... Blessed art Thou, O Lord, Who givest food unto all" (Singer, p. 280) ; this would appropriately apply also to dates.
23.22
M. : Raba b. Hannina ; another variant is : Rabbah b. Hannina. See D. S. ad loc.
23.23
Singer, pp. 42, 98.
23.24
The morning prayer refers to God's lovingkindness, the evening prayer to His faithfulness in fulfilling His promises.
23.25
The regulation is to bow four times : at the beginning and end of the first benediction (Singer, p. 44), "We give thanks unto Thee" (p. 51), "Blessed... Whose name is all-good" (p. 53).
23.26
Therefore one should stand erect on mentioning His name.
23.27
Therefore he should still be bent on mentioning His name.
23.28
I.e. When the Name is mentioned, one should be bowed?
24.1
With one sharp bend of the body, but he raised himself gradually and painfully.
24.2
See Singer, pp. 45, 48.
24.3
Even during the days of penitence.
24.4
M. : Rabbah.
24.5
The verse quoted refers to Saul ; and it may be argued that one should grieve for the anxieties of a king, but not of a scholar.
24.6
This verse is explained as referring to Doeg and Ahitophel, who were authorities on Torah.
24.7
The verse quoted refers to the people generally, not an individual.
24.8
See p. 12 n. 1.
24.9
In I Sam. xxviii. 6 it is stated, "The Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets." Saul omitted to mention the Urim because the oracle was worked through the priests, and he had smitten their city (ibid. xxii. 19). This is evidence of shame for his crime.
24.10
These words do not occur in the Bible text and are omitted in M.
24.11
I.e. my division in Heaven — evidence of Saul's sins having been forgiven.
24.12
These words were spoken by the Gibeonites who wished to vent their hatred on Saul's house ; they would accordingly not have referred to Saul as "the chosen of the Lord." The Rabbis therefore explain that these words were uttered by a Bat Kol; and if he was proclaimed "the chosen of the Lord," that is evidence that he had received forgiveness.
24.13
M.: Rabbi b. Zutarti in the name of R. Jose b. Zebida. For "Rabbi" read probably "Rabin" ; see D, S. ad loc.
24.14
Num. xxii. 2-xxiv. 25.
24.15
Lev. 25:35-38. The last verse reads, "I am the Lord your God, Who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt."
24.16
Lev. xix. 36, "Just balances, just weights... shall ye have; I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt."
24.17
It contains a reference to lying down and rising up.
24.18
Num. 15:37-41; Singer, pp. 41 f.
24.19
M.: Jose b. Zebida.
24.20
M. : Rab Joseph taught.
24.21
Referring to the third paragraph of the Shema'. The reason why this paragraph is said at night cannot be because of the reference to the "Fringes," since the regulation concerning them does not apply at night. It is said because of the reference to the Exodus.
24.22
The ordinary translation would be "about seventy years old" ; but see the narrative on fol. 28a, p. 182. There is a variant "eighty years old" which Bacher considers the truer reading ; see A. T. i. p. 214 n. 7.
25.1
God Himself refers to bim by that name, Gen. xlvi. 2.
25.2
See p. 41 n. 4.
25.3
Abram is taken to mean "the father of Aram," whereas Abraham means "father of a multitude of nations" (Gen. xvii. 4).
25.4
Sarai is taken to mean "my princess," whereas Sarah means "princess" (sc. of all).
25.5
Would a command and prohibition be transgressed?
25.6
The command was meant for Abraham only.
25.7
The verse narrates history and continues "and gavest him the name of Abraham."
25.8
A prayer inserted at the end of each chapter. On the method of naming the Chapter, see Introduction, § 2.
25.9
I.e. intended that his reading of the passage should be the fulfilment of his duty to recite the Shema'. But see the explanation in the Gemara.
25.10
The reference is to somebody in authority who might resent the omission to salute him.
25.11
At the end of "Creator of the luminaries," Singer, p. 39.
25.12
The second section of the Shema' deals with the duty of studying Torah which continues throughout the day and night ; cf. Josh. i. 8. But the third paragraph contains the law of "Fringes" which does not apply at night.
25.13
That would seem to be implied in the statement "if he directed his heart"; but elsewhere in the Talmud it is stated that Kawwanah is not required. See Rosh Hash. 28 a.
25.14
How can it be maintained that "if he directed his heart" means to study and not to prayer, since the Mishnah opens with the statement that he was studying?
25.15
The man who was reading the Torah may have been a corrector of manuscripts and examining a paragraph of the Shema'. Of him it is required that his reading shall hare been with the intention of fulfilling his duty to recite it.
25.16
In Hebrew only.
25.17
See p. 9 n. 2.
25.18
The Shema' was read in Greek in Caesarea; Schurer, II. ii. p. 284.
25.19
How does he interpret the word "Hear"?
25.20
I.e. the Shema' must be read audibly.
25.21
He cannot derive it from "and these words shall be," since he has already used that to prove that only Hebrew may be employed.
25.22
If Rabbi were of opinion that the Torah can only be read in Hebrew, it would necessarily apply to the Shema'. Why, then, should he draw a conclusion from "And these words shall be"? His opinion must therefore be that the Torah can be read in any language ; and he draws the conclusion from "And these words shall be" that the Shema' must be read in Hebrew to oppose the inference which the Sages drew from "Hear, O Israel."
26.1
M. : Ahai. We must read in the text B. Aha, not Rab Aha.
26.2
M.: Eliezer.
26.3
The first paragraph of the Shema'.
26.4
M.: Joshua.
26.5
Deut. xi. 19, in the second paragraph of the Shema'.
26.6
The reference to "heart" in the second paragraph does not indicate Kawwanah, but teaches that the arm-Tefillin must be placed over against the heart. It is worn upon the muscle of the left arm, at a point nearest the heart.
26.7
The first paragraph contains "and thou shalt talk of them," i.e. the command to recite; but the second contains "Ye shall teach them your children to talk of them" (so literally ; i.e. so that your children may talk of them by studying Torah).
26.8
So M. ; edd. Kawwanah of the heart.
26.9
M. adds : b. Joseph.
26.10
Thereby emphasising the doctrine of the Unity of God.
26.11
M. : R. Zera.
26.12
I.e. dwell on the word while reflecting that God is One everywhere.
26.13
See above, at the beginning of the folio. That view is, the whole of the first paragraph requires Kawwanah. R. Johanan, in consistency with that opinion, maintains that if one has to stand for the recital of any part of the first paragraph, he should remain standing for the whole of it.
26.14
Instead of "Our Rabbis have taught," M. reads : Rab Judah said in the name of Samuel.
26.15
When in the course of teaching the time of the Shema' arrived, Rabbi did not stop to recite it.
26.16
A form of address used by R. Hiyya to Rab, his nephew. See below, fol. 43a. By "princes" must be understood "ancestors great in Torah." It has been ingeniously conjectured that for פחתי (an uncertain word) we should read אחתי "son of my sister," that being the relationship in which Rab אחתי could have been corrupted. The 'Aruk reads פאתי, which may be connected with πἡοϛ or πάοϛ "a relative by marriage"; see Krauss, p. 420.
26.17
An act which the pious Jew performs when reciting the first sentence of the Shema', based on Moses' action of hiding his face at the theophany (Exod. iii. 6). This was an indication that Rabbi recited the opening verse.
26.18
And he intended this as a substitute for the remainder of the Shema'.
26.19
Rabbi dealt with the theme of the Exodus when the time of the Shema' arrived, but afterwards recited what he had omitted.
26.20
M. : Isaac.
26.21
M. incorrectly adds : b. Isaac.
26.22
Not Rabbah as in some edd.
26.23
The word פרקיד is derived from πρωκτὁϛ by Perles, J. Q. R. xvi. p. 355. The objection to this position is it tends to nocturnal pollution.
26.24
But R. Meir's view which has been under consideration so far cannot agree with R. Judah's, since the latter expounds a different opinion in the Mishnah.
27.1
"Or the Megillah" is added by M.
27.2
The Hallel proclaims the miracle of the Red Sea, and the Megillah the miracle of the frustration of Haman's plan to destroy the Jews.
27.3
M. : Raba.
27.4
In Tosafot it is pointed out that there is no cause to stress the "individual," the rule holding good also of a Congregation.
27.5
On the New Moon and the last six days of Passover; see Singer, p. 220.
27.6
So M. correctly. Edd : Rab b. Shaba.
27.7
M. : the School (or house) of Rabina.
27.8
M. omits "not"; but its inclusion emphasises the objection.
27.9
M. : R. Isaac b. Ashyan.
27.10
A voluntary fast is here meant. On a statutory fast there is no question that tasting (e.g. food that is being cooked) is forbidden.
27.11
According to one interpretation, the Tefillah is here intended; otherwise it is contradicted by the passage quoted by Rab Sheshet from the Mishnah, which permits one to offer greeting between the sections of the Shema' — which is recited before the Tefillah. But R. Abba interprets the phrase "before he prays" quite generally.
27.12
On the Bamah was offered what should have been brought to the Temple. Similarly to greet a man before praying is to give him what is due to God.
27.13
To pay him honour instead of God.
27.14
I.e. translate "for as an idolatrous altar is he to be accounted" if honour is paid to him first.
27.15
Interpreting the latter part of the verse as it is written, without reading Bamah for bammeh.

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.