Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

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36.12
Instead of linen shrouds ; cf. Oesterley and Box, p. 333 ; Lane, p. 518.
36.13
They were both spirits of girls.
36.14
The first rainfall is from the 17th to the 23rd of the 8th month; the second from the 23rd to the end of the month.
36.15
Who bad been buried in the reed-matting.
36.16
Who was acquainted with this story, on passing over into the world of spirits, related the facts to them ; but they did not know of it of their own accord.
36.17
M. : landlord's daughter.
36.18
The cemetery.
36.19
Kohl as commonly used in the East ; Lane, p. 37.
36.20
A word meaning "silence" used in the Psalms to describe the silence of the grave ; cf. Ps. xciv. 17, cxv. 17. In the Talmud it is the name of the guardian angel of the departed.
36.21
He announces to the disembodied spirits who will soon join them ; but otherwise the dead do not know what transpires on earth.
36.22
To the dead who appeared to him seated in conclave.
36.23
The Torah is studied in Heaven as well as on earth. Cf. Bab. Mesia' 86a (translated by Herford in J. Q. R. II. p. 457).
36.24
A departed colleague.
36.25
Cf . Matt. vi. 19.
36.26
What transpires on earth, since Abba knew of his son's impending death.
36.27
His opinion, as stated above (fol. 18a, p. 119), had been that the dead knew nothing.
36.28
To Moses prior to his death.
37.1
This is the reading of M. and is probably oorreot. The reading of the edd. : "Rab Pappa said, Somebody spoke evil" is intended to remove the reproach from him.
37.2
M.: Rab Hisda said: This refers.
37.3
"Our Mishnah" usually means the paragraph of the Mishnah under discussion. Here it refers to the work as a whole.
37.4
The washing of the hands before a meal is a Rabbinical ordinance, and to despite it reflects on the honour of the teachers.
37.5
Num. v. 11 ff.
37.6
They merely pretended to give her the bitter waters. This is the interpretation of many commentators. Rashi renders; "They administered them to one who was like themselves," i.e. despising Shemayah and Abtalion on the ground that they were not of pure Jewish stock. According to Gittin 57b they were descendants of Sennacherib, king of Assyria.
37.7
On the Passover festival when the court was thronged with pilgrims.
37.8
"The circle-drawer." He was a famous ascetic to whom the people
37.9
M.: "There is a teaching: R. Jose said." This reading is adopted by Bacher, A. B. A. p. 103 n. 11.
37.10
With the head, legs and entrails (cf. Exod. xii. 9). But this should be done only by the pilgrims in Jerusalem, whereas Theodosius introduced the practice into Rome.
37.11
According to M. the subject is "the Sages." Some edd. make the subject Simeon b. Shetah : but this would be an anachronism. See A.T. ii. p. 561 n. 1.
37.12
Here, then, is another instance of arrogance against the Most High,
37.13
A portable earthenware oven is like an earthenware vessel and can contract defilement. In the latter instance, the vessel cannot be purified and must be broken to pieces. In the opinion of the Sages, the same rule applies to the oven. R. Eliezer allows the oven to be cut horizontally into layers and sand placed in between and cemented over.
37.14
Krauss, p. 251, thinks that the word translated "serpent" is really a proper name, Έχῖυοϛ, after whom that sort of oven was called. See his discussion in Part I of Lehnworter, pp. 295 f.
37.15
Everything which had been in contact with this oven.
37.16
Lit. "blessed," an euphemism.
37.17
That the Bet Din excommunicates a man for a lack of respect to a teacher.
37.18
He holds that, as in the Baraita here quoted, wherever in the Mishnah an individual Rabbi resists the opinion of the majority, it comes under this heading.
37.19
According to J. T., one hour before.
37.20
Lay himself open to an imputation.
37.21
In our Mishnah.
38.1
Where the mourner is standing.
38.2
As spectators, not comforters.
38.3
A mixture of wool and linen; cf. Lev. xix. 19, Deut. xxii. 11.
38.4
By reason of a grave being there.
38.5
Hence out of deference for a human being, they disregard an ordinance of the Torah.
38.6
A Bet Peras is a field, half a furrow in length and breadth, on to which crushed bones may have been carried by a plough which had passed over a grave. Contact with even a fragment of a bone would cause defilement. Peras is of doubtful etymology. It is explained by some to mean "half"; cf. Dan. v. 28. Wiesner, p. 49, connects it with πῠρά, because the corpse was usually first burnt. See also T. A.II. p. 490 n. 550.
38.7
Therefore the deference they show to the mourner does not involve disregard of the Torah.
38.8
Without contracting defilement.
38.9
M. : Rab Judah b. Ammi in the name of Rab Judah.
38.10
He was a Kohen and consequently forbidden to come into contact with the dead : cf. Lev. xxi. 1-3.
38.11
Probably Agrippa I and Herod II; A. T. I. p. 47.
38.12
In J. T. it is recorded that when Diocletian visited Tyre, R. Hiyya b. Abba (who was a Kohen) crossed a cemetery to meet bim.
38.13
M.: Rabbah.
38.14
They misunderstood him. He meant the only prohibition of the Torah set aside is that implied in the verse quoted, which teaches that the ordinances of the religious leaders of the age must be adhered to. Consequently, in actual practice, it is only Rabbinical injunctions which are set aside by the honouring of one's fellow-creatures.
38.15
They allow their authority, though it is based on the Torah, to be set aside for this purpose.
38.16
In the Hebrew, the negative "not" is attached to the verb "see" and has to be understood with "and bide thyself." According to the Rabbinic interpretation, since there is no negative qualifying "and hide thyself," it is to be deduced that there are times when one may not restore a straying animal.
38.17
Who is forbidden contact with the dead.
38.18
I.e. his loss in restoring the animal would be greater than the owner's if it were not restored. M. reads "his loss" instead of "his work."
38.19
Why should the Elder consider his dignity before the performance of a duty?
38.20
The Torah expressly makes such an allowance.
38.21
By analogy that one need not take off a garment in the street if diverse kinds are foand in it out of self-respect (seeing that the Elder is permitted to consider his dignity), but wait until be reaches his home.
38.22
The matter of the straying animal involves nothing more than the owner's loss; it is consequently of less seriousness than a matter involving a principle.
38.23
A Nazirite may not make himself ritually unclean by contact with the dead. The list of relations is: father, mother, brother, sister; and the Halakic commentary on Numbers and Deuteronomy, the Sifre, discusses the reason why each is mentioned : He may not defile himself for his father, but he must for a Met Miswah (see Glossary, s.v.); nor for his mother, but even if he be a Kohen as well as a Nazirite (i.e. doubly prohibited against such contact), he must defile himself for a Met Miswah ; nor for his brother, but even if he be the High Priest as well as a Nazirite, he must defile himself for a Met Miswah. The explanation of "his sister" is given in the Gemara.
38.24
The Nazirite who is a High Priest.
38.25
Which had to be performed at a certain time, and he would be precluded from officiating if he were unclean.
39.1
The duty of burial is to show respect to the body; why should respect for a person set aside the Pentateuchal prohibition against defilement?
39.2
And (according to the Rabbinic deduction above) the Torah gives him permission.
39.3
No analogy can be drawn between the wearing of mixed stuff and the burial of a Met Miswah, because they fall into different categories. The former is a prohibition as an act — one has to "arise and do" [קום ועשה] it (by putting on the garment), to commit the transgression. With the Met Miswah, on the other hand, it is the omission to bury which constitutes the transgression. To "sit and do nothing " [שב ולא תעשה] is what is forbidden.
39.4
The Fourth Order of the Mishnah. The detailed division of the Mishnah is given in an Appendix by Oesterley and Box.
39.5
The last Tractate of the Sixth Order.
39.6
The disputations between Rab and Samuel are proverbial for their complexity.
39.7
Others explain: with thirteen different methods of interpretation. In either case, the intention is that the superiority of earlier generations could not be on the score of learning.
39.8
He merely prepared himself to fast and pray for rain. On any occasion of mourning or self-humiliation, the shoes are taken off.
39.9
Some edd. read "Samaritan," to satisfy the scruples of the Censor.
39.10
A word of uncertain meaning; either a kind of headgear or a showy mantle worn by disreputable women. The same word occurs in Dan. iii. 21 where R.V. renders "mantle"; but the Oxford Lexicon, ed. Brown, etc., p. 1097b prefers "cap."
39.11
There is a double play of words. Matun means "deliberate"; hence if he had not been hasty, it would have saved him 400 Zuz. Matun also resembles the word for "two hundred," which being repeated, totals 400.
39.12
The bath of purification, called Mikweh, is here intended. Certain regulations had to be observed, otherwise the act of purification would be invalid.
39.13
On the beauty of R. Johanan, see fol. 5 b, p. 24.
39.14
The malignant power which bewitches and harms its victims. It is often used, as here, to denote sexual passion. The belief in the Evil Eye was widespread in the Orient; cf. J. E. v. p. 280; Lane, pp. 256 f.
39.15
Joseph who rejected the advances of Potiphar's wife.
40.1
"Command" is literally "command of Do" as distinct from a prohibition — "command of Do not."
40.2
This paragraph is omitted in some edd.
40.3
The law of Tefillin (Deut. vi. 8) is immediately followed by the law of Mezuzah (ibid. v. 9) ; the inference might therefore be drawn that they are identical in scope of obligation.
40.4
The command to "teach them diligently unto thy children" (ibid. v. 7) might be placed in the same class as the law to "write them upon the doorposts" (ibid. 5:9).
40.5
See Singer, p. 124, Oesterley and Box, pp. 375 ff.
40.6
The obligation to "observe" belongs to women, because there are several "prohibitions" (see p. 132 n. 1) in connection with the Sabbath.
40.7
We "remember" the Sabbath by the Kiddush (see Glossary, s.v.).
40.8
By saying Grace after meals on their behalf.
40.9
That a woman may say Grace for her husband and a son for his father.
40.10
I.e. ordained by the Torah, since that is presupposed in the argument.
40.11
According to R. Meir, food the size of an olive ; according to R. Judah, the size of an egg. See fol. 45 a.
40.12
The minor.
40.13
The father who has eaten only the quantity required by the Rabbis. The question at the head of the paragraph remains unanswered ; but the Halakah regards the woman as being enjoined by the Torah to say Grace, as implied in our Mishnah.
40.14
Lit. "Who lifteth up not the countenance."
40.15
I.e. he does not even meditate on the benedictions.
40.16
Cf. Exod. xix. 15. The Israelites had to be ritually clean just to hear the Divine words. Therefore to hear (and consequently, to meditate upon) Torah is the equal of utterance.
41.1
A quotation from the next Mishnah, fol. 22b, p. 148.
41.2
M. adds: in the name of Rab.
41.3
See fol. 11 b, p. 71.
41.4
In Joma 37a this verse is explained as follows: When Moses was about to begin his song, he said to Israel, "I will open with a benediction, viz. 'For I will proclaim the name of the Lord,' and ye will respond with 'Ascribe ye greatness unto our God '."
41.5
I.e. it is not ordained by the Torah.
41.6
No analogy can be drawn between the material gratification derived from a meal and the spiritual gain from studying Torah.

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.