Berachos 12a

ברכות י״ב ע״א

Berakhot 12a

Learn Berachos 12a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Berachos 12a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The ברכות the כהנים said in the מקדש, why the עשרת הדברות were dropped, whether a ברכה follows its ending, and the wording and bowing in the ברכות of שמע and תפילה

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a question about the משנה in תמיד: was the single ברכה the כהנים said יוצר אור or אהבה רבה? The גמרא shows that because ריש לקיש's view was only inferred, his rule could be about the order of the ברכות, so nothing is proven. The משנה also says the כהנים read the עשרת הדברות. שמואל and a ברייתא of רבי נתן explain that this was stopped everywhere else because of the complaint of the מינים, and later חכמים who tried to bring it back were turned down. On שבת the outgoing משמר blessed the incoming one with love, brotherhood, peace and friendship. Back in our משנה, the גמרא asks what happens if a ברכה starts wrong but ends right, as when someone holds beer, thinks it is wine, and finishes with שהכל. Two proofs from a ברייתא ('everything follows the ending') are pushed off, so the question is never settled. The amud ends with רב's rulings: say אמת ויציב in the morning and אמת ואמונה at night, and in תפילה bow at ברוך and straighten up at ה׳'s name, which שמואל praised.

Opening lines

The steps (33)

1. ProofWhy the one blessing must have been יוצר אור
2. QuestionSo what if it was only an inference?
3. ResponseAn inference can be read differently: it may be about the order of the blessings
4. StatementBack to the משנה: the Ten Commandments and the other passages
5. Statementשמואל: they wanted to say the Ten Commandments everywhere, but it was stopped
6. ProofA ברייתא from רבי נתן says the same thing
7. Statementרבה בר בר חנה wanted to bring it back in סורא
8. Conclusionאמימר wanted to bring it back in נהרדעא and was also stopped
9. StatementOn שבת one blessing is added for the outgoing watch
10. QuestionWhat was that one blessing?
11. Responseרבי חלבו gives the words of the blessing
12. StatementBack to our משנה: where they said to make it long
13. StatementObvious case: wine he thought was beer
14. ProofWhy it's obvious: שהכל works for everything
15. QuestionReal question: beer he thought was wine
16. QuestionDo we follow the main part or the ending?
17. ProofA ברייתא about mixing up the morning and evening ברכות
18. ProofThe rule: everything follows the ending
19. RejectionRejection: long ברכות with a separate closing are different
20. ChallengeDoes the closing line really count as its own blessing for רבי יוחנן?
21. ResolutionThe kingship said at the start covers both parts
22. ProofA new proof from the general rule of the ברייתא
23. RejectionNo, the rule adds a case of bread and dates
24. ChallengeWhat is the bread-and-dates case? Not one that is just our question
25. ResolutionThe bread-and-dates case is the reverse case
26. QuestionWhy would the bread ending work for dates?
27. ResponseBecause dates also nourish
28. StatementSaying אמת ויציב in the morning and אמת ואמונה at night
29. StatementWhen to bow and when to stand up in תפילה
30. Proofשמואל gives the source for straightening up at ה׳'s name
31. ChallengeA פסוק seems to say we should be bowed at ה׳'s name
32. Resolution'Before My name' means bowing before the name, at ברוך
33. Conclusionשמואל praises רב's ruling to רב's son