Gemara Clarity

Berachos 12b

ברכות י״ב ע״ב

Berakhot 12b

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

Open Berachos 12b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Changes to the ברכות during the Ten Days, teachings of רב about prayer and shame, the sections of קריאת שמע, and mentioning יציאת מצרים at night.

Overview

The גמרא opens by describing how רב ששת bowed quickly and stood up slowly. רבה בר חיננא סבא, in the name of רב, then teaches that during the ten days from ראש השנה to יום כיפור we say 'הַמֶּלֶךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ' and 'הַמֶּלֶךְ הַמִּשְׁפָּט'. רבי אלעזר disagrees, but the הלכה follows רבה, who agrees with רב. More teachings in רב's name follow: whoever can pray for another person and does not is called a sinner, and a תלמיד חכם deserves even more worry. Another teaching says that whoever is ashamed of a sin is forgiven for all his sins, and this is proven from שאול. The גמרא then explains why the חכמים wanted to add פרשת בלק to קריאת שמע but did not, and why פרשת ציצית was included. A new משנה rules that יציאת מצרים is mentioned at night, based on בן זומא's reading of 'all the days of your life'. The חכמים read that same פסוק as including the days of the משיח, and the גמרא brings their debate with בן זומא, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

רַב שֵׁשֶׁת, כִּי כָּרַע —

Rav Sheshet, when he bowed,

כָּרַע כְּחִיזְרָא.

bowed like a cane.

כִּי קָא זָקֵיף —

When he would stand up,

זָקֵיף כְּחִיוְיָא.

he stood up like a snake.

The steps (38)

  1. StatementHow רב ששת bowed and stood up
  2. StatementChanging two blessing endings during the Ten Days
  3. Statementרבי אלעזר says the usual wording is acceptable
  4. ProofProof from a פסוק in ישעיהו
  5. QuestionWhat is the final ruling?
  6. Responseרב יוסף and רבה carry on the same argument
  7. ConclusionThe הלכה follows רבה
  8. StatementNot praying for someone else is called sinning
  9. ProofProof from שמואל's words
  10. StatementFor a Torah scholar you must worry until it makes you ill
  11. QuestionWhat is the source for רבא's rule?
  12. ProofSuggested proof from King שאול
  13. RejectionMaybe a king is different
  14. ProofThe real proof from דוד
  15. StatementBeing ashamed of a sin brings full forgiveness
  16. ProofA פסוק in יחזקאל links shame to forgiveness
  17. RejectionMaybe a community is different
  18. ProofA new proof: שאול did not mention the אורים ותומים
  19. ProofWhy שאול left out the אורים ותומים
  20. QuestionHow do we know שאול was forgiven?
  21. Proof'With me' means in שמואל's place
  22. ProofThe רבנן bring a different proof that Heaven forgave שאול
  23. StatementThe חכמים wanted to add פרשת בלק to קריאת שמע but did not
  24. QuestionWhy did they want to add it at all?
  25. ChallengeMentioning יציאת מצרים cannot be the reason
  26. ResponseThe real reason: a פסוק about lying down and rising
  27. ChallengeWhy not say just that one פסוק?
  28. ResolutionWe only break where משה רבינו broke
  29. QuestionWhy was פרשת ציצית chosen?
  30. Responseפרשת ציצית holds a list of key topics
  31. ChallengeThree topics are clear, but where are the other three?
  32. ResolutionA ברייתא finds the other three topics in the words of the פסוק
  33. StatementThe משנה: יציאת מצרים is mentioned at night
  34. Proofבן זומא's proof: the extra word כל adds the nights
  35. StatementThe חכמים read 'all' as including the days of the משיח
  36. Challengeבן זומא challenges: יציאת מצרים won't be mentioned in the days of the משיח
  37. Resolutionיציאת מצרים stays, but becomes secondary
  38. ProofA parallel: יעקב's name becoming ישראל