Gemara Clarity

Berachos 16a

ברכות ט״ז ע״א

Berakhot 16a

Learn Berachos 16a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Berachos 16a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Mistakes in קריאת שמע, workers' obligations in קריאת שמע, תפילה and ברכות, and the exemption of a חתן and one busy with a מצוה.

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a דרשה: just as streams raise a person from טומאה to טהרה, tents of Torah raise a person from guilt to merit. Next comes a story about רבי אלעזר, who left his own wedding preparations to hear a ברייתא before רבי יוחנן. The ברייתא says where to go back to if you lose your place in קריאת שמע, and רבי יוחנן adds a limit to it. A new משנה then teaches that workers may say קריאת שמע at the top of a tree or wall but not the עמידה. It also teaches that a חתן is exempt from קריאת שמע, though רבן גמליאל chose to say it anyway. The גמרא asks whether reciting up a tree means no כוונה is needed. It answers that workers stop working for the first paragraph and may keep working during the second. It then shows that hired workers may shorten their davening and ברכת המזון, depending on whether they are paid a wage or only a meal. Finally, the גמרא learns from the words ״בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ״ that someone busy with a מצוה, and a חתן, is exempt from קריאת שמע.

Opening lines

אֹהָלִים לִנְחָלִים,

Tents next to streams,

דִּכְתִיב: ״כִּנְחָלִים נִטָּיוּ

as it is written: 'Like streams stretched out,'

כְּגַנּוֹת עֲלֵי נָהָר

like gardens by the river,

כַּאֲהָלִים נָטַע וְגוֹ׳״

like tents planted, etc.'

The steps (29)

  1. StatementTents of Torah lift a person like streams do
  2. StatementQuoting the משנה: reading קריאת שמע out of order
  3. Statementרבי אלעזר goes to the study hall during his wedding preparations
  4. StatementWhere to go back to after losing your place in קריאת שמע
  5. Statementרבי יוחנן limits the rule about going back
  6. ConclusionThe Rabbis treasure רבי יוחנן's teaching
  7. StatementWorkers may recite שמע while up high
  8. StatementA groom is exempt from שמע
  9. ChallengeStudents question רבן גמליאל
  10. Resolutionרבן גמליאל will not give up Heaven's kingship
  11. StatementA ברייתא adds details about workers on trees
  12. ChallengeDoes קריאת שמע need focus or not?
  13. Resolutionרב ששת: the workers stop working to recite
  14. Challengeבית הלל say workers keep working while reciting
  15. ResolutionFirst paragraph versus second paragraph
  16. StatementWhat workers say while working for a homeowner
  17. ChallengeAnother source says workers say a shortened שמונה עשרה
  18. ResolutionThe two sources follow רבן גמליאל and רבי יהושע
  19. ChallengeWhy mention workers if רבי יהושע allows everyone?
  20. ResolutionBoth sources follow רבן גמליאל: wage versus meal
  21. ProofA ברייתא on how workers shorten ברכת המזון
  22. ProofThe shortening applies only to wage-earners
  23. StatementThe משנה: a groom is exempt from קריאת שמע
  24. ProofThe פסוק source for the exemption
  25. ConclusionGroom of a בתולה exempt, groom of an אלמנה obligated
  26. QuestionHow does the verse show this?
  27. Responseרב פפא: like an optional journey
  28. ChallengeBut maybe he is walking to a מצוה
  29. ResolutionThe word "your going" proves the exemption