Gemara Clarity

Berachos 17a

ברכות י״ז ע״א

Berakhot 17a

Learn Berachos 17a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Berachos 17a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Prayers after תפילה, favorite sayings of the חכמים, and farewell blessings from the ישיבה

Overview

The גמרא finishes a list, begun on the previous daf, of private prayers that חכמים added after their תפילה. We hear the end of רב ספרא's prayer for peace, then the prayers of רבי אלכסנדרי (with a dispute over which prayer was his), רבא (also used as רב המנונא זוטי's יום כפור confession), and מר בריה דרבינא, whose prayer is our אלהי נצור. רב ששת adds a fast-day prayer asking that the fat and blood he lost count as a קרבן. Next, the גמרא gathers sayings for other times. These include רבי יוחנן's words on finishing ספר איוב and the favorite sayings of רבי מאיר, the רבנן of יבנה, אביי, רבא, and רב. A side story tells how רבן יוחנן בן זכאי always greeted everyone first. The גמרא then teaches that women received a greater promise than men, and explains that they earn it by supporting their children's and husbands' Torah learning. It ends with the farewell blessings students gave their רבי, and a מחלוקת over the meaning of ״אלופינו מסבלים״.

Opening lines

בְּפָמַלְיָא שֶׁל מַעְלָה.

in the heavenly entourage,

וּבְפָמַלְיָא שֶׁל מַטָּה,

and in the earthly entourage,

וּבֵין הַתַּלְמִידִים הָעוֹסְקִים בְּתוֹרָתֶךָ

and among the students who are busy with Your Torah,

בֵּין עוֹסְקִין לִשְׁמָהּ

whether they study it for its own sake

The steps (20)

  1. StatementEnd of רב ספרא's prayer for peace among angels, חכמים, and students
  2. Statementרבי אלכסנדרי's prayer for a place of light
  3. StatementAnother version: רבי אלכסנדרי's prayer about what holds us back
  4. Statementרבא's humble prayer for forgiveness without suffering
  5. Statementרבא's prayer is רב המנונא זוטי's יום כפור confession
  6. Statementמר בריה דרבינא's prayer: אלהי נצור
  7. Statementרב ששת's prayer that his fasting count as a sacrifice
  8. Statementרבי יוחנן's words after finishing ספר איוב
  9. Statementרבי מאיר's favorite saying about learning Torah and fearing God
  10. StatementThe רבנן of יבנה: the Torah scholar and the worker are equal before God
  11. Statementאביי: Be clever in fear of Heaven and increase peace with everyone
  12. Statementרבן יוחנן בן זכאי always greeted others first
  13. Statementרבא: The goal of wisdom is repentance and good deeds, done for their own sake
  14. Statementרב: The World to Come is not like this world
  15. StatementWomen received a greater promise than men
  16. Questionרב asks how women earn this reward
  17. ResponseWomen earn it by supporting Torah learning
  18. StatementThe farewell blessing at the ישיבה of רבי אמי
  19. StatementThe farewell blessing at the ישיבה of רב חסדא
  20. StatementTwo explanations of 'our leaders are laden'