Berachos 23a

ברכות כ״ג ע״א

Berakhot 23a

Learn Berachos 23a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Berachos 23a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Praying while needing to relieve oneself, and how to handle תפילין when entering a בית הכסא

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a dispute about someone who stopped in the middle of תפילה to relieve himself: does he go back to the beginning, or to where he stopped? רב אשי explains that the real question is whether the person was fit to pray at all when he started. A ברייתא teaches that one who needs to relieve himself may not pray, but only if he cannot hold himself in for the time it takes to walk a פרסה. The גמרא brings פסוקים for this, and along the way explains 'שמור רגלך' as teaching that a קרבן must come with תשובה. Next comes the topic of תפילין and the בית הכסא: they come off ארבע אמות before a regular bathroom, and they may not be worn in even just to urinate. ברייתות and a sad story explain why the תפילין are no longer left in holes outside but are held in the hand, rolled like a scroll against the heart. When there is no time left to wear them, or at night, they go in a pouch, and אביי and a proof from טומאת מת discuss its size. The amud ends with רבי יוחנן keeping his תפילין in hand but giving away his book of אגדה, and his reason continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (31)

1. ResponseA suggested explanation: the dispute is about how long he paused
2. Rejectionרב אשי rejects the pause explanation
3. ResolutionThe real dispute: was he fit to pray when he started?
4. Statementברייתא: one who needs to relieve himself should not pray
5. StatementLimit: only if he cannot hold himself in
6. QuestionHow long must he be able to hold in?
7. Responseרב ששת: the time to walk a פרסה
8. StatementAnother version: the limit is in the ברייתא itself
9. StatementA source from a פסוק: one who needs the bathroom may not pray
10. StatementReading 'Guard your foot when you go to the house of God'
11. Statementרבא: be like the wise who repent, not like fools who don't
12. ChallengeChallenge: if they don't know how to do evil, they are righteous
13. ResolutionReread: the fools can't tell good from bad
14. StatementAnother reading: guard your body during prayer
15. StatementRemove תפילין ארבע אמות before a bathroom
16. StatementRegular bathroom versus makeshift bathroom
17. QuestionMay one wear תפילין into a bathroom just to urinate?
18. Responseרבא forbids it and explains why
19. StatementWhere to keep the תפילין while inside
20. ChallengeHolding them only in the garment is risky
21. ResolutionCorrect reading: garment and hand together
22. StatementPlace them in holes by the bathroom, not by the public street
23. StatementThe tragic story of the student whose תפילין were taken
24. StatementThe history of the rules: mice, then passersby, then the hand
25. StatementThe הלכה: roll them like a scroll and hold them by the heart
26. StatementThe strap must not hang down a טפח
27. StatementHolding in the hand works only when there is still time to put them on
28. StatementBy day hold them in the hand; at night use a pouch
29. StatementA container that is not their own may be smaller than a טפח
30. ProofSupport from small containers in a tent with a dead body
31. Statementרבי יוחנן gave away his book of אגדה but kept his תפילין