Berachos 25b

ברכות כ״ה ע״ב

Berakhot 25b

Learn Berachos 25b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Berachos 25b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Covering ערוה and filth so one may recite קריאת שמע, and keeping holy objects covered

Overview

The amud opens by finishing an earlier discussion: the תנא קמא and רבי יוסי disagree about urine that is wet enough to wet other things. The גמרא then turns to the משנה about a בעל קרי who goes down to immerse before reciting שמע. It shows that the משנה can follow רבי יהושע, because the sunrise deadline may reflect the practice of the ותיקין. The גמרא also explains that covering oneself in water works only with murky water, so that his heart does not 'see' his ערוה. It rules that a heel touching the ערוה is forbidden, while a heel seeing it is permitted. רבא teaches that a see-through cover works for צואה but not for ערוה, and the ערוה of a גוי also forbids קריאת שמע. The גמרא then discusses foul water, urine and chamber pots: how much water must be added, where the pot may stand, and how high a bed must be to separate what is under it. It ends with the story of רב אחאי and a ספר תורה in the wedding room, and the rule of a container inside a container, which רבא's statement about a cloak continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (47)

1. ResponseThe practical difference: moist enough to make other things wet
2. QuestionDoes the unattributed משנה follow רבי אליעזר?
3. RejectionIt can follow רבי יהושע if it is speaking about the ותיקין
4. Proofרבי יוחנן: the ותיקין finished שמע at sunrise
5. ChallengeCovering in water: his heart still sees his nakedness
6. ResolutionThe משנה is talking about murky water
7. StatementA ברייתא about clear water
8. ChallengeDoesn't his heart see the ערוה in clear water?
9. ResolutionThe first תנא allows 'heart sees ערוה'
10. ChallengeDoesn't his heel see the ערוה?
11. ResolutionThe first תנא also allows 'heel sees ערוה'
12. Statementרב זביד's version: they argue about a heel that touches
13. Statementרב חיננא's version: they argue about a heel that sees
14. ConclusionFinal הלכה: touching is forbidden, seeing is permitted
15. Statementרבא: A see-through cover works for feces but not for nakedness
16. StatementThe reason: feces depends on covering, nakedness depends on being seen
17. StatementA small amount of feces can be cancelled with spit
18. StatementCovering feces in a hole with a sandal
19. QuestionFeces stuck to the sandal: the question is left unresolved
20. Statementרב יהודה: No שמע facing a naked non-Jew
21. ChallengeWhy mention a non-Jew? A Jew is also forbidden
22. ResolutionThe non-Jew case was needed: their nakedness also counts
23. StatementThe משנה: Foul water and soaking water as a cover
24. ChallengeHow much water would he have to keep pouring?
25. ResolutionRereading the משנה: Adding water only helps for urine
26. StatementHow much water must be added to urine
27. Statementרב נחמן: the dispute is about water added afterward
28. Statementרב יוסף: the dispute is about water placed first
29. Conclusionרב יוסף asks for a רביעית of water
30. StatementChamber pots are forbidden even when empty
31. StatementDoes it matter where the pot is in the room?
32. QuestionWhat exactly did רבן שמעון בן גמליאל mean?
33. ResponseA second ברייתא settles the question
34. ChallengeQuestion answered, but the two ברייתות now clash
35. ResolutionSwap the names in the second ברייתא
36. ChallengeWhy switch the second ברייתא and not the first?
37. ResolutionWhy the later ברייתא is the one reversed
38. Questionרב יוסף's question: how high must the bed be?
39. Responseרב הונא does not know, but ten is clear
40. Statementאביי: ten טפחים is a separate area
41. Conclusionרבא sums up the heights
42. Statementרב and רב יעקב: the הלכה follows רבי שמעון בן אלעזר
43. Statementרבא disagrees
44. Statementרב אחאי finds a ספר תורה in the wedding room
45. ProofThe ברייתא behind רב אחאי's warning
46. Statementאביי: A regular case does not count as an extra container
47. Statementרבא begins a statement about a cloak