Berachos 28a

ברכות כ״ח ע״א

Berakhot 28a

Learn Berachos 28a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Berachos 28a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The end of the story of רבן גמליאל's removal and return, and the הלכות of davening מוסף late and the order of מנחה and מוסף

Overview

This amud finishes the famous story of the day רבן גמליאל was removed and רבי אלעזר בן עזריה became head of the ישיבה. A miracle turns his hair white, which explains his words in the משנה, 'I am like a seventy-year-old.' The doors of the בית המדרש open to everyone, מסכת עדיות is taught, and רבן גמליאל still comes to learn. He even takes part in the debate over יהודה גר עמוני, where the ruling follows רבי יהושע. רבן גמליאל then goes to make peace with רבי יהושע, is rebuked for not knowing how poor the scholars are, and is forgiven. The חכמים restore him, and the leadership is shared: three weeks for רבן גמליאל and one for רבי אלעזר בן עזריה. The גמרא then returns to the משנה about מוסף. It rules that מנחה comes before מוסף when both are due, and confirms through רבי זירא that the ruling is רבי יוחנן's. It ends with warnings, based on the פסוק 'נוגי ממועד', against davening מוסף or שחרית past their time according to רבי יהודה.

Opening lines

The steps (48)

1. StatementHis wife's worry and his answer about the expensive cup
2. StatementNo white hair, and the miracle that fixed it
3. ProofExplaining 'like a seventy-year-old' in the משנה
4. StatementThe door guard is removed and all students may enter
5. StatementHow many benches were added
6. Statementרבן גמליאל's worry and his dream
7. RejectionThe dream was only to comfort him
8. Statementמסכת עדיות was taught on that day
9. ConclusionEvery open question settled, and רבן גמליאל stayed
10. ProofA משנה proves רבן גמליאל was present: an Ammonite convert asks his question
11. StatementTwo opposite rulings: forbidden or permitted
12. Challengeרבן גמליאל cites the Torah's ban on Ammonites
13. Resolutionסנחריב mixed up the nations, so he is probably not a real Ammonite
14. Challengeרבן גמליאל: the Ammonites already returned to their land
15. Resolutionרבי יהושע: a promise of return doesn't mean it already happened
16. ConclusionThe convert is permitted right away
17. Statementרבן גמליאל goes to appease רבי יהושע and sees his blackened walls
18. Statementרבי יהושע rebukes רבן גמליאל for not knowing how the scholars suffer
19. Conclusionרבן גמליאל asks forgiveness and רבי יהושע is appeased
20. QuestionWho will tell the Sages, and a launderer volunteers
21. Statementרבי יהושע's message: the one who wears the garment should keep wearing it
22. Rejectionרבי עקיבא locks the gates against the message
23. Statementרבי יהושע comes himself with the parable of the one who sprinkles
24. Conclusionרבי עקיבא agrees to go to רבן גמליאל the next morning
25. QuestionWhat should be done with the new leader?
26. RejectionHe cannot be removed
27. RejectionTaking equal turns would cause jealousy
28. ConclusionThree weeks and one week
29. ProofThis explains a line in חגיגה
30. ConclusionWho the student was
31. StatementDavening מוסף late
32. Statementמנחה first, because it is more frequent
33. Statementרבי יהודה: מוסף first, because its time is running out
34. Conclusionרבי יוחנן's ruling: מנחה first
35. Statementרבי זירא sits at the doorway
36. QuestionWho said a הלכה inside?
37. ResponseNot like רבי יהודה
38. QuestionDid רבי יוחנן really say it?
39. ResponseYes, learned forty times
40. QuestionIs it your only one, or a new one?
41. ResponseNew, because of a doubt about רבי יהושע בן לוי
42. StatementLate מוסף and the פסוק of נוגי ממועד
43. QuestionHow do we know נוגי means destruction?
44. Responseרב יוסף's תרגום
45. StatementLate שחרית and the same פסוק
46. QuestionHow do we know נוגי means sorrow?
47. ResponseProof from תהלים
48. ResponseAnother proof from איכה