Berachos 34a

ברכות ל״ד ע״א

Berakhot 34a

Learn Berachos 34a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Berachos 34a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Leading communal prayer and the structure of the עמידה

Overview

The עמוד opens by finishing an earlier discussion: אביי insists that a person may not treat prayer so casually that he speaks without focus and then simply repeats himself. A new משנה then deals with the שליח ציבור. If he makes a mistake, someone else replaces him at once, without the usual polite refusal, and starts from the ברכה where the mistake happened. The משנה adds that the leader should not answer אָמֵן after the כהנים, and should not do נשיאת כפים himself unless he is sure he will not lose his place. The גמרא explains that in an ordinary invitation to lead, a person should refuse once, hesitate the second time, and accept the third time. רב הונא and רב אסי then disagree about where to go back after a mistake in each section of the עמידה, and רב הונא is defended against רב ששת's challenge. רב יהודה teaches that personal requests belong only in the middle ברכות. Stories about רבי אליעזר show that prayer may be long or short, and רב חסדא teaches that one need not mention the name of the person one prays for. The עמוד ends with the rules of bowing in the עמידה for an ordinary person; the rules for people of higher rank continue on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

The steps (22)

1. ChallengeCan a person treat Heaven so casually?
2. ConclusionConcentration must begin at the outset
3. StatementAn improper way to address God
4. StatementReplace a prayer leader who makes a mistake
5. ResponseWhere the replacement begins
6. StatementThe prayer leader does not answer amen
7. StatementA prayer leader who is the only priest does not lift his hands
8. StatementAn exception when he can resume confidently
9. StatementOrdinarily, a person asked to lead should decline at first
10. ResponseA three-stage response to an invitation
11. StatementThree things are good in small amounts
12. StatementWhere to resume after an error in each section of prayer
13. StatementThe middle blessings do not have a fixed order
14. ChallengeA source says to return to the blessing where the error occurred
15. ResolutionThe middle blessings count as one unit
16. StatementPersonal requests belong only in the middle blessings
17. ProofThe servant comparison explains the three sections
18. Statementרבי אליעזר defends a very long prayer
19. Statementרבי אליעזר defends a very short prayer
20. StatementNo need to say the name when praying for someone else
21. StatementWhere a person bows in the עמידה
22. StatementThis bowing rule is for an ordinary person