Gemara Clarity

Berachos 4a

ברכות ד׳ ע״א

Berakhot 4a

Learn Berachos 4a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Berachos 4a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

דוד's advisers and his midnight lyre, the meaning of 'כחצות', why דוד called himself a חסיד and feared sin, and the return to the חכמים's deadline of חצות

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a reading of the פסוק that lists דוד's advisers in order: אחיתופל, then the סנהדרין under בניהו (called כרתי ופלתי), then the אורים ותומים through אביתר, and only last the general יואב. Next comes the פסוק showing that דוד's lyre woke him at midnight. רבי זירא then says both משה and דוד knew exactly when midnight was. The גמרא explains that the lyre only woke דוד up, and that משה said 'כחצות' so that פרעה's astrologers would not call him a liar. רב אשי offers another reading: 'like midnight right now'. Then לוי and רבי יצחק give two reasons דוד called himself a חסיד: he rose at midnight, or he humbly did הלכה work and accepted correction from מפיבשת, which earned him the wise son כלאב. The גמרא asks how דוד could call himself pious when he doubted his reward, and answers that he feared a future sin, just as יעקב did and as sin cost ישראל a miracle in עזרא's time. Finally, the גמרא returns to the משנה and starts asking which reading of 'ובשכבך' the חכמים follow when they say 'until חצות'.

Opening lines

״בְּנָיָהוּ בֶּן יְהוֹיָדָע״ זֶה סַנְהֶדְרִין,

"Benayahu ben Yehoyada": this is the Sanhedrin,

״וְאֶבְיָתָר״ אֵלּוּ אוּרִים וְתוּמִּים.

"And Evyatar": these are the Urim VeTumim.

וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר:

And so it says:

״וּבְנָיָהוּ בֶּן יְהוֹיָדָע

"And Benayahu ben Yehoyada

The steps (26)

  1. Statementבניהו means the סנהדרין and אביתר means the אורים ותומים
  2. ProofProof that בניהו was over the סנהדרין
  3. QuestionWhy is the סנהדרין called כרתי and פלתי?
  4. ResponseThe names describe decisive and wondrous rulings
  5. ConclusionOnly afterward comes יואב, the army general
  6. ProofThe פסוק showing דוד's lyre woke him
  7. Resolutionרבי זירא: משה and דוד both knew when midnight was
  8. ChallengeIf דוד knew the time, why did he need the lyre?
  9. ResolutionThe lyre was to wake him up
  10. ChallengeIf משה knew the time, why did he say 'about midnight'?
  11. Resolutionמשה worried פרעה's astrologers would call him a liar
  12. ProofSupport: teach yourself to say 'I don't know'
  13. Resolutionרב אשי: 'Like midnight right now'
  14. Statementדוד's piety: rising at midnight while kings sleep
  15. StatementThe second opinion: דוד got his hands dirty to help couples
  16. Statementדוד was never ashamed to check his rulings with his teacher
  17. ProofA פסוק that hints at דוד's humility
  18. Statementמפיבשת's real name, and דוד's reward
  19. Statementכלאב's real name was דניאל
  20. Proofשלמה's verses about the wise son
  21. ChallengeHow could דוד call himself pious if he doubted his reward?
  22. Resolutionדוד feared that sin might cause a loss
  23. Proofיעקב also feared that sin might cancel God's promise
  24. ProofSin stopped the miracle in Ezra's time
  25. QuestionBack to the משנה: whose view do the Sages follow?
  26. ChallengeIf they follow רבי אליעזר, they should rule like him