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Berachos 58a

ברכות נ״ח ע״א

Berakhot 58a

Learn Berachos 58a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Berachos 58a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

ברכות on seeing crowds, sages and kings, with stories about בן זומא, רב ששת and רבי שילא on gratitude and on earthly kingship as a reflection of heavenly kingship.

Overview

The amud opens with רבי ירמיה בן אלעזר: ruined בבל harmed its neighbors, but ruined שומרון became vineyards that helped them. רב המנונא and a ברייתא then teach that one who sees 600,000 Jews says 'ברוך חכם הרזים', because ה׳ knows every distinct mind and face. בן זומא, seeing such a crowd on הר הבית, also thanked ה׳ for all the people whose work brings him ready-made bread and clothing, and he contrasts a grateful guest with an ungrateful one. After defining an אוכלוסא as at least 600,000 people, the גמרא lists ברכות for seeing sages and kings, both Jewish and non-Jewish. רבי יוחנן urges people to go greet kings. The blind רב ששת shows a skeptic that the king arrives in silence, like ה׳'s revelation to אליהו. רבי שילא, reported for judging without royal permission, is saved and given authority to judge. He then explains the verse 'לך ה' הגדולה' phrase by phrase, ending with the idea that even a minor leader is appointed from heaven. A ברייתא gives רבי עקיבא's different reading of the same verse.

Opening lines

אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר:

Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar said:

נִתְקַלְּלָה בָּבֶל — נִתְקַלְּלוּ שְׁכֵנֶיהָ.

When Babylonia was cursed, its neighbors were cursed.

נִתְקַלְּלָה שׁוֹמְרוֹן — נִתְבָּרְכוּ שְׁכֵנֶיהָ:

When Samaria was cursed, its neighbors were blessed.

נִתְקַלְּלָה בָּבֶל — נִתְקַלְּלוּ שְׁכֵנֶיהָ,

When Babylonia was cursed, its neighbors were cursed,

The steps (41)

  1. StatementTwo cursed places: בבל hurts its neighbors, שומרון helps them
  2. ProofVerse proving בבל's ruin harmed its neighbors
  3. ProofVerse proving שומרון's ruin helped its neighbors
  4. StatementBlessing on seeing huge crowds of Jews or of non-Jews
  5. Statementברייתא explains why the blessing is 'Who knows secrets'
  6. Statementבן זומא sees a crowd on הר הבית and adds a second blessing
  7. Statementבן זומא explains: אדם הראשון worked hard for bread, I find it ready
  8. StatementSame point with clothing: אדם הראשון worked hard, I find garments ready
  9. StatementAll nations come to my door: the summary of בן זומא's gratitude
  10. StatementWhat a good guest says
  11. StatementWhat a bad guest says
  12. ProofVerses for the two kinds of guest
  13. StatementA verse introduces a new discussion of crowds
  14. StatementThe verse refers to ישי
  15. StatementA multitude of this kind is not found in בבל
  16. StatementHow large a multitude must be
  17. StatementBlessings on seeing sages
  18. StatementBlessings on seeing kings
  19. StatementMake an effort to greet kings
  20. StatementA blind sage goes to greet the king
  21. StatementTwo noisy troops pass without the king
  22. StatementThe quiet troop signals the king
  23. QuestionThe skeptic asks how he knew
  24. ResponseHe learns the sign from a verse
  25. StatementHe blesses when the king arrives
  26. QuestionWhat happened to the skeptic?
  27. ResponseOne account says his eyes were gouged out
  28. ResponseAnother account gives a different ending
  29. StatementA flogging leads to a royal summons
  30. StatementThe court asks for evidence
  31. Statementרבי שילא explains why he did not execute the man
  32. Statementרבי שילא praises divine and earthly kingship
  33. StatementThe court gives רבי שילא authority to judge
  34. StatementThe man challenges רבי שילא's account
  35. Conclusionרבי שילא sees an immediate threat
  36. Statementרבי שילא begins explaining the verse
  37. StatementThe glory and the triumph
  38. StatementThe ארנון and סיסרא wars
  39. StatementThe kingdom and the one exalted
  40. StatementEven a small appointment comes from heaven
  41. Statementרבי עקיבא's reading of the verse's five praises