Gemara Clarity

Berachos 7b

ברכות ז׳ ע״ב

Berakhot 7b

Learn Berachos 7b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Berachos 7b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

A series of aggadic teachings by רבי יוחנן in the name of רבי שמעון בן יוחי: prayer, names, confronting רשעים, a fixed place for תפילה, and serving a תלמיד חכם.

Overview

This amud is mostly a series of teachings by רבי יוחנן in the name of רבי שמעון בן יוחי. אברהם was the first to call הקב"ה 'אדון', and רב adds that דניאל's prayer was answered in אברהם's merit. We also learn not to calm a person while he is angry, and that לאה was the first to thank הקב"ה. This leads to explanations of the names ראובן and רות, and to the idea that a name has an effect on a person. Next comes the teaching that a wayward child at home is harder than the war of גוג ומגוג, and why דוד called his flight from אבשלום a 'מזמור'. The גמרא then discusses whether one may confront רשעים and gives several ways to fit the sources together. It closes with the value of a fixed place for תפילה and the teaching that serving a תלמיד חכם is greater than learning from him. Finally, a story about רבי יצחק and רב נחמן leads into another teaching about davening with the צבור, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי:

Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai:

מִיּוֹם שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת הָעוֹלָם,

From the day that the Holy One, Blessed be He, created the world,

לֹא הָיָה אָדָם שֶׁקְּרָאוֹ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא ״אָדוֹן״,

there was no person who called the Holy One, Blessed be He, 'Master,'

עַד שֶׁבָּא אַבְרָהָם וּקְרָאוֹ אָדוֹן,

until Avraham came and called Him Master,

The steps (39)

  1. Statementאברהם was the first to call God 'Master'
  2. Statementדניאל was answered because of אברהם
  3. QuestionWhy doesn't the verse say 'for Your sake'?
  4. ResponseFor the sake of אברהם, who called You Master
  5. StatementDo not try to calm a person while he is angry
  6. Statementלאה was the first person to thank הקב"ה
  7. StatementThe name ראובן: עשו sold his birthright and still hated יעקב
  8. ProofProof that עשו was still angry about the birthright
  9. Statementראובן lost his birthright by force and still saved יוסף
  10. StatementThe meaning of the name רות
  11. QuestionHow do we know a name has an effect?
  12. ResponseNames are among ה׳'s works on earth
  13. StatementA wayward child is harder than the war of גוג ומגוג
  14. ProofProof from תהלים chapters 3 and 2
  15. ChallengeWhy a song and not a lament?
  16. ResolutionThe parable of the loan document
  17. ResolutionApplying the parable to דוד and אבשלום
  18. StatementIt is permitted to stand up against the wicked
  19. ProofA ברייתא says the same thing
  20. ChallengeA פסוק that seems to say not to fight the wicked
  21. ResolutionThe פסוק means: do not become like the wicked
  22. ProofA second פסוק shows the right meaning of 'do not compete'
  23. Challengeרבי יצחק says not to provoke a successful רשע
  24. ResolutionPersonal matters versus matters of Heaven
  25. ResolutionSecond answer: is the רשע having good fortune or not?
  26. ResolutionA third answer: it depends on who is confronting
  27. Proofרב הונא quotes a פסוק from חבקוק
  28. ChallengeCan a רשע really swallow a צדיק?
  29. ResolutionOnly a צדיק who is not complete can be swallowed
  30. ResolutionAnother answer: good fortune changes things
  31. StatementA fixed place for תפילה makes enemies fall
  32. ChallengeTwo פסוקים, two different words
  33. ResolutionFirst afflict, then destroy
  34. StatementServing a תלמיד חכם is greater than learning from him
  35. QuestionWhy didn't you come to shul to daven?
  36. ResponseI wasn't able to
  37. RejectionGather a מנין at home? Too much bother
  38. ResolutionHave a messenger tell you when the צבור davens
  39. QuestionWhy all this effort?