Berachos 9b

ברכות ט׳ ע״ב

Berakhot 9b

Learn Berachos 9b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Berachos 9b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The wealth taken from מצרים, the time for the morning שמע, and joining גאולה to תפלה

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a teaching: the Jews were asked to take the wealth of מצרים so that אברהם would see both halves of the promise come true. רבי אמי and ריש לקיש describe how completely מצרים was emptied. The גמרא then explains doubled words in פסוקים: the double אהיה said to משה, and the double עננו in אליהו's prayer. Next comes the משנה on the morning שמע: it starts when there is enough light to tell תכלת from white, and it ends at sunrise, or three hours into the day according to רבי יהושע. The גמרא explains that the משנה means the strings of ציצית. A ברייתא adds more signs, and the הלכה follows אחרים, while אביי says that for שמע it is best to follow the ותיקין, who finished right at sunrise. This leads to praise of joining גאולה to תפלה, and to the question of how the verses said before and after the עמידה fit with that. The amud ends by showing that the first two chapters of תהלים count as one, and a further proof from רבי יוחנן begins on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (43)

1. StatementSo that אברהם will not say only half the promise came true
2. ResponseThe Jews just want to get out, shown by the parable of the prisoner
3. Statementרבי אמי: the wealth was given against someone's will
4. ProofReason for 'against the Egyptians' will': the wealth was שלל
5. ProofReason for 'against the Jews' will': the heavy load
6. Statementרבי אמי: מצרים was left like a trap with no grain
7. Statementריש לקיש: מצרים was left like a sea with no fish
8. StatementThe double 'I will be': with you now and in future exiles
9. Challengeמשה objects: don't tell them about future suffering now
10. Conclusionה׳ agrees: say only 'I will be has sent me'
11. QuestionWhy did אליהו say 'answer me' twice?
12. ResponseTwo requests: fire from heaven, and no claims of sorcery
13. ProofProof from the end of the verse
14. StatementThe earliest time for the morning שמע
15. StatementThe latest time for the morning שמע
16. StatementReading after the time still has value
17. QuestionWhat does 'תכלת and white' mean?
18. RejectionIt cannot mean two piles of wool
19. ResponseIt means the blue and white strings of ציצית
20. StatementA ברייתא gives three more signs for morning
21. Statementרב הונא rules like אחרים
22. Statementאביי splits the ruling: תפילין versus קריאת שמע
23. ProofA ברייתא supports the ותיקין and explains their reason
24. Proofרבי זירא gives a פסוק for the practice
25. StatementJoining גאולה to תפלה protects a person all day
26. Challengeרבי זירא says he joined them and was still harmed
27. ResolutionBringing a gift to the king was not real harm
28. Proofרבי יוחנן: run to see kings, even non-Jewish ones
29. Statementרבי אלעא asks עולא to honor his brother רב ברונא
30. Proofרב ברונא joined them and was joyful all day
31. ChallengeHow can you join them if a verse is said in between?
32. Resolutionרבי אלעזר: that verse is for the evening prayer
33. ChallengeJoining גאולה to תפלה matters at ערבית too
34. Resolutionרבי אלעזר moves the verse to מנחה
35. Resolutionרב אשי: the verse counts as part of the תפלה
36. ProofProof from השכיבנו at night
37. QuestionWhy is 'May the words of my mouth be acceptable' said at the end?
38. Responseדוד said it after eighteen chapters
39. ChallengeBut there are nineteen chapters!
40. ResolutionThe first two chapters of תהלים count as one
41. Proofדוד said 103 chapters before saying הללויה
42. ChallengeThe count looks like 104, not 103
43. ConclusionSo the first two chapters are one chapter