Commentary for Berakhot 107:17

Lit. great sea.

A fortified town is here intended in which is a military governor, who is usually a tyrant and does not rule justly.

It has been suggested that this exhortation is directed against Sadducean teaching; cf. Lehmann in R. E. J. xxxi. pp. 31 ff.

The idea of two is derived from the spelling of the word for "heart" — לבבך instead of לבך; see A. P. A. ii. p. 15 n. 3.

Lit. for a world.

Some edd. read "Sadducees"; and they are intended here as they denied the future life. See p. 100.

Lit. "from the world to the world" — two worlds.

Viz. the Tetragrammaton J H W H, usually rendered "the Lord" which the Jews pronounced Adonai. Wiesner, pp. 118 f., conjectures that this is directed against the Samaritans who substituted for JHWH the word ha-Shem "the Name." Hence by using the word Adonai in his salutation, it would be recognised that it was a Jew, not a Samaritan, who was speaking.

The application of this verse to the subject-matter will be explained on fol. 63 a, p. 417.

That a benediction is required when one beholds a place where a miracle occurred. According to Rashi the reading is : Whence is it that we have to say a benediction for a miracle?

M.: 'Eber Jardena; i.e. "the other side of the Jordan." Rashi explains : A district to the S. of the Euphrates. Wiesner, p. 120, connects 'Eber with the Babylonian river Chabor ; hence the phrase means : the right, or N. bank of the Chabor.

The district between the Chabor and the canal of Is; Wiesner, p. 121.

A town on the Tigris, identified with the fortified Maogamalcha; Neubauer, pp. 356 f .

The question above whether a benediction is to be said for the miracle which happens to an individual.

Even if he had not experienced it himself.

Isaac Alfasi (the medieval Talmudist) reads : He, his son and his grandson.

See Josh. x. 11.

M. and some edd. read: Moses.

See Exod, xvii. 12.

See Gen. xix. 26.

This word, occurring in the Hebrew text, is omitted in edd. M. inserts it.

R.V. "Vaheb in Suphah"; marg. "in storm."